THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND The Union Jack The Emblem Our best dreams are connected with this beautiful city! London is the capital of England. It is political, economic and business centre. It is one of the largest cities in the world and the largest city in Europe. Its population is about 10 million. London is situated on the river Thames. The city is very old. It has more than 20 centuries of history. Traditionally it is divided into several parts: the City, Westminster, the West End and the East End. They are very different from each other. London The centre of London is Trafalgar Square. Some people say it is the most beautiful place in London. In the middle of the square stands a tall column. It is a monument to Admiral Nelson. Four bronze lions look at the square from the monument. There are two beautiful fountains in the square. They are in front of the National Gallery which is one of the best picture galleries of the world. Every day many tourists visit this fine building with tall columns. Trafalgar Square The City The City is the oldest part of London, its a financial and business centre. Many people are working in the City but very few live there. There are many banks and other offices there too. You can visit some interesting places in the City or near it. There are St.Pauls Cathedral and the Tower of London. The St.Pauls Cathedral was built in the 17 th century by Sir Christopher Wren. It took him 35 years. The Tower of London was built in the 11 th century. It was used as a fortress, a palace and a prison. Now its a museum. You can see a lot of interesting things in the halls of the White Tower. Its square walls are white and very tall. William the Conqueror built it in the eleventh century. There are always black ravens in the Tower of London. People keep them in the Tower of London and look after them very well as they believe that London will be rich while ravens live there. St.Pauls Cathedral The Tower Westminster is the aristocratic official part of London. It includes Buckingham Palace where the Queen lives, and the Houses of Parliament. The Buckingham Palace is a wonderful building with a monument in front of it which is the Queen Victoria Memorial. The large clock is Big Ben. Big Ben is the name of the clock and the bell of the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament. You can hear the sound of Big Ben every hour in London. The clock and the bell got their names after Sir Benjamin Hall. He was a tall man, whose nickname was Big Ben. So people know the clock as Big Ben. One of the most famous and beautiful churches in London is Westminster Abbey. It is more than nine hundred years old. Westminster Buckingham Palace Big Ben The Houses of Parliament Westminster Abbey. The West End is the richest and most beautiful part of London. It is a symbol of wealth and glamour. The best hotels, restaurants, shops, clubs, bars are situated there. English aristocracy lives in this region. One of the busiest streets in the West End is Oxford Street. There are many various shops in it which attract customers from different countries of the world. The West End The East End is an industrial district of London. There are many factories and the Port of London there. The region is populated by working class families, those people who have built the palaces of the West End. Old residents of the East End are proud to be called cockneys which means true Londoners, inhabitants of the area. They love the district very much. The East End There are so many other places to see and visit in London, but you cant do all during one short trip There are so many other places to see and visit in London, but you cant do all during one short trip The end : , , , ,