London Landmarks – 18 Famous Places in Photos

Written By: The Planet D

All of our lives we’ve seen references to famous London Landmarks. Top London attractions have been featured in movies and TV shows, magazines, and even in sporting events and commercials.

When we had the chance to visit London, we were excited to explore all of the iconic landmarks and attractions that London had to offer. There is so much to see and do in London and the entire United Kingdom it takes many trips to see it all! When you go to London next, be sure to put all of these famous landmarks of London onto your list!

Famous London Landmarks That you Cannot Miss

London England is a city that we’ve always wanted to visit and when we finally got the chance, we didn’t waste any time. We toured all the famous place that we had seen in the movies and read about through history. It was exciting and these landmarks in London definitely lived up to the hype. You may also want to check out Amazing Places to Visit in the UK for more great things to see and do.

1. Houses of Parliament

london landmarks - houses of Parliament
Houses of Parliament and Big Ben

The Palace of Westminster is where Britain’s The Houses of Parliament are located on the River Thames. You can see Big Ben standing above the building that dates back to 1860. Read more: How to Visit The Palace of Westminster and the Houses of Parliament in London

2. Big Ben is the most famous London Landmark

london landmarks in photos big ben

Everyone associates Big Ben with London. Big Ben is located at the houses of Parliament. You can’t miss it. The Clock Tower stands tall over the Parliament buildings containing a giant bell that ways 13 tons!

  • Fun Fact: Big Ben was completed in 1859 and is actually one of five bells located within the clock tower.

3. Tower Bridge – Number 1 London Landmark

London landmarks | tower bridge

Many people mistake Tower Bridge for London Bridge. But London Bridge is actually the plain and unassuming Bridge of London. It is Tower Bridge that is the star and is one of the most iconic landmarks of London. Crossing London Bridge will take you close to the Tower of London.

Royal Landmarks of London

4. Tower of London

tower of london | famous london landmarks

The Tower of London is another historic landmark in London. Throughout the centuries it was an infamous destination where many a royal awaited their fate. Famous prisoners included Anne Boleyn, Guy Fawkes, Lady Jane Grey and Rudolph Hess, Hitler’s second in command.

Fun Fact: The Tower of London has always housed important items of the British monarchs and it still houses the royal family’s crown jewels today.

5. Buckingham Palace – The Royal Residence

famous london symbols | buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the Royal Family. When we visited London, we stood among the crowd waiting for the changing of the guard. It was fun to see and a must for first time visitors to London. Read about another Royal Residence: How to Visit Windsor Castle

6. Westminster Abbey – Famous Church in London

landmarks of london england | westminster abbey

Westminster Abbey is one of the most famous churches in the world and is definitely at the top of London’s famous landmarks. We all know it from the famous royal weddings that have taken place here. Most recently Prince William and Kate.

7. Painted Hall – Most Beautiful London Landmark

london landmarks in photos painted hall

One of our favourite days in London was visiting the Greenwich Meridian at the Old Royal Navy College. Exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Site is a great way to spend the afternoon. The star attraction for us was The Painted Hall, a massive hall with baroque paintings dating back 300 years!

8. Trafalgar Square

london landmarks in photos painted hall

After watching the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palaces, we walked along the mall to another of London’s famous landmarks, Trafalgar Square.

It’s a fantastic place to hang out and meet up with friends. Trafalgar Square has been used for protests and demonstrations throughout history. It is also where Londoners celebrate ringing in the New Year just like New York’s Times Square. Check out Things to do in Times Square – A Walking Tour and Nearby Attractions

9. St Paul’s Cathedral

st pauls cathedral | famous landmark of london

Located on the North Bank of the River Thames, St. Paul’s cathedral dates back to 1710. But the earliest church that stood on this site was in 604.

10. The Globe Theatre

famous landmarks of london | The globe theatre

Having gone to college or Music Theatre, I always heard my professors reference productions at the famous Globe Theatre of London. This cultural landmark dates back to 1599 when Shakespeare’s theatre company built the original building. A replica of the 16th-century Globe Theatre was built a mere 750 feet from the original site.

Modern London Landmarks

11. The London Eye

famous london landmarks

It’s funny to think that a Ferris wheel has become the landmark that is most synonymous with London, but that is the first thing that comes to my mind when picturing London. It is so popular, that many cities around the world have designed waterfronts around Ferris Wheels of their own.

Located on the Thames, the London eye is one of the more modern London landmarks on the water. Be sure to give it a ride for some of the best views of London.

12. The Shard

london england landmarks | the shard

One of the most modern London symbols is the Shard. The 95-story glass skyscraper was completed in 2012 and towers above London. We’ve come a long way since 1710 when St Paul’s Cathedral was the tallest building in London.

13. Piccadilly Circus

london landmarks | picadilly circus

Located in London’s West End, Piccadilly Circus is a far cry from its origins in the 1600s. The heart of London’s shopping district, Piccadilly Circus has held on to the tradition of showcasing billboards since 1908. But today it is one big neon sign. While Trafalgar Square may be where new year’s celebrations take place, it is Piccadilly Circus that reminds everyone of New York.

14. Tate Modern

landmarks of london | tate modern

The Tate Modern is one of the largest modern art museums in the world. It is part of the Tate museum family, comprised of Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool, Tate St. Ives, and Tate Modern.

It’s free to visit and making it Britain’s most popular museum! The Museums of London are all considered important landmarks of London. From the Natural History Museum to the British Museum, London has an array of world-class museums to visit.

Read about the Top 5 London Museums to visit

London Landmarks – Transportation and Communication

15. Black Cabs of London

landmarks of london england | black cabs

Like the old yellow cabs of New York, the London Black Cabs are synonymous with the city. There are still thousands of Black Taxis in the city and drivers of these cabs take a rigorous test to become certified.

16. London Underground

on the way to the airport | bus london transit

Why is the London Tube a landmark in London? Well, it was the very first passenger underground system in the world dating back to 1863.

It’s also the best and most affordable way to get around London. I know we were excited to first ride the Tube and its iconic sign can be seen throughout the city. Take the London underground to see all of London’s famous landmarks!

17. London Landmarks – Red Double Decker Buses

double decker tour buses | london landmarks

There are red tour buses around the world today, but the original double-decker buses originated in London. They are considered the national symbol of England, so you can count on them not going anywhere.

18. London Landmarks – The London Phone Booths

red phone booths are still an enduring london landmark

They may be disappearing due to nobody needing a telephone anymore. But when we saw the red phone booths of London, we were so excited! There were once tens of thousands of red phone booths in London, today, the city has managed to preserve nearly 10,000 phone booths for mostly decorative purposes.

Do you have any favourite London Landmarks that we should add to our list?

london landmarks in photos

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About The Planet D

Dave Bouskill and Debra Corbeil are the owners and founders of The Planet D. After traveling to 115 countries, on all 7 continents over the past 13 years they have become one of the foremost experts in travel. Being recognized as top travel bloggers and influencers by the likes of Forbes Magazine, the Society of American Travel Writers and USA Today has allowed them to become leaders in their field.

Leave a Comment

69 thoughts on “London Landmarks – 18 Famous Places in Photos”

  1. Hi – I am looking for pictures of London for our new offices – do you sell yours as prints at all as they are just what I am looking for ??

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  2. I’ve personally visited London, but only for work so didn’t really get a chance to explore it in it’s pureness. Besides the landmarks London seems to be a breeding ground for the next upcoming music genre. From the Beatles to Prodigy the music that comes out of Great Britain is AMAZING! Being able to experience a show for the next upcoming music style and saying years later that you were in London and got to see experience it before anyone else would be cool to say the least.

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    • Hi Maria, Glad you enjoyed the photos and thanks for the compliment on the HDR Processing. Currently I am using Photomatix pro with other processing, including NR, done in Photoshop with Nik EFex.

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    • What question did you ask Chris? We normally respond and may have missed it. We have a lot of comments come through each day on several different and sometimes miss a few. Sorry that we missed yours.

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  3. Oooh, gotta say the last one is my favorite – the foreground/background contrast is intense.

    You guys are getting good (and by good, I mean fantastic)!

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  4. Do you use Photo shop after you are done in Photomatix? Found a great 3 page free tutorial and was all excited until I got to page 3 and everything went over my head. Even the basics of digital are a struggle for me.

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    • Hi Chris, Sorry we missed this question. Yes, we do use photo shop after Photomatix. For noise reduction and sharpness. Keep going with the HDR, you’ll love it.

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  5. Wow! These photos literally take my breath away! The coloring, light and wide angle – especially on the Big Ben and St. Paul’s photos – is absolutely gorgeous. You have a great artistic eye!

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    • Thank you very much Jade. I was very inspired photographing London and I am so glad that the photos turned out as I hoped they would.

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  6. Love the tones in the sky, could use the “Big Ben” photo as a state of the nation photo with the current recession issues. London is a place I have often worked but never spent any spare time in. One of the things I want to correct when I go to the UK in November.

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    • Hi Matt, thanks for the feedback. Hope you have a great time revisiting London in November. It’s always more fun being a tourist than being in a city for work for sure!

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  7. I am trying to learn HDR but using simple Light Room post processing techniques on current photos. I find if you don’t know how to post process correctly the photos come out weird–you guys really know your HDR techniques. How many levels of bracketing do you use?

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  8. these are some really great photos. i love what you did (or appeared to do) with the sky. it looks so gray and fluffy. i really love the colors in all of these, and how some of the stuff is blurry, but not too blurry. good job.

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  9. Another great collection Dave!
    Man, I gotta learn HDR processing – really creates originaly pics (though I really like your composition and creative angles too – especially the last one and the Eye)

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  10. OK. So I’m sitting here thinking to myself, when I go visiting my parents next year, perhaps I should go through London and stop there for a few days? Hard decisions! Beautiful, amazing photos, Dave.

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  11. Love that last shot, no pun, does “lock of love” have any meaning. Looks like it could have been taken any time, the only thing which betrays it’s modernity is the padlock.

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  12. Wow, I lreally like them! I’ve seen and made many pictures of the buildings in London, but these are very fascinating.
    My favourite is St. Paul’s in B&W.
    Thanks for sharing!

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    • Thanks Marlieke. We’re looking forward to going back to really explore more of London. 1 week while planning for the Mongol Rally is not enough time.

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    • Hey Wakeybluenose, Thanks for the compliment. That means a lot when someone from the city enjoys the photos. We definitely can’t wait to come back. Cheers!

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  13. Wow! These pictures look so great – hyperrealistic in a way that they are even enhanced by fantasy! What kind of camera do you use?

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    • Hi Thai Tour Guides, I use a Canon 5D MKII it is the HDR processing that give the fantasy feel. Cheers and I’m glad that you like it.

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  14. Every time I see your pictures it reminds me how much I need to learn about taking awesome photographs! These are pretty spectacular. I especially loved the Painted Hall – beautiful.

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    • Thanks Debbie, that painted hall was pretty beautiful in person. London has some fascinating landmarks and we only just barely scratched the surface.

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  15. Great shot! I love the black and white shot of St Paul’s, and the Painted Hall picture reminds me I’ve never been inside the Old Royal Naval College – some day!

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    • I used a combanation of Photomatix Pro for processing and the Nik Software bundle for Noise Reduction. Glad you enjoyed them.

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