STATUES AND MONUMENTS Jewels.

During World War II, the Tower of London was used as a prison to secure
Wellington Arch, one of London’s best-known landmarks, was built in 1825 and was prisoners of war.
originally intended as an outer entrance to Buckingham Palace, later becoming a victory The mighty tower dominated the skyline for miles, measuring 36m by 32.5m
arch proclaiming Wellingtons defeat of Napoleon. At first it stood faring the Hyde Park across and up to 27.5m tall. The castle courtyard was protected by ditches. The White
Screen, but now the arch is located to the south of Hyde Park in central London. Tower has now 4 corner towers and 3 stores. St Johns Chapel inside the White Tower
Its original design was never completed, and a statue of the Duke of Wellington was is the oldest surviving Norman church in London. It was decorated with such
erected on top of it, but this was replaced in 1912 with the largest bronze sculpture in ornamentation as a gold-painted cross, and stained glass windows that depicted the
Europe, quadriga sculpture that crowns it today. It depicts die Winged Goddess of Virgin Mary and Holy Trinity.
Victory and Peace descending on the “Quadriga” (four-horsed chariot) of war. The face
of the charioteer leading the quadriga is that of a small boy. Comprehension
Between the columns, there are tall, slightly projecting panels of stonework, on Answer the questions according to the text.
which ancient weapons and armour are represented. 1. Where was Wellington Arch located at its beginning and where is it
The arch houses small rooms arranged over five stores. At third-floor level there is nowadays?
a more spacious room above the central opening. The surviving interiors retain the 2. What does Wellington Arch represent?
original doors, fireplaces and window polish. 3. Who does Nelson’s Column commemorate?
Wellington Arch is open to the public and contains three floors of exhibits 4. What other scenes are shown on the reliefs except Nelson’s death?
depicting the history of the arch, and an Exhibition “Waterloo 1815. The Battle for 5. Who built the White Tower?
Peace”. 6. What was the Tower of London used for During World War II?
Nelson’s Column is a monument in Trafalgar Square in central London built to 7. What can we find today in the Tower of London?
commemorate Admiral Horatio Nelson, who died at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. 8. Who lived in the Tower of London?
The monument was constructed to a design by William Railton. It is a column in
the Corinthian style built from granite. The column itself is about 46 meters in height. Think Critically
The statue of Nelson measures 5.5 meters tall. The statue was carved from sandstone Discuss the answers to the questions with your classmates.
by Edward Hodges Baily, an English sculptor. The four bronze bas-relief panels on the 1. What unusual monument do you know in the United Kingdom? Why is it so
sides of the base glorify Nelson s naval victories. The panel facing south shows the special?
dying Nelson on his ship during the Battle of Trafalgar. The other reliefs show scenes 2. Is building monuments a good idea? Why or why not?
from the Battle of the Nile, the Battle of Cape St. Vincent and the Battle of 3. For which famous person would you design a monument or a statue? Why?
Copenhagen. The four colossal lions at the foot of the monument were added later. What would it be?
They were created by Edwin Landseer, an English artist who was specialized in the Write in about 80 words, describe a monument or statue in your country. Explain
painting of animals. It is said that he used a lion body provided by the London Zoo as a your choice by listing three reasons and write about its importance for the country's
model for his sculptures. history.
Instantly recognizable, the White Tower or the Tower of London is the most
famous fortress in the world. The Tower of London is located in the London Borough Research and Present
of Tower Hamlets and it stands on the north bank of the River Thames separated from Search the internet and find more information about world monuments from the table
the City of London by Tower Hill. below. Choose one and make a presentation giving more details about it. Be ready to
It was built by William the Conqueror. The White Tower was the castle’s strongest answer questions.
military point, and provided accommodation for the king and his representatives, as Statues and Location Characteristics Its importance for the country
well as a chapel. The White Tower’s primary function was as a fortress-stronghold, a Monument
role that remained unchanged up to the late 19th century. The tower took more than 20 Big Ben
years to be built, but was never intended as the main royal residence. Many kings and Eiffel Tower
queens resided at the Tower of London and today it is home to the famous Crown Taj Mahal
Statue of Liberty
 MUSEUMS AND ART GALLERIES the collections have not been displayed in chronological order but have been arranged
Britain is one of the world's greatest destinations for art and culture. Its thematically into broad groups. Later, they have been focused on important moments
museums and galleries are known worldwide for their wealth of rare artefacts and of 20th century art. It also introduced spaces for shorter exhibitions in between the
fabulous art from all periods and provenances. wings.
The British Museum is dedicated to human history, art and culture. It Tate Modern houses amazing works by Cézanne, Bonnard, Matisse, Picasso,
occupies a splendid great building, in the neoclassical style. It has 44 columns in the Rothko, Dali, Pollock, Warhol, and Bourgeois.
Ionic style, 14m high, closely based on those of the temple of Athena Polias. The
pediment over the main entrance is decorated by sculptures depicting The Progress of Comprehension
Civilisation, consisting of fifteen allegorical figures. The museum is divided into 11 Answer the following questions according to the text.
major departments. 1. What are museums and galleries known for?
Its permanent collection, numbering some 8 million works, is among the 2. What does the British Museum look like?
largest and most comprehensive in existence and originates from all continents, 3. When was The British Museum founded and what was it at the beginning?
illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its beginnings to the 4. Where do the National Gallery collections come from?
present. 5. What was the first art museum opened in 2000 in London? How different is it
The British Museum was established in 1753, largely based on the collections from other art museums?
of the physician and scientist Sir Hans Sloane. The British Museum was founded as a 6. What do the collections in Tate Modern consist of?
7. How are the collections exhibited in Tate Modern?
“universal museum”. Today the museum no longer houses collections of natural
history and the books and manuscripts it once held due to the independent British Think Critically
Library. Nevertheless, the museum preserves its universality in its collections of Discuss the answers to the following questions with your classmates.
artefacts representing the cultures of the ancient and modern world. 1. Should museums be storytellers or truth-tellers? Why?
The National Gallery is an art museum founded in 1824, which houses a 2. How can museums be an educational tool?
collection of paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. 3. Should governments invest in museums, or should this be the work of privately-
It came into being when the British government bought 38 paintings from the owned companies or organizations? Why?
heirs of John Julius Angerstein, an insurance broker and patron of the arts, in 1824.
This Neoclassical structure, designed by the Greek Revival architect William Wilkins, Write
was later enlarged with the addition of other wings. You have been asked to write a brochure to attract visitors to a museum. In about 80
The National Gallery collection is regarded as the most representative words, write a paragraph that convinces people to visit the museum you have chosen.
sampling of European painting in the world. It has the largest collection of Italian Research and Present
Renaissance paintings outside Italy, with works by most of the great Florentine and Below is a list of famous museums and art galleries. Find out where each one is
Venetian masters of that period. There are also impressive holdings of works by located, some of its important features, and what it is famous for. Make a presentation
various British, Dutch, French, Spanish, and Flemish painters from the 15 th to the 19th and prepare some photos about one of these places for the class. Explain when, where
century. Among the artists we can find Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, and who founded it. Be prepared to answer questions.
Gainsborough, Turner, Renoir, Cezanne, Van Gogh, Raphael, and Vermeer. The 1. Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology
museum’s small collection of French Impressionist and Postimpressionist paintings is 2. Victoria and Albert Museum of Childhood
notable, and most of the works are exhibited. 3. Titanic Belfast •
In 2000, London got its first modern art museum, Tate Modern. It was a 4. Wimbledon Museum
project to celebrate the Millennium and is now one of London's most popular
museums. It is, however, very different from other modern art museums. Tate Modern
started life not as a museum but as a power station, producing electricity for London.
Construction began in 1947 and it was used as a power station until 1981.
The collections in Tate Modern consist of works of international modern and
contemporary art dating from 1900 until today. Since the Tate Modern first opened,