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From the history of London.

London was born hundreds of years before our era. On the banks of the Thames was a small settlement named Llyn-din. To this place, in the year 55 before our era Yulins Caesar and his troops came from Rome.

Britain was conquered, and for 400 years remained a Roman province. Llyn-din became Londinum. Althouth Londinium was quite an important Roman town, it was Winchester that was the capital of Anglo-Saxon England.

In the 5 century the Romans left Britain and other invaders came. During 400 years Londinium lay in ruins. Only in the 9th century the Saxon kings began to rebuild Londinium.

In 1066 William the Conqueror settled in Londinium which now became London - the capital of Norman Britain. For 500 years the Normans were masters of Britain.

They brought with them Latin and French civilization, built new palaces, churches and cathedrals in or near London. William the Conqueror built the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey where he was crowned the king of Britain.

In 1666 a great fire hit the city destroying most of buildings. In commemoration of the fire a tall column 202 ft high was erected not far from St. Paul's Cathedral. They were built by the famous architect Sir Christopher Wren.

After the fire houses were built of brick and stone, the streets were made much wider, a new London became one of the largest cities of the world.

 

1. London:

London is before us the capital of Great Britain, the city great and ancient, and a large industrial and cultural center.

2. The Thames:

London stands on the river Thames. For centuries the River Thames was the main highway of London. It runs for some 300-km. 300 km of docks, fortresses and palaces established on or near its banks.

3. The Tower:

For nearly a thousand years history has been made in the Tower of London. William the Conqueror built this massive fortress. In its long history the Tower has been a palace a fortress and a prison. Now it is a museum.

4. Tower Bridge:

There are 12 different bridges across the Thames. One of them is the Tower Bridge built in 1894. It consists of 2 steel towers joined by footbridges over 150 feet high but they are not used nowadays.

5. St. Paul’s Cathedral:

The City of London is the oldest part of London. It has the area of a square mile. The City of London is the center of Britain business and commerce. It also famous for its greatest monument - St. Paul’s Cathedral. It was built in 1708 by the greatest English architect Sir Christopher Wren. It is the largest in England and second in the world. Christopher Wren and Admiral Nelson were buried there.

6. Fleet Street:

There is a street in London which leads from St. Paul’s Cathedral down to the Thames. It is Fleet Street named after the Fleet river that doesn’t exist now. Fleet Street is the center of the British newspaper industry and press.

7. The Houses of Parliament:

Westminster is to the west of the City of London. This part of the capital is now a governmental one. The Houses of Parliament (or the Palace of Westminster) stand on the bank of the Thames. The present building dates only from the 19-th century but stands on the place of the ancient Westminster Palace. The national flag over the Victoria Tower indicates that the Parliament is sitting.



8. “Big Ben”:

The Clock Tower of the Houses of Parliament contains the hour-bell called “Big Ben” after Sir Benjamin Hall, the manager of the Houses’ reconstruction works. The clock is known the world over.

9. Westminster Abbey:

Westminster Abbey was laid down in the middle of the 11-th century. The building we have today dates from about 1480. This church contains the tombs and memorials of Britain’s greatest citizens: Chaucer, Charles Dickens, Shakespeare, Burns, Byron, Walter Scott and many others. Near the West Door of the Abbey there is a simple tomb of the Unknown Warrior.

10. Buckingham Palace:

Buckingham Palace is used now as an official London residence of the Queen. It is also in the part of London known as Westminster. The large monument in front of it is the Queen Victoria Memorial who made the Palace her residence in 1837.

11. Downing Street, 10:

Downing Street is named after its builder, Sir George Downing. House number 10 is the official residence of the Prime Minister. Numbers 11 and 12 belong to the chief government leaders.

12. Trafalgar Square:

Trafalgar Square is the center of modern London. It was laid down to commemorate Nelson’s victory at the battle of Trafalgar in 1841. The total height of the Nelson Column in the center is 184 feet. The four bronze lions at the base decorate the column. Trafalgar Square has become famous for its meetings and political demonstrations.

13. Piccadilly Circus:

The West End of London covers a large area of shopping centers, rich cinemas, theatres and clubs. At its heart is Piccadilly Circus – London theatre-land. In The center there is the bronze fountain with the sculpture erected in 1893. Piccadilly Circus is symbol of London wealth.

14. The East End:

There are many ways of spending money. But the city must eat. The British wealth is being made in a working area-known as the East End. The working Londoners live here.

It is a country of dockers. London docks are closed now. All workers are sacked. Unemployment rules here. Three million workers living in the East End, give Britain its wealth.

 

 


Date: 2015-12-11; view: 1244


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