r11 London II
| Autor: David Vyhlídal | Škola: G Opatov |
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| Textový náhled: THE CITY OF LONDON: London is the capital of the United Kingdom and at the same time it is the largest city in the country, the residence of the monarch, the representatives of the Church of England, government representatives, Parliament, and the Supreme Court. London is the centre of cultural, political and social activities. It is the 9th largest city in the world – its population is about 10 millions (with suburbs), nearly a quarter of the population of Great Britain line in this area, its boroughs, suburbs and satellite towns. London is situated on the river Thames in the southeast England. London is one of the world's most important financial and cultural centres and is noted for its museums, performing arts, exchange and commodity markets, and insurance and banking functions, as well as a host of specialised services. In popular and traditional usage, the term City of London, or the City, is applied only to a small area (2.59 sq. km) that was the original settlement (ancient Londonium) and is now part of the business and financial district of the metropolis. The City of London and 32 surrounding boroughs form the Greater London metropolitan area, which has an area of 1579 sq. km. HISTORY: The Celts settled the territory of today's London as early as 800 BC, but even earlier the site had been inhabited in the Stone Age. Although the place had been occupied by the Romans the mid-1st century AD. They established Roman Londonium. When the Romans left the island in the 5th century, it remained the capital of the Britons. It kept its importance during the Anglo-Saxon times and later during the reign of the Danish kings in the 10th and 11th century. During the 12th century reign of Norman kings (William the Conqueror was the first to come in 1066) the Royal court moved from Winchester to London forever. The city continued to grow and flourish and gradually extended beyond its walls. The 16th century establishment of the trading companies and the Royal Exchange contributed to the rapid economic rise of London. The 17th century brought much suffering to London. In 1665 more than 75,000 people died from a plague epidemic and a year later, in 1666, the Great Fire of London destroyed four fifths of the city. During the following decades hectic building activity rebuilt the whole town. The Port has always been important for the existence of Britain, but during the first three decades of the 19th century it became the biggest in London. German bombing during World War II caused serious damage especially in the City, though this cannot be noticed nowadays. POINTS OF INTEREST: There are many places of interest. We can see them by walking or by various means of transport. London's famous red double-deckers go almost everywhere. There are five airports in the London area; the largest are Heathrow and Gatwick. London is also most significant highway and railway junction in the British Isles. There is a rail connection to all parts of the islands from 15 central stations. The quickest and the cheapest way to get around central of London is by underground, often called the "tube". The last type of transport in London is busses, familiar black taxis and long-distance busses called coaches. The busiest place for buss traffic is Trafalgar square. London is also a cultural and scientific centre of the Kingdom, the seat of London University, City University, London Polytechnic School and more others schools. Many exciting sports events take place in London. Football Association is a very popular sport, which draws crowds into the stadiums such as Wembley during the soccer season. Wimbledon is the scene of the famous Wimbledon Tennis Championships. There are several racecourses for horse racing within easy reach of London, including Ascot near Windsor, or Epsom. SIGHTSEEING IN LONDON: ? Civic Buildings: The great complex of buildings known as the Houses of Parliament, still officially called the New Palace of Westminster, serves as the seat for both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Built in a Neo- Gothic style between 1840 and 1850, it is distinguished by the clock tower that contains the famous bell Big Ben. An assembly hall adjoining the Houses of Parliament named Westminster Hall was constructed in the 11th century and redesigned in the 14th century with a magnificent roof. ? Churches: Saint Paul's Cathedral, London's most imposing church, is a large baroque edifice, distinguished by a huge central dome, and designed by the English architect Sir Christopher Wren. The cathedral is the burial place of many important British figures, as is Westminster Abbey, a typical example of English Gothic architecture (13th and 14th century), long the site of coronations and royal weddings. ? The most venerable building in the city is the Tower of London, an excellent example of Norman military architecture. Beginning as a centre of defence for William the Conqueror, the Tower has served as a royal residence, state prison, execution ground, and place for royal pageants; the Tower is also the home of the crown jewels. In 1994 the Jewel House, an expanded and remodelled area housing the crown jewels, was opened. ? Tower Bridge, which stands next to the Tower is the last bridge on the Thames before it empties into the sea. It was built in 1894. It has two characteristic towers with a height of 65 m. ? The Post Office Tower is the tallest building in Great Britain. It's nearly 190m high and it is adapted for telephone and TV services. ? Palaces: Buckingham Palace has been the official residence of the monarch since 1837, when Queen Victoria moved her court from Saint James's Palace, which is located on the Mall. Three other important palaces are Kensington Palace; Lambeth Palace, the London seat of the archbishops of Canterbury; and Hampton Court, the Tudor palace originally built by Thomas Cardinal Wolsey. ? Museums and Art Galleries: Pre-eminent among London's museums is the British Museum, which is the largest museum in the world and possess one of the finest libraries in the world as well as a superior collection of artworks, antiquities, and objects of natural history. The Museum of London has exhibits dealing with the development and life of London from Roman times to the present. The most famous national collections of art include the National Gallery, facing Trafalgar Square and, next door, the National Portrait Gallery. Contrasting with the essentially classical collections of these two galleries are the romantic, impressionist, and modern art collections of the Tate Gallery. ? Squares: Trafalgar square was named after Admiral's Nelson's victory over Napoleon at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Nelson's statue is situated on a high column. The square with its fountains is a very popular place for various meetings and demonstrations. At Trafalgar square is situated National Gallery too. Next famous square is Piccadilly Circus - for its advertising lighting panels. ? Parks: London is noted for its plenty of park spaces. The most notable are the Royal Parks, which were formerly royal estates. These include Saint James's Park and, to the west, Green Park and Hyde Park. To the north is Re- gent's Park. Surrounding the Royal Naval College and the old Royal Observatory is Greenwich Park. Other im- portant open spaces include Hampstead Heath and Parliament Hill Fields, which overlook London from the north. ? The river Thames: played a vital part in establishing Britain as the world's mightiest trading nation. Docks were developed along the riverbanks to the East including St. Katherine's Docks close to the Tower of London. For more than a century it bustled with commercial activity, now it has been transformed into a marina with a display of his- toric ships. 11.R London | |