Must See Sights and Landmarks in Brentwood Area

"Famous for being the spot where coronations take place, Westminster Abbey is another tourist top spot. It’s a stunning, majestic building that has been around since 1090 when it was originally built. Various monarchs have ensured the upkeep of the building, guaranteeing that Westminster Abbey continues to be one of the crown jewels of London."

"The Abbey was built by Edward the Confessor, and William the Conqueror was crowned in it on Christmas Day 1066. Thousands of people are buried, or have their ashes interred, in it. Many others have plaques."

"This distinctive skyscraper is equally impressive when viewed from the exterior or the interior with its panoramic views over Tower Bridge and the Thames. Best shot: Rich, aka @paperboyo has become InstaFamous thanks to his playful photographs featuring papercuts of well known landmarks, such as The Shard. I’ve had an incredible variety of experiences this year from shooting ocean sunrises with pro-photographers to climbing rooftops with daredevils and it’s all because of the opportunities Instagram has opened up for me."

"The Shard is London’s tallest building|© Tim Ayers / Alamy Stock Photo. Daring, awe-inspiring and momentous, Renzo Piano’s spire-like building commands the capital as it soars to a height of 309.6 metres (1,016 feet), containing its own vertical city within. Inaugurated in 2012, the Shard is a relative newcomer to London’s cityscape, but has already become a symbol of the city, something that Piano says is down to its accessibility and transparency."

"For a truly spectacular view of London, you’re going to want to head up London’s tallest building, the Shard. This 95 storey skyscraper was opened in 2012, with the viewing deck opened in 2013."

"It includes all the major attractions (e.g., Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, and the National Gallery), but also includes several lesser known sites and encourages you to explore several of London’s diverse neighborhoods including Westminster, Greenwich, Kensington, and Camden. We suggest using this itinerary as a starting point for planning your 6 days in London, not as a definitive itinerary, and you can edit it to put together your own personal itinerary that reflects your own needs and interests."

"Home to the Crown Jewels, the iconic beefeaters, and (allegedly) several spooks, the Tower of London’s history dates back nearly 1,000 years. Standing guard by Tower Bridge and the River Thames, the medieval compound has served as a royal palace, prison, and execution site. Legend has it, these royal ghosts haunt Britain to this day!"

"Now home to the British Crown Jewels, the Tower of London was built by William the Conqueror in 1078. It served as a prison from 1100 to the mid twentieth century. This has led to the phrase “sent to the Tower”, meaning imprisoned."

"You’ll want to leave the capital with some iconic panoramas of the city, and they don’t come much more iconic than the Tower Bridge. This gorgeous bridge over the Thames has been an integral part of the London landscape since the late 1800s, and continues to fascinate visitors – and delight photographers. While some might say it’s been done to death, I think there’s always a new take to be found."

"Day 1: Arrive in London, Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour, the London EyeDay 2: Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Whitehall, Covent GardenDay 3: Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Borough Market, Tate Modern, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Sky GardenDay 4: National Gallery, Greenwich, Prime Meridian, Up at the O2Day 5: British Museum, Portobello Road Market, Victoria and Albert Museum, Harrod’s"

"Walking through one of London’s numerous parks is also an option, and so is admiring the architecture of Tower Bridge, the Gherkin, or St. Paul’s Cathedral. In the evenings, have some fish and chips in a pub or enjoy London’s multicultural dining options. You will stay in the city until the morning of Day 3."

"The Houses of Parliament (Palace of Westminster) is, of course, one of the most popular buildings to photograph for Instagram. For some of the best spots go directly opposite and take pictures in this little archway and also the steps above that lead from Westminster Bridge down to the walkway. The best bet for good photographs is to get here around sunset for the golden hour as the sun often sets behind the building."

"The Houses of Parliament, or the Westminster Palace, is designed in the gothic-architectural style. It is the meeting place for the two Houses of Parliament, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The current palace was built in 1847 after a fire destroyed the original building."

"Big Ben & The Houses of Parliament – Iconic Big Ben is the name of the bell in the giant clock tower at the end of the Houses of Parliament, where the UK Parliament meets. This iconic sight is best viewed from the Westminster Bridge or from the south side of the Thames."

"St Lawrence Jewry is a splendid Baroque church by Sir Christopher Wren, built on the site of an earlier church destroyed in the Great Fire. It’s across the square from London Guildhall, and is the official church of the Lord Mayor of London and the City of London Corporation. The Jewry in its name refers to the London Jewish ghetto, which was centred around the street named Old Jewry, which can be found less than 100 metres east along Gresham Street from the church – it’s on the right."

"St Lawrence Jewry was founded in the 12th century and dedicated to St Lawrence, roasted alive on a gridiron in 3rd century Rome. The church was rebuilt by Wren in1670-87. It was one of Wren’s most expensive City Churches and was badly gutted on 29th December 1940."

"Situated next to the Guildhall in the old Jewish quarter, this was rebuilt by Wren after the original burned down in the Great Fire"

"This striking Arts and Craft church was built in 1888-90, at the south-eastern side of Sloane Street. It was paid for by the 5th Earl of Cadogan, in whose estate it stood. John Dando Sedding’s design blends late Victorian trends of Pre-Raphaelite medieval and Italianate styles."

"This Anglican parish church was built in the late 19th-century and it’s so wide that it its width even exceeds that of St. Paul’s Cathedral"

"67 km from city center 8 out of 40 places to visit in London. In the fictional yet captivatingly magical world of Harry Potter, Platform 9 and ¾ signifies the mystical train platform between the ordinary world platforms 9 and 10, through which young wizards and witches could jump over to hop aboard the Hogwarts Express to reach the Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"If you’re a Harry Potter fans you have to go see platform 9 and 3/4. Actually, you should go see it even if you’re not a Harry Potter fan!. It’s inside Kings Cross station, but not between platforms 9 and 10 sadly, these are only accessible if you have a valid train ticket."

"Relive you Harry Potter fantasies by visiting the station platform made famous by the books and movies. It’s located at Kings Cross Station and you can’t miss the trolley half sticking out of the brick wall."

"This is one of my personal favourite sunset spots in London. From here you can see the sun setting behind the Houses of Parliament, and flooding both the London Eye and River Thames with beautiful golden light. It might not be the most Instagrammable shot since if you want to get all elements in you will have to shoot landscape (and we all know portrait is better for Instagram) but it’s still going to be a breath taking photo."

"I have been photographing this second composition ever since I started photographing London. I love the way the London Eye is dominant in the frame and towers over the smaller buildings that surround it. As you can see from the image here, this is a cracking location to capture the London Eye as a long exposure which I cover in a previous post featuring my top 5 locations to capture long exposure photos in London."

"Quick Tip: If you have time, walk across the Hungerford Bridge which is also lovely at night and has a great view of the London Eye. Have more time to spend in London?"

"The Museum of Domestic Design and Architecture is a London museum that is home to an impressive collection of 19th and 20th century home decorative arts. The Arts Council England recognized the collection as providing outstanding international value. The MoDA also has the Sir James Maude Richards Library of architectural books on a long-term loan."

"Fronted by a pair of intimidating 15in naval guns and a piece of the Berlin Wall, this riveting museum is housed in what was the Bethlem Royal Hospital, a psychiatric hospital also known as Bedlam. Although the museum’s focus is on military action involving British or Commonwealth troops largely during the 20th century, it covers war in the wider sense. Must-see exhibits include the state-of-the-art First World War Galleries and Witnesses to War in the forecourt and atrium above."

"This historic warship, operated today by Imperial War Museums, will definitely be of interest to military buffs, or anyone with an interest in boats. Launched just before the outbreak of World War 2, this Royal Navy Light Cruiser saw action in both World War 2 and the Korean War, before being decommissioned in 1963."

"Despite its name, the cultural venue formerly known as the Imperial War Museum (one of five IWM branches around the country) does not…"

"Ok, it’s not technically a park, but it most definitely is one of London’s foremost green spaces. Speaking of technicalities, its proper title is actually Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, but when did anyone last call it that?. However you refer to it, Kew is a glorious day out, and with 300 acres and 50,000 plants, you could go every week of the year and discover something new every time."

"Founded in 1840, using plants from Kew Park in Middlesex, Kew Gardens is one of the largest and lushest botanic gardens in the world."

"The 17th-century home of King George III, who preferred the countryside to the urban St James's Palace. Today only the building known as the Dutch House remains, however it is kept in immaculate condition."

"The King George III summer home, Kew Palace is one of London’s lesser-known royal residences and is the oldest building in the Gardens, built in 1631 for a Flemish merchant, Samuel Fortrey."

"Gardens emerge in the unlikeliest of places, including this tropical beauty atop a railway station. Crossrail hasn’t quite reached Canary Wharf yet, but this stunning spot is open for business—as is the adjacent street food hall!. COVID-19 UPDATE: Crossrail Place Roof Garden is open 8am-9pm daily."