London

Facts:
- about 7,5 Mill. inhabitants
- Location: South England, River Thames
- With 1600 km² the biggest Metropole of the world as area

History:
- The army of emporer Claudius founded 43 after Christ a new province named „Londinium“ in the conquered Britain.
- In 1666 4/5 of the City were distroyed by a fire
- 1826 the University College was founded, the oldest part of the future University of London (since 1836)
- 1863 the first underground railway of the world started between Farringdon Street and King’s Cross
- 1927 Foundation of BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation)

Worth to see:
• The gouvernement of London and UK is located in Westerminster. Westminster Abby is certainly the most famous cathedral of London (Charles and Diana married there). She was built by Edward the Confessior since the 11th century in her nowadays look.
- Big Ben, the bell tower at Houses of Parliament, is the sybol of the city
- The Ferris wheel “London Eye” is located on the opposite side of the River Thames

• The Buckingham Palace: Residence of the monarchs close to Greenpark

• National Gallery: London’s most important Gallery for painting with a lot of famous works from different epoches at Trafalgar Square

• Hyde Park: together with Kensington Gardens London’s biggest parc in the north of the in-quarter Kensington
- Freedom of speech at Speakers’ Corner. Everyone may speak public and give his/her opinion

• The Tower of London: Since 11th century kings residence, prison and Treasury at the bank of the River Thames.
- Today museum of the history of the british royal crowns
- The crown juwels can be visited there
- The Tower Bridge goes to the southern side of the River Thames

• City Hall: The London City Hall is located opposite to the Tower of London on the southern side of the River Thamse. It is a complete glass building in form of an egg and built in 2002.

LITERATURE:

Charles Dickens: Living in London with his family from 1837 to 39, the famous auther wrote his biggest works like “Oliver Twist” at that time. Today the Dickens’ House is a museum. One of the most extensive research-libraries about Dickens is located in the cellar.
Also Shakespeare lived and wrote in Great Britain. Some of his works: Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet, Othello, King Lear …

ARCHITEKTURE:

Sir Norman Foster is at present the most known architect of Great Britain. He designed the futuristic and exzentric “City Hall” in 2002. The Millennium-Bridge and the Swiss Re-Tower are also designed by him. The Millennium-Tower is in planning. (He became also famous with the planning of the Reichstagskuppel in Berlin.)

MUSIC:

- The “Royal Albert Hall” is the most known Concert hall in London and home of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestras. After a restauration the accustic is improved.
- The Beatles are certainly the most famous band of Great Britain. They startet their carrier in the late 1950 in Liverpool in the north of GB.
- In the 1990 Take That was a famous boygroup all over Europe. Their origin was Manchester - next to Liverpool