London “Lord, guide us”

Important Facts: Capital City London is not just the capital of England: it is also the capital of the entire United Kingdom. It was the most populous city in the world from 1831 to 1925, and has been a city for almost 2000 years. Does anyone know where the name London came from?

Roman Heritage It was originally called Londinium, and over the centuries it became London.

London – A Great City Let’s take a look at some of the important parts of the city of London, and what has made it an internationally famous city. What exactly makes people want to live in, or visit, London? What allows them to do so?

Getting There - Airports Airports play an important role – international business people use them, tourists use them, and companies use them to transport goods. London has five working airports, one of which is one of the busiest airports in the world.

Getting Around - The Tube The Tube, or the London Underground, is the oldest subway system in the world. It was first opened in 1863, and in 1890 became the first system to operate electric trains.

The London Underground

Getting Around - The Tube One billion people use it annually, making it the third busiest after Moscow and Paris. It operates through 270 stations, and has 250 miles of tracks – it is the second largest in the world. Does anyone know which system is the largest?

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Getting Around - The Tube Does anyone know why a highly developed and functioning system of mass transportation is necessary for a city to become successful?

Mass Transportation 1. It provides a way to move people through the city quickly. 2. It provides a way to move people through the city cheaply. 3. It provides a way for visitors and locals to navigate a city easily. 4. It provides an eco-friendly way for people to move through a city.

Transport – The Thames Although the Thames is mostly just for tourists now, the importance of it should not be forgotten. Why do you think the Thames River helped London to develop into such an important city?

Boats 1. Boats allowed trade with other countries quickly, before airplanes. 2. Boats still provide a cheaper option than airplanes for cargo. 3. A river provided much needed water to the city as it grew: for drinking and for irrigation and sewers.

Time - Greenwich The standard for time, hour 0, which never changes, is in South London in Greenwich. It was established in 1884, and that is why we have GMT, or Greenwich Mean Time. All time zones rely on Greenwich Time to operate.

Sports – Wembley and Wimbledon Wembley football stadium is known around the world. Wimbledon is the famous tennis grounds that holds a tennis championship every year. Tournaments have been held at these locations for years.

Tourism - Westminster Abbey The Abbey is over 1000 years old, and you can look inside for free when you visit London. It is also still used for coronations and weddings, and was used in 2011 for the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton. It is on the North Bank of the River Thames, next to the Houses of Parliament.

Tourism - History London has many opportunities to take in a bit of history. Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London and Tower Bridge are just a few examples of famous sights that thousands of tourists visit every year.

Tourism - Museums Besides these, London has lots of museums, including the British Museum, the Natural History Museum, and the Science Museum. Many of the museums have free admission, allowing people to experience the exhibits.

Tourism - Galleries For those interested in art, London has many galleries, and again the admission is usually free unless it’s a special exhibit. The Tate Modern, the Tate Britain, the Portrait Gallery and the National Gallery are all excellent galleries.

Trivia: What DO you know? What major sporting event took place in the summer of 2012 in London? What buses were made famous in London? What is the nickname of the ferris wheel that operates in Central London?

The answers London hosted the Olympics this summer. Double-decker buses are the famous London buses. It is called the London Eye.

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Key Vocabulary coronation – a ceremony when a king or queen is crowned irrigation – bringing water to farmer’s crops and fields sewers – the pipes under a city that take water to and from people’s houses