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London is the capital of Great Britain. The city has over eight million inhabitants, making it one of the largest cities in Europe. It is located in the south-east of England, on the River Thames, through which ships can sail to the North Sea.
Until about 100 years ago, London was the largest city in the world. At that time, the British ruled over a huge world empire that stretched over a quarter of the Earth. Even today, London is an important city for European politics and business. With six international airports and several main railway stations, it is also a transport hub.
In London you will find numerous theaters, museums and places for music or sports. One of the most famous museums is the British Museum with cultural objects from all over the world. In 2000, a particularly striking addition to the old sights in London such as Big Ben or Buckingham Palace was added: the London Eye, the Eye of London, is the fourth largest Ferris wheel in the world.
What happened in London earlier?
London was founded by the Romans in the year 50 AD. At that time the city was still called Londinium and was the capital of the Roman province of Britain. After the Romans withdrew, Londinium was destroyed by the Anglo-Saxons. Although the city was newly founded, but after that it was small and insignificant for a long time.
It was not until 1066 that King William the First made it the capital of England again. It replaced the old capital Winchester. In 1707, with the “Act of Union”, the union of Scotland and England, London became the capital of Great Britain.
In modern times, British sailors conquered numerous colonies. London also became an increasingly important trading city. Imposing buildings were erected to express the power of the British Empire. Especially in the age of industrialization, the population numbers increased enormously. As a result, many slums were created. The writer Charles Dickens wrote many novels about the London of that time, which are about the people in these slums.
But London has also been hit by many disasters. In 1666, a major fire destroyed four-fifths of the then city. Outbreaks of diseases such as the plague or cholera cost the lives of many Londoners. During the Second World War, German aircraft bombed large parts of the city. Many residents at that time sought refuge in the subway stations.
In 1965, some politicians felt that it was necessary to expand the city limits of London. They found it unfair that the suburbs benefited from public transport and other things, but did not have to pay taxes to the city. Therefore, many surrounding cities were incorporated. The landscape in between was largely built up with houses. However, there are also many large parks in London.
Is London in England or UK?
Which part of England is London?
Which country is close to London?
Is London in the UK or Europe?
