London dungeon london dungeon. London Dungeon: Museum of Medieval Horrors (UK)

The London Dungeon is a fairly popular attraction among tourists. Although, of course, entertainment is not for everyone.

The Dungeon opened in 1975 as a museum of macabre stories, depicting all sorts of gory scenes from the city's past. However, the museum gradually turned into an interactive theater. For almost forty years it was located on Tooley Street, near London Bridge, but in 2013 it moved to Westminster. It is now located opposite Big Ben, next to the Eye of London, in the vast underground premises under the County Hall building. Before the move, “Dungeon” sold off old props, and it turned into a separate show: people bought and joyfully dragged “half-burnt” skeletons, huge scythes and “severed” heads into their trunks.

The motto of the new play “Dungeons” is “Fear is a funny thing.” The jokes (funny and at the same time unpleasant) begin in the toilet. There are jokes during the performance; a foreign tourist may not understand them, but everyone understands fear. The one and a half hour show is structured like this: as if traveling through time and space, the audience moves from one point to another (there are eighteen of them in total), and the actors use special effects to act out frightening scenes.

It’s a little reminiscent of children’s horror stories about a black hand come to life, only here everything is based on historical facts, and visitors are always involved in the action. Either Henry VIII accuses the viewer of treason, then he has to walk along a dirty alley between black crosses, rotting corpses and hungry rats (the plague in London is depicted), then Jack the Ripper is breathing heavily in the labyrinth of narrow streets behind. The viewer becomes one of the participants in the Gunpowder Plot, then accused in the courtroom, ends up with a torture master, with the barber Sweeney Todd (according to legend, he killed his clients, and his girlfriend made them into pie filling), or even to the foot of the gallows. A lot of darkness, special effects, flashes of light, artificial blood, terrible screams and moans. The audience screams as loudly as the actors.

And although evil tongues claim that the worst thing about the London Dungeon is the prices in the souvenir shop, still many (even those who have already graduated from school) leave happy, as if after a roller coaster.

London Dungeon is a horror museum in London. In order to tickle their nerves, some people engage in extreme sports, and some limit themselves to visiting various “scary” places, and the London Museum of Horror falls into this category.

This landmark of the capital is considered one of most popular, the queue for tickets is several hundred meters long.

The museum attracts visitors with its unusual medieval atmosphere and gloomy interior design.

In its original version, the museum was called "medieval torture", however, with the increase in the number of exhibits, it was necessary to rename it to its current name, which fully reflects the specifics of this institution.

L London Dungeon is not just a museum, but also a theater. The dungeons of London are inhabited by unusual and creepy characters who will not leave horror movie lovers and especially impressionable people indifferent.

The Dungeon opened in 1975 as a museum of macabre stories, depicting all sorts of gory scenes from the city's past. For almost forty years it was located on Tooley Street, near London Bridge, but in 2013 it moved to Westminster.

It is now located opposite Big Ben, next to the Eye of London, in the vast underground premises under the County Hall building.

This museum, as befits a dungeon, located deep underground, equipped with modern light and sound effects that will allow all visitors to experience the atmosphere of dark and gloomy medieval London.

The motto of the new play “Dungeons” is “Fear is a funny thing.” The performance lasts an hour and a half, during which time visitors seem to go on a journey through time, participating in all the scenes proposed by the actors.

The adventure begins with an underground tomb that leads to "Labyrinth of Lost Souls"- a large mirror labyrinth, where the guardian of the territory takes you and leaves you to wander among his reflections and flinch from the characters appearing here and there.

Then the scenes follow one another. Either you appear before Henry VIII and he accuses you of treason, then you have to walk along a dirty alley between black crosses, rotting corpses and hungry rats, as during the plague in London, then in the maze of narrow streets behind you Jack the Ripper is breathing heavily. You become one of the participants in the Gunpowder Plot, then accused in the courtroom.

Finally you get to the torture master, the barber Sweeney Todd, who, according to legend, killed his clients, and his girlfriend made them into pie filling. And in the end you find yourself at the foot of the gallows, the so-called. attraction "Descent into the Underworld". You are presented as criminals sentenced to hang. When the verdict is announced, a gallows appears in front of you, and you yourself fall into a vertical shaft.

In general, you will experience all the delights of medieval life for yourself, while the bright moments are captured by the camera, and at the exit you can purchase a photo of your journey.

The tour of the museum lasts 1.5-2 hours, but before it starts it is better to make sure you want to go there, as this place not for the faint of heart.

To increase the terrifying effect, each room in the building is dimly lit, filled with various rustles and sounds, and at the most unexpected moment an executioner with an ax or his victims may appear.

"London Dungeon" is suitable for children aged eight years and above, unaccompanied children not allowed. The duration of the show is approximately 2 hours.

Read carefully the brief description of the London Dungeon attraction and decide - is this entertainment suitable for your children?

You should not visit the attraction if your child is prone to nightmares or is very impressionable!

The candlelit, shadowy “dungeon” is located in a vaulted building near London Bridge station.

The attraction takes you on a tour past eerie “wax paintings” that depict the bloodiest episodes of British history.

They will meet on your way swollen corpses of victims The Great Plague, you will miraculously escape from the Great Fire of London in 1666, you will escape from the serial killer Jack the Ripper. Actors in costumes will appear in unexpected places, and modern special effects will enhance the impression of what is happening.

Exhibitions and attractions of the London Dungeon

Great Plague of London

This exhibition takes viewers to London in 1665, gripped by the bubonic plague, which killed a significant part of the city's population. The exhibition is accompanied by disgusting odors, screams of townspeople caused by panic and pain, as well as requests to “take the dead man out” of the house. The hall dedicated to the Great Plague of London resembles a medical laboratory. Visitors are informed about the methods by which medieval medicine tried to stop the plague. Also here you can see how a doctor (actor) begins to comically operate on a corpse, pulling out all the insides, but the dead man suddenly comes to life and starts screaming - this is where the performance ends.

Sweeney Todd

A performance dedicated to the hero of numerous films and the series of stories “The String of Pearls”, the bloody barber Sweeney Todd from Fleet Street, whose real existence is still under debate.

According to legend, Todd cut the necks of his clients with a razor and sold them to Miss Lovett's shop, which baked pies from human flesh. This performance also takes place in virtually no light. Customers walk past Miss Lovett's shop and greet her before entering Swinney's hair salon. The audience is presented with a mannequin with its throat cut, sitting on a chair. Visitors sit in the barber chairs and the effect is created as if Pig Tod is behind them and is about to commit his next bloody murder. Then the chair leans back and seems to fall into the basement (this is exactly what Swinney did with his victims).

Jack the Ripper

In 1888, an investigation into the grisly murder of five prostitutes began in London. The culprit was not found, but they tentatively called him Jack the Ripper. Visitors are told about the first victims and shown two corpses with their intestines released and their throats cut. The audience is then taken to the death chamber, where a film about the main suspects is shown. When their names are called, loud, ominous laughter is heard from behind the scenes, and a flamethrower that appears in the wall showers the audience with imaginary flames.

Then the audience descends and a model of the Ripper himself appears in front of them. He points his knife at the audience, but at that moment the installation ends and the lights come on.

Death Sentence

The audience is introduced to the criminals of Newgate prison, who were sentenced to death by hanging. They are taken out of their cells and asked to sit down, but only for a couple of minutes so that the judge can read out the death sentence. Then a loop appears. The executioner presses the lever and the visitors fall down into the darkness. At this moment, their faces are photographed by cameras installed in the walls. If desired, these photographs can be purchased at the end of the tour.

Boat ride to hell

Here tourists will be able to experience for themselves how especially important criminals sentenced to death (usually for high treason) were taken to the scaffold. The exhibition recreates how they were transported by boat from the Tower through Traitor's Gate and further along the Thames to the place of execution. During the performance, there is almost complete darkness, accompanied by special sound effects that create horror.

Labyrinth of the Lost

The mirror labyrinth or “labyrinth of the lost” recreates the sinister atmosphere of the crypt of London's All Saints Church. The guardian of the territory tells about the crypt and then leads into the labyrinth, where visitors will have to wander in their own reflections.

Big fire

The very picturesque exhibition very reliably recreates the events of the Great Fire of 1666, when London almost burned to the ground. The fire started at the Royal Bakery in Pudding Lane. The history of the tragic events is shown to visitors in a short informational film, where the famous actor Tom Baker is the narrator. To enhance the effect, the film is shown in a typical 17th-century London courtyard, skillfully recreated using realistic scenery. As the film ends, the audience runs away from the fire along a street with “burning” buildings. At the same time, the curtains in the houses are illuminated with a reddish flickering light and flutter from the “wind” of the fans. Cries for help are heard from everywhere, and mannequins of mothers appear in the windows, trying to save their babies from houses engulfed in flames. Next, visitors run through a tunnel engulfed in flames, illuminated by yellow-red light.

How to get there

Address: Tootley Street, SE1
Metro: London Bridge
Buses: 21, 35, 40, 43, 47, 48, 49, 133

London Dungeon opening hours: daily,
Opening hours may vary - usually 9.30 - 18.30 on school holidays, 10.30 - 17.00 on other days.
More information about opening times can be found on the website http://www.the-dungeons.co.uk/london/en/plan-your-visit/opening-times.htm

London Dungeon ticket price:
Adults £23.10, children under 16 £17.10.
When purchasing a ticket through the website - adults 15 pounds, children under 16 years old - 12 pounds. Queues are usually long, so we recommend purchasing "preferential entry" tickets online in advance - they cost a pound more.

And in this article we will talk about another London attraction, which combines a theater, a panic room, a museum, and an attraction! This is the so-called Dungeon (or Dungeon) of London (The London Dungeon).

As I said earlier, my wife and I, during our stay in the capital of Great Britain (August-September 2017), took three excursions in a package: the London Eye, Madame Tussauds, and London Dungeon, which allowed us to save significantly. For two of us we paid only 94 pounds, which is much cheaper than if we take these excursions separately.

Although, if we knew that the famous London Eye would not particularly impress us (it would be much cooler for all tourists to visit the Sky Garden or The Shard), we could take 2 excursions in a package and save even more.

In general, if you want to do the same, namely, take excursions as a package, then take them from the representatives of BIG BUS TOURS . In August-September 2017 they had the cheapest package tours in London.

If you are reading this note a year later, or even two, I recommend reading the article: “What to choose: Big Bus Tours, Golden Tours, Original Tour?! Or the battle of London bus tours,” where I left links to the websites of bus operators. It will be easier for you to navigate prices, including package tours.

Well, now I’ll smoothly move directly to the story about London Dungeon.

London Dungeon: history of the London dungeon

Back in 1975, when your narrator was not yet born, an amazing museum appeared in London. It was called "Dungeon". The museum emphasized bloody, macabre scenes from the past. It was truly a room of fear and, not surprisingly, it scared people away.

When the flow of clients became very small, the creators realized that something urgently needed to be done with the museum. And they turned it into some kind of theater. Professional actors received a stage, and the exhibits located there received voice acting. And this symbiosis worked! And how!

Who is interested in just looking at all sorts of creepy trinkets, like a guillotine? But if a living person tells you about it, and at the same time chops off some poor fellow’s head (even if it’s for fun), then this is a turn!

In 2013, the museum safely moved to Westminster Bridge, closer to Big Ben, the Palace of Westminster, the Abbey, and the “Eye of London,” where it remains to this day.

An interesting feature: when “Dungeon” moved, the creators decided to get rid of all the old props and simply organized a small auction for the property.

It was fun! Worse than Halloween. Just imagine people walking down the street, dragging behind them huge death scythes, severed heads and other gloomy rubbish.

LondonDungeon: Modern London Dungeon Secrets

The new “Dungeon” is divided into several dozen locations, each of which symbolizes a certain time or place in which mini-scenes with the participation of professional actors are played out.

You are part of this action. That is, you seem to be involved in what is happening, as an independent observer, and sometimes even as a participant in the events.

At the same time, the performances are based not on the imagination of the creators, but on real historical facts.

For example, when talking about a fire in London, a fire suddenly breaks out next to you (it’s clear that it’s fake), and smoke obscures your eyes...

When you are transported back to the time of the plague, rats are running along the alley, you can hear the screams of people, as well as the unhurried, firm steps of Jack the Ripper behind you...

The London Dungeon is a symbiosis of a theater, a museum, a panic room, and also an attraction that you will ride at the very end of your visit.

There are a lot of special effects, creepiness created by the actors and, of course, darkness.

That is, when you come to London Dungeon, you will get a lot of emotions, ranging from fear to very educational things, like the history of old London (how and why London burned, how they were judged in medieval England, how corpses were dissected, how important political decisions, how people rotted in prison, and how they later died by hanging).

In general, you will still have a lot of fun.

The only drawback of this attraction, as for me, is that the monologues of the actors are too long (because of this, the tour of the dungeon lasts about an hour and a half).

Moreover, I know English quite well, but very often the meaning of the characters’ narratives eluded me. This, of course, was upsetting.

Keep this point in mind when you want to visit London Dungeon. If you don't know English at all or know it poorly, you will, frankly, be bored. I repeat, the attraction is almost entirely built on monologues.

As for the acting, it is wonderful! It’s as if people don’t play their roles, but live them. I was really pleased!

We liked the London Dungeon tour more than not. In addition, it was part of our “package tour”. So we don’t regret visiting this attraction at all.

How to get to the London Dungeon (LondonDungeon):

Address: Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Rd, Lambeth, London SE1 7PB, UK

Metro: London Bridge station

By bus: 21, 35, 40, 43, 47, 48, 78, 133, 149, 381

Be sure to use an Oyster Card to pay for your trips (valid in London on all types of public transport).

By busBIGBUSTOURS: red route, stop near the London Eye.

Finally, a short video from me about London Dungeon

Yes, a lot of things: Hyde Park, Science museum, toy store

Prepare to face some of the most sinister characters from the past, including serial killer Jack the Ripper, hairdresser Sweeney Todd and Bloody Mary. Feel the shadow of the black plague and terrible torture.

Plus, with three thrilling rides, there's something for the whole family: Subterranean Boat Traitor's Gate, Revenge, the first-ever 5D Laser Ride.
Enter the dungeon world and take a journey screaming and laughing.

Working hours:

Location:

With realistic performances and special effects they do London Dungeonone of the most British capital.

Why is it worth visiting?

Initially, the London Dungeon was conceived as a museum of medieval torture, but over time it has expanded, and now it is also an attraction, a panic room and a theater all rolled into one.

Visitors are invited to move from one era to another as professional actors act out scenes from dark episodes of London's history. But what is happening is interactive - the viewer inevitably becomes an actor.

Here, where the most terrible legends of London come to life, everyone will have to face Jack the Ripper, escape from a fire, go through a terrifying mirror maze and other scary (but interesting) parts of a unique quest.

How to get there

The museum is located next to the Aquarium (Sea Life London Aquarium) And . It is not difficult to find as there are many signs nearby.

Address: Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Rd.

You can get to London Dungeon by bus or bus (numbers 21, 35, 40, 47, 133, 381). The closest is Waterloo, a 10-minute walk from the museum.

Working hours

The museum's ticket office is open daily from 10 a.m. (on Thursday from 11 a.m.) to 4 p.m. (until 5 p.m. on Saturday). Sometimes the schedule changes on holidays. The tour itself lasts 90 minutes, and every quarter of an hour a new tour begins. sightseeing tour.

There are long queues at the entrance to London Dungeon, so it is better to come in the morning or on weekdays. It is possible to buy a special “fast” ticket (no queue).

Prices and discounts

Ticket prices vary depending on the date of purchase. At the box office they will cost £30 per adult, when purchasing online in advance- from 21 £ (the closer the date of visit, the higher the cost).

Schoolchildren's admission - £12.95. “Fast” ticket that does not require waiting in line - £41. When visiting with a family, the price for an adult is reduced to £19.95.

If you take combined tickets, you will save a lot, for example: a visit to The London Dungeon will cost £66 (£38 if purchased online). You can complement your visit to the frightening London Dungeon with another horror attraction - London Bridge Experience.

Attractions and exhibitions

The museum has several locations that differ in the level of fear:

• A house captured by the bubonic plague, from where comes the terrible smell of rotting corpses and where huge rats are already in full swing.
• A torture chamber where visitors will encounter the Executioner and his most brutal instruments of torture.
• Meet the arsonist Guy Fawkes, a famous participant in the Gunpowder Plot.
• The Great Fire of London, which has already destroyed half the city. All residents jump into boats in panic, preparing to flee the capital. Meanwhile, the flames of the fire will soon reach the audience.
• Jack the Ripper, already breathing down his neck and preparing an attack on random visitors.
• Bloody barber Sweeney Todd, known for slitting the throats of his customers with a sharp razor. And now the barber is already carefully tying the spectators to the chairs, and his friend Mrs. Lovett turns on the oven... I wonder why?
• Mrs. Lovett is in love with the barber Sweeney Todd, and she also bakes the most delicious pies in London. It's all about the secret ingredient. She will prepare any pies for you. And of you too!
• The most terrible part of the excursion is the last journey along with Anne Boleyn, to the Tower, to the scaffold. This part is not recommended for visiting by especially impressionable people.
• The latest is "Deadly Fall": visitors are presented as criminals and "sentenced to hang". Then the executioner suddenly sends everyone down into the darkness using a lever. The frightened faces of the spectators are photographed by cameras at this moment.
• At the end, visitors are invited to a tavern, where they can recover from the last attraction and listen to news about new murders and rumors about local ghosts.

Lifehacks

The tour is conducted in English only. If your knowledge of the language is not very good, you may not understand most of the story. But the colorful decorations, visuals and sound effects alone make it worth visiting the museum.

Most of all, teenagers like the exciting stories and quests of London Dungeon. But adults also don’t mind tickling their nerves, and at the same time getting to know each other better.

The London Dungeon attraction museum is suitable for ages 8 and up, but only accompanied by an adult.

Photography and videography are prohibited, but at the exit from the museum they sell photographs taken with cameras during the “deadly fall.”

Have a memorable visit!