L is for London » S

Raising standards

Hogs Back Books — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 19:04:19 +0000

When the Queen is at home, you can see her flag, the Royal Standard, flying from the pole on top of Buckingham Palace. In flag protocol, the Royal Standard is supreme. It must only be flown from buildings where the Queen is present. It flies above the Union Jack, Standards of other Royal Family members, and other British flags. It never flies at half staff (although an exception was made following the death of Princess Diana).

Ghosts, buskers … on the tube

Hogs Back Books — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:53:05 +0000

There are around 40 ghost tube stations in London. These are abandoned or relocated tube stations that are no longer used by London Underground.

Julian Lloyd Webber was London Underground’s first official busker.

Careful what you say

Hogs Back Books — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 22:32:47 +0000

The dome of St Paul’s Cathedral is the second biggest dome in the world, after St Peter’s in Rome. At its base is the Whispering Gallery, a circular walkway halfway up the inside of the dome. Due to the acoustics of the curved surface, a phrase whispered against one wall can be heard against the far wall 112 feet away.

St Paul’s

Hogs Back Books — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 22:29:19 +0000

St Paul’s Cathedral was built between 1675 and 1711 by Sir Christopher Wren. The foundation stone was laid in 1675 when Wren was 43 years old, and the last stone was put in lace by his son 35 years later. It was the fifth cathedral on the site. The previous Norman one was even larger than Wren’s building and had the tallest ever spire. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of London of 1666.