London (0)

London
History
The Romans AD 43- AD 410
The Romans finally invaded Britain in AD 43 from Kent . The Romans lead by Julius Caesar attempted to invade Britain twice before that in 55 and 54 BC but the invasions were unsuccessful. They made their way to the river Thames and sailed up it. The Romans knew it was important to control a crossing point at the river Thames, so they decided to build a settlement on the north bank . Although small settlements had been built on the banks of the Thames, the Romans were the ones who built the first city. They called their city Londinium. The Roman engineers noticed that the point where the swampy river narrowed would make an ideal crossing point, they built London Bridge . Less than 20 years later the native Iceni tribe , led by Queen Boudicca, rose up against the Romans in revenge for mistreatment and burnt Londinium to the ground . The well disciplined Roman army defeated her forces and Londinium was rebuilt. By AD 100 it had also become the capital of the Roman province . A massive wall was built to protect the city from further attacks . The Roman Empire came under increasing attack across Europe and in AD 410 they retreated.
The Romans gave us a language based on Latin , the calendar , law and legal system, the census and also straight roads, central heating and concrete.
Anglo- Saxons around AD 400
Anglo- Saxons were warrior farmers from Germany , Denmark and the Netherlands . Later in the 5th century , Anglo-Saxons settled just west of Londinium, around the Strand , and formed the town of Lundenwic. The area of the old Roman city became a landing- place for ships and a centre for trade.The first English King to convert to Christianity, King Ethelbert, founded St Paul’s Cathedral in 604.
The Vikings 8th and 9th century
By the 9th century, London was a very prosperous trading centre, and its wealth attracted the attention of Danish Vikings. The Danes periodically sailed up the Thames and attacked London. In 851 some 350 longboats full of Danes attacked and burned London to the ground.
King Alfred the Great totally defeated the Danes in 878 and they split the country between them . The Danes took eastern England including London while Alfred took the South and West. Alfred's men took London in 886 and repaired the walls of the old Roman city. In 1016 the Vikings attacked London again but the Saxons fought them off.
The attacks ceased when the Danish king Cnut came to power in 1017. Cnut managed to unite the Danes with the Anglo-Saxons, and invited Danish merchants to settle in the city. London prospered under Cnut, but on his death the city reverted to Anglo- Saxon control under Edward the Confessor . He built a wooden palace at Westminster , were the parliament met later. This is why Westminster became the seat of government not the city of London itself. Edward the Confessor also built Westminster Abbey . He ruled until his death in 1065, after which King Harold was crowned.
Norman period ( Medieval London) 1066
In 1066 in the Battle of Hastings the Normans were victorious and William was crowned King.
William granted the citizens of London special privileges, but he also built a castle in the southeast corner of the city to keep them under control. This castle was expanded by later kings until it became the complex we now call the Tower of London. The Tower acted as royal residence , and it was not until later that it became famous as a prison .
In 1176 the first stone London Bridge was built. This bridge was to remain the only one in London until 1739. Because the passage across this one bridge was narrow and clogged with traffic , it was much quicker for travellers to hire boatmen to row them across the river, or transport them up or down river.
In 1191 Richard I acknowledged the right of London to self-government, and in 1192 the election of the first Mayor was held .
In 1245 Henry III began his lifetime work of rebuilding Westminster Abbey, which was re-consecrated in 1269. An other building project of the medieval period was Old St. Paul's Cathedral which was finished in 1280.
Tudor London 1485- 1603
When Henry VII took the throne in 1485, the population of the city of London was about 75,000. By 1600 that number had risen to 200,000. London also grew in importance under the Tudor rule . As the Roman Catholic Church didn’t give Henry VIII a divorce he wanted , he changed the entire religion of England. He also started to build ships, as Britain’s navy expanded and Britain began exploring the world. Henry VIII also united England and Wales . During the reign of Elizabeth I, London was a wealthy and successful city. Culture was very important. London’s first theatre “ The Theatre” was opened in 1576. To escape censorship by the City’s Lord Mayor the Globe and the Rose theatres were rebuilt in Southwark , in an area then largely occupied by prisons and bear pits.
Stuart London 1603- 1649 ; 1660-1714
In 1603 when James the IV of Scotland became James I of Scotland and England, he united the two countries under one king.
In 1642 the Civil War broke out between supporters of the king and parliamentary forces, led by Oliver Cromwell. King Charles I lost the war and was beheaded in London in 1649. Britain became a republic known as the Commonwealth . In 1660 London welcomed the restoration of the monarchy.
The second half of the century was even more devastating. Two Disasters stroke London. The Great Plague and the Great Fire . The Great Plague in 1665, killed a significant part of the population, but it was not until after the Great Fire in 1666 that London became safe again. The Great Fire was even more catastrophic to the buildings of London. It destroyed almost four fifths of London in the raging inferno, including St Paul’s Cathedral. Christopher Wren was appointed to oversee the rebuilding of London. Wren was given the task of rebuilding the churches, including St. Paul's Cathedral.
Georgian London 1714- 1837
In 1714, George I became king. At this time, Britain was one of the most powerful countries in the world.
During the Georgian era London quickly grew in size and population. Merchants and bankers started growing rich and many of them lived in the new West End, while other people suffered terrible poverty and lived in the East End slums.
For some six hundred years the only bridge across the Thames in London was London Bridge. In 1750 an other stone bridge, Westminster Bridge, was added to ease the movement .
During the reign of King George III, Australia was discovered and colonized. Also, the troubles in America began with the Boston Tea Party . The American Colonies proclaimed their independence on July 4th 1776.
Victorian London 1837-1901
In 1837, Victoria became Queen. She was only 18 years old. In the 1830s, the Industrial Revolution turned London into a manufacturing and trading centre. During the Victorian era the British Empire became powerful and rich. During the reign of Victoria, London expanded enormously as industry came to Britain and railways were built linking much of Britain to the capital.
In 1834 the Houses of Parliament at Westminster Palace burned down. They were gradually replaced by nowadays Houses of Parliament designed by Charles Barry.
The early part of the 19th century was the golden age of steam. The first railway in London was built from London Bridge to Greenwich in 1836, and a great railway boom followed. Major stations were built in London.
During the Victorian time, a large part of the city was ventilated through the sewers. Sewage was dumped right into the Thames. When tunnels and pipes were built to direct the sewage outside the city, outbreaks of diseases were drastically reduced.
By the 1840's gas lights were being used to light streets all over London.
The World’s first Underground railway opened in 1862. At first carriages were pulled by steam trains . The system was electrified in 1890-1905. When Victoria died in 1901, after the longest reign in English history, the British Empire and British world power had reached their highest point
The Twentieth Century
London grew even more in the Twentieth Century. In the 1930's large numbers of Jews immigrated to London, fleeing persecution in Europe, and most of them settled in the East End.
After World War II broke out many children were moved out of London.
During World War II, London was bombed by the Luftwaffe . The bombings destroyed much of central London, including a part of St. Paul’s Cathedral, although the cathedral suffered only minor damage. The London Docks declined after the war.
Between 1972-1982 the Thames Barrier was built to control flooding along the river. This consists of 10 moveable underwater gates supported by 7 shining steel half-domes strung across the river.
The Millennium
The new Millennium saw the opening of the Millennium Bridge, a footbridge constructed over the Thames. London Eye and the Millennium Dome were also built to commemorate the new millennium.
History timeline and the buildings
400 BC - Celtic period
43 AD - Romans invaded England and built Londinium
61 AD - Queen Boudicca attacked Londinium
122 AD - London Wall was built
410 AD - The Romans left England
5th century - The SAxons established Lundenwic
604 - St Paul’s Cathedral was built
9th century - the Danes attacked London
11th century - Edward the Confessor became King, Westminster Palace and Westminster Abbey were built
1066 - the Battle of Hastings
1097 - The White Tower was built
1176 - The first stone London Bridge was built
1192 - The first Lord Mayor
1337-1453 - The Hundred Years War
1411 - Guildhall
1455-1485- The Wars of the Roses
1642-1649 - The Civil War
1660 - The monarchy restored
1665 - The Great Plague
1666 - The Great Fire
1750 - Westminster Bridge opened, 2nd bridge over the Thames
1830s - Industrial Revolution
1834 - The old Houses of Parliament burned down
1836 - 1st steam train
1851 - The Great Exhibition
1863 - The Tube was opened
1914-1918 - WWI
1939-1945 - WWII
1972-1982 - The Thames Barrier was built
2000 - The Millennium bridge, London Eye, the Millennium Dome
2012-the Olympic Games
Royal London
Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarch .
It is located in the City of Westminster. The palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality. The building was a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703. Buckingham Palace finally became the principal royal residence in 1837. When the Queen is at home, you can see her royal flag flying from the flag pole on top of Buckingham Palace. This flag is called the Royal Standard. Five regiments of Foot Guards guard the Palace. They wear red jackets and tall , furry hats called bearskins.
Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace is located in Kensington Gardens near Hyde Park. It was built in the 17th century and has been a residence has been a royal residence since . It was the official residence of Diana , Princess of Wales. It was improved by Sir Christorpher Wren. Currently some parts of the palace are open to public.
Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace is a large royal palace in the southwest of London. The British Royal family hasn’t lived in it since the 18th century. The most famous resident of Hampton Court was probably Henry VIII. Hampton Court Palace was originally built for Cardinal Wolsey. The palace was given to Henry VIII, when Wolsey fell from the king’s favour. Henry VIII enlarged the palace after he moved into it. It is currently a popular tourist attraction.
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is one of the oldest and largest inhabited castles in the world. It dates back to the time of William the Conqueror. and, dating back to the time of William the Conqueror, is the oldest in continuous occupation . It is occupied – but only in the weekends. During the week the Queen’s residence is Buckingham Palace.
Kew Palace
Kew Palace is royal palace located in Kew Gardens. It is the smallest of the royal palaces.
Currently no one lives there and it’s open to the public.
The City
The City of London also called ‘one square mile’ is the historical center of London. Until the 18th century, the City of London was all of London. Today , this area is the financial center of Europe. It has only about 6000 residents and is almost deserted during the weekend .One of London’s most famous landmarks- St paul’s cathedral is in the City. Besides this you can also find the oldest remains of the London Wall, built by the Romans
The Lord Mayor is elected for one year and the position is unpaid and apolitical. It is an exceptionally demanding role. The Lord Mayor lives in the Mansion House while being the Lord Mayor. The Lord Mayor is sworn in in Novenber and a day after that he participates in the Lord MAyor Show. The show is a street parade , tha starts at Guildhall. The procession ends at the Royal Courts of Justice, where he swears his allegiance to the Crown .
St. Paul’s Cathedral
It is located in the City of London. The current building is the 5th St. Paul’s Catherdral. It is the Seat of the Bishop of London. The first cathedral was built in 604 but it burned down in 675. It was built again in 685. This one also burned down in 962. The third cathedral was built the same year the second burned down. It was built of stone and it took about 200 years to finish it. This cathedral was destroyed in the Great Fire. Sir Christopher Wren rebuilt it in 1675-1708. During the World War II it was damaged a bit. The Dome of St. Paul’s is 111 metres high. It consists of 2 domes, one inside the other. The Nave is the main hall of the cathedral. The Whispering Gallery runs around the inner dome. It gets its name because even a whisper can be heard all around it.
The Tower of London

• First builders: Bishop of Rochester, William Conqueror, William III
  
• 1st usage – fortress and a palace
  
• 1st prison was Wakefield Tower
  
• Executions: high- profile criminals; beheaded at Tower Hill
  
• Ravens – guarding, if left, kingdom would perish
  
• Beefeaters
  
• Safeguard jewels, guard prisoners, tour guides
  
• Origin unknown, payment beef, veal , mutton etc.
  
• Guarding Tower of London since 1485
  
• Live in fortress, must have a home outside too
  
• Ravenmasters take care of Ravens
  

The City of Westminster
The history of the City of Westminster dates back to the late Saxon time. Edward the Confessor built Westminster Palace and Westminster Abbey, starting the history of Westminster. The political power is focused in the City of Westminster, as the City is a financial centre.
The Houses of Parliament

• Seat of the 2 houses(House of Lords , House of Commons)
  
• Westminster Palace
  
• Built for Edward the Confessor 1000 years ago as a royal palace
  
• Last one to live in the palace Henry VIII
  
• Houses the Parliament since 1550
  
• Destroyed in 1834 in a fire
  
• Westminster Hall survived the fire
  
• New house built for parliament in 1840s( Sir Charles Barry)
  
• Queen rules symbolically, actual power - parliament
  
• House of Lords double -check the laws
  
• House of Commons discuss politics and make laws
  
• Opening of Parlianent- in November
  
• Westminster Hall- oldest existing part, used as a court and a ceremonial hall, erected by William II in 1097
  
• Big Ben –actually only the Bell(16 tons)- largest in the UK
  
• Clock tower built in 1288
  
• 3rd tallest clock tower in the world, biggest four-faced clock in the world
  
• Burned down along with the Houses in 1834, rebuilt after
  

Westminster Abbey

• Dedicated to St. Peter
  
• Owned by the royal family
  
• Next to Houses of Parliament
  
• Edward the Confessor built 1045 -1050
  
• Rebuilt 1245-1517 as a Gothic church; Henry III
  
• Attacked by Puritans in 1640s
  
• Since 1066, all English/British monarchs were coronated there
  
• Except Edward VIII, Edward III, Lady Jane Grey
  
• Poets Corner
  
• Tomb of Unknown Warrior
  
• Statue of Martin Luther King
  
• The Coronation Chair(the stone of Scone)
  
• Tudor roses
  

The Squares
Leicester Square
Leicester Square is a tree-lined square in the centre of London which provides much needed shade in summer. Major cinemas stand on three sides of the square. Restaurants, night clubs, portrait artists and outdoor entertainers strive to catch the attention of the passing public. There is the pavilion where you can buy the cheapest tickets.
In the centre of the square there is a copy of the Shakespeare memorial in Westminster Abbey. Statues of Sir Isaac Newton, Joshua Reynolds and William Hogarth stand nearby. A modern statue of Charlie Chaplin was added in 1981.
Piccadilly Circus
It is the centre of the West End. It is also considered to be the real centre of London by many people, as it lies in the heart of London's entertainment world, full of theatres and cinemas, the most famous restaurants and the most luxurious night-clubs. In the middle of the Circus stands the Shaftesbury memorial fountain. It was built in 1893 to commemorate Lord Shaftesbury. The statue on the top of the fountain depicts the Angel of Christian Charity . The buildings around the Circus are decorated with bright neon lights at night, making the place a very colourful site. Piccadilly Circus is one of the city's most popular meeting places , as it is small and hard to get lost in.
Trafalgar Square
It is to commemorate the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. In the centre of the square is the Nelson ’s column it was erected to commemorate the Admiral Nelson. In the corners of this square are the plinths. On one plinth there is a statue of Charles I on a horse . Trafalgar Square was built in 1845. Present architect of this square is Sir Charles Barry. The pigeons live there. Many people feed them. The falcons were used to scare them.
Every year Norway sends Britain a huge Christmas tree. This Christmas tree is put in the Trafalgar Square. On New Year's Eve people go to Trafalgar Square to hear the midnight chimes of Big Ben. Also many sports activities took place there for example Tour de France in 2006 started there.
The National Gallery is in Trafalgar Square. It has many of the best paintings in the world. Behind there is the National Portrait Gallery which is the biggest portrait gallery in London. Admiralty Arch is located near there. It was built to honour Queen Victoria. It is the entrance to the Mall . St. Martin’s Church is also in Trafalgar Square. It is a concert hall and a church.
Streets
Fleet Street
It is a street in London, England named after the River Fleet. It was the home of the British press until the 1980s. Even though the last major British news office, Reuters, left in 2005, the street's name continues to be used as a metonym for the British national press.
Threadneedle Street
Threadneedle Street is a road in the City of London, leading from an intersection with Poultry , Cornhill, King William Street and Lombard Street, to Bishopsgate. The street is famous as the site of the Bank of England, the bank itself is often called 'the old lady of Threadneedle Street' and has been at its current location since 1734.
Whitehall
Walking up Parliament Street, along Whitehall, you pass through the heart of the country's government. The broad street is lined with imposing buildings that accommodate different offices of the government.
Downing Street
Downing Street is a little street running off Whitehall. Since 1732 No.10 has been the residence of the British Prime Minister. It is called "the most famous black door in the world". The Cabinet meets there in the Cabinet Room. It also has a private apartment and outside and a well protected garden .
The Mall
It is the road running from Buckingham Palace at its western end to Admiralty Arch and on to Trafalgar Square. It is closed to traffic on Sundays and public holidays, and on ceremonial occasions.
Oxford Street
It is the most well-known shopping street in London. There are over 300 shops. It runs for approximately two and a half kilometres from Marble Arch to the north east corner of Hyde Park. It is the longest shopping street in the world.
The Thames and the bridges
There are 24 bridges over the River Thames in London. Kew Bridge to Tower Bridge.
London Bridge
This bridge connects the City of London and Southwark. The Romans built it about 2000 years ago. At first Queen Boudicca destroyed it and after it was rebuilt the Danes pulled it down. The Normans built it again. This bridge is special because there are houses on it and it was the only bridge until 18th century.
Tower Bridge
It is a suspension bridge. In one of the towers there is the museum . Those towers are tied together. This construction started in 1886. This bridge opens nowadays 2-3 times in a week. It is located next to the tower of London.
The Millennium Bridge
It is the pedestrian only bridge. This bridge has been used in many fantasy films because of its interesting shape. The Millennium Bridge was built to commemorate the new millennium. It was opened June 2000. It is 370m long and 4m wide .
Blackfriars Bridge
It is a bridge for road and traffic. It was dedicated to Queen Victoria. It was opened in 1769.
Westminster Bridge
It is a road and foot traffic bridge over the River Thames between Westminster.
Near the River Thames there are many famous buildings like the Lambeth Palace. There is the Cleopatra’s Needle which was brought to London in 1878.
Also there are such well-known buildings as Hampton Court, Royal Festival Hall, Shakespeare’s Globe threatre, Greenwich, St. Catherine ’s Docks.
Museums
The British Museum
It was the first national public museum until 1753. It was founded by Sir Hans Sloane. The most famous rooms in the British Museum are King’s Library which is the oldest room of the British Museum. The Great Exhibition in 1851 was held there. Then the Great Court which is the largest covered space in the British Museum. The rosetta stone is also there for people to see. It helped to understand foreign languages.
National Portrait Museum
It was the first portrait gallery in London in 1856 . The famous painters are W. Hogarth and Sir J. Reynolds.
The Science Museum
It was built in 1857. It is part of the Kensington Museum and also part of the National Museum of Science and Industry. There is the Stephenson Rocket which is the oldest locomotive.
Victoria and Albert Museum
It was built in 1852. There are about 4.5 million objects. The Albertopolis is the area of cultural scientific and education importance. It is the largest decorative arts and design museum in London. It has the largest collection of Italian Renaissance items except Italia .
Natural History Museum
It is one of the largest museums on Exhibition Road. There are 5 collections: botany, entomology, mineralogy, palaeontology and zoology. There are the huge dinosaur skeletons and also there is the Giant Squid.
The Museum of London
It was built in 1976. It is part of Barbican Estate . There can see the fragments of the Roman Wall. There was also the exhibition of the Great Fire in London.
Sherlock Holmes Museum
It is located on the Baker Street. It is a privately run museum in London.
Theatres
During the Elizabethan era the theatre was very important. The Shakespeare’s Globe was built.
There are very many well-known theatres in the West End near Leicester Square. The United Kingdom's Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, Royal Opera and English National Opera are based in London and performed at the Royal Opera House.
Parks
Most of the parks in London are Royal Parks and they are owned by monarchy.
Hyde Park
It is the biggest park in Central London. Hyde Park has two entrance gates. Those gates are called Queen Caroline and Grand Entrance. The Great Exhibition in 1851 was held there. The Speaker’s Corner is a place where everybody may speak up. You can talk about everything except insult the royalty. There is a Rotten Row, which is a path in the Hyde Park. There are also special trees - Weeping Beech.
Kensington Gardens
Those are private gardens of Kensington Palace. There is a statue of Peter Pan because the idea of Peter Pan came when the writer was in the Kensington Gardens. The Serpentine is a lake that separates Hyde Park from Kensington Gardens. In 2012 the triathlon of the Olympic Games swimming part will take place in the Serpentine.
St. James’s Park
It is located in Westminster. It is the oldest royal park in London. In the Lake of St. James’s Park there live pelicans who are fed every day regularly.
The Regent ’s Zoo
It is the northern park in the London. There is a zoo in this park.
Greenwich
It is a district in south-east London on the south bank of the River Thames. It is best known for its maritime history and as giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian (0° longitude) and Greenwich Mean Time. Romans called it Grenovicum.
During the reign of Danes, Danish fleets attacked Kent and so making Alphege the Archbishop their prisoner. They stoned him to death for his refusal to allow his ransom to be paid and kept his body , until the blossoming of a stick that had been immersed in his blood . For this miracle his body was released to his followers. In the 12th century a church was dedicated to him. The present church was completed in 1718.
Palace of Placentia was built in 1447 by Humphrey , Duke of Gloucester . It was named by Margaret of Anjou . Edward IV further enlarged and completed it. It was Henry VII’s residence. The palace fell into disrepair during the English Civil War. It became the Royal Naval College in 1873.
Greenwich Park is located on a hilltop. It is part of the World Heritage Site. It is also a site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation. The modern pentathlon will take place in Greenwich Park in 2012 London Olympic Games.
National Maritime Museum is the leading Maritime Museum in London. It includes Royal Observatory and Queen’s House. Queens House architect was Inigo Jones. It is a former royal residence built between 1614-1617. It was used as Greenwich Hospital . It is used as a VIP center in 2012 Olympic Games.
The Royal Observatory was built in 1675. Part of National Maritime Museum. There is the Meridian which was established by Sir George Airy. The Meridian marks the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The Shepherd gate Clock also known as theGreenwich Clock displays Greenwich Mean Time to the public. It was constructed by Charles Shepherd in 1852. It is special because it is a 24- hour clock.
Cutty Sark was a very fast sailing boat, a clipper. It's ruins can now be seen in Greenwich.
Festivals
Changing the Guards
The guards and soldiers are regularly changing the guards since 1660. They wear the bearskin caps. Some of the guards are on the horses but most of them are on foot.
Guy Fawkes Night
It is held on 5th November every year. People burn the dolls of Guy Fawkes. It is also known as the Bonfire or Cracks Night. Guy Fawkes was the man who led the Gunpowder Plot .
Trooping the Colour
It started in the 17th century to celebrate the queen’s birthday. It is a military ceremony. It is held on the 2nd Saturday in June. Queen is greeting the parade.
Notting Hill Carnival
It started in 1964. It is held in August. It comes from Trinidad and Tobago. It is the 2nd largest festival held in London.
The City of London Festival
It started in 1962. It is similar to our Old Town Days .
Regent Street Festival
It started in 2009 to celebrate the 180 years of shopping history. It is held close to the Regent Street. All shops have discounts.
The Ceremony of the Keys
It is held every night since1340 in the Tower of London. The guard lock the gates. It was once interrupted during the World War II but it was still successfully finished.
The State Opening of Parliament
It started in the Medieval London. It is held since the Gunpowder Plot. Before the queen arrives it is checked that no one wants to blow up the parliament again.