To mark 50 days until the one-year anniversary of the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony on 27 July, the London Legacy Development Corporation has released this time-lapse video of work going on behind the scenes at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

The north section of the park will reopen to the public this summer, with a variety of music and sports events, including the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games. The park will offer world-class sporting facilities, parklands and more. Find out more at noordinarypark.co.uk.

2012 has been a landmark year for London thanks to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Diamond Jubilee, which celebrated 60 years of the Queen’s reign. And to top it all off, London’s newest skyscraper the Shard was inaugurated, transforming London’s skyline. Here are a few of our favourite images from an amazing and unforgettable year.

The Games might be over but there’s still plenty going on in the Olympic Park.

Free bus tours began this week, offering a great chance to witness the park’s £292 million transformation into a new cultural hub and green space for London, before it reopens in phases from summer 2013. Here are some top things to spot on the trip:

1. Dismantling the Venues

The park is currently a huge construction site – or, more correctly, a deconstruction site. The world’s largest McDonald’s has been dismantled, as has the Riverbank Arena where Olympic hockey was played. On the bus tours you’ll be able to spot temporary venues being removed as well as athletes’ training centres, security areas and temporary seating stands or “wings” being taken to pieces. 

2. South Park Plaza

The area around the distinctive red ArcelorMittal Orbit sculpture is being transformed into an urban park the size of 16 football pitches. When it’s finished, the new South Park Plaza will boast fountains, a climbing wall, a 12-metre wide tree-lined boulevard and “garden rooms” created by planting designer Piet Oudolf. During the Games, this space was the first part of the park most visitors saw after entering through the Stratford entrance.

3. Planting the Park

It was already a park to begin with, but over the next year or so the amount of open space in the Park will be doubled to a whopping 252 acres. The planting project includes 4,300 semi-mature trees, over 100,000 new shrubs and almost one million bulbs, which will all be watered by a park-wide water system. Even today the park has plenty of wildlife – you could see swans, ducks, cormorants and coots.

4. The First Neighbourhood

The Basketball Arena is one of the largest temporary Olympic venues ever built, and will be deconstructed between now and next autumn. The entire building can be recycled – from the seating to the floor – and some parts will head over to Brazil to be used at the Rio 2016 Games. Once the area is cleared it will be the site for the first new housing neighbourhood in the park, Chobham Manor.

5. The Stadium

Of course, no trip to the park would be complete without a glimpse of the iconic Olympic Stadium where athletes like Usain Bolt sped to victory this summer.

Tours run on Wednesdays, Thursdays and some weekends, until the Park begins to open in phases from July 2013. To book, email parktours@springboard-marketing.co.uk or call 0800 023 2030.

London said a big thank you to the athletes of Team GB and ParalympicsGB yesterday during a parade through Central London.

Athletes including Mo Farah, Victoria Pendleton, Sarah Storey, Sir Chris Hoy and Ellie Simmons showed off their medals from floats that travelled from Mansion House, through Trafalgar Square and ended at The Mall, in front of Buckingham Palace.

The floats were led by two giant lion puppets, a steel band and dancers.It was also a chance to pay tribute to the police, armed services and volunteers who contributed to the Games.

British Airways led a flypast with the Red Arrows over The Mall, and the Pet Shop Boys played some of their biggest hits on a stage outside Buckingham Palace.

At the end of the parade, Princess Anne, Prime Minister David Cameron, and Mayor of London Boris Johnson gave speeches praising “the best ever” Games.

Did you go to the parade? Don’t forget to add your photos to our Flickr pool.

As well as the thrilling Paralympic action, there was plenty going on around the Olympic Park when I visited for the first time yesterday. I was impressed by the architecture and landscaping, pop-up performances and art installations.

Do you have any great pictures of the Park? If so, make sure you add them to the Visit London Flickr pool.

 
The Lords of Lightning have touched down in London this weekend. The metal suit-clad duo fling four million volts of raw electricity at each other while standing on two metal podiums!

I saw the mesmerising act last night at a hip bar perched atop Peckham multi-storey car park in South London, which affords eye-popping views of the city’s skyline. Before the sizzling performance began, a girl behind me said: “I don’t want to stand too close. I might get electrocuted!” The crackling sound of the electricity coupled with the smell of burning made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. And I found the sight of the lightning bolts coming out of their hands, heads and swords utterly dazzling.

Presented by the Mayor of London and London 2012 Festival as part of Showtime, you can catch the Lords of Lightning again tonight (2 Sept) at 8pm and 9pm at 10th floor, Peckham multi-storey car park, 95A Rye Lane, London SE15 4ST. 

Entry is free but you are advised to book tickets in advance

Make the most of the many exciting cultural events taking place this weekend by exploring one of the Mayor of London’s cultural trails.

This Saturday, it’s all about South London, with activities taking place from 10am to 9pm. And it’s all free!

Start your day at the Southbank Centre where you can watch a documentary about the Diverse City – Breathe project, a unique collaboration between disabled and non-disabled performers from Dorset and Brazil.

Next, pop into the Southbank Centre’s shop on Festival Terrace, which is being curated by not-for-profit organisation Design Nation all month. Here you can see new products and showcases from some of Britain’s best design talent.

Your next cultural stop is Tate Modern. Take a look at Tino Sehgal’s Turbine Hall Commission. This live show involves choreographed movements and sounds from participants in the space – you’ll never have the same experience twice! Then check out the brand new Tanks at Tate Modern, hosting an ongoing programme of live art, performance, film and installations during the London 2012 Festival.

There’s more performance at your final stop in either Burgess Park or Peckham. Mayor of London Presents Showtime (a festival visiting all London boroughs) is collaborating with Southwark’s annual Elephant and the Nun festival. Highlights include the electrifying Lords of Lightning at Peckham Multi Storey Car Park (free but booking advised).

Download the free London Official City Guide app to guide you on the trail, and to give you more ideas along the way, or download a PDF

Last night performers, athletes and spectators welcomed the world back to London for the 2012 Paralympic Games.

The spectacular Opening Ceremony, created by artistic directors Jenny Sealey and Bradley Hemmings, saw Professor Stephen Hawking and actor Sir Ian McKellen introduce scenes exploring the theme of “Enlightenment” and showcasing the world’s leading deaf and disabled artists.

During the ceremony, more than 3,000 participants brought Sir Isaac Newton’s garden, the Large Hadron Collider and the Big Bang to life in a celebration of science and its capacity to change perceptions.

London-based performers and groups made a special impact throughout the night. “Principia”, an emotional choral composition, was sung by six London based choirs: the Hackney Community Choir, Barts Choir, the London Gay Men’s Chorus, the Hackney Singers, the London Chorus, and the Lewisham Choral Society. You can enjoy these volunteer choirs throughout the year across London, and each have performances coming up in the next few months.

The Graeae Theatre Company, based only a few miles from the Olympic Stadium in Hackney, performed an explosive cover of Ian Dury and The Blockheads’ “Spasticus Artisticus”. The company champions the inclusion of deaf and disabled performers in the arts thorough new plays and training initiatives. Graeae and their incredible sway poles can be seen this September in The Garden, part of Unlimited Festival at Southbank Centre.

Also appearing at Unlimited Festival, leading disabled dancer David Toole performed a solo dance while 16-year-old singer-songwriter Birdy performed “Bird Gerhl”. In perhaps the most stunning moment of the night, David ascended into the air supported by wires and “flew” above a stadium floor packed with the world’s Paralympians. You can see the incredible David Toole in a brand new work, The Impending Storm, on 7 and 8 September at the Southbank Centre.

Did you enjoy the London 2012 Paralympic Opening Ceremony? Let us know what you thought in the comments section below.

The countdown is on to the London 2012 Paralympic Games, with just hours to go before the Opening Ceremony…

The Paralympic Flame has visited some of London’s most famous attractions on its relay route today, including Big Ben, London Zoo,Lord’s Cricket Ground and Abbey Road - and it’s not over yet! The flame is now travelling east, en route to Stratford.

The Paralympic Relay is running later than planned, but you can keep track of its progress here. The new schedule means it is due to arrive in Greenwich just before 6pm, and at Waltham Forest at 8.49pm.

Have you seen the torch today? Tell us about your experiences in the comments below.

With the London 2012 Paralympic Games getting underway today, we take a look at the best accessibility apps to help visitors make the most of London and the Games.

Inclusive London
Check accessibility information on hotels, restaurants, pubs, shops, museums and more. You can set your access preferences and prioritise search results. Free, and available for iPhone. Find out more at inclusivelondon.com

Hailo
Hail one of London’s accessible taxis wherever and whenever you need one with your smartphone. No more waiting on a street corner! Available for free on iPhone and Android. Visit hailocab.com for full details and to download.

Parkible
Looking for a disabled parking space in London? Then use the Parkible app to find the spaces near where you are, or search a specific location for parking bays. Free to download and available for iPhone and Android.

Enabled City
The PhotoRoute app by Enabled City provides step-free routes on some of London’s most photogenic routes, including Paddington to Camden Lock and the London Eye to Tower Bridge. There’s a free “Lite” version available, as well as a fully offline premium version for £1.99.  Available on iPhone and Android. Visit enabledcity.com to download.

Official London 2012 Join In App
Last but not least, the Official London 2012 App. Plan your trip to the Paralympic Games, check event schedules and receive London 2012 alerts. Available for free on iPhone and Android. Visit london2012.com to download.

Are you coming to London for the Paralympic Games? Let us know if you have used any accessibility apps to help you get around in the comments section below.