The history of London is brief. History of London: description, interesting facts and attractions

London is the capital city of the United Kingdom of Great Britain as a whole, as well as England separately. It is rightfully the largest city in the British Isles. In terms of population, London is ranked seventeenth in the world and second in Europe.

Today London is the center of the economic, political and cultural life of the entire country. The history of London has evolved over the centuries. The city grew, and with it its power and influence on other cities and countries of the world grew.

London is located on the prime meridian, also known as Greenwich by the name of the area in which it is located. At the moment, in modern London, there are more. But if you look into history, at first there were only three main districts in London that formed the city - the historic Westminster district, the business city and the Southwark district, separated from Westminster and the City by the Thames.

The history of London dates back to the distant 43 AD, when the Romans made their invasion of Great Britain. Soon Londinium (the ancient name for modern London) became an important strategic city in Roman Britain. In 100 AD, the dawn of the development of London comes, which became the capital of Great Britain, displacing the city of Colchester.

In the 5th century, the Romans leave Londinium. It was during this period that the active settlement of London by the British began.

During the Saxon period, during the early Middle Ages, many significant historical events were traced in the history of London. They were caused by the constant change of royal power, numerous attacks and the cultural development of the city, because it was during this period that the first historical buildings were built, which have survived to this day. These include the Tower, Westminster Palace and London (Tower) Bridge.

Regarding the administrative division of the city, during the Middle Ages London was conventionally divided into two main parts - the political and administrative Westminster and the commercial (business) City. This division continues today.

The late Middle Ages became an important moment in the development of London. This is a period of rapid development of the city. London quickly grew rich, becoming a major trade center throughout Europe. Small businesses began to emerge and flourish, and the owners of larger businesses were already actively trading with many of the world's largest countries, such as Russia and the United States.

A separate place in the history of London should be given to the period of the plague, also called the "Black Death". By the beginning of the 17th century, there was still no well-established sewage system in London. The health care system was still underdeveloped. As a result, there were sharp outbreaks of epidemics that claimed thousands of lives. The worst epidemic in the history of London fell in 1665-1666, known as the Great Plague. According to official figures, between 30 and 50 thousand Britons died during this period. This tragedy was followed by another - the Great London Fire of 1666, as a result of which up to 60% of the buildings and houses of the city were destroyed. London took a little time to recover, and he again began to hold the position of the financial capital of the world.

In 1694, the Bank of England was opened, thanks to which the position of London was further strengthened.

In 1707 London was proclaimed the official capital of Great Britain, the newly formed state as a result of the annexation of Scotland to England.

London has long and to this day retains the title of the city of contrasts. Here, in the same territory, live both rich people (City, Westminster), who manage the country's financial affairs, and the working class (East End), living in the slums.

In the XX - XXI centuries, there were many events that influenced the fate of London. The First World War slowed down the development of the city, as it was London that was among the first cities to be subjected to air raids and bombing. During the period between the First and Second World Wars, the population of London did not grow much, but the city expanded its territory. Air raids during the Second World War claimed the lives of thousands of people, destroying tens of thousands of homes. After the war, London lost its status as the largest port in Britain and could not accept many cargo ships at the same time.

In 1952, London suffered another tragic fate - Great smog, a mixture of fog and industrial smoke descended like a veil over the city for five whole days. As a result, more than 4 thousand people died from suffocation and in agony, and over the next few months more than 7 thousand people died.

London has become a city of contrasts, which can also be traced in the architecture of the city. Here you can find almost all known architectural styles from Norman to postmodernism. And against the backdrop of all this historical heritage, there are ultra-modern skyscrapers and buildings at the turn of the XX - XXI century.

Take, for example, the famous Mary Ax (Gherkin) skyscraper or the London Eye, which was opened to celebrate the new millennium and has become a modern symbol of modern London.

The history of the emergence and formation of London. Development and historical events in London.

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It is officially believed that London was founded in the middle of the 1st century AD. e. However, some scientists believe that the first settlements in this area appeared long before the beginning of our era. Archaeologists have yet to find out whether this is true or not, but for now everyone who has visited London at least once admires the numerous architectural monuments of the Middle Ages with delight.

The beginning of the first millennium

The history of London, the capital of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and England, dates back to the Roman conquest of the British Isles in AD 43. e. The troops, led by Aulus Platius, built a bridge to cross the River Thames and established a settlement called Londinium. By the year 200, the city had become a center of trade and was surrounded by a fortress wall that defined its boundaries for the next thousand years.

After the collapse of the Roman Empire, the city's population fell sharply, many buildings were destroyed. And only at the beginning of the 7th century London began to revive. In 604, the first cathedral was erected - St. Paul's Cathedral (Cathedral of St. Paul). By the 9th century, as soon as the city regained its function as a trading center, it was captured by the Vikings. From that moment until the 11th century, the city was ruled by the Vikings, then the Normans, then the British - until King Edward the Confessor approved the Anglo-Saxon power.

Middle Ages

The story of medieval London should begin in 1066, when William the Conqueror became king of England. The coronation took place at the newly erected Westminster Abbey. Under William, London became the largest and richest city in the kingdom.

In 1176, the London Bridge was built - a stone bridge over the Thames, the only one in the city until the end of the 18th century. 15 years later, King Richard I granted London the right to self-government, and a year later, the first mayor of the city was elected. In 1565, the Royal Exchange was organized, which played the role of a trading center. And in 1599, the famous Globe Theater was built, which hosted the premiere of most of Shakespeare's plays.

Surrounded by fortress walls, City of London lived by its own rules, customs and laws. As a result, the name "City" was assigned to the central part of the city, which has survived to this day. As in most medieval cities, the central part of the City was occupied by the Chipside Highway, which served as a market square. The houses of wealthy citizens were located on it, and fountains with drinking water were placed in the center.

History of London

16-19 centuries

The history of London before the 16th century is, first of all, the history of the City. And from the beginning of the 16th century, a period of complex interaction between the commercial City, the administrative Westminster and the working East End begins. This century was marked by a breakdown in feudal relations, a reformation of the church and an intensive upsurge in industry. But, at the same time, this is a period of development of English culture, the main center of which was London.

During the reign of Elizabeth I, the population of London doubled and reached two hundred thousand people by 1600. The city continued to be actively built up, and in 1631, according to a special plan, the Covent Garden piazza quarter was created. Unfortunately, most of the buildings were destroyed by the Great Fire in 1666.

Victorian era and modernization

The Victorian era was a time of increasing social contrasts for London. New luxurious industrial barons' homes were built in the vicinity of Westminster Abbey, and at the same time, the underdeveloped quarters of the urban poor expanded greatly. A city sewage system was created with a length of about 2,100 kilometers. Due to the removal of sewage from the city, the number of cholera diseases has decreased and mortality has sharply decreased.

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In 1829, Sir Robert Peel organized the city police, which later became known as “Bobby,” from the abbreviated form of his name. In 1830, the old buildings at Buckingham Palace were demolished and Trafalgar Square was created, on which the National Gallery was established two years later.

In 1834, as a result of a fire, the buildings of Westminster Palace and Parliament were destroyed, in the place of which it was decided to build a modern Parliament building. After that, in 1859 the famous clock tower, Big Ben, was erected.

In fact, Big Ben was originally the name for the largest clockwork bell, named after the representative of the House of Lords Benjamin Hall. After he had given a long speech about the name of the bell, someone jokingly suggested calling it “Big Ben” and ending the discussion.

A little later, in the 1860s, construction began on the London Underground, the oldest and one of the largest in the world. Three years after the start of work, the first line was opened, connecting Farringdon Road and Paddington stations. The first trains ran on coal and emitted the strongest fumes, the first electric train was launched only in 1906.

Starting in the second half of the 19th century, the West End and the City gradually became uninhabited areas - the wealthiest townspeople moved to the suburbs, to zones with a more favorable environment, and a well-developed transport system made it possible to quickly reach the city center. In the center, old buildings were rebuilt, new ones appeared, office buildings were organized.

In the 19th century, the city's population reached 6 million, making London the largest city in the world.

After the Second World War, buildings of modern forms continued to change the face of London, this time not only in the old streets, but also in many new areas of the city.

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One of the most popular and visited by tourists from all over the world is the city of London. The capital of Great Britain attracts several million tourists every year who seek to see great historical buildings and places, monuments and attractions, galleries with great expositions and purely London museums, cultural and religious sites, royal lands with lush palaces, luxurious parks, the famous red double-decker buses - double decker and many other things known to the whole world.

History of London

The founding of the city in this area dates back to 43 AD, when Britain was invaded by the Romans led by Claudius. They founded the settlement of Londinium, which was very small in size. There is an opinion that there was already a large settlement at this place, but this data is not confirmed by anything.

The settlement is developing rapidly and already in 100, London becomes the capital of Britain. The Romans built walls around London to fortify the city, which largely defined its borders. Over the course of several centuries, there was a rapid development of the city, then its decline, and by the 5th century the Romans had left these places. The city gradually began to be populated by Britons, but was almost abandoned.

In the Middle Ages, London was ruled by the Saxons and was constantly attacked by the Vikings. During the reign of Edward the Confessor, London begins to be divided into the city itself - the City and the seat of the king, and later parliament - Westminster, where the abbey was restored by Edward.

When the Normans won the Battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror was crowned on the site of the erected Westminster Abbey. It was at this time that the Tower and other defensive fortifications appeared in the event of a popular uprising.

After the Tudor dynasty came to power in England, the country became an absolute monarchy. At the same time, the capital of England - London began to grow richer and develop even faster: the first magnificent royal palaces and parks appear.

During the Reformation, many of London's squares were religious lands, and most of the population were monks. When Henry VIII declared the king's supremacy over the church, the situation changed: life became more secular, and many territories belonging to the churches were confiscated by the king.

London quickly became the largest European trading city: businesses opened, new people came. But this also had its drawbacks. In many large cities of that time, there was no sewage system, and medicine was not able to cope with constantly emerging epidemics and diseases.

In London, epidemics constantly broke out, killing thousands of people.

The worst happened in 1665-1666 and was called the Great Plague: almost a fifth of the population fell victim to this terrible disease.

After the end of the epidemic, London suffered another catastrophe - the Great London Fire, in which there were practically no victims, but serious material damage was caused.

After the city's restoration, London becomes the financial capital of the world. At this time, new technologies are being developed, banks are opening, literature is developing, the press appears, cultural objects are being built - the city is developing in all directions.

In the 19th century, London acquired the first railroad, the world's first underground, Tower Bridge and Big Ben. At the same time, a sewerage system appeared in the capital, which had to be built after the Great Stench that happened in 1858.

London's development was interrupted during the First World War when it was attacked from the air. Between the world wars London developed and grew in size. During the Great Depression, many people were left without work and the standard of living in the city deteriorated.

During the Second World War, London was repeatedly bombed, residents were evacuated, and underground stations were used as bomb shelters.

In 1952, the Great Smog descended on London, the victims of which were several thousand people. Then the authorities took care of the ecological situation in the city and passed the necessary laws.

In the 60s of the XX century, the city became the center of the Swing London youth subculture. The main icons of this style are the musical groups The Beatles and the Rolling Stones, James Bond, and the main principles of the subculture are optimism, hedonism and rejection of old values.

After Swinging London, the hippie culture became popular, spreading from the United States around the world.

At the end of the 20th century, London, like other major cities in the world, becomes a target for terrorists. In the 70s, attacks by the Irish Republican Army were carried out, after which they were replaced by Islamic fundamentalists.

In 2012, London hosted the Olympic Games and became the first city to receive this honor three times in its history.

London Attractions

London has always attracted people with its architectural structures, historical and cultural monuments, cultural and sports events. So, from sports events, tourists and locals are annually attracted by matches of football teams in London, which are among the elite of world football, cricket and rugby matches, a tennis tournament in the suburbs of the capital Wimbledon, boat regattas, and the London Marathon.

Among the cultural festivals are the film festival, book fair, music festivals and concerts. Traditional ceremonies are very popular: the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, the Key ceremony in the Tower, fireworks in honor of special events in the royal family.

Many London landmarks have become household names, squares are recognizable, and some historic and royal buildings have become some of the most popular landmarks in the world.

Some sites are included in the UNESCO heritage list. Among them: the Palace of Westminster, the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, the ensemble of buildings in Greenwich, Kew Royal Gardens, St. Margaret's Church.

One of the sights of London, which many are familiar with even by just one outline, is the famous Big Ben Tower, built in a complex with the Parliament Building in the center of the capital.

Along with it, everyone strives to visit the notorious gloomy Tower, which became the place of imprisonment and execution of many prominent political and historical figures in England. Next to the Tower is the majestic Tower Bridge over the Thames, made in neo-Gothic style, next to which is the museum ship "Belfast".

In central London, Trafalgar Square is particularly popular with its famous Nelson's Column, which is used for mass festivities and social events, and during the Christmas holidays it becomes the site of the country's main Christmas tree.

Interesting museums in the capital of England include the London National Gallery, the British Museum, the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Tate Gallery, a collection of arts and crafts and a design collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum, Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum, Pollock's Toy Museum, Sherlock Holmes Museum at a well-known address.

The famous Shakespeare's Globe Theater still attracts tourists with interesting performances and educational programs held there.

In addition to this theater, Broadway-type theaters are popular, the Theater at the Royal Court, the Theater of Elizabeth II, the Royal Opera House, located in Covent Garden, Albert Hall.

London's parks are renowned for their special flair, providing essential relaxation for busy Londoners. The most interesting parks in the capital of Great Britain: Green Park, Hyde Park, Lee Valley, Kensington Gardens, St. James's Park, Greenwich Park, Regent's Park, Richmond Park, Royal Kew Gardens, Bushey Park.

Almost every park presents rare species of plants or animals, interesting fountains and monuments. Many parks provide entertainment for children and numerous cafes for outdoor recreation.

Among the religious buildings of interest are Westminster Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, Southwark Cathedral, Central Mosque and other objects.

The royal residence in London is the chic Buckingham Palace, which is open for visits two months a year when the Queen leaves.

In honor of the new millennium, a huge 135-meter-high Ferris wheel was built on the banks of the Thames, called the London Eye. From the attraction you can see the city from a bird's eye view. This Ferris wheel attracts large crowds of tourists, but does not really like the prim English.

In London, everyone can find entertainment and interesting activities for themselves. If time permits, you can visit all the iconic places associated with the history of England and in many respects determined its fate.

Initially, it was a small settlement with an area of \u200b\u200babout 0.8 km 2. By the year 100, London had become the capital of Britain and reached its heyday in the 2nd century. After the departure of the Romans, London was abandoned and fell into decay. In the 6th century, the Saxons began to settle around and by the end of the 9th century, the old center of London began to be restored. In subsequent centuries, under changing rulers, London was the center of the territory that was transformed into Great Britain.

London has grown a lot during the 19th century. During the Second World War, the city was severely damaged, after which many historic districts were replaced by new ones. Today London is one of the economic and legal centers of the world, with the headquarters of leading international firms located on its territory.

Encyclopedic YouTube

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✪ London. City biography - episode 1

✪ London. City biography - episode 2

✪ Great cities: London

✪ Tim Marlowe: "The History of the Royal Academy of Arts in London in Persons"

✪ Londinium - where did London begin

Subtitles

Etymology

Etymology of the name London not determined. There are many different theories about the origin of the name: most of them are implausible and unfounded, and some are similar to plausible. But none of the versions has sufficient evidence.

Under the Romans, the city was called Londinium... This name is considered pre-Roman (and possibly pre-Celtic), but there are no confirmed theories about its meaning. The Romans very often adopted the names of cities and territories adopted by the indigenous peoples. The generally accepted theory is that the name comes from a Celtic place name Londinion from the word londmeaning "wild".

The Anglo-Saxons founded their settlement Lundenvik not far from the city abandoned by the Romans. The first part of the word was taken from the old name, and the suffix wick in Old English it meant "trading city", so Lundenwick meant "London trading city."

In 886, Alfred took over the territory of London and turned it into a populated place again. To defend the kingdom, he began to build fortified settlements, which in the Anglo-Saxon language were called "burh". London became one of these settlements under the name Ludenburh. Later this name was transformed by cutting off the second root into the name of the city today. After the Norman conquest, the city was called for some time in French-speaking sources Lundres, in Latin - Lundonia .

Among the unofficial names of the city: The big smoke and The great wen... The British once called London The big smoke (or The great smog). This name can literally be translated as "Big Smoke". This definition is connected, of course, with the famous London smog of the XIX-XX centuries. Another unofficial name of the city is The great wen. Wen is an old English word that literally translates to "furuncle", which in this context means "overpopulated city." When it comes to nicknames for neighborhoods, the City is often referred to as the “square mile” as the area is just over a square mile. These two paths are also used to generalize the financial sector of the British economy, as most financial companies and banks have traditionally been concentrated in the City for several centuries.

Early history

Legend of the foundation

According to the legend from "The History of the Kings of Britain" by Galfrid of Monmouth, London was founded by Brutus of Trojan after his victory over the giants Gog and Magog and was named Caer troia, Troia nova (from Latin New Troy), which, according to pseudo-etymology, was renamed Trinovantum. The Trinovantes were a tribe that inhabited the area before the arrival of the Romans.

However, despite intensive excavations, archaeologists have not found any signs of a powerful prehistoric tribe in this area. There were found prehistoric finds, evidence of agriculture, burials and traces of housing, but nothing more significant. It is currently considered unlikely that a pre-Roman city existed, but Roman settlements have not been fully explored, and accurate data have not yet been obtained.

Londinium

At the end of the 3rd century, Londinium was raided several times by Saxon pirates. Because of this, around the year 250, several additional walls were built along the river. The wall stood for 1,600 years and defined the modern perimeter of London. 6 of London's 7 traditional gates were built by the Romans, namely Ludgate, Newgate, Aldersgate, Cripplegate, Bishopsgate and Aldgate. At the end of the 4th century, Britain was divided anew, and Londinium became the capital of the province of Maxima Caesarensis. In the 5th century, the Romans left Londinium, and the city was gradually settled by the Britons. After that, the city was practically abandoned.

London in the Middle Ages

Anglo-Saxon London

Until recently, it was believed that Anglo-Saxon settlements were not built near Londinium. However, the Anglo-Saxon cemetery in Covent Garden, opened in 2008, showed that aliens began to settle there from the beginning of the 6th century. The main part of the settlement is outside the city walls. It was known as Lundenvik, the suffix -vik here means a trading settlement. Recent excavations have also revealed the population density and relatively complex urban organization of early Anglo-Saxon London.

Early Anglo-Saxon London was home to people known as the Middle Saxons. However, at the beginning of the 7th century, the territory of the London region was incorporated into the Kingdom of Essex. In 604, King Sabert was baptized and Mellitus, the first bishop after the Romans, arrived in London. At this time, Ethelbert of Kent ruled in Essex, and under his patronage Mellit founded St Paul's Cathedral. It is believed that the cathedral was founded on the site of the old Roman temple of Diana (although Christopher Wren did not find any evidence of this). It was only a modest church, and it may have been destroyed after the expulsion of Mellit by the sons of Sabert, who were pagans. The establishment of Christianity in the east of the Saxon kingdom took place during the reign of Sigebert II in the 650s. During the 8th century, the royal house of Mercia expanded its rule over southeast England. Mercian rule over London was established in the 730s.

London began to develop its own self-government. After thelred's death in 911, it became part of Wessex. Although it faced competition from the politically superior West Saxon center of Winchester, London's size and wealth gave it a steadily growing importance as a political center. King thelstan held many meetings of the Wittenagemot in London and made his laws from there, while King thelred the Foolish made the laws of London in 978.

During the reign of Eltered, Viking attacks on London resumed. In 994, London was unsuccessfully attacked by an army led by King Sven Forkbeard of Denmark. In 1013, the Danish attack ended in disaster for the British. London fought off Danish attacks, but the rest of the country surrendered to Sven, but by the end of the year London surrendered and Ethelred fled abroad. Sven ruled for only five weeks, after which he died, Eltered again became king. But Sven's son Knud returned with an army in 1015. After thelred's death in 1016, his son Edmund Ironside was proclaimed king and left to gather forces in Wessex. London was sieged by Knud, but was liberated by the army of King Edmund. When Edmund returned to Essex, Knud attacked again, but to no avail. However, Knut defeated Edmund at the Battle of Ashdown and conquered all of England north of the Thames, including London. After the death of Edmund, Knud gained control of the entire country.

The Norse sagas tell of the battle that took place when King тельthelred returned to attack the Danish forces occupying London. According to the saga, the Danes lined up on London Bridge and showered their attackers with spears. Not being scared, the attackers removed the roofs from the nearby houses and, being on the ships, hid them. Protected, they were able to get close enough to the bridge to attach ropes to the bridge, throw off the Vikings, and free London from occupation. This story supposedly took place during the return of Eltered after Sven's death in 1014, but there is no conclusive evidence for this.

After the suppression of the Knud dynasty in 1042, Anglo-Saxon rule was restored by Edward the Confessor. He founded Westminster Abbey and spent most of his time at Westminster, which has since become the center of government. Edward's death led to a dispute over the succession and conquest of England by the Normans. Earl Harold Godwinson was elected by the popular assembly and crowned at Westminster Abbey, but was soon defeated and killed by Duke William of Normandy at the Battle of Hastings. The surviving members of the Witan met in London and elected the young Edgar Etheling as their new king. The Normans advanced along the south bank of the Thames and stood opposite London. They defeated the English army and burned Southwark, but were unable to storm the bridge. They pushed upstream and crossed the river to attack London from the northwest. The resolve of the British collapsed, and representatives of the city, together with aristocrats and priests, went out to meet William to escort him to Berkhamsted. According to some reports, there were several skirmishes when the Normans reached the city. Wilhelm was crowned at Westminster Abbey.

London in the High and Late Middle Ages

Under the Norman regime, new fortresses were built in the cities to subjugate the local population. The most important of these was the Tower in the eastern part of the city, where the first stone castle in England appeared on the site of early wooden fortifications. King William in 1067 issued a charter, establishing the rights, benefits and laws of the city.

In 1176, construction began on one of the most famous incarnations of London Bridge (completed in 1209), which was built on the site of earlier wooden bridges. This bridge stood for 600 years and remained the only bridge across the Thames until 1739.

Over the next centuries, Norman politics was actively implanted in England. The Norman Conquest introduced a feudal culture of chivalry in England based on its French models. Old English was ousted from the sphere of government, and the Norman dialect of French became the language of administration and communication of the dominant social strata. For about three hundred years, the Anglo-Norman dialect dominated the country and had a great influence on the formation of modern English. However, in everyday life, French cultural and linguistic influence quickly declined to an indiscernible level. ...

During the peasant uprising in 1381, London was captured by the rebels led by Wat Tyler. The peasants took over the Tower of London and executed the Lord Chancellor, Archbishop Simon Sudbury and the Lord Treasurer. The peasants plundered the city and set many buildings on fire. Tyler was killed during negotiations and the rebellion died down.

In 1100 the population of London was slightly more than 15,000. In 1300 it had grown to 80,000. London lost at least half of its population during a plague epidemic in the mid-14th century, but its economic and political importance spurred a rapid recovery despite further epidemics.

Medieval London had many narrow and winding streets, and most buildings were built with combustible materials such as wood and straw, making them flammable. The sanitation in the city was poor.

New story

London under the Tudors (1485-1603)

Almost all travelers who find themselves in the UK are eager to visit its capital. Not surprising, because the history of London has been going on for about two millennia, full of events, including bloody ones. What can you tell about the creation and development of the political, economic and cultural center of the United Kingdom, its interesting sights?

History of London: the beginning

The first mention of the capital dates back to 43 AD. In fact, the history of London begins with the landing of Roman legionaries in the British Isles. Moving deeper into the territory, the troops encountered an obstacle, which became the famous Thames. Forcing the river meant building a bridge. To carry out the work, the Romans were forced to establish a camp on the north bank of the Thames, which received the name Londinium.

If you believe the records of the scientist Tacitus, already in 51, the new settlement earned the title of a stronghold of trade. At first it was surrounded by an earthen wall, later (around the beginning of the fourth century) it was replaced by a stone wall. The history of London shows that the city has gone through difficult times associated with the collapse of the Roman Empire. The buildings were destroyed, the number of residents of the city decreased significantly. However, already in the seventh century, London began to revive. It was then that the city acquired the first cathedral, named after St. Paul.

In the ninth century, the former Londinium regained its reputation as a trading center, but a new problem arose - the Viking raids. Only monarch Edward the Confessor was able to bring order, in the middle of the 11th century, who proclaimed Anglo-Saxon supremacy in the city.

Middle Ages

The history of London during the Middle Ages is also rich in events. In the 11th century, Westminster Abbey was erected on its territory, in which the famous William the Conqueror was crowned in 1066. Through the efforts of the king, the settlement became rich and large. The famous London Bridge crossing the Thames was built in 1209 and lasted about 600 years.

The time period spanning 12, 13 and turned out to be a difficult test for this settlement. The history of the city of London shows that it was briefly captured by the French and survived a peasant revolt. The plague epidemic has also become a serious problem.

Beneficial for the capital of foggy Albion was the period of the Tudor dynasty. At this time London was among the largest European shopping centers. The weakening of Spain, which was defeated in the war of 1588, had a positive effect on its development.

New time

The Tudors were replaced by the Stuarts, but the capital continued to flourish. By the way, London acquired the status of the main city in 1707. In the same century, the restoration of St. Paul's Cathedral, destroyed in a fire, takes place, the construction of Westminster Bridge. turns into the main residence of kings.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, the city experienced industrialization and urbanization, the number of its inhabitants increased to one million people. In 1836, the construction of railways began, in 1863, the underground appeared in London. Of course, there were also problems, for example, cholera epidemics, which are easily explained by the rapid population growth.

The history of London also contains information about the losses suffered during the Second World War. Briefly: the capital has repeatedly suffered from enemy bombing raids, many buildings were destroyed. Only an approximate number of civilian casualties is known - 30 thousand people.

Description

Of course, not only the history of the creation of London is interesting. What is the main city of the United Kingdom like today? It is known that this settlement is the second largest city in Europe. Its area is approximately 1580 square kilometers.

How many people live in the capital of Foggy Albion? According to the latest figures, this figure is approximately 8.5 million. The inhabitants of the city are not only British, but also Irish, Asians, Indians, etc.

The history of London says that the city did not always bear its modern name. In various chronicles that have survived to this day, this settlement is referred to as Londinium, Lüdenburg, Ludwick. The 17th century is considered the bloodiest in the history of the capital, it was at this time that its inhabitants faced such shocks as the Great Plague, which claimed the lives of more than 60 thousand people, the Great London Fire, which destroyed many buildings of historical value.

Locals often refer to their city as “Big Smoke”. This is due to the Great Smog - a disaster that took place in 1952. For five days, the settlement was shrouded in smoke, this happened as a result of the excessive concentration of industrial enterprises on its territory. The great smog claimed the lives of about four thousand people.

There is no subway in the world that was built before London. Its inhabitants of London called it "the pipe", since this is the shape that most of the tunnels have.

London history museum

The inhabitants take great care of the history of their beloved city. The London History Museum, which has more than a million exhibits, can serve as a proof. This building contains everything that is associated with the life of the settlement, starting from the times preceding its foundation.

The grand opening of the museum took place in 1976, it is located next to St. Paul's Cathedral. Anyone can visit it free of charge. At the moment, the most interesting exhibit is the carriage of the Lord Mayor.

Museum of Natural History

The Museum in London appeared in 1881, at first it worked as part of the British Museum, later it officially separated from it. The building is famous for rare exhibits from the world of zoology, botany, mineralogy, paleontology. First of all, its popularity among residents and guests of the city is due to the fact that among the exhibits there are the remains of dinosaurs.

For example, in the Museum of Natural History (its second name), you can see the skeleton of a diplodocus, which is 26 meters long. A mechanical model of a Tyrannosaurus is also shown to visitors.

Bright sights

Fortunately, the eventful history of London is not only recorded in textbooks. It can be explored by exploring the sights for which the capital of foggy Albion is deservedly famous. For example, the Tower of London is a fortress that has existed for over 900 years, which has found almost the entire bloody history of Great Britain. At the moment, it has been turned into a unique museum complex, which contains many interesting exhibits.

Westminster Abbey is an excellent example of Gothic architecture that has existed for several centuries and admires for its elegance. It was here that the coronations of English rulers took place for more than a thousand years, and here are the graves of prominent representatives of the nation - not only monarchs, but also scientists and writers. The British Museum contains such a number of exhibits that it is impossible to study all of them even in a few days. The building area is 6 hectares. It is impossible not to mention and in which 775 rooms.