London from A to Z. Interesting places and life in London

London– a city of double-decker red buses and the famous Big Ben, only here you can see a skyscraper with the funny name “Cucumber” and the unusual Dali Universe. However, first things first.

Founding of London

This city appeared back in 43 AD; Emperor Claudius appropriated it for himself during one of his many campaigns. The name of the city comes from the Latin “londinium”, but no one knows what this word means. There is an assumption that it denotes an area - a lake or simply some kind of wild place. However, this will remain a mystery of the universe.

Numerous wars almost completely destroyed the city, only in the Middle Ages they began to actively restore it and as a result it became the richest city, which it remains to this day.

Population London is just over eight million people, of whom only about 44% are native white British. But all the rest are migrants from the countries of the Middle East, Poland, India, France, Italy and other countries. They moved into the country for centuries, gradually diluting the population of London.

The religion professed by the majority of London residents is Christianity; it is followed by approximately 48% of the total population, 12% are Muslims. There are also representatives of other religions in London, but in smaller numbers.

London is also famous for its huge number of streets - more than 25 thousand. If we consider by district, London consists of 32 districts, as well as the City - a county in the center of Greater London, from which the entire history of London began.

If you need to call London, you first need to dial the country code +44, and then the city code, for London it is 20. After this, the direct number of the subscriber is dialed.

London Attractions

Among the most striking sights is the famous tower clock with a bell. Moreover, it is the bell that is called Big Ben, and not the tower itself, as many tourists mistakenly believe. Quite often it is recommended to visit “” - this is the name of the Ferris wheel, whose height is 135 meters. It is from this height that you can perfectly view the entire city in full view, and at the same time notice the most beautiful places that you can visit in the future.

The “cucumber” skyscraper mentioned at the beginning of the article also has every right to be considered a highlight of London. Its real name is Mary-Ex 30, this creation has an oblong shape and is decorated with green glass, which is why locals jokingly call the skyscraper “the cucumber.” This skyscraper is unique in that, due to its shape, it consumes half as much electricity as its other skyscraper brothers of the same height.

For art lovers, the best place to visit is Dali's Universe, a creative exhibition of Dali's works with more than 500 exhibits.

London It is famous for its large number of luxurious palaces from different eras, as well as all kinds of museums, which are simply not possible to visit at once. First of all, it is worth paying attention to the famous Madame Tussauds museum and. They perfectly reflect the true essence of London and all its beauty.

Londoners

Naturally, any person who plans to travel to London will be interested in the question - what are local Londoners like? These people are very positive, they sacredly honor all their traditions, prefer not to get into quarrels and know how to stand in queues absolutely calmly. Their main tradition is tea drinking, they drink tea always and everywhere. If you are visiting, you must definitely drink at least a couple of cups of tea, otherwise the hosts will think that you didn’t like it at their place.

The majority of the population of London are believers, therefore they observe fasts and always celebrate religious holidays - Easter, Christmas. Londoners are also avid conservatives; they do not particularly like any innovations. They are very punctual and are never late. All their plans are thought out for a week in advance, so they must be warned about important events in advance.

The majority of the population speaks English, so communication problems usually do not arise. But in London there are also many dialects, the most striking of which is Cockney, the language of the lower strata of society, where many words are pronounced incorrectly, as if deliberately distorted.

The weather in London usually does not cause any inconvenience, as there are no sudden changes here. Temperatures here in summer range from 14 to 25 degrees, and London winters are usually damp, with temperatures ranging from 2 to 8 degrees. But in London it rains quite often, lightly but annoyingly. But you won’t get snow in London – it only falls a couple of times a year.

In addition to viewing the local beauties, you can safely go shopping in London - there are entire streets of boutiques, for example Oxford street or Regent street, the shops are located from the most expensive to the cheapest, so everyone can find the most suitable option for themselves. Grand sales are held twice a year, when the price can be even up to 90% lower than the original one. Typically sales are held in January and June, but some stores may choose their own sales times.

Naturally, London, like any other city in the world, has its own prohibitions, public and unspoken. You should find out about them in advance so as not to get into an awkward situation. Surely any tourist will take a lot of photographs, so it is worth remembering that it is better not to take photographs of other people’s children in London; their parents will most likely turn to the nearest policeman with a request to reprimand you. Also, do not try to deceive people in the queues, trying to move forward under a plausible pretext, and even more so, do not push your way into the queue - the calm British will look at you with such contemptuous glances that you will immediately want to immediately leave this queue to hell.

Local residents are usually always polite and friendly, so it is recommended to reciprocate - say hello to sellers, and always thank people who provided even trivial help. In addition, in London they love all kinds of pets, so do not openly demonstrate your dislike of animals.

It should be remembered that vehicular traffic in capital of Great Britain left-handed. This means that when crossing the road, you should first look to the right and then to the left. For this reason, tourists from countries with right-hand traffic are not recommended to rent cars in London - quite often it is difficult for the driver to change his habitual driving pattern and therefore tourists often become a nuisance on the road or even get into accidents. It is better to rent a bicycle - it will be much cheaper and more practical.

In general, in addition to renting a car, you can use public transport: the metro, the famous ones, the ticket for them is bought before the trip, and not on the bus itself. It is worth remembering that the machine that sells tickets at bus stops does not give out change. Public transport operates around the clock, closes around midnight and opens at half past six in the morning on weekdays, and at seven in the morning on weekends. You can always catch a taxi, but a trip in one will cost much more, in addition, the cost will increase if you are not traveling alone or with large luggage, which will have to be placed in the taxi cabin.

Another thing worth mentioning is the local cuisine. When you come to London, you should definitely try pudding from Yorkshire – that’s the name of the local county. An interesting dish is “shepherd’s pie” filled with minced meat and vegetables.

But if you can still miss the dishes, then you absolutely must visit at least one of them! Only here it is possible to try a huge number of different types of beer, which is rightfully considered the signature drink of Great Britain. All other alcoholic drinks are also available here, and in pubs you can try dishes of various cuisines. In addition to drinking strong drinks, the pub offers a chance to play billiards, watch live football or take part in traditional quizzes for which you can win prizes. If previously pubs were a place exclusively for men, now the whole family can come to a pub and children will also find suitable entertainment.

As seen, London is not only a gray city of constant rains, as many mistakenly believe. This is a city of bright colors, friendly people and unique beauty of sights. Therefore, you should visit the capital of Great Britain at least once in your life, dispelling all your myths and ideas about it.

One of the most popular and visited by tourists from all over the world is the city of London. The capital of Great Britain attracts several million tourists every year who seek to see great historical buildings and sites, monuments and attractions, galleries with great exhibitions and purely London museums, cultural and religious sites, royal lands with magnificent palaces, luxurious parks, the famous red double-decker buses. and many other things known throughout the world.

History of London

The founding of the city in this area dates back to 43 AD, when the Romans led by Claudius invaded Britain. They founded the settlement of Londinium, which was very small in area. There is an opinion that there was already a large settlement in this place, but this data is not confirmed by anything.

The settlement developed rapidly and already in the year 100 London became the capital of Britain. To strengthen the city, the Romans built walls around London, which largely defined its borders. Over the course of several centuries, there was either rapid development of the city or its decline, and by the 5th century the Romans left these places. The city gradually began to be populated by Britons, but was almost abandoned.

In the Middle Ages, London was under the rule of the Saxons and was constantly attacked by the Vikings. During the reign of Edward the Confessor, London begins to be divided into the city itself - the City and the seat of the king, and later parliament - Westminster, where Edward restored the abbey.

When the Normans won the Battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror was crowned on the site of Westminster Abbey. It was at this time that the Tower and other defensive fortifications appeared in case of a popular uprising.

After the Tudor dynasty came to power in England, the country became an absolute monarchy. At the same time, the capital of England, London, began to grow richer and develop even faster: the first luxurious royal palaces and parks appeared.

During the Reformation, many of London's squares were religious grounds, and most of the population were monks. When Henry VIII declared the king's supremacy over the church, the situation changed: life became more secular, and many territories that belonged to churches were confiscated by the king.

London quickly became the largest European trading city: businesses opened and new people arrived. But this also had its downsides. In many large cities of that time there was no sewage system, and medicine was not able to cope with the constantly emerging epidemics and diseases.

Epidemics constantly broke out in London, killing thousands of people.

The worst occurred in 1665-1666 and was called the Great Plague: almost a fifth of the population fell victim to this terrible disease.

After the end of the epidemic, London suffered another disaster - the Great Fire of London, in which there were practically no casualties, but serious material damage was caused.

After the restoration of the city, London becomes the financial capital of the world. At this time, new technologies are being developed, banks are opening, literature is developing, the press is appearing, cultural objects are being built - the city is developing in all directions.

In the 19th century, London acquired the first railway, the world's first subway, Tower Bridge and Big Ben. At the same time, a sewer system appeared in the capital, which had to be built after the Great Stench that happened in 1858.

London's development was interrupted during the First World War, when it was attacked from the air. Between the world wars, London developed and grew in area. During the Great Depression, many people lost their jobs and the standard of living in the city worsened.

During the Second World War, London was repeatedly bombed, residents were evacuated, and subway stations were used as bomb shelters.

In 1952, the Great Smog descended on London, killing several thousand people. Then the authorities became concerned about the environmental situation in the city and adopted the necessary laws.

In the 60s of the 20th century, the city became the center of the youth subculture Swinging London. The main icons of this style were the musical groups The Beatles and the Rolling Stones, James Bond, and the main principles of the subculture are optimism, hedonism and rejection of previous values.

After Swinging London, hippie culture became popular, spreading from the United States throughout the world.

At the end of the 20th century, London, like other major cities in the world, became a target for terrorists. In the 70s, attacks by the Irish Republican Army were carried out, after which they were replaced by Islamic fundamentalists.

In 2012, London hosted the Olympic Games and became the first city to receive this honor three times in its history.

London Attractions

London has always attracted people with its architectural structures, historical and cultural monuments, cultural and sporting events. Thus, among the sporting events that annually attract tourists and local residents are matches of London football teams that are among the elite of world football, cricket and rugby matches, a tennis tournament in the suburb of the capital Wimbledon, boat regattas, and the London Marathon.

Cultural festivals include a film festival, a book fair, music festivals and concerts. Traditional ceremonies are extremely popular: the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, the Ceremony of Keys in the Tower, fireworks in honor of special events in the royal family.

Many London landmarks have become household names, squares are recognizable, and some historic and royal buildings have become some of the most popular attractions in the world.

Some sites are included in the UNESCO heritage list. Among them: the Palace of Westminster, the Tower, Westminster Abbey, an ensemble of buildings in Greenwich, the Royal Kew Gardens, St. Margaret's Church.

One of the landmarks of London, which is familiar to many even just by its outline, is the famous Big Ben tower, built in conjunction with the Houses of Parliament in the center of the capital.

Along with her, everyone is eager to visit the notorious gloomy Tower, which became the place of imprisonment and execution of many prominent political and historical figures in England. Next to the Tower is the majestic Tower Bridge across the Thames, made in the neo-Gothic style, next to which is the Belfast museum ship.

In the center of London, Trafalgar Square with its famous Nelson's Column is especially popular, which is used for public celebrations and public events, and during the Christmas holidays it becomes the site of the country's main Christmas tree.

Interesting museums in the capital of England include the London National Gallery, the British Museum, the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Tate Gallery, the collection of decorative and applied arts and the design collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum, Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, the Pollock Toy Museum, and the Sherlock Holmes Museum. at a well-known address.

The famous Shakespeare's Globe Theater still attracts tourists, including interesting performances and educational programs held there.

In addition to this theater, Broadway-type theaters, the Royal Court Theatre, the Elizabeth II Theatre, the Royal Opera House located in Covent Garden, and the Royal Albert Hall are popular.

London's parks are famous for their special flavor, providing much-needed relaxation for constantly busy Londoners. The most interesting parks in the capital of Great Britain: Green Park, Hyde Park, Lee Valley, Kensington Gardens, St. James's Park, Greenwich Park, Regent's Park, Richmond Park, Royal Kew Gardens, Bushey Park.

Almost every park features rare species of plants or animals, interesting fountains and monuments. Many parks provide entertainment for children and numerous cafes for outdoor recreation.

Among the religious buildings of interest are Westminster Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, Southwark Cathedral, the Central Mosque and other objects.

The royal residence in London is the luxurious Buckingham Palace, which is open to the public two months a year when the Queen is away.

In honor of the new millennium, a huge Ferris wheel 135 meters high, called the London Eye, was built on the banks of the Thames. From the attraction you can see the city from a bird's eye view. This Ferris wheel attracts large crowds of tourists, but is not very popular with the prim British.

In London, everyone can find entertainment and interesting activities for themselves. If time permits, you can visit all the iconic places associated with the history of England and which largely determined its destiny.

London(English London) is the capital of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as well as England, the largest city in the British Isles. The area of ​​the city is 1579 sq. km. Population more than 7 million people. In terms of population, the city ranks 14th in the world, 2nd in Europe (after Moscow), and first in the European Union and Great Britain. London plays a leading role in the political, economic and cultural life of Great Britain. The city is home to Heathrow International Airport, one of the largest in the world, a river port on the Thames River, many world-famous attractions: Westminster Abbey, the Palace of Westminster complex with a clock tower, St. Paul's Cathedral, the Tower Fortress and others.

Flights to London:

London is located on the prime meridian, which is also often called the Greenwich meridian (named after the area it crosses).

Two main areas: the City (business center) and Westminster (administrative center).

The climate in London is temperate maritime. Most days of the year are cloudy, although the amount of precipitation is even less than in Rome or Sydney. Snow is rare even in winter. Record high temperature - +38 C (recorded in 2003)

History of London

Founding of the city and Roman period
London was founded in 43 AD. e., during the invasion of Britain by the Romans led by Emperor Claudius. There is a theory that by the time of the invasion there was a large settlement in this territory, but nothing of the kind was discovered during archaeological excavations. However, most of the historical center was not excavated, and the existence of the settlement before the invasion cannot be completely denied.

At first, London occupied a very small territory. In the 19th century, archaeologists determined that the length of the city from east to west was approximately 1 mile (approx. 1.6 km), and from north to south - approximately 0.5 miles (approx. 0.8 km).

Around 60 AD. e. the city was attacked by the British queen Boudicca (Boadicea) and a large part of London was set on fire. The Romans responded by capturing approximately 80,000 Britons. Soon after this, a battle took place between the Britons and the Romans. According to popular belief, the battle took place on the site of modern King's Cross Station, and Boudicca, having been defeated, committed suicide by taking poison.

The Romans rebuilt the city in a few years, according to a clear urban plan. Londinium soon became one of the most important settlements in Roman Britain. In the 2nd century it reached its peak - by the year 100 Londinium became the capital of Britain, replacing Colchester, the population was about 60,000 people. The city housed the most important administrative buildings.

Around the year 200, Britain was divided into two parts - Upper and Lower. Londinium became the capital of Upper Britain. Around the same time, the so-called Roman Wall was built - a defensive fortification along the perimeter of the city, the remains of which remain in the center of modern London. At the end of the 4th century, Britain was divided anew, and Londinium became the capital of the province of Maxima Caesarensis. In the 5th century, the Romans abandoned Londinium, and the city gradually began to be populated by Britons.

Saxon period and Middle Ages
In the mid-6th century, Lundenburg ("London Fortification", the Saxon name for Londinium) was incorporated into the East Saxon kingdom. In 604, King Saebert converted to Christianity, and a bishop appeared in the city for the first time. The first bishop of London was named Melitius. At the same time, St. Paul's Cathedral was built. Presumably, initially it was a rather modest chapel. The cathedral was later destroyed by the pagan heirs of Saebert.

At the end of the 7th century, the Saxon settlement of Lundewik (that is, the London settlement) was founded about one and a half kilometers from Lundenburg. Apparently, there was a harbor in Lundevik for merchant ships and fishing boats.

From 730 the city came under the rule of Mercia, a large English kingdom. In the 9th century, Lundenburg was attacked by Vikings. They controlled the city for twenty years, after which King Alfred the Great made peace with the invaders. However, in 1013 Lundenburg was occupied again by the Vikings and remained under their rule until 1042.

In 1066, after the victory at Hastings, William the Conqueror became king of England. The coronation took place in the newly completed Westminster Abbey. William gave the residents of London some privileges compared to residents of other cities. During his reign, a fortification was built in the southeast of the city, now known as the Tower. In 1097, his son William II began construction of Westminster Hall, which served as the basis of the Palace of Westminster. In 1176, construction began on the famous London Bridge, which lasted about 600 years.

In May 1216, London was occupied for the last time by foreign troops - the city was captured by the French king Louis VIII, ending the reign of John the Landless. Later, his own barons rebelled against Louis, and with their help, power in the country again passed into the hands of the British.

The plague that raged in Europe in the 14th century did not spare London either. The Black Death came to England in 1348. The exact number of deaths in London is unknown, but it is estimated that between 30 and 50 thousand people became victims of the plague.

The epidemic was an indirect cause of the peasant revolt led by Wat Tyler (1381), during which London was plundered and devastated. The peasants stormed the Tower, killing the Lord Chancellor (an important public office in medieval England), Archbishop Simon of Sudbury and the keeper of the royal treasury. The uprising was eventually suppressed by royal troops, and Tyler himself was sentenced to death.

In the Middle Ages, London was divided into two main parts - the administrative and political Westminster and the trading City. This division continues to this day. For the Middle Ages, London could be considered a large city - by 1300, approximately 80,000 people lived in it. City self-government also took shape - the Lord Mayor became the head of London.

London in the 16th-18th centuries
With the coming to power of the Tudor dynasty in England, the era of absolute monarchy began. The centralization of power in the hands of the king led to the fact that the capital began to develop and grow richer even faster than before. The reign of Henry VIII and Edward VI had a favorable impact on the city - the famous London parks Hyde Park and Kensington Garden were founded and several large hospitals were opened.

The Reformation that took place in England under Henry VIII, unlike other countries, did not end in bloodshed: here church reforms were controlled by the king and were initiated “from above”, and not “from below”, as in most other countries. After the Reformation, about half the area of ​​London was occupied by religious buildings and about a third of the population were monks. The situation changed in 1538-41, after Henry VIII passed a law establishing the king's supremacy over the church. After this, a significant part of the church property was confiscated and transferred into the hands of the king and his closest vassals.

London has developed into one of the largest shopping centers in Europe. Small businesses flourished in the city, and large English businessmen conducted their trade all over the world - from Russia to America. Giant companies were created, such as the East India Company in 1600. After the Spanish captured and plundered the large Dutch city of Antwerp in 1572, London became the largest center of trade on the North Sea. The population of the capital increased rapidly - from 50,000 people in 1530 to 225,000 in 1605. Also in the 16th century, the first maps of London appeared. The first public theaters appeared, the most popular of which was the Globe, which staged plays by William Shakespeare.

In the 16th century, aristocrats and courtiers began to settle in the West End. Soon the area became one of the most prestigious places in the city. To this day, the house in the West End is a passport to London's high society.

During the English Civil War, London took the side of Parliament. Militia troops were raised and defensive fortifications were erected to protect the city from the royalists, who moved closer and closer to the capital - the Battle of Brentford took place just a few miles from London. However, a well-organized defense did not allow the royal troops to take the city, which played a decisive role in the war - the wealth stored in London helped Parliament win.

In London, like in all European cities of that time, there was no sewage system and health care system, moreover, the city was heavily overpopulated, and therefore epidemics regularly broke out there with many hundreds, and sometimes thousands of victims. But the worst happened in the middle of the 17th century, in 1665-1666. In England it is called the Great Plague. In London, approximately 60,000 people (a fifth of the city) became victims of the epidemic. Samuel Pepys, the city's chronicler, recorded the following on September 4, 1665: “More than 7,400 people died in a week, of whom 6,000 died from the plague. Day and night, almost without interruption, the funeral ringing of church bells can be heard from the street.”

Immediately after the end of the epidemic, another disaster occurred - the Great Fire of London 1666. If the Great Plague decimated the population of London, the fire caused serious material damage, destroying 13,200 houses (about 60% of the city) and 87 churches (including the old St. Paul's Cathedral ). Oddly enough, only eight people died in the fire, but many were left homeless and lost all means of livelihood.

After restoration, London finally became the financial capital of the world. In 1694, the Bank of England opened, allowing the country to further increase its influence on the world economy. In 1700, 80% of England's imports and 69% of its exports came from London, and the city's population exceeded 500,000.

In the 18th century, during the Age of Enlightenment, the press and literature became widespread. Since then, Fleet Street has become the center of London's publishing life. In the same century, there was an increase in crime in the capital, which is why punishments were toughened: even a minor crime now faced the death penalty.

In 1707, London acquired the status of the capital of Great Britain, a new state created through the unification of England and Scotland. In the same 18th century, the new St. Paul's Cathedral and Buckingham Palace were built - symbols of modern London - as well as Westminster Bridge, which became only the second bridge in London over the Thames. By the end of the 18th century, London's population reached a million people.

London in the 19th century
London of the century before last was a city of contrasts. On the one hand, it was the capital of the largest state in the world - the British Empire, the economic and political center of the world, and on the other, a city where millions of poor people lived in slums, with virtually no means of subsistence.

The 19th century was an era of rapid industrialization and urbanization in Europe and North America. In this century, a huge number of new factories and factories were built in London, and the population increased 6 times. In the 19th century, London was the largest city in the world; by 1900 its population was about 6 million people. Entire industrial districts have appeared in the capital, and the most famous of them is the East End, which has become the opposite of the fashionable West End. I must say, from the point of view of the English language, this is quite logical: the East End is translated as “Eastern Edge”, and the West End is translated as “Western Edge”, that is, even etymologically these the two districts represent two edges, two sides of one city.

In the century before last, dramatic changes occurred in the appearance of London. In 1836, the first railway opened, connecting London Bridge and Greenwich, and in less than 20 years 6 stations opened. In 1863, the world's first subway appeared in London. In addition, Big Ben, Albert Hall, the Trafalgar Square complex, and Tower Bridge were built in the 19th century. For the first time in the history of London, sewers appeared.

In the 19th century, the system of city government was reformed, since the old system, which had existed since the Middle Ages, clearly did not meet the requirements of the expanding metropolis. In 1855, the Metropolitan Board of Works was created to oversee city construction and infrastructure. In 1888, this body was liquidated, and administrative functions were first assigned to an elected body - the London County Council.

Mid-century London experienced mass immigration for the first time. A particularly large influx of visitors came from Ireland. A large Jewish community also formed in the city.

London in the 20th - early 21st centuries
The First World War temporarily stopped the development of London. The city was subjected to air raids for the first time. Between the two world wars London continued to grow, but more in area than in population.

In the 1930s, many city residents suffered due to the Great Depression: the unemployment rate rose sharply and the standard of living fell. The inability of the authorities to do anything led to the emergence of many radical parties, both left and right. Most were based in the working-class East End. The Communists won several seats in the British Parliament, and the British Union of Fascists also enjoyed widespread support. The culmination of the struggle between left and right was the so-called Battle of Cable Street - street battles between political extremists of both flanks and the police.

In the same 30s, many Jews fled to London from Nazi Germany. During World War II, the capital of Great Britain was subjected to repeated air bombings, the heaviest of which occurred in September 1940 and May 1941. Many residents were evacuated from the capital. Subway stations served as bomb shelters. In total, during the war in London, 30,000 civilians became victims, 50,000 were injured, and tens of thousands of houses were destroyed.

In the post-war period, London lost its status as the largest port in Great Britain, as the dock equipment was outdated and the port could not handle large cargo ships. London's water terminals were moved to the nearby towns of Felixstow and Tilbury, and the Docklands area was redeveloped in the 1980s to include offices and apartment buildings.

In 1952, the Great Smog, an extremely harmful mixture of fog and industrial smoke, descended on London for five days. Soon the concentration of combustion products in the air became so high that over the following weeks, about 4,000 people died from the smog in the city, and another 8,000 became victims of the disaster in the next few months. The incident forced the authorities to take this problem seriously, as a result of which a national law “On Clean Air” (1956) was issued, as well as a similar city law (1954)

In the 1960s, thanks to popular musical groups like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, it became one of the world centers of youth subculture (receiving the nickname “Swinging London”). In 1966, the England team won the FIFA World Cup final at Wembley Stadium.

London became a target for terrorists in the 1970s, when the city was first attacked by the Irish Republican Army. These attacks were repeated regularly until the end of the 20th century, after which the Irish were replaced by the Al-Qaeda group, which organized a series of bombings on London public transport on July 7, 2005.

From mid-century, despite an influx of Commonwealth immigrants (especially India, Pakistan and Bangladesh), the city's population began to decline, falling from almost 9 million to 7 million in the 1980s, after which it began to grow slowly.

London welcomed the new millennium with the opening of several new buildings, such as the Millennium Dome and the London Eye, a Ferris wheel that became a new symbol of the city.

At the beginning of the 21st century, London won the right to host the 2012 Olympic Games. The capital of Great Britain will become the first city to host the Olympics three times.

In 2004, a city development plan was adopted. According to it, by 2016 the population of London should reach 8.1 million people, and the number of skyscrapers should increase. The authorities also intend to improve the public transport system.

Administrative division and city government
London city government has a rather complex structure. It has, as it were, two tiers - the first is city government, the second is local. Urban governance is handled by the Greater London Authority (GLA), local governance by local administrations of municipal districts. The city administration is responsible for strategic planning, economic development of the city, police, fire service and transport, local - for local planning, schools, social services, etc.

In turn, the Greater London Authority consists of two parts. The first is the mayor of the city, representing the executive branch, the second is the London City Assembly, which limits the powers of the mayor and approves the city's annual budget. The Greater London Authority appeared recently, in 2000, instead of the Greater London Council, which was abolished in 1986 (thus, the city existed for 14 years without a central government).

Administratively, London is divided into 33 districts, which include 32 municipal districts, designated by the special word borough and City. Each district has its own administration and district council, elections to which are held every four years. There is no district administration in the City, but there is a traditional government body in the area - the Corporation of London, which has remained virtually unchanged since the Middle Ages. In addition, the City has its own police force, independent of the city one.

Economy
London is the most important economic and financial center of Great Britain and Europe, one of the world's financial centers. The city's gross regional product in 2004 was $365 billion (17% of UK GDP). The economic importance of the entire London agglomeration is even higher - the regional product in 2004 amounted to $642 billion.

The most important sector of the city's economy is finance, including banking services, insurance, and asset management; The headquarters of the largest banks and financial companies are located in London, including HSBC, Reuters, Barclays. One of the world's largest centers of currency and stock trading is the London Stock Exchange. For centuries, the center of urban financial life has been the City business district.

The second most important industry in London's economy is information. The capital is home to the headquarters of the BBC, one of the largest media corporations in the world. The most popular newspapers are published in London, including The Times, published with almost 700,000 copies daily, The Sun, The Daily Mirror and others.

London is home to the headquarters of many English and multinational companies, including BP, Royal Dutch Shell, Unilever, Corus Group, SABMiller, Cadbury Schweppes, etc. The central offices of more than 100 of the top500 largest European companies are located in the British capital.

London remains one of the largest industrial centers in Britain. The industry of the city and its suburbs is represented by mechanical engineering (automotive manufacturing, electronics industry, machine tool building, shipbuilding and ship repair, etc.), the light, food, oil refining and petrochemical industries, printing, etc. are widely developed.

One of the most important sources of income for London is tourism. In 2003, this industry provided permanent jobs to 300,000 people. Visitors leave £5 billion in London per year. The city is second only to Paris in popularity among tourists. Hotels in London are numerous and varied; here you can find both budget and very expensive hotels.

Despite the fact that London was once one of the largest ports in Europe, it is now only in third place even in the UK. Annual cargo turnover is 50 million tons of cargo.

The heart of economic London is the City, and especially the famous Piccadilly Circus.

Transport
London's public transport system is one of the busiest in the world, and therefore has to be constantly expanded and thereby complicated. The next round of expansion of the city’s transport network is timed to coincide with preparations for the 2012 Summer Olympics. The three main types of public transport in London are buses, tubes and taxis.

Transport for London is responsible for London's public transport. In particular, it operates London's underground, buses and trams and licenses the city's taxis and public water transport.

Buses are used for local travel. There are 700 routes along which buses carry up to 6 million passengers on weekdays. The famous Routemaster buses, which became one of the symbols of not only London, but the whole of Great Britain, were withdrawn from line service in 2005 and now operate only on excursion routes.

The London Underground is the oldest in the world. It has been in continuous operation since 1863 and carries 3 million passengers every day, which is approximately 1 billion people a year. The London Underground consists of 12 lines, most of which connect the city center with its outskirts. Londoners often refer to the underground as a “pipe” due to the very small diameter of the deep tunnels.

In addition to the “classic” metro, the Docklands Light Railway system has been operating in London since 1987, which can be called a light metro. Unlike the “classic” London Underground, the Docklands Light Railway route is laid mainly not in tunnels, but on overpasses. Docklands Light Railway trains operate automatically. There are several interchange stations between the London Underground and the Docklands Light Railway.

London previously had an extensive tram system, but it was closed in 1952. Since 2000, Croydon, a suburb of London, has had a modern tram system, Tramlink. There are plans to build new tram lines closer to the city center: West London Tram and Cross River Tram (scheduled to open in 2016).

In addition to trams, London also had a trolleybus service, which was discontinued in 1962. However, there are plans to restore trolleybus service.

London also has public water transport. The city's waterway system is known as London River Services. Some routes are aimed at tourists, others are more often used by Londoners themselves as regular public transport, for example for commuting to work. Although London River Services are licensed by Transport for London, they are operated by private firms and bus and tube passes are not valid on London's water routes (although they may provide discounts).

London's famous black taxis look exactly the same as they did seventy years ago, except for the advertising that now covers many of these vehicles. Newer, more modern-looking cars are now also used as taxis in London. It is worth noting that, unlike most large cities, in London all taxis are controlled by the city administration, or rather the municipal service Transport for London.

Closer to the outskirts of the city, traffic on the streets is predominantly vehicular. London has several high-speed routes and an inner ring road. A fee is charged for the entry of private cars into the city center (since 2005 - 8 GBP, approx. 400 RUB).

London has five airports: Heathrow, the world's busiest airport, Gatwick, another large airport, small Stansted and Luton, as well as London City, intended mainly for charter flights of businessmen.

Education
There are approximately 378,000 students studying in London, with 125,000 of them at the University of London. This university is the largest in the UK and includes 20 colleges and several institutes. Other major higher education institutions: London Metropolitan University, University of East London, University of Westminster, South Bank University, City University, Middlesex University, New London College.

Museums and libraries
The center of London's museums is the area of ​​South Kensington, which houses the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum (the world's largest collection of decorative arts and design). Other notable museums are the British Museum, which has a collection of approximately 7.5 million items; London National Gallery, one of the most respected art museums in the world; the famous Madame Tussauds Wax Museum; Sherlock Holmes Museum. The current royal residence, Buckingham Palace, can also be called a museum, some of the premises are open to visitors usually one month a year (August-September). Also, excursion tours are conducted to the Houses of Parliament, the Tower, and London cathedrals. The national British Library is located in London.

Theaters

Several large commercial theaters specializing in musicals, comedies and dramas are located in the West End. There is even a special term, West End theatre, used in England to refer to commercial entertainment theaters of the Broadway type. Classic theaters include the National Theater in the South Bank, the new Globe Theater and the Royal Court Theatre.

London's classical music theaters are widely known in the world: the famous Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, the Royal Albert Hall, and the Elizabeth II Theatre.

Famous streets and squares
- Piccadilly (street and square) is the economic center of the city. The walls of the houses in the square are covered with advertisements. In the middle (but not in the geometric center) of Piccadilly Circus there is a fountain and the famous sculpture of Anteros, popularly called Eros.
- Trafalgar Square commemorates the defeat of the Spanish-French fleet in 1805. In the middle of the square there is a monument in honor of Horatio Nelson, the admiral who commanded the English fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar. London's National Gallery is located in Trafalgar Square.
- Oxford Street is a street of shops. There are boutiques and shopping centers here.
- Harley Street is a street in Westminster, famous as Doctors' Street - many doctors still practice on this Harley Street.
- Abbey Road is famous for the recording studio of the same name, where many legendary musicians made their recordings: the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Manfred Mann and others. The Beatles released an album called Abbey Road in 1969.

Entertainment
The most famous shopping destination in London is Oxford Street, but it is not the only shopping street in the city: Bond Street in Mayfair and Knightsbridge, which is home to the famous Harrod’s shopping center, are also popular among Londoners and tourists. Fashion stores can be found in Mayfair, on Carnaby Street in Soho and on King's Road in Chelsea.

In London you can find many restaurants to suit every taste. The most expensive ones are in Westminster, the more democratic ones are in Soho. Restaurants specializing in national cuisine of different nations are scattered throughout the city, the most famous of them being Chinese in London's Chinatown and Bangladeshi on Bricklane Street.

One of London's most famous places is Soho, a small area filled with bars, restaurants, pubs and shops. Among other things, Soho is known for its hot spots, including brothels and nightclubs. Soho is also home to several gay clubs and pubs.

Despite the fact that 60 years ago, after the Great London Smog, the city acquired an unusual nickname "The Big Smoke", today the fairly humid, fresh and clean air of the huge metropolis pleases its residents and tourists. Of course, fog, which was the main cause of the famous tragedy in 1952, is not uncommon for the city today, but after the high-profile incident, the metropolis authorities are carefully monitoring the ecology of the capital and the state. In addition, everyone who wants to visit London should take an umbrella with them, which will immediately become a basic necessity, because light rain drizzles here almost every day.

Despite the dull weather and cloudy sky, the residents of hospitable London are very friendly, smiling and never seem to be sad. The warm atmosphere of the city is literally imbued with a joyful mood and creative spirit. On Friday evening, all places of rest (especially pubs) are so crowded that you can see a lot of people just standing on the street, chatting and treating each other to wine or beer. Sunday evening is another matter - the city seems to stand still and you can rarely see a passer-by on the street.

Of course, compared to New York, where life is in an eternal rush, London is not such a “fast and active” city, although there is hardly enough time for measured gourmet breakfasts. But sitting somewhere in a park on the grass, surrounded by nature and city residents with coffee, a warm bun or a sandwich, is very English. During the day, such London parks are always very crowded, however, everyone around feels free and comfortable.

English restraint and patience are inherent not only to high-ranking titled persons, but also to ordinary London police officers, who will always tell tourists the way and friendly talk about local rules and laws. The patience and politeness of law-abiding residents of the capital of Great Britain is noticeably reflected on the roads, where drivers, even at night on an empty highway, try not to exceed the speed limit, and during the day let each other pass, thereby preventing endless traffic jams.

A little history

The history of London is multifaceted and interesting. The oldest city in Europe was founded back in 43 AD. The metropolis, which today occupies 1706.8 km 2, grew from a settlement about 1.6 km long and 0.8 km wide. Since its inception, London has been a significant trading center and an important port, and by 100 AD. became the capital of Britain. Another 100 years later, when Britain was divided into several parts, the Romans built a protective wall around the city, and today tourists who go to London can see its remains.

For several centuries in a row, London passed from hand to hand, was destroyed and rebuilt more than once, but at the same time it did not stop developing and being built. In 1066, the power of the city passed to William the Conqueror, who began construction of the famous Tower, about which there have been legends for many centuries, attracting the interest of tourists.

The beginning of the 18th century was significant in the history of London, when after the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London the city was completely restored and began to bear the proud title of the capital of Scotland and England.

By the way, you can find out a lot of interesting things about London here:

Transport for London

Transport for London is not just a means of transportation, but one of the main symbols of the city, especially when it comes to double-decker buses, the world's oldest metro and the busiest airport, Heathrow.

Despite its impressive scale, the city metro, divided into 6 zones, does not pose any particular difficulties. In the first zone, i.e. in the center, all the sights of London are concentrated. For those who plan to frequently travel around the city by metro, it will be cheaper and more convenient to buy a travel ticket that is valid for one or several days.

There are quite a lot of buses in the city, and in the center you can see their schedules, as well as diagrams of routes of interest. The fare is paid to the driver or cashier upon entry. But it is worth remembering that during the day, when the streets are crowded, it is very difficult to get to the place on time by bus, so it is better to take the metro. But buses run around the clock, so you can walk freely until the morning.

Safety in London

Like any metropolis, London city is not free from crime, but effective police work allows all visiting tourists to feel confident in a foreign city. Even in the evening, you shouldn’t be afraid to walk down the street, especially in the Soho area, where a lot of people gather in the evening. However, the outlying areas of the city, such as Williston, are not worth visiting and are generally not visited by tourists. In any case, even in the center of the capital there is no need to let down your vigilance; for example, it is better not to “catch” an illegal taxi on the street.

London Attractions

The Tower and Tower Bridge are the most popular attractions of the city and its symbols. They can tell the best story about the history of London. The oldest fortress, the Tower, is today the historical center of the capital.

There is hardly a single tourist who has not heard about Big Ben - the third tallest clock tower in the world. "Big Ben" is the name of the largest bell on the huge clock of the Palace of Westminster, which weighs 13 tons.

The amazingly beautiful and mesmerizing cathedral church of Westminster Abbey is built in the Gothic style and is located in the area of ​​London called Westminster. In the temple you can see the tombs of the most famous people in England: kings, military leaders, cultural figures.

In the same area is Buckingham Palace, the residence of British monarchs. The most important receptions, official ceremonies and banquets take place here. Every year, the residence is visited by approximately 50,000 guests invited to royal ceremonies and receptions. London's largest private garden extends around Buckingham Palace.

The main museum of Great Britain and one of the largest museums in the world is the British Museum. The main treasure of England is kept here - the Library of the British Museum.

And for dessert - an interesting video about “toy” London:

L London is the capital of not only Great Britain, but also Northern Ireland.
As everyone knows from childhood, London is the capital of Great Britain. This phrase was sacramental for every Soviet person studying English))) and I studied English in all educational institutions and besides it and the interrogation of a prisoner of war, I remembered little. But if you put my army past into the London fog, to be honest, until you start teaching yourself, not a single school will help))

See London (despite all their efforts and nasty things) was always present. And so it happened. I’ll say right away that London left a mixed impression. It is clumsy, somewhat similar to Moscow with its mind-blowing architecture, but at the same time, IMHO, it is an order of magnitude less beautiful.

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The center is certainly good. Both the parliament and the abbey are impressive, but I can’t say that they are truly AH.

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Westminster Abbey.

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First of all, of course, we went to see postcard views of London. Without them. Here I tried to photograph not only the sights, but also my face against their background, so be patient in some places))

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The name London goes back to the name of the city of Roman times, "Londinium" (Latin: Londinium), the origin of which is unclear. It is believed to be pre-Roman.

Londinium was founded by the Romans after their third invasion of Britain in 43 AD. e. The settlement on the north bank of the Thames at the confluence of the Walbrook River was supposed to be protected by a wooden bridge built across the Thames. Before leaving, the Romans renamed the city Augusta, but it didn’t stick))

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And above the girl is a piece of the Wessox coat of arms.

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London has always tried to ruin Russia. Liberal magazines “Bell”, “Nakanune”, “Narodovolets”, “Bread and Freedom” were published here, which were then secretly transferred to Russia. In 1903, the second congress of the banned RSDLP party was held in London, at which it was divided into Bolsheviks and Mensheviks... but we love them not only for this)))

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It is believed that from approximately 1825 to 1925, London was the most populous city in the world (however, in China, clearly no one counted the population). But then other cities began to overtake it. London is now home to about 10 million people.

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London is one of the most polluted cities in Europe. The main source of air pollution is road transport. After the Great Smog of 1952, when many Londoners died, measures were taken, but they were still insufficient.

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Westminster Abbey. Its construction began in the 11th century, but the main construction work was carried out from the 13th to the 16th centuries. It was designed in the shape of a cross and its main purpose was the coronation and tomb of the reigning persons. Its length is 156.6 m, and the central nave has the height of an eleven-story building - 31 m.

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In 1953, the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, the current Queen of England, took place there. For coronation, the ancient coronation chair of English monarchs is used. This chair has been kept in the abbey for six centuries and under its seat there is a “stone of fate” - a relic of English history.

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There are a lot of cars in the center, but there is a fee to enter the city))) London is generally a surprisingly expensive city. For example, traveling through two metro stations costs almost 500 rubles. And the amount depends on the distance.

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Alas, Big Ben was in the woods. I was amazed that she was so short; I always imagined her to be taller.

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Initially, “Big Ben” was the name given to the largest bell of the tower in England (there are five of them in total), but the name gradually stuck to the clock tower itself as a whole. At the time of casting, Big Ben was the largest and heaviest in England - 13.7 tons.

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Palace of Westminster. Meetings of the British Parliament - the House of Lords and the House of Commons - take place here.

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The architectural style of the palace is neo-Gothic. Palace - 3.2 hectares of area, 3 kilometers of corridors, 1,100 rooms, 100 stairs...

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And opposite the houses are two-story.

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The octagonal central tower of the palace with a sharp dome is 91 meters high and was designed as a chimney for the four hundred fireplaces located throughout the palace

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Victoria Tower is 98.5 meters high. It is the tallest tower of the palace, taller than Big Ben. It contains a lot of secrets, because most of it is occupied by parliamentary archives - as many as 12 floors of secrets in about three million documents)))

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The Jewel Tower is a three-story building next to the Palace of Westminster (pictured below). It was built in 1365-66 to store the personal jewels of King Edward III and was once surrounded by a moat filled with water from the Thames.

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Now there is a museum here, you can visit it))

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In 1605, the “gunpowder plot” took place - Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament. This frightened the parliamentarians so much that since then, every year on November 5, security searches the basements and all the nooks and crannies of the palace in search of barrels of gunpowder...)))

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The first royal palace on this site was built by Canute the Great, king of Denmark, England and Norway during his reign from 1016 to 1035.

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Monument to Oliver Cromwell.

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This black building is neither part of the village nor part of the city...

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Westminster Bridge. There are a lot of tourists wandering around... they just create traffic jams)))

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Palace in the woods... alas...

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Round "London Eye")) and Caunti Hall

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View of the Thames from the bridge. Skyscrapers in London are scattered throughout the city and this is not ice.

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The clock is visible... but you don’t often see the tower in this form)))

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Here you can go down into the subway.

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In principle, the center of London is even smaller than the center of St. Petersburg. It's not that big. You can visit the main attractions in one walking day.

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And we went around them)))

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Garbage in places... the capital...

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Monument to the Korean War.

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