What do you know about …?
LONDON
WHERE IS LONDON?
London is the capital city of the United Kingdom
and, with a population of almost 8 million, it’s
one of Europe’s largest and most cosmopolitan
cities.
A mix of people from all over the world have
made it their home.
London lies on the River Thames in the Southeast of England.
LONDON IS MADE UP OF 32 BOROUGHS AND
THE ORIGINAL CITY OF LONDON.
HOW OLD IS LONDON?
The city is 2,000 years old. In AD 50 the
Romans chose to settle here and created the
walled city of Londinium next to the River
Thames. A few parts
of the Roman wall can be
seen today.
THE RIVER THAMES WAS USEFUL FOR
MERCHANT SHIPS AND TRADING, AND TODAY
THE RIVER IS STILL IMPORTANT FOR
TRANSPORT AND TOURISM.
AFTER VICTORY IN THE BATTLE OF HASTINGS,
WILLIAM, DUKE OF NORMANDY, WAS
CROWNED KING OF ENGLAND IN WESTMINSTER
ABBEY ON CHRISTMAS DAY, 1066.
WILLIAM ALSO HAD THE TOWER OF LONDON
BUILT AS HIS ROYAL SEAT OF POWER.
LONDON WAS STILL A SMALL WALLED CITY IN
1300 AD
THE LANCASTRIAN SIEGE OF LONDON IN 1471
IS ATTACKED BY A YORKIST SALLY.
THE GREATEST PLAYWRIGHT AND HIS GLOBE
THEATRE, AS DEPICTED BY VÁCLAV HOLLAR.
THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON STARTED IN A
BAKER'S SHOP IN 1666 AND DESTROYED MOST
OF THE CITY.
A CATHEDRAL HAS STOOD ON THIS SITE SINCE
604 AD. THE 4TH ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL WAS
BUILT BY SIR CHRISTOPHER WREN IN 16691711. AT 111 METRES HIGH, IT WAS THE
TALLEST IN LONDON UNTIL 1962.
THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER WAS A ROYAL
PALACE FROM THE 11TH CENTURY. IT WAS
DESTROYED BY FIRE IN 1512 AND 1834. THE
PRESENT GOTHIC PALACE IS THE SEAT OF
PARLIAMENT WITH 1,100 ROOMS AND A
FAMOUS BELL IN ST. STEPHEN’S TOWER.
WESTMINSTER ABBEY - SINCE 1066,
WHEN KINGS HAROLD AND WILLIAM WERE
CROWNED, THE CORONATIONS OF ENGLISH AND
BRITISH MONARCHS HAVE BEEN HELD HERE.
BUCKINGHAM HOUSE WAS BUILT FOR THE DUKE
OF BUCKINGHAM IN 1703.
KING GEORGE III BOUGHT IT FOR £21,000 FOR
HIS QUEEN CHARLOTTE IN 1761.
QUEEN VICTORIA WAS THE FIRST MONARCH TO
LIVE HERE FROM 1837. THE FACADE WITH
BALCONY WAS ADDED IN 1847 AND THE
MARBLE ARCH MOVED TO HYDE PARK.
WHO LIVES IN ‘BUCK HOUSE’ NOW?
IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE THE PALACE AT 11.00 YOU
SEE ‘CHANGING OF THE GUARD’ CEREMONY.
HYDE PARK, WITH ITS SPEAKER’S CORNER, IS
ONE OF THE FAMOUS ROYAL PARKS IN LONDON.
THE MARBLE ARCH STANDS IN ONE CORNER.
BY 1806, THE CITIES OF LONDON,
WESTMINSTER AND SOUTHWARK HAD GROWN.
CHARLES DICKENS LIVED AND WROTE IN
LONDON IN THE 19TH CENTURY.
DURING WWII, THOUSANDS OF LONDONERS
WERE KILLED BY GERMAN BOMBS, INCLUDING
MY GREAT-GRANDPARENTS AND GREAT AUNTS.
WHO LIVES AT 10, DOWNING STREET?
I DO! WHAT IS MY NAME AND MY POSITION?
THERE ARE MANY WORLD-FAMOUS MUSEUMS
AND GALLERIES (FREE ENTRY) IN LONDON.
THE BRITISH MUSEUM – INSIDE AND OUT!
THE NATIONAL GALLERY STANDS ON
TRAFALGAR SQUARE.
ADMIRAL NELSON SITS ATOP HIS COLUMN IN
TRAFALGAR SQUARE. HE WAS SHOT IN BATTLE
BUT WHO DID HE BEAT AT TRAFALGAR IN 1805?
THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM AND SCIENCE
MUSEUMS ARE IN SOUTH KENSINGTON.
THE TATE MODERN IS IN AN OLD POWER
STATION ON THE SOUTH BANK OF THE THAMES.
PEREGRINE FALCONS NEST ATOP THE CHIMNEY.
ST. PAUL’S WAS THE TALLEST, BUT LONDON HAS
GROWN MUCH TALLER IN THE LAST 50 YEARS.
POST OFFICE TOWER, 1962, 165M
NAT WEST TOWER, 1980, 177M
THE CANARY WHARF OFFICE COMPLEX BUILT IN
FORMER EAST DOCKLANDS IN PAST 20 YEARS
– ONE CANADA SQUARE IS 235 METRES.
THIS OFFICE BUILDING IN THE CITY IS
NICKNAMED THE GHERKIN (OR A RUDE NAME)
BY LONDONERS!
FROM 2013, THE TALLEST BUILDING IN THE
EUROPEAN UNION IS THE ‘SHARD’ AT 309 M.
LONDON’S OLD COUNTY HALL AND NEW CITY
HALL (2002) – THE ‘ONION’ (OR GLASS
TESTICLE)!
YOU CAN FLY INTO ONE OF LONDON’S FIVE
AIRPORTS, OF WHICH THE BIGGEST AND
BUSIEST IS HEATHROW IN THE WEST.
HOW SHOULD WE TRAVEL AROUND LONDON?
The best way to get around the city is by public
transport, either the underground train, known as
‘the tube’ (which was built from 1863 and is the
world’s first underground train system).
Or you can take one of London’s iconic red doubledecker buses.
The DLR trains run in the air in the Docklands and
East London with NO drivers!
If you are in a hurry, you can always take one of
London’s famous black cabs (taxis).
TAKE THE TUBE TRAIN
TAKE A BUS
OR FLAG DOWN A CAB.
DOCKLANDS LIGHT RAILWAY – WHERE IS THE
DRIVER? THERE ISN’T ONE!
IF WE NEED TO CALL HOME WE CAN STILL FIND
RED PHONE BOXES, CARDS ONLY–NO CASH.
LONDON HAS 43 UNIVERSITIES, INCLUDING
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON AND THE ROYAL
COLLEGE OF MUSIC AND 400,000 STUDENTS.
BUSINESS, CULTURE, SPORT…
The City of London is an important business
and finance centre.
London has a huge influence on fashion,
culture, politics, entertainment, media and
sport across the UK and Europe.
The 2012 Summer Olympics took place there.
What else can you see in and around London?
THE ROYAL BOTANICAL GARDENS AT KEW ARE A
UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE.
SO ARE THE NAVAL ACADEMY COMPLEX,
MERIDIAN AND OBSERVATORY AT GREENWICH.
PICCADILLY CIRCUS IN THE WEST END.
IF YOU ARE FEELING RICH YOU CAN SHOP AT
HARRODS OR SELFRIDGES IN THE WEST END!
STREET PERFORMERS AND COFFEE AT COVENT
GARDEN, YOUNG FASHION AT CAMDEN MARKET.
WHICH SPORTS CAN YOU WATCH AT THESE TOP
LONDON VENUES?
The summer Olympic Games were held here in
the Olympic Village in East London in 2012.
THE CHAMPION’S LEAGUE FINAL WAS HELD AT
WEMBLEY STADIUM IN 2013.
THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP IS HELD IN
WIMBLEDON EVERY YEAR IN JUNE.
CLASSICAL AND ROCK CONCERTS AT THE ROYAL
ALBERT HALL.
POP AND ROCK CONCERTS AT THE MILLENIUM
DOME (O2 ARENA)
SO NOW YOU KNOW MUCH MORE ABOUT
LONDON THAN YOU DID BEFORE!
Try to fill the gaps in the worksheet.
 Use this presentation and information from the
internet to help you find the missing words.
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London
 http://www.projectbritain.com/london/
 Good luck!
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