Sights and attractions around London

London’s Westminster Abbey, venue for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on April 29, 2011, has been a top London tourist attraction for years.  (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

For non-worshipers, there is an entrance fee.  (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

A young traveler consults a map as the London Eye observation wheel, opened to the public in 2000, stands just across the Thames River.  (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

The London Eye gives riders a chance to see Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and the Thames from above.  (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

The walkways of the Tate Modern gallery and Millennium Bridge, both opened in 2000, look across the Thames River to the 17th century dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral.  (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Four beloved lions have guarded Nelson’s Column in London’s Trafalgar Square since the 1860s. A series of changes in 2003 made the square more pedestrian-friendly and opened a car-free zone between the lions and the National Gallery on the north side of the square.  (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

London’s Tate Modern gallery, opened in 2000 in a former power plant on the banks of the Thames River, specializes in art since 1900.  (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

London’s underground train stations, including this one at the foot of Big Ben, are popular spots for street musicians known as buskers. These guitarists were singing in French.  (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

With London scheduled to host the 2012 Summer Olympics Games, crews are hard at work on a vast complex of facilities in the Stratford area of East London, including the 80,000-seat Olympic Stadium shown here.  (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

The Sunday Up Market has brought ethnic food, crafts and fashions to the bohemian East London since 2004.  (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Spitalfields Market, a shopping venue near the City of London financial district since the 17th century, sparked controversy when it reopened with its traditional stalls surrounded by sleek and shiny new shops and boutiques. But crowds keep turning up, especially on Sundays.  (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Barclays Cycle Hire stands like this one in Soho have been popping up since summer 2010, offering pedestrians a chance to rent a bike, ride it for an hour or two or three, then drop it off at another stand. They cost about $3.50 for an hour. Londoners call them “Boris Bikes” after the city’s current mayor, Boris Johnson.  (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

The pending wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton has sparked a wide range of responses, including cheeky commemorative plates on display at the KK Outlet gallery in London’s Hoxton Square.  (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)