Les lieux symboliques britanniques

It was founded in 1066 by William 1^st, best known as "William the Conqueror", on the North bank of the River Thames, in London.

It was alternatively a Palace, a Royal Prison, the home of the Royal Arsenal, the Royal Observatory, and even the Royal Zoo!
Today it is the home of the Crown Jewels*.

Ever since its foundation, the Tower has been warded.
Today you can easily recognize the warders thanks to their red and golden costume.

A great number of people were executed in the Tower.

For instance :
1465 : Henri VI
1535 : Sir Thomas Moore, a statesman* and a scholar*.
1536 : Anne Boleyn, King Henry VIII's second wife.
1606 : Guy Fawkes, a Leading conspirator.

Visitors are often surprised to see so many ravens (big black birds) around the Tower.
A legend says that if one day they disappeared, there would be a great disaster in England...

It's The Queen's official residence in London.
Great Royal Ceremonies, State visits and Investitures take place there.

The Palace is guarded by Foot Guards dressed in red tunics, black trousers, and the famous big black hairy hat !

The Changing of the Guard takes place at 11.30 am every day in summer.
It is a very popular event for tourists.

It is the oldest English-speaking university in the world !
It seems it was already a teaching place in 1096 !
Since 1974, it has admitted men and women together.

1231 : Roger Bacon, a scholar.
1492 : Thomas Moore, a statesman and a scholar, executed at The Tower of London.
1608 : Thomas Hobbes, a philosopher.
1968 : Bill Clinton, the President of the USA from 1992 to 2000.
1972 : Tony Blair, England's Prime Minister.
1975 : Rowan Atkinson, the famous "Mister Bean" !

Oxford and Cambridge, another very famous university in London, have often been rivals.
But nothing bad! You can experience their "opposition" every year (late March) during the traditional students' Boat Race on the River Thames.

In Scotland, a "loch" is a "lake".

The Loch Ness is located at about 150 kilometres North from Glasgow, in the Highlands.
This region is typical of the Scottish landscapes* : a mountainous and green area in the North of Scotland.

The Loch Ness is 40 kilometres long, 2 kilometres large and 230 metres deep*. It is the largest lake in Great-Britain.

It is a very ancient legend : it dates back to 565 AD*.
Many people say they have seen a monster, but nothing has been proved yet !

In 1933 a road was built, and a great number of tourists have come since then, hoping to see something !

Does Nessy really exist ? What do you think ?!...