LONDON

• is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom. It is the 9th largest city in the world, its population is about 10
million. London is situated on the river Thames in south-east England. 22% of the world’s financial transactions take
place in London. The London Stock Exchange is the world’s biggest. The city is 2,000 years old. The Romans chose to
settle here and created the city of Londinium next to the River Thames. The River Thames was useful for merchant
ships and trading, and today the river is still important for transport and tourism. The river Thames is the longest river
in England.

TRANSPORT

The quickest way of getting around in London is by the Underground (also called the Tube). The London underground is the olde st
in the world, built 120 years ago. There are 3 types of buses: famous red double-deckers, quick single deck Red Arrow buses, and
green Line buses which connect the city with many places in the London area.

PLACES TO VISIT

TRAFALGAR SQUARE

Trafalgar Square is named after Britain’s victory in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Trafalgar Square is a public square that features
some of London’s top attractions, from galleries and historic buildings to statues and monuments.

TOWER OF LONDON

is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It was founded towards the end of 1066 . The White
Tower, which gives the entire castle its name, was built by William the Conqueror in 1078 . The castle was also used as a pri son
from 1100 until 1952.

TOWER BRIDGE

Completed in 1894, Tower Bridge is the most iconic bridge in London. This impressive feat of engineering is 244 metres long,
covered in 22,000 litres of paint and crossed by 40,000 people each day.

THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT

are the political centre of the United Kingdom, the home of the British Parliament. They were rebuilt in 1840 after the old building
was destroyed by fire. The only part which escaped the fire was Westminster Hall.

BIG BEN

There is also a famous clock-tower with called Big Ben, one of the best known of London’s landmarks. Big Ben is not really the
name of the clock, it is the name of the bell. The Palace of Westminster was destroyed by fire in 1834. In 1844, it was decided the
new buildings for the Houses of Parliament should include a tower and a clock. Big Ben first rang on 31 May 1859. A short time
later, in September 1859, Big Ben cracked.