London Ancient Ruins

Ancient Ruins in London, England

London Ancient Ruins

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What travellers are saying

  • sanju_222323
    New Jersey17,776 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sensitive topic for me being an Indian and not liking how they are not returning to their rightful owners. anyway

    The Crown Jewels are the nation’s most precious treasures, including the sacred Coronation Regalia used at the Coronations of new monarchs. Comprising more than 100 objects and over 23,000 gemstones, the Crown Jewels are priceless. They are part of the Royal Collection, held in trust by the monarch for the nation.

    At the heart of the Crown Jewels collection are the Coronation Regalia: the sacred objects used during the coronation ceremony. These unique objects represent the powers and responsibilities of the monarch.

    so that sensitive topic was Kohinoor

    The Koh-i-Noor diamond is one of the most famous diamonds in the world. Originating from the Golconda mines in central southern India, the diamond has had a turbulent history. A symbol of conquest, the Koh-i-Noor has had many previous owners, including Mughal Emperors, Shahs of Iran, Emirs of Afghanistan, and Sikh Maharajas. The East India Company took the jewel from deposed ten-year-old Maharaja Duleep Singh in 1849, as a condition of the Treaty of Lahore.

    The Koh-i-Noor diamond weighs 105.6 carats. It was once much larger but was re-cut in 1852 to improve its brilliance and conform to contemporary European tastes. Opposing legends have maintained that the diamond is both lucky and unlucky. More recent tradition asserts it would bring misfortune if worn by a man. The Koh-i-Noor is now set in the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, 1937.

    other than Kohinoor, the following are the crowing Jewels kept here-
    St Edward's Crown: was last used for crowning Charles III in 2023.
    The Imperial State Crown:
    The Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross: The Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross has been used at every coronation since Charles II’s in 1661

    and folks, yes, they are real!! I asked the same question to the attendants (they are highly useful, ask any question and they know more than the guides)
    Written 25 January 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • MadMac66
    Fullerton, CA190 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    My wife and I visited the Guildhall Gallery in September 2024 and thankfully was one of the only attractions that was not completely overun with people. Therefore we were able to fully enjoy the lecture, the walking tour, and the museum operated by the Guildhall.

    We booked our tickets for the Roman Amphitheatre tour weeks in advance, and there were a dozen or so guests in our group. The tour is hosted by Dr Andrew Lane, the archaeologist who led the team that discovered the ruins. His personal and professional insight were priceless, just ever-so fascinating to a Roman history nerd like myself. To the amusement of my other half, I asked many questions, and Dr Lane took plenty of time to answer them.

    After the lecture and a tour of the amphitheatre exhibit, Dr Lane took us on a walking tour around the remains of the Roman Wall. The walk is short and easy, with several stops along the way to discuss the ruins we were looking at, their origins, their role in Roman London. The walk culminates in a Barbican parking lot normally closed to the public where the ruins of a gate entrance to the Roman Fort are hidden.

    This tour was a highlight of my visit. Having grown up in London and lived there for 30 years, I never knew such ancient relics survived here. It was a really great time spent reacquainting myself with my home town. This tour takes place one day a month. It is highly recommended to time your visit with a trip to the amphitheatre and to do the full tour.
    Written 30 October 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • DeniseAshford
    Crawley, UK94 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    We enjoyed our visit. Peter, our guide, was very informative and interesting. It was so well preserved under the building. A great find!
    Written 29 September 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • AlexanderD
    Jackson, NJ5,745 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Would I go out of my way to see this? No. Would I spend more than a short time here? No. Did it blow my mind? No. Was it worth stopping and pausing to admire as a historical artifact? Absolutely.
    Written 17 August 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • WorldwideRover007
    United States3,252 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    There isnt much too see other than a quick glance. There is a plaque explaining the ruins and history. No place to sit and admire. All in all, finished in under 5 minutes.
    Written 25 April 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • phat_dawg_21
    Alpharetta, GA17,331 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lots of famous people have resided here, not always in comfort.

    Sir Walter Raleigh’s apartment was interesting.

    The area containing the torture equipment could be disturbing.
    Written 30 September 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • ianwyj
    Singapore5,196 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    While London has had a long history, it was the Romans who truly put the city on the world map but building a significant settlement in area. Needless to say, protection was needed for the young town and the natural thing to do was to build a wall around it. Stone soon replaced wood in the construction, and what's seen today at around the Tower Hill station is one of only several places left where the original Roman wall hasn't been dismantled, buried or incorporated into adjacent construction. This site had a useful information plaque next to it explaining the wall's origin - very useful as otherwise, it's easy to ignore without realising its history.
    Written 12 October 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Alice R
    Hobart, Australia8,923 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    An interesting small display of medieval bows and arrows that were used as a measure of defence. Well worth a look.
    Written 18 March 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • ShaunH290
    London, UK3,026 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    The Charnel House is an example of what London has done so well in recent years - taking an old, often subterranean historical site and turned it into a modern tourist attraction. The London Mithraeum by the Bloomberg Building and the Amphitheatre under the Guildhall are other examples. All presented in a modern way, in this case going back to the Middle Ages, rather than Roman times, they are worth visiting if you are passing.
    Here the "glass surfboards" on the wall give lots of details, and a QR code behind the glass window leads to a lovely 3-D rendering of the site itself. The only downside is that there does not seem to be a website for the location, even though I have seen that some people have managed to get tours behind that glass.
    Written 16 January 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • CPaM68
    Texas817 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    I am both fascinated and intrigued by ancient Egyptian obelisk, and my eventual goal is to see them all in person. On our last trip to London, I was able to visit the great British Museum and see the Nectanebo II obelisks. The Obelisks of Nectanebo II are a pair of black silk-stone Ancient Egyptian obelisks that are on display within the great court of the British Museum. These are actually only large fragments, approximately half of the original obelisks. Another large fragment from one of these can be found in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. The obelisks originally stood on either side of the entrance to a temple located in the ancient city of Hermopolis (modern Al-Ashmunayn), Egypt. All four sides of both obelisks are inscribed with hieroglyphs recording their dedication to the Egyptian God Thoth. During Napoleon's 1798 expedition to Egypt, the obelisks were transported to Alexandria by the French forces with the intent of shipping them to France and being exhibiting at the Louvre. Instead, after the defeat of the French forces by the British, they were confiscated and transported to England and ended up in the British Museum. There are only 29 known ancient Egyptian obelisks in the world. Throughout time Egypt has only retained 8 of the obelisks with Italy, part of the old Roman Empire, having 11, England 4 (for some reason the pair of Nectanebo II obelisks are only officially counted as 1), and the others are scattered throughout Europe with 1 being in the US. Most are much larger than the Nectanebo II obelisks and are displayed outside in prominent piazzas or squares, rather than inside museums. Other than the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, the British Museum houses the world's largest and most comprehensive collection of Egyptian antiquities (with over 100,000 pieces). Many of the Egyptian artifacts found in the British Museum and other museums across the world were looted or acquired under dubious circumstances during the colonial period. Even though many of the artifacts may have been rightfully bought, Egypt is beginning to request that the artifacts be returned because of the belief that the artifacts belong to the country they came from.
    Written 18 February 2018
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Alice R
    Hobart, Australia8,923 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Apparently the easiest way to access the chapel is on a yeoman tour - maybe next time. We didn't actually get to enter here - can access during first and last hour of opening times only.
    Written 18 March 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Alice R
    Hobart, Australia8,923 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    This tower is part of the wall walk and part of the first fortification of the Tower of London, we didn't spend very long in here.
    Written 18 March 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Peter R
    Dartford, UK1,371 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    These ruins are on private land and can only be viewed from a nearby footpath which leads out towards the river Darent and then to the Thames. The building is said to formally have been the manor of Howbury recorded as far back as the Domesday Book. The building and a Jacobean tithe barn are now in a very poor state of repair being almost totally covered in undergrowth and trees.
    Written 30 June 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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