London is the capital of Great Britain. It is the oldest city of the English – speaking peoples. More than twenty centuries old. London was first mentioned by the Romans in AD 43. Then it was known as Londinium, what “lake fortress”. Later, in AD 800 London became a busy trade center. But the industrial growing of the city was interrupted by Vikings and Saxon conquerors and a lot of diseases.
Today London is a political centre of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The residence of Queen, the Buckingham Palace, is situated in London. London is the great industrial centre of Great Britain. It is one of the main shipbuilding centres of Great Britain.
London is a cultural centre. There are very many theatres, concert halls, museums, galleries and cinemas in London. The National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery contain the finest art collections in the world. British Museum Library is the biggest museum in London.
London is the city which was never planned. It is a constellation of once separate towns and villages grown together. London is situated on the river Thames. Traditionally the city is divided into several parts of City, Westminster, the West End and East End.
The historical centre of London is the City. It is the oldest part of London, its financial and business centre. Two masterpieces are situated in the City: St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower of London. Westminster is the aristocratic official part of London. The West End is the richest and most beautiful part of London.
There are a lot of sightseeing’s in London. The Tower of London is one of the most famous buildings in England. The Houses of Parliament are among the most admired buildings in Europe. There are also called the Palace of Westminster. The Palace of Westminster includes the House of Lords, the House of Commons, Westminster Hall. The Clock Tower, the Victoria Tower. In the south part of the building you can see its clock tower, Big Ben. The Clock Tower is 97 metres tall. The Buckingham Palace is the British monarch’s main residence in London. The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace is on of London’s most important tourist attractions.
Westminster Abbey is regarded as the centre of the Westminster area. There is the Poet’s Corner in the Westminster Abbey. The origin of this corner began with the tomb of Geoffrey Chaucer, the first great English poet. Today the Westminster Abbey is a church. Westminster Abbey receives no financial assistance from the state. Saint Paul’s Cathedral was built on the site of the medieval church destroyed in the Great Fire. Trafalgar Square is one of the most beautiful places in London. It is terraced down to Whitehall. Trafalgar Square is a place of demonstrations, marches and political meetings.