Whitehall

　　   Whitehall, also translated as White Hall, is a road in the City of Westminster, London, the capital of the United Kingdom. It is situated between the Palace of Westminster and Trafalgar Square. The name "Whitehall" originates from the Palace of Whitehall (also translated as White Hall Palace), which was destroyed by fire in 1698. This grand palace once stood on the site of today's Whitehall, and the road at that time led to the front of the palace.

　　   Whitehall stretches approximately 1 kilometre (0.6 miles) from Trafalgar Square (built in the 19th century) in the north to the Palace of Westminster (also known as the Houses of Parliament) in the south. The central section of the road is lined with a number of UK defence and military institutions, including the Ministry of Defence Headquarters, former headquarters of the British Army and Royal Navy, the Horse Guards building, and the Admiralty. As the hub of the British government, it is often seen as a metonym for the UK government itself. Along the northern section of Whitehall, a surviving part of the original Palace of Whitehall remains: the Banqueting House, designed by architect Inigo Jones and built in 1622. It is said that during the English Civil War, King Charles I stepped out of a second-floor window of the Banqueting House on 30 January 1649, onto a makeshift scaffold erected outside, and was publicly executed. To commemorate this event, Royalists still hold memorial services here every year.

　　   Whitehall is not only the centre of government but also a popular tourist attraction. Several war hero and memorial statues and monuments are erected along the central reservation of the road. Every Remembrance Sunday, solemn commemorative ceremonies are held here.

　　   Whitehall Reason to visit: One of London’s most iconic tourist attractions Continent: Europe [Europe] Country/Region: United Kingdom [Britain] Province/State: Greater London [Greater London] City: London [London]