London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom.

The Romans founded it in 47 AD and this city

can be called the political, economic and cultural center of Great Britain. London is one of the most
populated cities in Europe with a population of 9 million people.

London is divided into three large parts: the City, the West End and the East End. The City of London is
the historical and business center of London, because the Royal Exchange is located here and more than
300 thousand people work here on the finances. This is an independent unit with its own government,
mayor and police.

The West End of London is an entertainment and shopping area with locations such as Oxford Street and
Leicester Square. This is one of the most touristy and richest areas of London. In addition, famous
Chelsea football team was founded there.

The eastern side of London includes the East End and East London. The East End is known for its port, as
well as the poverty of the population, which is half composed of immigrants. The eastern outskirts of
London include the Thames Gate, which was reconstructed for the 2012 Olympics games.

London has many places of interest that attract tourists. I will tell you about a few of them.

Probably the most popular attraction in London is Big Ben. This is a bell tower in central London, whose
watches have been working for more than 150 years! Many people believe that Big Ben is a clock,
although it a bell name inside a tower.

St Paul's Cathedral in London is the state church of England. This cathedral is one of the most famous
and most recognizable sights of London because of its height (111 meters) and the magnificent cupola.

Trafalgar Square is one of the main attractions of London and the whole of Great Britain. Located in the
historic center at the intersection of three important Westminster streets - Whitehall, Strand and The
Mall. In the middle of the square is a tall statue of Admiral Nelson, placed because of the Britain’s
victory of in the Battle of Trafalgar.

The Tower of London is a beautiful and picturesque place of interest and a very interesting place with a
rich history. For 10 centuries, the Tower has been a prison, a mint, a zoo, a jewelry storage and an
observatory. The Tower shows the part of the great and unique history of London.

Museum also can be an attraction, for example, the National Portrait Gallery in London - the world's first
portrait gallery, founded in 1856. This museum has a collection of paintings and photographs of famous
people from the 16th century to nowadays. This is the main gallery for London and every tourist can visit
it for free.

The British Museum is the main historical and archaeological museum of Great Britain and one of the
largest museums in the world. This museum is the second most visited among art museums after the
Louvre. Located in the Bloomsbury area of London.

Often called the Green City, London has many spacious and green spaces, as well as parks, the most
famous of which is Hyde Park. This is the largest park in London that existed in 16 th century. The main
attraction of the park is Serpentine Lake, where you can swim, as well as a gallery. It is also popular for
sports and concerts of famous artists (such as Madonna) in the open air. Outside of England, Hyde Park
is best known for having the "Speaker's Corner" where anyone can give a speech. In 2012, during the
Olympic Games in London, Hyde Park hosted triathlon competitions, as well as 10 km open water
swimming.

London is also the country's cultural center with many theaters, but the most popular of them is the
Globe. William Shakespeare himself created this theater, where he staged his works. The modern
building of the Globus Theater was opened in 1997. The building was reconstructed after the old one
without a roof, so it is open only in spring and summer. The capacity of the theater is 1400 people.

London has many large shopping centers with expensive and cheap products, but the most popular of
them is «Harrods». This giant store has around 5,000! Staff and more than 300,000 people visit this shop
daily! In this store, you can find all the necessary things, but do not get lost while searching the right
thing!