LONDON – THE METROPOLIS OF GREAT BRITAIN.

“Earth has not anything to show more fair:

Dull would he be of soul who could pass by

A sight so touching in its majesty:

This City now doth, like a garment, wear

The beauty of the morning: silent, bare,

Ships, towers domes, theatres and temples lie

Open onto the fields, and to the sky,

All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.”

William Wordsworth.

London is the capital of the UK and of England. It is the main communication centre of the country. It lies on the crossroads from Europe to America. Its biggest airport Heathrow serves both national and international airlines. London is one of the five largest sea-ports in the world. It’s one of the world’s important financial centres, the great industrial centre, the centre of trade and commerce. We can’t help mentioning the great historical, cultural and educational significance of the city. It is also the political centre of the UK.

Like many capital cities London grew up along the major river. The Thames divides London into two. Most of central London is on the north bank of the river. No less than 19 bridges cross the river. London bridge is the oldest, the new Tower bridge is the finest. The most famous bridges are also Westminster bridge and Waterloo bridge.

London is one of the most famous capitals of the world. Every year it attracts crowds of visitors from home and abroad. They come to explore its historic buildings, to see its museums and galleries, its streets, squares and parks and its people.

London is divided into four main parts: Westminster, the City, the West End and the East End.

Westminster is the political centre of the country. Most of the government buildings are located there.

Parliament Square is one of the central squares of the capital. There are lots of monuments to great people of the UK on it. The building of the Houses of Parliament is sometimes called Westminster Palace because it occupies the site of the palace, which was first built 1097-99. The present houses were built between 1840 and 1852. The palace has two miles of corridors and more than 1,000 rooms. When Parliament is sitting the flag flies from the Victoria Tower. Visitors can watch the House of Commons and the House of Lords at work from the Strangers’ Gallery. The Houses of parliament contain the universal symbol of London, Big Ben. This is the name of 13.5 ton bell, on which the hours are struck. The great bell got its name in the 19^th century after Sir Benjamin Hall. The bell and the clock are on the clock tower of the complex.

Close to the Houses of parliament stands Westminster Abbey, which is famous for its architecture, stained glass windows and historic associations. In Westminster Abbey most of the British monarchs since William the Conqueror have been crowned, and here you may see the old Coronation Chair. Under it there is a Stone of Destiny (the Stone of Scone [skun]), which is the symbol of Scottish independence. Many British kings and queens are buried in the Abbey. One more interesting place here is Poet’s Corner, where G. Chaucer, Tennyson, Dickens and some other great English poets and writers are buried. Others are honoured by memorials. There are also monuments to statesmen and scientists: I. Newton,

Ch. Darwin and so on. 13.

The main street running north of Parliament square is Whitehall. There used to be a palace here, where from the 16^th to 17^th centuries the British monarchs lived. Today’s Whitehall is the street of Government offices. That’s why the British Government is sometimes called Whitehall. If you walk along Whitehall to Trafalgar Square you will see on your left the famous Downing Street, where in no. 10 there is the official residence of the British Prime Minister.

Trafalgar Square is one of the tourists’ centres of the city. In the middle of the square there is Nelson’s Column, built in 1840 to commemorate the victory of Admiral Nelson at the battle of Trafalgar in 1805. There is a figure of nelson on top of it. At the foot there is a platform with four bronze lions. Nelson’s column is 185 feet high. On the north side of Trafalgar square there stands a low long building in classical style. This is the National Gallery, which contains British best collection of paintings. Trafalgar Square is the place for different gatherings.

The wide street called the Mall runs south-west and leads to Buckingham Palace, which is the main residence of the queen in London. It was built in 1703and bought by King George III in 1762. The Royal Standard, flying above, indicates that the monarch is in the residence. The changing of the guard near Buckingham Palace attracts many tourists. It starts at 11.30 a.m. and lasts for half an hour. The troops wear the traditional bearskins and scarlet tunics.

Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace are in the West End. The best theatres, clubs, museums, costly restaurants, well-known shops and the most splendid and comfortable hotels are in the West End, too.

The City is the oldest part of London. There are many places of interest there. Besides, the City is the centre of financial and business life of the country and even of the whole of Europe. The City is also so important because it is the market for goods of almost every kind from all parts of the world. Many banks and offices are located there. The “heart of the City is represented by three buildings: the Mansion House, the Royal Exchange and the Bank of England. Lord Mayor lives in the Mansion House. There he receives the guests of honour. The Lord Mayor is the first citizen of the City and has its keys. No troops are allowed to cross the limits of the City. Neither king, no queen is allowed to come here without Lord Mayor’s permission. Very few people live in the City but thousands come here every morning to spend the day working for banks, corporations and other offices.

St. Paul’s Cathedral built by the famous architect Sir Christopher Wren (after the Great Fire of London which took place in 1666) is in the City. It is the greatest of the English churches. There is one of the greatest bells, Great Paul here. Wellington, Nelson, Christopher Wren and other great men are buried there.

On the simple tomb of Sir Christopher Wren you can read the words; “If you want to see a monument to him, look around.”

Here is situated the Tower of London, the first among the historic buildings of the City. It is more than 900 years old. It was a fortress, a palace and a prison. Now it is a museum. The Tower is the museum itself, besides you can visit the Museum of Armor and the place where the Crown Jewels are kept. The Ceremony of the Keys takes place at its gates. The Tower is guarded by the Yeomen Warders, the famous “beefeaters”, dressed up in traditional medieval clothes. They make the old historic place look more fantastic and theatrical. They feed the legendary ravens of the Tower. The people believe that the Tower will stand as long as the ravens live there.

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Not far from the Tower there is the British Museum, the biggest museum in London. It contains the priceless collection of different things. It is also famous for its library and reading room. There is also the Manuscript room where the oldest manuscripts are kept, for example the 9^th century Beowulf.

Among the famous streets of London is Piccadilly. There are many shops, clubs, restaurants and theatres in it. It leads to Piccadilly Circus, a round square with lights and a fountain with the statue of Eros. The street and the square are always crowded, especially in the evenings. It is the favourite gathering ground of the young.

Fleet Street is the street of British press, as it is in this street the publishing houses of the most important British newspapers are situated. It is often called “the street of ink”.

London is full of parks and green spaces. Londoners like their parks and are proud of them. The gardens and parks are the “lungs” of the city. Hyde Park, originally a royal hunting forest, is the largest park in London. In summer the Serpentine Canal is always full of swimmers and rowers. Here there is Rotten Row – a fashionable place for horse riding, and Speaker’s Corner. Here anyone can go and air his views to anyone who will listen. Near Hyde Park there is another Royal park – Kensington Gardens. Children like to gather by the statue of Peter Pan, well-known story-book character. In the North of London there is Regent’s Park with the Zoo. In the centre of the city you can find St. James’s Park and Green Park.

The Port of London is to the east of the capital. Here you can see miles and miles of docks and great industrial areas. This is the East End of London, which used to be unattractive in appearance, but very important to the country’s commerce and welfare. Workers and dockers who live in this part of London are proud of being called Cockneys i.e. true Londoners. They speak their own Cockney dialect, which is impossible to understand for a foreigner. Now the East End of London is acquiring a new image. You can find a great exhibition centre “Millennium” here and lots of new buildings built according to new high technology, the so-called “high tech”.

The best way to see London quickly is from the top of London red double-decker bus. The other quick and easy way of getting around London is by “Tube” – the underground railway, the oldest in the world (built on 1863). London’s taxis look rather old-fashioned, but they are very comfortable. London traffic is rather heavy. There are often traffic jams in the streets and during the rush hours the Tube train doors can hardly close behind the crushed crowds.

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Date: 2015-12-24; view: 908