LONDON per le terze classi

                                 

       LONDON

London is the capital of England and the UK.

The Romans founded the city 2000 thousands years ago, on the north side of the river Thames and they named it Londinium.

In the past London was destroyed twice: the Great Fire in 1666 and the bombs of German troops during the Second World War.

Today London is a cosmopolitan metropolis, where people coming from every part of the globe, form a melting pot of habits and cultures and  more than 300 languages are spoken.

The population is about 10 million , it has 5 international airports, 43 univerities, 40 theathres and is the most visited city in the world.

London attracts very large numbers of visitors and tourists.

The most popular attractions are:

1.   The London Eye

The big wheel which gives you a panoramic view of London. It is the world's highest observation wheel and offers passengers spectacular views of over 55 of London's most famous landmarks .It is 135 metres high, with 32 pods; the trip takes 30 minutes.

2.  Changing of the guard: it takes place every day at about 11,15 from April to August. In winter the ceremony takes place every two days, in front of Buckingham Palace.

     3. Tower of London  It was built in 1066 by William the Conqueror. It has been a royal palace and a prison. Now it is a museum where you can see the Jewels’ Crown. In the tower live the black ravens which are a curiosity for the tourists. According to a legend, it is said that if a raven dies, the tower will fall in pieces.

     4. Tower Bridge, is an example of Victorian Gothic architecture.

5.  Hamleys: the world’s biggest toy store. HARRODS, probably the greatest department store in the world.

    6. Piccadilly Circus  , the most known square in London, where a number of streets meet. It is particularly known for its video display mounted on the corner building of the northern side.

7. Museums and Art Galleries

British Museum – National Gallery 

Madam Tussauds, the Wax museum.

   8. Buckingham  Palace, the Home of the Royal Family

9. The Houses of Parliament

10.  The Big Ben, is the name of the bell inside the clock tower. It is about 98 metres high. The hour hand is 3 metres long and the minutes hand 4 metres long.

11.   St. Paul Cathedral,which has the second dome in the world, after San Pietro in Rome.

 Westminster Abbey, where are buried many famous English men and women. Here we can find the tombs of  Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare.

LONDON TRANSPORTS

London taxi is called black cab. The majority of buses in London are still red and therefore the red double-decker bus remains an iconic symbol of the city.

The London Underground (often shortened to the Tube) is a rapid transit system in the United Kingdom, serving a large part of London.

The Underground serves 270 stations and has 402 kilometres (250 mi) of track, 45 per cent of which is underground. It is the second largest metro system in the world.It was built in th 19^th century and it was inaugurated in 1863. It has 12 lines, each one of them has a name and a different colour.

In London there are many parks: Hyde Park, Green Park, St. James Park, Regent’s Park, Kensington Gardens.

There are also a lot of markets where you can buy an enormous variety of things: Portobello Market, Camden Market, Covent Garden, Petticoat Lane.