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L O N D O N

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Greater London

London is the capital of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is one of the largest cities in the world, with about 8 million people. London covers 1,580 square kilometers. It is divided into 32 boroughs plus City.

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Londinium

London traces its history back nearly 2,000 years. It began about A.D.43, when armies of the Roman Empire started to conquer Britain. The Romans built a seaport on the Thames /Dark/ near present-day London Bridge. The Romans called the port Londinium /from Celtic “londin” – wild, bold/.

Trafalgar Square

The best –known square is Trafalgar Square. It was named to commemorate Admiral Lord Nelson’s naval victory over the French at Trafalgar in 1805. The huge Nelson Column towers 56 meters above the square. It is surrounded by fountains designed in 1939 and four huge bronze lions.

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Piccadilly Circus

Piccadilly Circus takes its name from a form of collar called a “picadil”. In the center is the statue known as Eros. It was erected in 1892 as a memorial to Lord Shaftesbury.
This is the center of London’s West End. All around are theatres, cinemas and restaurants.

Hyde Park

Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, England and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers’ Corner.
The park is divided in two by the Serpentine.

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace has been the official royal residence since 1837.When the Queen is staying in the palace the Royal Standard flag flies above the central balcony. There are about 600 rooms at the palace.

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The Houses of Parliament

The Houses of Parliament serve as the meeting place of two legislative bodies, the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The buildings are officially called the New Palace of Westminster. The Houses of Parliament has over 1000 rooms and over 3 km of corridors. Laid out they stretch from Parliament to Saint Paul’s Cathedral.

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Big Ben

Big Ben is the huge bell in the clock of Saint Stephen’s Tower. It may have been named after Sir Benjamin Hall, who supervised the rebuilding of Parliament, or after a famous Victorian prizefighter. Big Ben has boomed out the hours since 1859.

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey is one of the oldest buildings in London and one of the most important religious centers in the country. Many kings and queens and famous people are buried or commemorated there.

Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge is one of the landmarks of London. It is a fine example of Victorian engineering. This fairy-tale structure was built in 1894. Tower Bridge is the only Thames Bridge which can be raised.

The Tower of London

The Tower of London is London’s oldest landmark. It consists of a group of structures built around the central White Tower in the 11^th century. It was begun by William the Conqueror in 1078. The Tower of London served as a fortress, a palace, a zoo, a royal mint and a prison. Today it is a national monument and museum.

St. Paul’s Cathedral

St. Paul’s is the most famous church in London. The great English architect Sir Christopher Wren built the Church between 1675 and 1710 to replace the original St. Paul’s, which was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666. The church huge dome towers 111 meters above the ground.