London

London

- capital city since 11. century – 1066 (after William the Conqueror came)

- 8, 8 mil people

HISTORY

• Romans

- everything changed when Romans came –> 43 AD

- they built a bridge over the river Thames

- “Londonium”

- lived in 1300 => 100 000 people

• in 1665 – Plaque (= mor)

- centre in London

–> the dead people between 70 000 – 200 000

- was stopped in September 1666 (Great Fire of London)

• 1666 Great Fire of London

- started in bakery in Pudding Lane

- they had narrow streets + wooden houses

- 70 000 houses burnt down

- 87 churches burnt down

- 80% of London burnt down

- they said that nobody died (officially six people dyed)

• London was rebuilt

- by architect Sir Christopher Wren

- centre is modern from 17. century

• WW2

- bombing

- children evacuated

- adults stayed in town

- prince Charles was in London with his mother

- 30 000 killed

SIGHTS

• Trafalgar Square

- Battle of Trafalgar

- GB x French + Spain

- hero was admiral Nelson (statue on a column)

- he was killed in the battle

- National Gallery

• free entrance

- St. Martin’s Church

• Westminster

- seat of legislative power

1. House of Parliament

- House of Lords

- House of Commons

1. Big Ben => bell (19 tons)

2. Stephen’s Tower (only the tower)

3. Westminster Abbey

- church in England (Top 1)

- place of royal weddings and funerals

1. London Eye

- wheel – 30 min to go around

- view of London¨

1. Trafalgar Square

- column with statue of admiral Nelson (battle of Trafalgar)

- National Gallery (free entry, free toilets)

- St. Martins Church

- lots of street artists

1. Picadilly Circus

- square – fountain with Eros + bow

- meeting point (something like our ČÁRA)

- 1 side close to China town

- 2 side – 2 biggest shopping streets

1. St. Paul’s Cathedral

- the only baroque cathedral/church in London

- built after the great fire 1666 by Sir Christopher Wren

1. The Globe

- this is exact replica of Shakespeares theatre

- performances from April to October

1. Tower Bridge

- not very old, because completed in 1894

- opens in the middle

- museum of the bridge

1. The Tower of London

- was a royal seat

- built by William the Conqueror (1066)

- then it was a prison (very famous, like Špilberk)

- Mary Stuart executed there

- some of Henrys VIII. wives executed

- now it is museum

• crown jewells

• guards – Beefeaters

- 6 ravens –> healthy monarchy (they have 7 ravens)

1. Buckingham Palace

- official London seat of the Queen Elizabeth II.

- it was bought in 1761

- used as royal residence in 1837

- in front of it is Queen Victoria Memorial

1. Parks

• St. Regent’s Park

• Hyde Park – Speakers Corner, anybody can come and talk about anything but the Queen

1. 10 Downing Street

- seat of Prime Minister

TRANSPORT

- underground = The Tube

• oldest in the world

• complicated system

- buses = double decker

- taxi = black cab (nowadays pink, white, green)

• drivers is a prestigious job

• minicab (normal car) – can’t stop on the street

- riverbus – quick

CULTURE