A Shakespeare Experience in London - as part of the news series by GeoBeats.

When visiting London, any avid theater fun must venture beyond the popular attractions and visit William Shakespear's legendary Globe Theater, which is located just a few hundred yards from the original site in London, England. Reconstructed to be as close to the original design as possible, the new Globe Theater opened in 1997. Founded by American producer, director and actor Sam Wanamaker, it is a venue for many contemporary plays and workshops as well as classic Shakespearian plays. He died before the theater could be completed but his initiation of the idea and enormous contribution do not go unnoticed.

The original Globe Theater was built by Shakespeare’s acting company, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, in 1598, after much controversy over land ownership and building rights. After things went sour with the landlord, they moved the existing wooden structure piece by piece across the Thames river to a different location, and constructing the outdoor amphitheater, which would be host to some of William Shakespeare’s greatest work. The theater burned down during a performance of Henry VIII in 1613, but was rebuilt and continued housing audiences until 1642, when Puritans shut it down.