Saturday we started with Royal Courts of Justice.The highlights were seeing Entrance to the cells/Unfinished Pillar/Memorial to George Edmund Street-the architect of the Royal Courts of Justice/Bear Garden/Lord Chancellor's Court.Organizers gave us a handout which guided us through the building.Very informative and gorgeous Gothic structure mesmerised me.
Main Hall -It is 238 feet long, 80 feet high and 48 feet wide.The mosaic floor was all individually hand laid out.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office - again very elegant working office with larger than life paintings and beautiful interiors.Major attaractions in the building was Durbar Court/Locarno Suite/The Locarno Dining Room/The Grand Staircase.Durbar Court-The name dates from 1902 when some of the Coronation celebrations of King Edward VII were held here.In March 1939, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth attended an evening reception for President Leburn of France,during which young Peggy Ashcroft and John Gielgud acted the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet.
Statues from left to right Sir Eyre Coote,The Marquess Cornwallis,Richard Marquess Wellesley, and the Duke of Wellington.
The Grand Staircase- designed by George Gilbert Scott.He saw the Foreign Office as 'a kind of national palace,or drawing room for the nation' and his use of lavish decoration to impress foreign visitors is exemplified by his Grand Staircase.
We lunched at a small pizzeria of Tomato Basil and Mozzarella Salad with Californian Pizza washed down with a large glass of coke.
As we had enough time on our hand we walked around the Charing Cross and browsed some paintings at National Portrait Gallery.
As we had enough time on our hand we walked around the Charing Cross and browsed some paintings at National Portrait Gallery.
Our last stop for the day was Canada House.Contrary to my expectations Canada House did not impress me much.
Sunday i decided to take it easy as i was tired from last day's events ... i first stopped at Apsley House. We did a quick round of the house looking at the huge marble statues and gorgeous paintings.Highlights of the place was a huge Napoleon Statue and Waterloo Gallery. It is one of London's finest mansions and is still the residence of Wellington's descendants.
My next and last stop was at Westminster Hall.It was amazing to see such a huge and palatial hall. It is the oldest extant building at the Palace of Westminster and is one of the largest medieval halls in Europe.The hall was the most frequent meeting place of the King's Great Council from the late 11th century and the principal home of the Courts of Justice since 1178.
My next and last stop was at Westminster Hall.It was amazing to see such a huge and palatial hall. It is the oldest extant building at the Palace of Westminster and is one of the largest medieval halls in Europe.The hall was the most frequent meeting place of the King's Great Council from the late 11th century and the principal home of the Courts of Justice since 1178.
