18 - London

LONDON HIGHLIGHTS

Question No.18, Topic 2

• London is the capital and the largest city of England and Great Britain and situated on the river Thames

• Almost 7 million people live there and about 12 million in its conurbation

• It’s one of the world’s leading commercial and cultural centers

• Its history and architecture, mainly the strong architectural influence of Sir Christopher Wren and John Nash, attract millions of tourists from overseas each year

• There are many places of interest - we can see them by walking or by various means of transport – the most famous are red double-deckers

• There are two cities in the centre of London: the City of London and the City of Westminster

The City of London

• The City of London, the oldest part of the town, is not far from the River Thames

• East of the City is the East End where the docks are situated

• The West End is famous for its shops, theatres and cinemas

The Tower of London was built by William the Conqueror in the 11th century. It was once the royal palace but now it is a museum where tourists go to see an arsenal of weapons, the Crown Jewels, the prison where many famous prisoners were kept (explorer Sir Walter Raleigh, Guy Fawkes who planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605, Rudolf Hess, Hitler’s deputy), the executive block where Henry VIII’s two wives and philosopher Thomas More were executed. The Tower is guarded by the Yeomen Warders (incorrectly called Beefeaters) who still wear the uniform of Tudor times. Six ravens are kept in the Tower to protect the whole Kingdom. The legend says that the Kingdom will stop to exist when the ravens leave the Tower.

Next to the Tower stands Tower Bridge, the most famous and distinctive bridge which is raised in the middle to allow ships to go through.

St. Paul’s Cathedral is the largest church in the world after St. Peter’s in Rome. It was built by Sir Christopher Wren from 1675 – 1710 (1711) and is considered his greatest work. Cathedral stands on the site of the previous cathedral which was damaged by the Great Fire of London in 1666. St. Paul’s is built in the Baroque style. This cathedral has seen many important occasions: Sir Winston Churchill’s funeral service or the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1981. Britain’s heroes are buried there – Admiral Nelson and Sir Christopher Wren himself. Wren’s simple epitaph says: “Reader, if you seek a monument, look about you.”

The City of London is an international finance centre. It has greatest concentration of banks in the world and the London Stock Exchange can be found there, too.

The City of Westminster

• the City of Westminster is known as the centre of political and administrative life of Great Britain

The Houses of Parliament on the left bank of Thames were rebuilt in the Neo-Gothic style in 1840 on the site of the old Palace of Westminster which was destroyed by fire in 1834. One part of the original building – Westminster Hall – dating from 1097 – is still there.