L o n d o n

London is the capital of Great Britain.

London is… a political centre a business centre a cultural centre the Houses of Parliament the City of London museums Buckingham Palace shops, banks and offices theatres, cinemas

London is a political centre because… the Queen lives in Buckingham Palace Elizabeth II the Prime Minister lives in London The government sits in London (the Houses of Parliament) David Cameron 10, Downing Street

London is a cultural centre because… there are a lot of museums in London: The British MuseumMadam Tussaud’s Museum The National Gallery there are a lot of monuments in London: The Nelson Column The Queen Victoria Memorial Oliver Cromwell

London is a tourist centre because… there are a lot of tourist attractions in London: London Eye St. Paul’s Cathedral Westminster Abbey The Tower of London Trafalgar Square Big Ben

London stands on the river Thames There are more than 20 bridges over the Thames Westminster Bridge Tower Bridge London Bridge

London is famous for its parks: Hyde Park Marble Arch Speakers’ Corner Albert Memorial St James’s Park Regent’s Park Kensington Gardens Green Park

It’s interesting to know: -that the British Museum was founded in 1753; it is in Great Russell Street; -it is famous for its collections of very old things from different countries; Egypt Ancient Rome - it has a large Reading Room; Greece Easter Island

It’s interesting to know: -that one of the famous London cinemas is the “Odeon” -that one of the oldest churches in London is St Paul’s Cathedral -that one of the famous London theatres, Covent Garden or the Royal Opera House, is in the centre of the former vegetable market

The history of London -The Romans came to England in the 1-st century AD; -They built a town on the river Thames and named it Londinium; -The Romans built a lot of roads and a bridge over the Thames. There were houses and shops on the old London bridge.

The history of London -The Normans came to England from France in the 11-th century; -William the Conqueror became King of England in 1066; -He built the White Tower in 1078 to defend himself from the English.

The history of London -By 1600 there were more than people in London; -The houses were made of wood and they were close to each other; -In 1666 the Great Fire began; -It started near London Bridge; -The Fire burnt for 4 days; -It destroyed 80% of the city;

The history of London -After the Great Fire people built a new city of stone; -By 1830 there were more than one and a half million of people in London; -But the city became dark and dirty; -The railways came and made London richer and richer.

The history of London -Now London is a rich and beautiful city; -More than 7 million people live in London; -There are still poor people and dirty places in London; -But life is much better now than it was centuries ago.

London the City of Londonthe City of Westminster (its business part) (its political and historical part)

The City of London -It’s the oldest part of London; -Many people work but very few live there; -There are a lot of banks and offices there; There are some places to visit in the City: The Tower of London St Paul’s Cathedral

The Tower of London -It was built by William the Conqueror in the 11-th century; -It was a fortress, a palace, a prison and the King’s Zoo; -Now it is a museum. People can visit the White Tower and see the collections of the Armory and the Crown Jewels; -Yeomen Warders or Beefeaters watch the black ravens. They believe that London will be rich while ravens live there. - Tower Bridge is not far from the Tower.

St Paul’s Cathedral -It is not far from the Tower of London; -It was built by the famous architect Sir Christopher Wren in the 17-th century after the Great Fire. It took him 35 years. -There are many columns and towers in the Cathedral. It is famous for its huge dome and the Whispering Gallery. -Sir Christopher Wren was buried in the Cathedral. The inscription says: “If you seek for his monument, look around you”.

Trafalgar Square -It is in the centre of London; -There is a monument to Admiral Nelson in the middle of the square. He won the battle with the Spanish Armada at Trafalgar in 1805; -Four bronze lions guard the column at the bottom. -There are two fountains in the square. -Tourists like to feed pigeons there. -The National Gallery faces Trafalgar Square. It is famous for its collection of pictures and sculptures.

Westminster It’s a political centre of London because… -the Queen lives in Westminster -the Prime Minister lives at 10, Downing Street -the government sits in the Houses of Parliament

Whitehall -It’s a wide street leading from Trafalgar Square to Parliament Square; - Downing Street is to the right of Whitehall; - The Houses of Parliament are in Parliament Square on the bank of the Thames; -They consist of 2 Houses (the House of Commons and the House of Lords)

The Houses of Parliament The House of Commons The House of Lords The Clock Tower / Big Ben Sir Benjamin Hall Westminster Bridge

Westminster Abbey - It’s one of the main churches in London; -It is more than 900 years old; -Many English Kings and Queens were christened, married, crowned and buried there; It’s famous for its Poets’ Corner, where great writers, poets and scientists are buried.

Buckingham Palace - The Queen lives in Buckingham Palace; -It is in St. James’s Park; -There is a monument to Queen Victoria in front of the Palace; -It is called the Queen Victoria Memorial.