While experiencing London for the past six days, I thought about the various cultural aspects of British culture that I have observed. We ate bangers and mash and had drinks in London pubs, attended the Chelsea versus Liverpool football match, and experienced Wicked in the West End to try to get a sense of the culture of London. We also visited a variety of museums and monuments that commemorate World War II as well as British figures like William Shakespeare and Queen Victoria. My entire time in London was packed with experiences, but the most striking thing about London was how old it is. Many buildings are older than any we have in America and they all have interesting and convoluted stories. Londoners are living in history everyday. As British artist Hew Locke said of the HMS Belfast and other historical places in the city, “many London monuments [have] become so familiar to residents that many no longer really notice or think about them. Monuments can be so visible that they become invisible.” As I was talking with an RAF Sergeant in a pub, he shared his frustration that many Brits do not appreciate the history around them or take the time to notice the majesty of such an ancient city.
One of the most overwhelming cultural sites I had the privilege of visiting was Westminster Abbey. London is dotted with historical cathedrals and churches, but none are as grand as Westminster Abbey. Other cathedrals I visited, All Saints by the Tower and Saint Paul’s, were impressive, but Westminster Abbey has almost a thousand years of stories to tell through its numerous memorials and effigies throughout. Edward to Confessor founded the Norman Church in 1065 and the building itself is more beautiful than I could have imagined, with gilded carvings, intricate ceilings, and glittering stained glass windows. Before this trip, I could not comprehend why the British are so attached to the royal family, but after seeing the burial sites of several hundred years of kings and queens, I am beginning to understand the cultural significance of British royalty. The royal family has profoundly influenced the development of English culture, values, and tradition. There have been 16 royal weddings in the Abbey, and many more royals and affiliated figures have been buried or memorialized there. Tradition runs deep in the Abbey and its contributions to British culture cannot be understated.
I learned and experienced so much during the first leg of our tour of Europe. London is an incredible city that combines the past with the present in striking and exciting ways, allowing one to observe the ways that history still affects everyday life.