Date uploaded in London – 14 JUNE 2024
Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.
this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.
tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
https://www.pustaka.co.in/home/author/london-swaminathan
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(Welcome to London : Try lifting 13 Kilo Gold Bar in London Museum (Post No.13,292) was posted here on 31 May 2024 and Tower Bridge posted on 4th June 2024; London Changing was posted here in year 2012)
London Swaminathan with The Shards in the background; September 2024
Many tourists miss two important land marks in London. You don’t need to feel guilty for missing the Tallest building The Shards in Britain if you have visited London before 2012. But you will feel guilty if you have missed the finest and oldest , seven floor toy store Hamleys.
From the day I came to London on January First,1987, I have visited this toy store umpteen times. But if you go with children you must be ready to spend some money. They won’t allow you to leave the building without you buying toys or games for them. If any friend or relative comes to London with plenty of time to spend, I take them to Hamleys. You need not be a child to visit this store. At the age of 76, I went to the store in September 2024 with my visitors, I still enjoyed the amazing toys. I used to resent why didn’t I have such toys when I was young. Every time I go there I see newer and newer toys.
Every time my mother took me and my brothers to Madurai Meenakshi Temple, we would cry to get some toys the value of which was 6 annas or 4 annas, in today’s money it is only a few pennies. Before entering the main shrines you would see hundreds of shops (Now they were cleared for security reasons)
To be honest I never entered the tallest building The Shards. But I have been to the entrance to take pictures or to attend multi faith prayers at the nearby Southwark Cathedral. I take our Bhajan group to sing there. And I introduce the singers and the Bhajan songs.
London Swaminathan with LEGO Queen Elizabeth; picture taken in September 2024.
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Now let me give the details:
Shard-Tallest Tower in West Europe
You can go up the building after buying a ticket and enjoy 360 degree views of London from the highest viewing platform.
Location: London Bridge
Nearest Underground: London Bridge
Height: 1016 feet (95 floors),covered with glass.
What is it: Tall building with space for residences and office. A restaurant for general public opened in February 2013.
Opened: in July 2012
The View from The Shard allows you to go inside The Shard building and look out over London from the viewing platforms on levels 68 and 69. You can also head up to the Skydeck on level 72 – an open-air platform offering spectacular views over London.
Before or after enjoying the views, grab a drink, snack or meal from the top bars and restaurants at The Shard, including Ting, Aqua Shard, Hutong and Oblix.
The Shard was an ambitious project dreamt up by the late Irvine Sellar. A property developer who wanted to create an architecturally striking building where a vibrant community could thrive in the heart of London.
Architect, Renzo Piano, was the person who made such a dream a reality. Inspired by the spires of London’s churches, Piano designed the vertical city so that the striking yet elegant building appears to emerge from the Thames, disappearing into the clouds above.
Today this office, retail, hotel, restaurant, apartment and public viewing space serves thousands of locals and visitors every day, becoming an iconic landmark in the London skyline.
The closest stations to The Shard are London Bridge Underground Station (Northern and Jubilee Lines) and London Bridge Railway Station (Southern and Southeastern trains).
- Tickets to The View from The Shard cost £28.00 per person. Admittance is free for children aged three and under. Entry to our indoor viewing platforms on levels 68 and 69
- Entry to our outdoor viewing platform on level 72 – our Skydeck
- Digital Photo Package four digital photos
- View Guarantee terms apply
- Access to our London Experts
Tickets price goes upto £45
You can book tickets with the attraction directly
The Shard is 306m (1,016ft) tall. It is the tallest building in the United Kingdom and the seventh tallest building in Europe.
How long does View from the Shard take?
There is no time limit for the View from the Shard experience. Book your timeslot tickets and then once inside, you can enjoy the experience for as long as like, until closing time.
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Wonderful Seven Floor Toy Store! Hamleys at Regent Street, London! Bought by Ambani
Mukesh Ambani bought the world’s oldest toy store Hamleys at Rs 620 crore in an all-cash deal. Mukesh Ambani, India’s richest man and head of Reliance Industries owns Hamleys, the world’s oldest toy store. Hamleys was established in 1760 by William Hamley.
Hamleys in London’s Regent Steet is a multi-storey toy store; seven floors of demonstrations, events and elaborate displays.
William Hamleys opened its first store in Hall Bourne, London in 1760 and in 1881 his grandson opened a new toy store named Joy Emporium on Regent Street which was appreciated by the royal family of Britain.
The British monarch Queen Elizabeth described the Hamleys store as her favourite toy store in the year 1955. With time, Hamleys has grown its global presence in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and North America.
Hamleys currently has 100 stores spread across 36 cities. It is currently the country’s largest toy retailer. Over half of the 190 locations that the Reliance-owned Hamleys currently operate worldwide are in India. Hamleys toys are famous among children and their parents across the world.
the billionaire Mukesh Ambani has boosted his retail spending internationally over the past several years and has expressed interest in purchasing new businesses as part of Reliance’s ambitious expansion strategy for its retail company.
Mukesh Ambani and Isha Ambani-led Reliance Retail is now valued at a whopping Rs 9,26,055 crore by brokerage firm Bernstein.
London Regent Street 188-196 Regent Street London W1B 5BT United Kingdom
Nearest tube stations
Oxford Circus – 2 minute walk
Picadilly Circus – 6 minute walk
Tottenham Court Rd – 10 minute walk
—subham—
Tags- The Shars, Hamleys , Toy Store, Tallest Building, London, welcome to London
Tamil and Vedas 