According to the London Development Agency, London has over 200 museums, 500 cinema screens, 108 music halls, and five symphony orchestras. There are three World Heritage Sites in London—the Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, and Maritime Greenwich. Every day there are at least 150 events in London. Needless to say, you can’t see it all in one day. Here are some major sights you can expect to tackle on the first visit to London:

根据伦敦发展署的调查显示, 伦敦拥有200多座博物馆, 500多家电影院, 108 家音乐厅和5支交响乐团. 伦敦还拥有3处世界遗产遗址, 即威斯敏斯特宫和威斯敏斯特修道院,伦敦塔以及格林威治海岸. 在伦敦, 每天都至少有150场活动. 不用说, 你没法在一天之内把所有的这些活动都看遍. 如果你初游伦敦,下面是一些你可能会想去的主要景点:

Buckingham Palace 白金汉宫(built 1705)One of the most recognizable buildings in the world and home of the royal family, Buckingham Palace has 661 rooms, 19 of which are open to the public. The Queen conducts royal ceremonies here where 50,000 people each year are invited to attend Palace functions. The Changing of the Guard lasts 45 minutes in front of the Palace and should not be missed.

Houses of Parliament 会议大厦(built 1840-1888)“Hear, hear.” The Houses of Parliament, also known as Westminster Palace, was designed in the Gothic (1) style. One of London’s famous landmarks—Big Ben, the clock tower named for its 13-ton bell—is also found here. Guided tours take visitors around the stately halls where the House of Lords and the House of Commons legislate (2) and debate (3). The Prime Minister’s Question Time tends to be the busiest and most interesting time to visit.

Note: "Hear, hear" is the expression used to open a parliament session, and when the house representatives get a little rowdy (4). It’s short for "Hear, all ye good people, hear what this brilliant and eloquent (5) speaker has to say."

London Eye 伦敦眼(operational 2000) The “Eye” is a giant modern ferris wheel which weighs 1,600 tons and stands 450 feet (135 m) high on the South Bank of the River Thames across from the Houses of Parliament. The waiting lines, or “queues”, can be long, but up to 25 visitors can ride in each of the clear capsules for 30 minutes and gaze out over the vast city. A magical time to ride the “Eye” is at night.

Westminster Abbey威斯敏斯特教堂(built 1245-1517) One of the most visited Christian churches in the world, this mainly Gothic cathedral is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English monarchs. The Abbey was built and rebuilt many times in different styles starting in 1045 and 1065 in the Norman (6) style and then progressing into the 14th century in the Gothic style. All English coronations except those of three monarchs have been conducted here since 1066, while most Kings and Queens of England before Charles I are buried here, including Mary Queen of Scots. Geoffrey Chaucer and other poets, such as Robert Br owning and Alfred Lord Tennyson, are buried in what is known as Poet’s Corner.