Interesting Places in London: Abbey Road

London, the capital city of England in the United Kingdom of Great Britain, is one of the top vacation destinations in Europe. One of the main reasons for the popularity of London is the fact that it has so many historically important buildings and landmarks as well as a number of world class tourist attractions. While many of the top places to visit are either directly or indirectly related to the Royal Family of Great Britain the ancient traditions and historical institutions add to the unique appeal of this wonderfully diverse city.

Throughout the history of the United Kingdom it would seem that most of the important events have occurred in London. Obviously, with the King or Queen living in the city and the Houses of Parliament being there, most of the important political events happened in London. However the city also has played an important role in the cultural development of Great Britain and this was extremely apparent during the lively period which has become known as the "Swinging Sixties". With important events such as the "Ally Pally Pothead Rally" taking place and the most famous bands basing themselves in the city, London has, for many decades, acted as the musical capital of England and the United Kingdom.

One of the most readily recognizable streets in London, viewed from a particular angle is Abbey Road. This view is the one on the cover of the Beatles album, Abbey Road. John, Paul, George and Ringo are pictured strolling across the black and white striped pedestrian crossing.

The design of the album cover was resonsible for a lot of fans feeling angry and upset. The cover was supposedly evidence that Paul had died (in a car crash). The most obvious clue was that he was barefoot. He also had his right foot forward not his left like the other band members. Another two clues were that he had his eyes closed and was holding his cigarette in his right hand not his left (Paul played guitar with his left hand). Other clues are evident in the album cover but are more obscure.

Abbey Road, the celebrated album was named after the street in London where the EMI Studios were situated (3 Abbey Road). With EMI Producer George Martin, the Beatles recorded most of their songs at these studios. The studios were renamed in 1970 to Abbey Road Studios. This was after the Beatles recorded their last ever album together.

Astonishingly, the Beatles are still as famous today as they ever were. They have fans (old and new) from all over the world making the pilgrimage every year to Abbey Road, London. The fans have to be patient, and wait for the traffic to clear, before they can have their photos taken just like the Beatles did, walking across the black and white pedestrian crossing.

The trendy residential area of St. John's Wood is home to Abbey Road Studios. Situated within the converted Georgian townhouse are a more than one recording studio. The space is also extended with more building out back in the garden. The house next door is also the property of EMI, which is used to ensconce artists whilst they are working in the studios. Some do not stay very long and other stay there for quite a while. The Beatles remained quite a long time at Abbey Road, whilst recording one of their best ever albums. They remained a total of one hundred and twenty nine days in 1967, and the album they worked on was Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

The studios at Abbey Road are often listed with other famous British landmarks. The complex is considered one of the world's most famous, and when preparing for a holiday in England one may contemplate visiting the famous street and being photographed outside the studios or on the pedestrian crossing.

So, next time you visit London, consider taking one of the many tours of the city. Some tours of London focus on those places associated with famous musicians and the swinging sixties while others take in the typical tourist attractions of Buckingham Palace and the likes. Remember that there are many incredible places to visit that are well off the well beaten tourist map of London and, with only a little investigation, you will find yourself discovering hidden London.

Article Source: ArticlesMaker.com

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