The world’s great cities

The world’s great cities

London

London’s origins

Did you know that London was founded by the ancient Romans? They called it Londinium. The Romans ruled from 43 AD to the fifth century AD, when the Empire fell. During the third century, Londinium had a population of 50,000, mainly due to the influence of its major port. Since then, it has grown to a population of nearly 10 million.

Things not to miss

You can’t go to London without walking by the Houses of Parliament and London’s huge clock: Big Ben. Take a stroll through beautiful St James’ Park to Buckingham Palace, feed the pigeons in Trafalgar Square, or get a bird’s eye* view of the city’s skyline from the London Eye – a giant Ferris wheel. If you love culture and history, make sure you wander* through Westminster London, England, needs no introduction. Exciting, trendy, and cosmopolitan, England’s capital has something for everyone. Let’s find out more about this vibrant city.

Cathedral and St Paul’s Cathedral, or gaze* at the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London. Love galleries and museums? Pay a visit to the Natural History Museum and the Tate Modern Gallery.

London for free

London can be very expensive. Luckily though, there are many things you can enjoy for free. These include the British Museum (a huge museum is dedicated to human history, art, and culture), Hyde Park (created by King Henry VIII for hunting), Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace (which lasts around 45 minutes and takes place daily), the National Gallery (which houses one of the greatest collections of paintings in the world), and Camden Market (located in exciting Camden Town).

“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.”

Samuel Johnson “In London, everyone is different, and that means anyone can fit in.” Paddington Bear

London Quiz

Have you finished reading about London? See if you can answer the questions below: 1 Where can you watch the

Changing of the Guard? 2 Where can you get a ‘bird’s eye view’ of London? 3 Who founded London? 4 What was London’s first name? 5 Where can you find a lot of pigeons? 6 Where can you find the Crown Jewels? 7 Name two famous London cathedrals. 8 What’s London’s population today?

The Odd-One-Out

Which of the below symbols doesn’t represent London? 1 Black cabs 2 Red telephone boxes 3 Gondolas The answers are on page 14.

4 Red double-decker buses 5 The Union-jack flag

Glossary

bird’s eye: a view from high above gaze: to look intently wander: to walk slowly and aimlessly