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| LONDON London is the capital and largest urban area of England and the United Kingdom. At its core, the ancient City of London, to which the name historically belongs, still retains its limited mediaeval boundaries; but since at least the 19th century the name "London" has also referred to the whole metropolis which has developed around it. Today the bulk of this conurbation forms the London region of England and the Greater London administrative area, with its own elected mayor and assembly. An important settlement for two millennia, London's history goes back to its founding by the Romans. Since its settlement, London has been the centre of many important movements and phenomena throughout history such as the English Renaissance, the Industrial Revolution, and the Gothic Revival. In light of this, the city has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world which has increased over the years due to the city's economic growth The etymology of London remains unclear. The earliest mention of the city's toponym can be attributed to Geoffrey of Monmouth in Historia Regum Britanniae. The name is described as originating from King Lud in which he had allegedly taken over the city and named it after himself to Kaerlud. This was then eventually slurred into Kaerludein and finally London. Although some sources support this theory, Geoffrey's work is largely based on Celtic folklore and it is believed that he was trying to balance historical writings in order to give pre-eminence to Roman, Saxon, and Norman versions of history. Several other explanations have been proposed by linguists throughout history. Many propose that the name comes from Welsh or Brythonic meaning "city on the lake" or "fortress on the lake". Other theories propose the name to mean "precinct of the fortress", "city on the hill" "city of the Moon", or "city on the grove". Another possible explanation is that the area of London was previously settled by Belgae who named their outposts after townships in Belgium. Some of these Belgic toponyms have been attributed to the namesake of London including Lime, Douvrend, and Londinières. A fanciful theory suggests that the Anglo-Saxons were descendants of the Tribe of Dan. When inhabiting in the area, it is possible that they would have named their settlement lan-dan, meaning "place of Dan" in Hebrew. Although there is some evidence of scattered Brython settlement in the area, the first major settlement was founded by the Romans in AD 43 as Londinium, following the Roman conquest of Britain. The first London lasted for just seventeen years. Around AD 61, the Iceni tribe of Celts led by Queen Boudica stormed London, burning it to the ground. The next, heavily-planned incarnation of the city prospered and superseded Colchester as the capital of the Roman province of Britannia in AD 100. At its height in the 2nd century AD, Roman London had a population of around 60,000. However, by the 3rd century AD, the city started a slow decline due to trouble in the Roman Empire, and by the 5th century AD, it was largely abandoned. GENERAL INFORMATION Sovereign state United Kingdom Constituent country England Region London Districts City and 32 boroughs Settled by Romans as Londinium c. AD 50 Area 609 sq mi (1,577.3 km²) Elevation 79 ft (24 m) Population 7,512,400 PLACE TO VISIT Westminster Abbey - Parliament Square (nearest tube: Westminster) 9:30am-3:45pm, W 9:30pm-7pm, Sa 9:30am-1:45pm, closed Su except for worship. The site of the coronation of every British monarch since William I in 1066, and the site of numerous significant events in British history - the funeral services of Princess Diana (wedding of Diana and Charles was at St. Paul's) took place here. Well worth the admission fee for the stunning architecture and incredible sense of history. £7.50. Whitehall - This street runs between Parliament Square and Trafalgar Square, and is the site of several British Government buildings. Horseguards Parade, and the heavily guarded entrance to Downing Street are on the west side. Banqueting House is on the east side. In the centre of the street sits the Cenotaph - a war memorial erected following the First World War, which is the centre of the annual Remembrance Day ceremony on 11 November. Palace of Westminster - (more widely known as the Houses of Parliament) is located on the east side of Parliament Square, and is the seat of Parliament in the United Kingdom. The House of Commons (elected Members of Parliament) is located to the north of the building and is decorated with green leather upholstery, and the House of Lords (unelected Lords) is located to the south and decorated with red leather upholstery. The nearest tube station is Westminster. Buckingham Palace - the official London residence of the Queen, one of several royal palaces in London. Open for tours during the summer months only, but a must-see sight even if you don't go in. Trafalgar Square - home of Nelson's Column and the lions, and once a safe haven for London's pigeons until the recent introduction of hired birds of prey. It recently attracted controversy over the 'Fourth plinth', previously empty, being temporarily home to a Marc Quin sculpture, 'Alison Lapper Pregnant'. Overlooked by the National Gallery, it's the nearest London has to a 'center', and has recently been pedestrianized. London Eye - is the world's largest observation wheel, situated on the South Bank of the Thames with magnificent views over London. Tower Bridge - is the iconic 19th century bridge located by the Tower of London near the City. It is decorated with high towers and featuring a drawbridge and you can visit the engine rooms and a Tower Bridge exhibition. Tower of London - situated just south east of the City, is London's original royal fortress by the Thames. It is over 900 years old, contains the Crown Jewels, is guarded by Beefeaters, and is a World Heritage site. St Paul's Cathedral - in the City, is Sir Christopher Wren's great accomplishment, built after the 1666 Great Fire of London - the great dome is still seated in majesty over The City. A section of the dome has such good acoustics that it forms a "Whispering Gallery." WHAT TO DO Open top bus tour - Every day. These offer a good, albeit somewhat expensive, introduction to the sights of London. Two principal operators tend to dominate the market for this kind of tour: (The Original Tour and The Big Bus Company). Both provide hop-on/hop-off services where you can get off at any attraction and catch the next bus; both provide live commentaries in English and recorded commentaries in other languages (not necessarily on the same buses). London Ducktours - Every day. If you are in the mood for a view of London by boat. Your tour bus is actually a D-Day landing water/land vehicle that has been refurbished complete with tour guide. Theatre - See a musical, play or comedy in the West End. For Broadway-like musicals the Leicester Square area is highly recommended. In the center of the square there is an official half-price TKTS booth. For listings buy the weekly magazine Time Out Watch football - Take in a home match of one of the city's 20+ professional football clubs for a true experience of a lifetime as you see the passion of the "World's Game" in its mother country. The biggest clubs clubs include Chelsea, Fulham, Brentford, Queen's Park Rangers (West London); Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur (North London); West Ham United, Leyton Orient (East London); Charlton Athletic, Millwall and Crystal Palace (South London). London Open House Weekend - Explore many of the city's most interesting buildings during the London Open House Weekend every. During this weekend several hundred buildings which are not normally open to the public are opened up. Winter Skating - London has a number of outdoor ice rinks that open in the winter months. Considered by some to be somewhat overpriced and overcrowded, they nonetheless have multiplied in recent years, easing congestion and increasing competition. Most charge from £10-12 (adults) for an hour on the ice, including skate hire. See the district articles for the City of London, Docklands and Trafalgar Square. Winter Skating - London has a number of outdoor ice rinks that open in the winter months. Considered by some to be somewhat overpriced and overcrowded, they nonetheless have multiplied in recent years, easing congestion and increasing competition. Most charge from £10-12 (adults) for an hour on the ice, including skate hire. See the district articles for the City of London, Docklands and Trafalgar Square. HOW TO REACH By plane - London (all airports code: LON) is served by a total of six airports. Traveling between the city and the airports is made relatively easy by the large number of public transport links that have been put in place over recent years. However, if transiting through London, be sure to check the arrival and departure airports carefully as transfers across the city may be quite time-consuming. In addition to London's six official airports (of which only two are located within Greater London) there are a number of other regional UK airports conveniently accessible from London. Since they offer a growing number of budget flights, choosing those airports can be cheaper By train - London has one international rail route (operated by Eurostar ) from Paris (2h15) and Brussels (1h50) then under the sea for 22 high speed miles (35 km) through the Channel Tunnel to St Pancras International. Book well in advance to secure the best ticket deals. St Pancras International is part of the Kings Cross St Pancras station complex and well served by the London Underground, buses and taxis. London is also well served by trains to and from other parts of the United Kingdom. Train times (to and from any location) can be found on the National Rail journey planner or by calling 08457 48 49 50 (local call charges apply) from anywhere in the UK. There are no fewer than 12 main line (sometimes called National Rail to differentiate it from London Underground or the tube) terminal stations, forming a ring around central London and each serving various parts of the country. By bus - Most international and domestic long distance bus services (UK English:coach services) arrive at and depart from a complex of coach stations off Buckingham Palace Road close to London Victoria rail station. All services operated by National Express or Eurolines serve Victoria Coach Station, which actually has separate arrival and departure buildings. Services by other operators may use this station, or the Green Line Coach Station across Buckingham Palace Road. |