The Thames, from Middle English Temese, is derived from the Brittonic Celtic name for the river, Tamesas. The origin is shared by many other river names in Britain, such as the River Tamar at the border of Devon and Cornwall, several rivers named Tame in the Midlands and North Yorkshire, the Tavy on Dartmoor, the Team of the North East, the Teifi and Teme of Wales, the Teviot in the Scottish Borders and a Thames tributary the Thame.
Baker Street is often associated with the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes,
who lived at 221B Baker Street, an address that does not actually exist.
Named after its builder, William Baker, who laid out the street in the 18th century,
it is located in the Marylebone district of the city of Westminster.
With over 2 million visitors a year,
Madame Tussauds is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Baker Street.
Madame Tussauds is a wax museum with an incredible and morbid history.
Her illustrious career began in the 18th century,
when she started taking death masks of prisoners about to be executed.
Her work eventually progressed to wax models of celebrities and notables.
Every stretch of the Thames River that runs through central London has a tale to tell.
Palaces, docks, cathedrals and churches,
great bridges, theatres and museums, all jostle for attention.
One can spend many happy days here exploring the city's rich past, either on foot or by boat.
London Bridge was originally the only permanent crossing over the Thames.
As London grew, more bridges were added, although these were all built to the west of London Bridge,
as the area east of London Bridge had become a busy port.
It took eight years, five major contractors
and the relentless labour of 432 construction workers to build Tower Bridge.
Two massive piers were sunk into the riverbed to support the construction,
and over 11,000 tonnes of steel provided the framework for the towers and walkways.
This framework was clad in Cornish granite and Portland stone to protect the underlying steelwork
and to give the bridge a more pleasing appearance.
When it was built, Tower Bridge was the largest and most sophisticated bascule bridge ever completed.
Bascule comes from the French for seesaw.
These bascules were operated by hydraulics, using steam to power the enormous pumping engines.
Today, the bascules are still operated by hydraulic power,
but since 1976 they have been driven by oil and electricity rather than steam.
The River Thames is Great Britain's second-longest river.
For most of its length, it is traversed by bridges both small and large,
which carry motorised transport, walkers and cyclists from one of its banks to the other.
Bridges in London are not just points of commuting,
but also great examples of English architectural styles and development.
A Thames River cruise is without doubt one of the best ways to see London.
Experience the sights and splendour of this great city while sitting on an open upper deck.
The London Eye, sometimes referred to as the Millennium Wheel,
offers patrons one of the best views of the City of London.
Officially opened by Prime Minister Tony Blair in 1999 to celebrate the Millennium,
the London Eye is the largest effort on the part of the British government
to offer a vantage point for views of the city.
The London Eye Millennium Wheel has quickly become a popular tourist attraction in London,
with about 2 million visitors per year.
The designers of the London Eye Ferris Wheel took inspiration
from such mammoth viewing structures as the Statue of Liberty.
The London Eye Ferris Wheel stands at an impressive 135 metres above the South Thames Riverbank.
It was assembled by floating sections of the Thames on barges,
connecting the sections on flat pontoons,
and then raising the entire eye slowly to an upright position using cranes.
