My London

12/10/2013

London Restaurant Festival

The London Restaurant Festival is a celebratory and all-encompassing food affair, showcasing a huge variety of events at venues across the capital. The annual festival takes place during October and incorporates over 800 different restaurants from around the…

11/06/2013

London ködben

12/04/2013

08/04/2013

The National Gallery is one of London's most important museums. It has an impressive collection of paintings covering the period between 1260 and 1900, with works from virtually all renowned artists of the era.

History

At the beginning of the 19th century, king George IV realized that many European cities had opened impressive art museums to the public, such as the Louvre in Paris, the Vatican Museums in Rome and the Uffizi in Florence.
George IV did not want Britain to be left behind so in 1824 he pushed a reluctant government into purchasing the house of the just deceased John Julius Angerstein, a rich Russian banker and art collector. The purchase included a valuable collection of 34 paintings with works from renowned artists such as Rembrandt and Rubens. The works were initially displayed in the banker's residence at Pall Mall.

Over the years the collection expanded to one of the most prestigious in Europe. Over 2300 paintings are now on display in the monumental building at Trafalgar Square.

The Building

The neoclassical building that now houses the museum was completed in 1838 after a much-criticized design by English architect William Wilkins. It was built at the then still to be developed Trafalgar Square, which had just been cleared.
Plans to replace the building were never realized and in 1876 the museum was expanded with a new east wing. In the mid 1980s plans for a new expansion were launched, but the modern design faced so much opposition - most notably from the Prince of Wales - that it was shelved and replaced with a more conventional building, known as the Sainsbury wing.

The Collection
The National Gallery's collection includes European paintings from the 13th to the 19th century. The works are arranged in a more or less chronological order.


The museum's main entrance is at the Sainsbury wing where you'll find the oldest paintings such as works by Giotto and Jan van Eyck. Late Renaissance works from Titian, Michelangelo and others can be found in the West wing. 17th Century paintings from Italy, Flanders, Spain and the Netherlands are displayed in the North wing and features works from masters such as Rubens, Van Dyck, Rembrandt and Caravaggio. Paintings from the 18th and 19th century are on display in the East wing. Here you'll find impressionist works as well as paintings by van Gogh, Seurat and Renoir.

More Galleries
London boasts many more interesting galleries. Modern art can be found in Tate Modern and Tate Britain features paintings from British Artists.
Adjacent to the National Gallery is the National Portrait Gallery, which presents paintings portraying prominent English persons such as Sir Christopher Wren and Churchill. It is the most important museum of its kind.
Another noteworthy gallery in London is the Dulwich Picture Gallery, with works by masters such as Van Dyck, Rubens, Rembrandt and Gainsborough.
The Queen's Gallery, which has its home at Buckingham Palace, exhibits paintings from the royal collection.

26/03/2013

Wow

25/03/2013

Nature United Kingdom

25/03/2013

The majestic St. Paul's Cathedral was built by Christopher Wren between 1675 and 1711. It is one of Europe's largest cathedrals and its dome is only exceeded in size by that of the St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.
Early History

St. Paul's Cathedral has had an eventful history. Five different churches were built at this site. The first church, dedicated to the apostle Paul, dates back to 604 AD, when King Ethelbert of Kent built a wooden church on the summit of one of London's hills for Mellitus, Bishop of the East Saxons. At the end of the 7th century, the church was built in stone by Erkenwald, Bishop of London.

In 962 and again in 1087, the cathedral was destroyed by fire, but each time it was rebuilt and expanded. By that time, it had become one of the largest cathedrals in Europe. Renovations and extensions in the 13th and 14th century enlarged the cathedral even more.

The Great Fire
In 1665 Christopher Wren designed a plan for the renovation of the St. Paul's Cathedral, which was starting to fall into decay. But disaster struck again on the night of September 2, 1666, when the Great Fire of London destroyed 4/5th of all of London, wiping 13,200 houses and 89 churches, including the St. Paul's Cathedral off the map.

Christopher Wren's Masterpiece
In 1669, three years after the fire, Christopher Wren was appointed 'Surveyor of Works' and was tasked with the construction of a new church to replace the destroyed Gothic cathedral.

His first design was deemed too modest. In his second design, known as the 'Great Model', the cathedral was shaped like a Greek cross, with a portico, Corinthian columns and a striking large dome, which would be the world's largest after Michelangelo's dome at the St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. This design was rejected as well; the Bishop considered it unsuitable for large processions. Wren suggested a third design, this time with a larger nave and smaller dome, which was accepted in 1675. After the approval however Wren enlarged the dome and made several other adjustments so that the built cathedral now resembles the 'Great Model' and not the approved design.


The cathedral was built in a relative short time span: its first stone was laid on June 21, 1675 and the building was completed in 1711.

The Dome
The dome reaches a height of 111 meters (366 ft) and weights about 66,000 ton. Eight arches support the dome. On top of the dome is a large lantern with a weight of 850 ton.

560 Steps lead visitors along three galleries all the way to the top of the dome. The first gallery, the Whispering Gallery, just inside the dome, is renowned for its acoustics. The second gallery, the Stone Gallery, is situated at a height of 53 meter (174 ft) on the outside of the dome, right above the colonnade. On top of the dome, at a height of 85 meter (279 ft), is the narrow Golden Gallery, which encircles the lantern's base. From here you have a magnificent view over the City.

Interior
The Baroque interior is just as imposing as the exterior of the church. The mosaics on the ceiling were added in 1890 by William Richmond after Queen Victoria complained that there was not enough color in the cathedral. The baldachin above the altar was rebuilt in 1958 after it was damaged by bombardments during World War II. The design is based on a sketch created by Wren. The only monument in the church that survived the fire of 1666 is the tomb of John Donne, from 1631.

Several famous people are entombed in the cathedral's crypt. Most notable are the tomb of the Duke of Wellington - who defeated Napoleon at Waterloo - and the tomb of Admiral Nelson, who died at the Battle of Trafalgar.
There is also a tomb of Christopher Wren himself and a number of important artists are buried here as well.

The West Facade
The impressive facade at the west side of the church consists of a large portico and pediment. A relief on the tympanum depicts the conversion of Paul and was created in 1706. The portico is flanked by two towers which weren't part of the original plan. Wren added them at the last minute, in 1707.

Important Events
The church was the site of a number of important historic events such as the funeral of Admiral Nelson in 1806 and the funeral of Winston Churchill in 1965. Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer married here in 1981.

24/03/2013

http://www.londontown.com/LondonEvents/My-Perfect-Mind/7f02d/

Directed by Kathryn Hunter and performed by Edward Petherbridge and Paul Hunter, 'My Perfect Mind' is a Told by an Idiot production that takes a moving yet comical exploration of the resilience of the human spirit. Once cast as King Lear, acclaimed actor Edwa…

24/03/2013

Trafalgar Square, the largest square in London, is often considered the heart of London. Ever since the Middle Ages, Trafalgar Square has been a central meeting place. At the middle of the square stands a tall column, a monument honoring admiral Nelson.

The square was originally called Charing. Later it became known as Charing Cross, after a memorial cross on the square. The nearby underground station - aka 'tube' - is still named Charing Cross.

History
From the 13th century on the area was the site of the King's Royal Hawks and later the Royal Mews. In 1812 the Prince Regent - who would later become King George IV - asked architect John Nash to redevelop the area. Nash had the terrain cleared but he died before his plans were realized. The new design for a large square was finally implemented between 1840 and 1845 under supervision of architect Sir Charles Barry, who is best known for his Houses of Parliament.

Nelson's Column
At the center of the square is the tall Nelson's Column which was built to commemorate the victory of Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson over the French fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar on the 21st of October 1805. Nelson was fatally wounded during that famous battle off the Spanish coast. His body was taken back to London and buried in the St. Paul's Cathedral.

The Corinthian column was built in 1842 and is approximately 170ft or 52 meters high (including the base). It was built after a design by William Railton that was chosen from a selection of 124 competition entries. On top of the column stands an 18ft (5.5 meter) tall statue of Lord Nelson, created by Edmund Hodges. At the base of the column are four huge lions modeled by Sir Edwin Landseer. They were added later, in 1868.

National Gallery
Trafalgar square also contains a large number of statues and two fountains by Sir Edwin Lutyens, added in 1939. The square is surrounded by many great buildings. On the north side is the neo-classical National Gallery, built between 1834 and 1838. It houses a collection of more than 2300 paintings, including works by van Gogh, Renoir, Leonardo da Vinci and Claude Monet. On the east side the square is bordered by the Canada House, completed in 1827. Opposite the Canada House is the South Africa House, which opened in 1933.

St. Martin-in-the-Fields
At the north-east corner is the St. Martin-in-the-Fields parish church. The church, with a large white steeple, was built in 1721 by James Gibbs and was used as a model for many churches, especially in the United States. It is the fourth church at this site, the first was built in the 13th century.

22/03/2013

http://www.londontown.com/LondonEvents/Othello/f2eaa/

Adrian Lester, known for starring in BBC's 'Hustle', will take on one of Shakespeare's more demanding roles when 'Othello' comes to the National Theatre this spring. The jealous and conniving Lago will be played by Ror…

22/03/2013

http://www.londontown.com/LondonEvents/Devizes-to-Westminster-International-Canoe-Race/792b5/

Organisers of this annual 125-mile race are hoping that last summer's Olympic success will inspire a raft of entries into "one of the most demanding open-to-all endurance events on the planet". Celebrating its 65th anniversary in 2013, the Easter Weekend Charity Canoe Ra…

22/03/2013

Piccadilly Circus is a busy square in the heart of London. It is famous for the fountain that was installed here at the end of the 19th century and for the neon advertising that turned the square into a miniature version of Times Square.


The Circus was created by John Nash as part of the future King George IV's plan to connect Carlton House - where the Prince Regent resided - with Regent's Park.

Billboards
The creation of Shaftesbury Avenue in 1885 turned the plaza into a busy traffic junction. This made Piccadilly Circus attractive for advertisers, who installed London's first illuminated billboards here in 1895. For some time the plaza was surrounded by billboards, creating London's version of Times Square, but
currently only one building still carries large (mostly electronic) displays.

Shaftesbury memorial fountain
At the center of the Circus stands the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain. It was built in 1893 to commemorate Lord Shaftesbury, a philanthropist known for his support of the poor.
The seminude statue on top of the fountain depicts the Angel of Christian Charity but was later renamed Eros after the Greek god of love and beauty. The fountain was made in bronze, but the statue is made of aluminum, at the time a novel and rare material.

Piccadilly
The name 'Piccadilly' originates from a 17th century frilled collar
named piccadil. Roger Baker, a tailor who became rich making piccadils lived in the area. The word 'Circus' refers to the roundabout around which the traffic circulated.

Piccadilly Circus today
Piccadilly Circus is now partly pedestrianized and a favorite place for people to congregate before going to the nearby shopping and entertainment areas. Soho, Chinatown, Leicester Square and Trafalgar Square are all within walking distance.

17/03/2013

Visitors to Buckingham Palace can make a side trip to the Royal Mews, one of the finest examples in the world of a working stable.

The Royal Mews, located beside Buckingham Palace, is the headquarters for the department of the Royal Household, which provides transport by road via both motorcars and horse-drawn carriages for The Queen and other members of the Royal Family.

History of the Royal Mews
Established shortly after King George III purchased Buckingham Palace in 1760, the Royal Mews has always been an important part of the royal home in London, even in modern times when automobile travel is the
norm and horses and carriages are only used for special occasions.

It seems that England's royal families have always had an affinity for horses. When John Nash remodeled Buckingham Palace in 1820, he took the small stables and turned them into a grand structure, recognizing their importance to the then royal family. When Queen Victoria assumed the throne less than two decades later in 1837, she enhanced the Royal Mews yet again.

Throughout the decades, other additions have been made, including a riding school, a forge, and more stables. The mews also now houses the
royal family's fleet of automobiles as well as 30 horses, plus living quarters for the horses' handlers and their families. (The current Queen Elizabeth prefers Cleveland Bays, so visitors will see many horses of that variety.)

State Coaches
A visit to the Royal Mews allows guests a look at a permanent display of impressive State vehicles, a selection of ceremonial horse-drawn carriages and coaches. The most famous of the collection owned by the Royal Family is the magnificent Gold State Coach, which is only used for coronations or very special occasions, like the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002.


The fairy-tale coach was built in 1762 for king George III. It is gilded with 22 carat gold leaf and sumptuously decorated with sculptures of cherubs, tritons and dolphins. The panels on the carriage were painted by the Italian artist Giovanni Cipriani. The coach, 7 meters long, weighs four tonnes and is drawn by a span of eight horses.

Visiting the Royal Mews
There is a small admission charge to tour the Royal Mews, but the majority of the funds are used for the upkeep of the building and the care of animals that live inside. Guided tours depart at regular intervals throughout the day, from March through October. Special family activities are held at the Royal Mews on Saturday and Sunday, with fun and educational events geared for children up to age 11.

15/03/2013

Big Ben... as it was called.

15/03/2013

The Tower of London was built at the beginning of the 11th century by William the conqueror. The tower was expanded during the 13th century into the fortified complex that we know today. The Tower's most popular attraction is its famous collection of Crown Jewels.

Construction of the Tower of London was initiated in 1070 by William the Conqueror, shortly after his victory at Hastings in 1066. The Tower was built to enforce the power of the king over the newly conquered region.

The fortress, strategically located at the Thames, was originally not more than a temporary wooden building which was replaced later by the White Tower. Over time the complex was expanded into a stronghold with about 20 towers.

Today the Tower of London is best known for its Crown Jewels, but it used to be notorious for the many political opponents of the kings that were locked, tortured and killed in the Tower. The Tower was also a royal residence: several kings lived here, especially during turbulent times when the donjon seemed a lot safer than the palace in Westminster.

White Tower

The oldest part of the fortress is the so-called White Tower, which was completed in 1097. This keep was long the tallest building in London at 27.4 meters (90ft). Its walls are 4.6 meter wide.

The tower was whitewashed during the reign of Henry III, which gave the tower's facade its white appearance. Ever since the tower has been known as White Tower. The building has four domed turrets at each corner. Three of them have a square shape, the other is round, due to its spiral staircase. The round turret was long used as an observatory.

Other Towers

The Tower of London was significantly expanded in the 13th century, during the reign of Henry III, when two defensive walls were built around the White Tower. The inner wall had thirteen towers and the outer wall another six. The towers were mostly used to imprison political opponents.

Some of the most famous prisoners locked in the Tower were two princes, the sons of king Edward IV. After Edward's dead in 1483 the children were locked in the Bloody Tower by their uncle, who would later ascend the throne as king Richard III. The princes were never seen again and were probably killed by guards.
The St. Thomas Tower is located close to the Bloody Tower. Here, prisoners were brought into the fortress by boat through the Traitor's gate.

Important prisoners were often locked in the Beauchamp Tower, sometimes with their servants. An inscription on the wall of the tower is believed to refer to Lady Jane Grey, who, nine days after she was crowned Queen, was executed on Tower Green, an open terrain in the Tower of London.

Thomas More was imprisoned in the Bell Tower until his ex*****on after he refused to accept king Henry VIII as head of the Anglican church. Even Queen Elisabeth I was confined here for some time.

Yeoman Warders
The main entrance of the Tower of London is at the Byward Tower, where you'll find the so-called Beefeaters or Yeoman Warders.
Dressed in historic clothes, they not only guard the tower, but also give guided tours of the fortress. One of the about 40 Yeoman Warders is known as the Ravenmaster, responsible for the ravens that have been living here for centuries.
Legend has it that the Tower and the kingdom will fall if the ravens leave. Hence King Charles II placed the birds under royal protection and the wings of the ravens are clipped to prevent them from flying away.

Crown Jewels
The most famous tourist attraction in the Tower of London is the collection of Crown Jewels that has been on display here since the 17th century, during the reign of Charles II. Most of the jewels were created around the year 1660, when the monarchy was reinstalled. The majority of the older crown jewels were destroyed by Oliver Cromwell.

The jewels can be found in the Jewel House, which is part of the Waterloo Barracks just north of the White Tower. Some of the highlights of the collection are the 530 carat First Star of Africa, which is set in the
Scepter of the Cross; the Imperial State Crown with more than 2800 diamonds and the famous Koh-I-Noor, a 105 carat diamond.

More Sights
There's plenty more to see in the Tower of London, such as the Royal Armories, which includes the personal armory of King Henry VIII, one of the world's largest.

The medieval palace in the Tower of London is also open to visitors and there are often reenactments of historic events in the fortress. For more information on the highlights of the Tower of London.

14/03/2013

Buckingham Palace, one of several palaces owned by the British Royal family, is one of the major tourist attractions in London.

History
The original building was constructed as a countryhouse in 1705 by the duke of Buckingham, John Sheffield. King George III bought the house in 1761 for his wife and had it altered by William Chambers.

In 1826, King George IV asked famed architect John Nash to expand the house - then known as Buckingham House - into a palace. Meanwhile St. James's Palace was still the principal palace used by the royals for ceremonies and receptions.

King George IV as well as his younger brother and successor King William IV both died before the palace was completed. Queen Victoria was the first to reside in the palace. In July 1837, three weeks after her accession to the throne, she moved from Kensington Palace, where she grew up, to the new Buckingham Palace.

The palace was expanded in 1850 with a new east wing. The wing added a large number of rooms to the palace, including an expansive 40 meter (131 ft) long ballroom. The monumental façade of the east wing was built in 1913 by Aston Webb. It is this facade, facing the Mall and St James's Park, which is now known by most people.

Royal Family

A part of the palace is still used by the Royal family. A flag is hoisted each time the Queen is in the Palace. The palace is not only home to the royal family, there are also a number of staff members living here. The palace has about 600 rooms, including a throne room, a ballroom, picture gallery and even a swimming pool.

Some of these rooms can be visited during a couple of months in the summer - when the Royal Family is not in the palace - including the lavishly decorated State Rooms: the Throne Room, Green Drawing Room, Silk Tapestry Rooms, Picture Gallery, State Dining Room, Blue Drawing Room, Music Room and White Drawing Room are all part of the tour around the Buckingham Palace.

Another interesting part of the palace that is open to visitors is the Queen's Gallery, where works of art from the royal collection are on display. The palace's stables, the Royal Mews, can also be visited. Here you'll find a number of royal horse-drawn carriages.

Queen Victoria Memorial
Right in front of the building is the Queen Victoria Memorial,
designed by Sir Aston Webb and built in 1911 in honor of Queen Victoria, who reigned for almost 64 years.

Changing of the Guard
The changing of the guard takes place daily at 11 o'clock in front of Buckingham Palace.
A colorfully dressed detachment, known as the New Guard, parades along the Mall towards Buckingham Palace and during a ceremony replaces the existing, Old Guard. The ceremony, which is accompanied by music played by a military band, always attracts throngs of onlookers.

14/03/2013

Eagle

14/03/2013

The Houses of Parliament, also known as the Palace of Westminster is the seat of Britain's two parliamentary houses, the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

In the middle of the 11th century, King Edward the Confessor had moved his court to the Palace of Westminster, situated on a central site near the river Thames.
In 1265 a parliament was created with two houses: the Lords and the Commons. The House of Lords met at the Palace of Westminster while the House of Commons did not have a permanent location.
After King Henry VIII moved his court to Whitehall Palace in 1530, the House of Lords continued to meet in Westminster. In 1547 the House of Commons also moved here, confirming Westminster as the central seat of government, a position it still holds today.

The new Palace of Westminster
In 1834 a fire destroyed the Palace of Westminster , leaving only the Jewel Tower, the crypt and cloister of St. Stephens and Westminster Hall intact. After the fire, a competition was organized to create a new building for the two houses of parliament.
A design by Sir Charles Barry and his assistant Augustus Welby Pugin was chosen from 97 entries. They created a large but balanced complex in neo Gothic style and incorporated the buildings that survived the fire. The whole complex was finished in 1870, more than 30 years after construction started. It includes the Clock Tower, Victoria Tower, House of Commons, House of Lords, Westminster Hall and the Lobbies.

Big Ben
The most famous part of Charles Barry's design is the elegant clock tower. Originally called St. Stephen's Tower, it was soon named after the tower's largest bell, the Big Ben. A light at the top of the tower is illuminated when Parliament is sitting at night.


Commons Chamber & Lords Chamber
The Commons Chamber, where the House of Commons meets, was destroyed during the Second World War but rebuilt in 1950 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in the same neo Gothic style. The Commons Chamber's interior (with green colored benches) is rather austere compared to the lavishly decorated Lords Chamber (with red colored benches). Over the centuries the balance of power has moved from the elitist House of Lords to the more agitated House of Commons, where the governing party and the opposition are seated opposite each other with exactly two sword lengths and one foot separating the two parties.

Central Lobby
One of several lobbies in the Houses of Parliament is the Central Lobby where people can meet the Members of Parliament and persuade them to
defend their interests. Hence the verb 'to lobby'.

Victoria Tower
The tower opposite the Big Ben is the Victoria Tower, built in 1860. The tower contains the records of both the House of Lords and the House of Commons since 1497. During the parliamentary year the Union Flag is hoisted on top of the 98m tall tower.

Westminster Hall
The oldest part of the Houses of Parliament is Westminster Hall, dating back to 1097. The large hammer beam roof was built in the 14th century and replaced the original roof which was supported by two rows of pillars. The hall is one of Europe's largest unsupported medieval halls.

The Houses of Parliament are open to the public.

13/03/2013

Originally opened in June 2000 then closed almost immediately due to structural problems, London's modern Millennium Bridge is now a favorite with locals and tourists alike.

A New Bridge
London's Southwark Council sponsored a competition in 1996 to choose the designer of a new Millennium Footbridge that would span the Thames River between the Southwark Bridge and the Blackfriars Bridge. This would be the first bridge built across the Thames River since the building of the magnificent Tower Bridge in 1894 and was to be a part of the city's millennium celebration.

The Design
The winning entry, a suspension bridge, was tagged "the blade of light" and was designed by Arup, Foster and Partners and Sir Anthony Caro. This footbridge would stretch a total of 325 meters (about 1,066 feet) and would include supporting cables below the deck level in order to preserve the view of several landmarks on either side. The design allowed for a 4-meter-wide (13.5 feet) deck for walkers and the structure was designed to hold 5,000 pedestrians at any given time.

Construction
Construction of the bridge began in late 1998 and was completed in June 2000, about 2 months behind schedule. The total cost to build the bridge was £18.2m or about €30 million (at the time 1 euro was approx. 1 US dollar).

Location
The southern end of this gently swooping suspension bridge is located near the new Globe Theater and the Tate Modern Museum. The northern end sits near London's imposing St. Paul's Cathedral. Pedestrians can gain a wonderful view of the cathedral's dome from the bridge and the sight is especially marvelous at night. The Tower Bridge, London's most famous bridge, is also clearly visible from here.

The Wobbly Bridge
Unfortunately, during the first two days that the structure was open, the thousands that crossed it noticed that the Millennium Bridge seemed to wobble. It was quickly nicknamed "The Wobbly Bridge" or "The Wibbly-Wobbly" and was immediately closed for modifications, just three days after it opened.

Modifications succeeded in entirely eliminating the problem, but those necessary modifications caused the bridge to remain closed until February 2002. It cost an additional £5m to complete the changes, but no significant vibrations have been felt since that time.

12/03/2013

A recent but already very popular tourist attraction is the London Eye, a giant observation wheel located in the Jubilee Gardens on the South Bank. The 135 meter (443ft) tall structure was built as part of London's millennium celebrations.

A Landmark for the new Millennium
The structure was designed by the architectural team of David Marks and Julia Barfield, husband and wife.
They submitted their idea for a large observation wheel as part of a competition to design a landmark for the new millennium.

None of the entrants won the competition, but the couple pressed on and eventually got the backing of British Airways, who sponsored the project.

Construction
Construction of the observation wheel took more than a year and a half to complete. In the process over 1700 tonnes of steel were used for the structure and more than 3000 tonnes of concrete were used for the foundations.
The futuristic looking capsules, accommodating up to 25 passengers, were transported all the way from France by train through the chunnel. Each egg-shaped capsule is 8 meters long and weighs 500kg. The 25 meter (82 ft) long spindle was built in the Czech Republic. The rim has a diameter of 122m (400ft), about 200 times the size of a bicycle wheel. 80 Spokes connect the rim with the spindle.

The Observation Wheel
The observation wheel turns slow enough for people to embark while it is moving. A complete turn takes about 30 minutes. Thanks to the construction of the glass capsules on the outer side of the rim,
the passengers have a great 360° view over London. Many famous landmarks are clearly visible, including Buckingham Palace, St. Paul's Cathedral and the Houses of Parliament. On a clear day you can see as far as 40 km (25 miles).

Make sure you get your tickets in advance, lines can be very long, both the lines for embarking and for ticket purchases. It's less crowded at night when the views are even more spectacular.