Cultural sightseeing in Great Britain

England is one of the most ancient monarchic states. There is a huge number of landmarks, museums, and historical sights. The most famous museum of the country is the British Museum in London. It was founded in the middle of the 18th century. Today, it’s inferior in attendance only to the French Louvre. A spectacular building in the style of classicism was built in the 19th century. It contained one of the most striking collections of antiquities in the world. British Museum stores such exhibits as the Rosetta stone from Egypt with inscriptions in the ancient Egyptian language, which were made several thousand years ago. There is also marble Elgin from the Athenian Acropolis, numerous Anglo-Saxon treasures, works by Michelangelo, da Vinci, and Raphael. Originally, the facility was positioned as a museum of Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece. All in all, more than 7 million exhibits are stored there.

Another famous London place is the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum. It was created more than 200 years ago. The earliest exhibits were created by the student of one of the British sculptors, Maria Tussauds. Her first works were the sculptures of Voltaire, Benjamin Franklin, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, as well as members of the French royal family. During the French Revolution, she was able to copy posthumous masks. The museum impressed the imagination of the people. The most unusual exposition was the Cabinet of Horrors with the figures of criminals, murderers, revolutionaries and their victims. Today, more than 20 branches of this museum work in the whole world. Collections are constantly replenished with modern personalities. Another iconic museum in London is on Baker Street. The Sherlock Holmes Museum attracts fans of the great detective and suggests visiting an exhibition dedicated to this literary character.

Numerous London museums are situated in the area of ​​South Kensington. These include the largest exhibition of design and arts and crafts in the Victoria and Albert Museum. There are also more than 700 ancient photographs made in the 19th century. You can also visit several UNESCO World Heritage Sites in London. These are the Tower, buildings in the Westminster area, and the Church of St. Margaret. A large number of historical buildings are located in Manchester. The most famous of them is Manchester Castle. It was built in the 12th century. The building has survived in all its glory. In Manchester, it’s worth visiting the Gothic Cathedral built in the 15th century in the aforementioned style. One of the central museums of the city is the Art Gallery, in which tourists can get acquainted with the collection of 15-18 centuries. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Leeds is the third largest city in England. It houses the Royal Armory, which is the country's oldest collection. Previously, it was in the Tower. Due to a large number of exhibits, it had to be transferred to Leeds. The ruins of Kirkstall Abbey, which was founded in the 12th century, are situated close to the city. Today, there is a museum within the walls of the ancient fortress. The exposition tells about the history of the abbey. One of the most famous museums in Liverpool is the museum of The Beatles that is dedicated to the life and work of legendary musicians. In Liverpool, there is one of the four branches of the British Tate Gallery, which has been collecting the largest collection of works of art since the 16th century. The port of Liverpool that embraces six different places in the central part of the city, is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The structure reflects different periods of the city's history.

There are about 3000 medieval castles in Scotland. A huge number of these majestic fairy-tale buildings are perfectly preserved to our days. Culzean Castle, formerly owned by the Kennedy family, is now a welcoming hotel. Edinburgh Castle is a prime example of the classic Scottish castle architecture. Balmoral Castle has become the official country residence of the royal family. The National Gallery of Scotland holds the unique art pieces by El Greco, Rubens, Monet, Pissarro, Gauguin, and Titian. One of the most amazing museums in Belfast is the Titanic-Belfast, whose exposition is dedicated to the legendary Titanic and its twin brothers, Olympic and Britannic, which also sank in the early 20th century.