General information about the UK
 
Britain, as a symbol of the centuries-old history, and modern civilization, combines ancient traditions and unique monuments of architecture with cutting edge business centers and trendy cafes. History of the Kingdom of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland - are actually four different countries with their own features. In England, the largest number of cultural heritage sites. Here is London, rich in architectural monuments, theaters, nightlife, shops, restaurants, museums and art galleries. Windsor, Oxford, Cambridge, York, Bath, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool - not a complete list of interesting cities in England. Scotland - mountains, lakes, moors, the sounds of bagpipes and traditional whiskey. Wales amazes tourists varied landscape and spectacular castles. About a fifth of it is a national park. Northern Ireland is not rich in cultural attractions, but you can see the unique natural monument - Trail of the Giants, which is included in the list of world heritage.

UK Climate
 
The country belongs to the field of moderate continental climate marine type, with warm winters and cool summers. Determining influence on the climate is warm Gulf Stream that passes along the western coast and the heated air. Summer temperatures rarely rise to +30 ° C, is not lower than -10 ° C, and most of the year it is between +10 ° C and +20 ° C. Due to the nature of the relief most of Scotland as well as rolling hills of Wales and England, cooler in summer and colder in winter. The average temperature in January varies from north to south from +3 ° C to +6 ° C, and July - from +13 ° C to +16 ° C. The main features of the weather is unstable and abundant rainfall. Rain and sun can replace each other in a matter of minutes, especially in the fall. Most rain occurs in the west of the country, where the annual rainfall is about 1600 mm, and in some places - up to 3000 mm. Upland protect lowlands to the south and east, so the annual rainfall is much less (about 800 mm), with the intensity of the summer. The driest time is from March to June (about 30 mm of rain per month). More than half the days in the year is cloudy.

Money UK

Pound sterling (GBP) is equal to 100 pence. The appeal notes 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 pounds and coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50p and £ 1.
1 GBP = 8.6 UAH

British tradition
 
In the UK, more than in any other European country, followed the established tradition. For example, saving a long tradition of the royal court, which often took the form of ceremonies. One of them - the opening of Parliament. Each year, in October or November, the Queen officially opens the new session of Parliament. She, along with the Duke of Edinburgh sent from Buckingham Palace to Westminster in the state coach. Before the Queen and her entourage enter the parliament building, the palace guards search the cellars of the building. This tradition is observed since 1605, when a group of conspirators attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament. These days, in search of explosives palace guards help police officers. Another interesting tradition - receptions in the royal garden. Every summer for at least three receptions at Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Holyroodhouse one in Edinburgh. Sometimes the Queen gives additional reception for a large national organization, which marks the date of the circular. To receive a chosen people from the government, the military, the diplomatic corps. Invitations sent Lord Chamberlain (Lord Chamberlain), on behalf of the Queen. At the reception, the timing of which is usually from 16.00 to 18.00, there is up to 8000 guests.

Kitchen UK

The peculiarity of the national cuisine is that food only natural features highlights, not distorted beyond recognition. In addition, there are regional differences. Even a single town or place can have a unique set of local foods, such as tea with baked cream in the western part of the United Kingdom and Yorkshire pudding, which is served to the roast beef. Tender lamb, turkey from Norfolk, from Aylesbury duck, fried pies - gourmet foods. England is famous for a variety of cheeses, including Cheshire cheese, cheddar and venslideyl. All major hotels serve accepted traditional "afternoon tea" (five-o'clock tea), furnishes a special ritual.

UK Attraction

Westminster Abbey

Cathedral Church of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always referred to Westminster Abbey - the traditional place of coronation and burial British monarch monarchs of England. Built intermittently from 1245 to 1745. Since XI century preserved the oldest part of the abbey - transitions and the chapel at dormitories. Survived and ancient treasure room - heavy arches on thick columns, boxes in which to store jewelry, high vaulted entrance with massive double doors locked with seven locks huge bunch of keys. To get to the treasure can only be from the eastern gallery of the monastery courtyard, built in 1345 on the site of an old monastery cemetery.

Buckingham Palace
 
Buckingham Palace is located across the street Pall Mall and white marble with gilded monument to Queen Victoria. When the Queen is in the Palace, on the roof develops royal flag. Private apartments of the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh are currently in the north wing of the building and views of Green Park (Green Park). Summer palace attracts over 30,000 visitors who take part in the reception in the royal garden. Buckingham Palace - the study of the monarchy. It is the place many royal ceremonies. For example, the opening session of parliament or ceremony "Truping de Color" in honor of the Queen's Birthday in June. The Royal Gallery, built on the ruins of the chapel during the war, exhibitions from the Royal Collection. Royal stables with horses, blankets, with a magnificent state coach, painted by Italian artist Cipriani, and more modern carriages and motor vehicles are also open to the public.

Tower of London

For the more than 900-year history of the Tower of London was a fortress and palace, and the storage of the royal jewels, and mint, and a prison, and an observatory, and a place of tourist attraction. Today Tower retained its traditional features, from clothing Beefeater (soldiers armed) before the ceremony. It covers jewel house (from XIV century), a medieval castle, the tower Martin Fusiliers Museum and the Tower Meadow. One of the most famous attractions London - crows. Legend has it that if the ravens leave the Tower of London, the English monarchy will fall.

Madame Tussauds
 
The museum Madame Tussauds can see representatives of the royal family, pop stars, prominent scientists and military leaders, and many other "doubles" of famous people. Founder of the museum, née Marie Grosholts often faced with death. She would have known in Paris master wax and taught humanities sister Ludvik XVI. The leaders of the French Revolution instructed her to make a mask from the faces of decapitated victims guillotine. She was married to a civil engineer Francois Tussaud, she arrived in London in the early XIX century, and by the time of her death in 1850 (she died at the age of 89 years) wax work was already well known. In 1884, the grandson of Madame Tussauds, Joseph Randall Tussauds, put the figure at the museum near Baker Street, where they are now located.

Palace of Westminster

The Palace of Westminster is located on the River Thames and is connected to Trafalgar Square, Whitehall Street. Initially (up to 1529), the palace served as the seat of the capital of English kings. After a fire in 1834 the building was built by Charles Barry's neo-Gothic design. The medieval buildings survived the reception hall (1097) and Jewel Tower (built to hold the treasury of Edward III). In the palace of 1200 rooms, 100 staircases and corridors more than a kilometer. The towers of the palace the most famous clock - Big Ben. In 1987, the Palace of Westminster and the nearby Church of St. Margaret of the honor of being included in the World Heritage List. Today, the palace sits UK Parliament House of Lords and House of Commons.

Cathedral
 
Westminster Cathedral was built in the late XIX century. The building is constructed of red brick with strips of gray Portland stone. On interior decoration has been used more than a hundred different types of marble from quarries around the world. Eric Gill carved in stone bas-relief depicting the Christ fourteen stops on the cross road. An anonymous benefactor gave alabaster statue of the Virgin and Child, and Cardinal Bourne presented the marble pulpit. Decorating the inside continues to this day. The cathedral is the chapel of Thomas Becket, St. George, British martyrs, saints of Ireland and Scotland. The only bell of the cathedral is dedicated to Edward the Confessor. It is a gift of the Duchess of Norfolk Gvendolen reading "St. Edward, pray for England."

Thames

Thames, and which is called the "water story" and "the most magnificent river in Europe," is decorated with many bridges and tunnels. Some bridges are particularly interesting in London: Hammersmith Bridge is decorated with a metal pattern, and at Vauxhall Bridge are huge bronze figures depicting pottery, engineering, architecture, agriculture, science, the arts, local government and education. Some boats on the river attracts more attention than boat competition at Oxford and Cambridge.