Londýn

London is situated on the Thames River in south-east England. London is the capital of the United Kingdom. It is the 9^th largest city in the world - it´s population is about 10 million. There are immigrants from Asia, Africa and Europe. The Romans came to London in 43 A. D. It began as a Roman colonial town around 50 AD when the Romans built the first bridge in London. They built a small town on the Thames, and its name was Londinium. In 1066, William the Conqueror came to England. He came from Normandy after the battle of Hastings. He became the King of England. In 1666, there was a Great Fire, which destroyed almost all of the city. In 1665, there was the Black Plague. During World War II., London was very much destroyed when the Germans heavily bombed it. After the War the Barbican was built to replace older buildings destroyed in World War II. London's climate is generally mild and damp, although it can be erratic. However, the weather is generally cloudy, and some rain falls on half of the days of the year. London has warmer summers than most of the islands do. Winters are relatively frosty. Fog frequently develops in the winter .The historical centre of London is now a relatively small area still known as the City. Today this area is one of the world’s leading financial centers. Most of the financial activities are there. There is the huge Bank of England Complex and the Royal Exchange. Tower Bridge is one of the most famous symbols of London. It was built only in the last century. It is dominated by two Victorian gothic towers. It can open in the middle and let large ships go through. Inside Tower Bridge there is a museum. The Tower of London was built in the 11^th century by William the Conqueror. It served as a royal palace first, then as a prison, whence the prisoners were brought only by ships through Traitors Gate. It is a museum now. In one part of the Tower, in the Jewel House, the Crown Jewels are kept. But they are not the same jewels which were made by William the I. and the II. Those were destroyed by Oliver Cromwell. After his death, the new King Charles II. made new jewels. Now there are crown jewels and a zoo. St. Paul´s Cathedral is one of the largest cathedrals in the world. In the dome, there are great acoustics and this place is called the Whispering Gallery. This great renaissance dome is the work of the famous architect Sir Christopher Wren and it was built in the 17th century after the Great Fire. The Cathedral is known for its Whispering Gallery. There are a lot of museums in London. The largest museum of the world is The British Museum. It contains the biggest collection of all kinds of animal and rocks and minerals. In London, there are a lot of parks. The biggest ones are Bushy Park, Green Park, Greenwich Park, and Hyde Park. I would like to see Hyde Park, because everyone says that it is a very nice and interesting park. I read that anyone can say anything he or she wants there, but they can’t to say anything very ugly about the king’s family. My favorite music group had a concert there, and it is said that it was the best concert in Great Britain. I was in London when I was 15. I saw Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Whitehall, and lots of historical buildings. I think London is very a interesting city, and nice as well.