London

London is the capital and largest city of the United Kingdom as both England.

In the greater London region, whose limits nowadays often equals that of the city of London, is home to some 7.5 million people. London is the city with the most inhabitantsof the European Union. The entire region of the metropolis, however, extends far beyond the borders of greater London. The limits of this are not easy to give, the number of inhabitants lies between 12 and 14 million. [1]  between 1831 and 1925 London was the largest city in the world. [2]

The city is, apart from the capital and the largest city of the United Kingdom, also the political, economical and cultural center of that country. Also in Europe and the world she fulfills an important function in various areas: London is considered one of the four traditional alfa-consideredworld cities, along with Paris, Tokyo and New York. [3] especially in the 18th and the 19th century London as the capital of the British Empire the absolute political and economic power Center of the world.

London has four places on the World Heritage list of the UNESCO : the Tower of London, the historic settlement of Greenwich, the Kew Gardens, and a joint tender consisting of the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and Saint Margaret's Church. [4]



Content
[hide] *1 History 
 * 1.1 prehistory and antiquity
 * 1.2 middle ages
 * 1.3 new time
 * Second World War 1.3.1
 * 1.3.2 After the second world war
 * 2 Geography
 * 2.1 Topography
 * 2.2 administrative divisions
 * 2.3 Climate
 * 3 demographics
 * 3.1 demographics
 * 3.2 development of the population
 * 3.3 Religion
 * 4 Directors
 * 4.1 local government
 * 4.2 national Government
 * 5 cityscape
 * 5.1 Architecture
 * 5.2 Parks
 * 5.3 Squares
 * 6 Culture
 * 6.1 points of interest
 * 6.2 museums and galleries
 * 6.3 Sport
 * 6.4 theatre and music
 * 6.5 literature and film
 * 6.6 food and drinks
 * Economy 7
 * Activity 7.1
 * 7.2 retail
 * traffic and transport 8
 * 8.1 road traffic
 * 8.2 airports
 * 8.3 railways
 * 8.4 Metro
 * 9 Education
 * health care 10
 * 11 town twinning
 * 12 see also
 * 13 external links

History
Londinium about 400 ad.===Prehistory and antiquity=== According to the medieval mythology of London Geoffrey of Monmouth was founded by Brutus of Troy and was known as Troia Nova, which was corrupted to Trinovantum. [5]  the city would have renamed King Lud in Caer Ludein, the origin of the name "London". [6]  Geoffrey provides prehistoric London of a rich and interesting stories of legendary Kings, which likewise in his Historia regum Britanniae are described. Archaeologists have however, except signs of agriculture and remains of habitation, no evidence found of a prehistoric or British city.

During the prehistoric times London was an agricultural area. In this area were the trading posts located Egham and Brentford . These two places are not become cities, partly because of a lack of communication possibilities. [7]  major finds, such as the Battersea shield, that in the Thames at Chelsea was found, do suspect that the area was important. [8]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Around the year 50, under the Roman Emperor Claudius, the city was founded as Londinium on the North Bank of the Thames.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-9" len="158" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [9]  it was the capital of the Roman province of Britannia.Probably was already in the second century built a bridge over the river. After the city of Boudiccain 61, by troops, was completely destroyed, they grew into one of the largest cities of theRoman Empire.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-10" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [10]  after the departure of the Romans in 410 hit the city in decline. William the Conqueror on the Bayeux Tapestry===Middle Ages=== <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Anglo-saxon Kings ruled over England after the departure of the Romans. The city was regularly plundered by Vikings. Alfred the great defeated the Vikings after a series of battles.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-11" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [11]  this allowed the city to prosper. The Norman William the Conqueror took, after his conquest in 1066 (see battle of Hastings), a prosperous city. After his victory destroyed the army of William a large part of the country in an attempt to subject the Englishmen, but he avoided London. He waited at Berkhamsted until the officials of the city would recognize him as King. Londoners voted with his proposal and so quickly in London became the capital of the area that was in the hands of Willem.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-12" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [12]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">London grew further in prosperity and population during the middle ages. The city had about 40,000 inhabitants in 1100, were that almost 100,000 in 1300.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-13" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [13]  London ensured his wealth to create more independent of the Kings. For an additional fee, it obtained various freedoms and privileges. So got the town in 1194 by Richard the Lionheart the statute that a Board of mayor and aldermen (wethouders) (Mayor) maintained. This was confirmed in a new Charter of 1199. In 1215 King John of England had to allow new privileges, due to the terms of the Magna Carta.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Gradually acquired the City so much self-government, that no official of the King and the King himself had access only after permission. The power was in the hands of the merchants, who had United in corporations. Also, foreign merchants established themselves in the city, Florentines, Genoese, Venetians and especially Hanseatic merchants, who had in their office since 1157 Steel Yard. London was during the pre-scripted ones based on neutral, making it both the House Lancaster as their opponents of the House York got privileges. In 1381 the city was sacked by rebellious farmers under Wat Tyler.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-14" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [14] The great fire in 1666 the city much damage to===New Time=== <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">London was early on a financial and Trade Center: the Royal Exchange was founded in 1565, the first fair of the city. Two disasters hit London shortly after each other: in 1665 there was a great plague epidemic, which has about 100,000 people,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-15" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[15]  and the great fire of Londonin 1666, which raged from 2 to 5 september and much of the City devastated. It was also St Paul's Cathedral in flames. at the same time the Second Anglo-Dutch war was underway. Sir Christopher Wren played a major role in the urban planning and reconstruction after the great fire. He designed the new St Paul's Cathedral and the monument of the great fire, called simply 'The Monument'. Wren also carried out some renovations to the Palace of Whitehall before the complex burned down in 1698.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">At the end of the seventeenth century King William III, founded with the help of Bank of England, the Dutch capital, based in Threadneedle Street. In the eighteenth century London was a very prosperous city. It had the role of Amsterdam 's world financial center retrieved. In 1851 and in 1862, during the Victorian era, World exhibitions were organized. In the second half of the 19th century, in the city built a large-scale sewage network, led by Sir Joseph Bazalgette. London was the first city in the world that in this way the significantly improved living standards and health of the population.

Second World War
<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">During the Second World War London was hard hit by German bombing, where about 20,000 people were killed.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-16" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [16]  London was the nerve centre of the defense against the threat of the Axis powers. From the Cabinet War Rooms premier Winston Churchill led the Empire. From a bunker under the Goodge Street tube station led Dwight Eisenhower Operation Overlord and the invasion of continental Europe.

After the second world war
Canary Wharf in the Docklands<p lang="en" len="1385" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Several times (in 1952 and 1962) is London seriously threatened by floods (the city drops with a speed of 30 cm per century),<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-17" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[17]  when the construction of the impressive Thames Barrier (1977–1982) in the Thames at Woolwich made necessary.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Over the years the city has grown in all directions like an ink stain and gobbled up many small towns and villages outside The growth is now on. somewhat slowed down by the establishment of a green belt. The development concentrates now in an upgrade of the old Docklands port areas, the.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">London is because of her status as a world-class city and as the capital of the United Kingdom regularly been targeted by terrorism. In 1939 and 1940 and between 1973 and 2001, by the Provisional Irish Republican Army bomb attacks a large number of committed. However, the heaviest attacks were terrorist bombings of 7 July 2005. At explosions in three different trains fell 39 victims. Also a bus was blown up, there were 13 dead.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-18" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [18]  two weeks later failed a series of similar attacks. A new attack with two car bombs on Friday 29 June 2007 was narrowly avoided.

Topography
Satellite image of London<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The millions of city of London, greater London, or is located in the South East of England. Greater London covers an area of 1,572 km2.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-19" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [19]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The city is roughly from west to East, intersected by the river Thames. The River plain where the River Thames flows through is the Thames Valley. This River was once much wider and shallower than it is today and was bordered by wetlands; at the height of the London Bridge was talk of tides and at high tide the water could be up to a kilometre wide, about five times as wide as now.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-20" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [20]  with the construction of the largest Thames Embankment from 1862 was the width of the river strongly limited, was almost 9 hectares of land could and must perceive a sewer, a subway line and roads are. Tides of the river still forms the a threat to London, although the Thames Barrier, a Weir in the River Thames in East London, offer sufficient protection in the coming decades.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The highest natural point in London is Westerham Heights with a height of 245 metres.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-21" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [21]  Westerham Heights is located in the London borough of Bromley in Outer London, the outer ring of greater London. The eight highest natural points of the city are all in Outer London. The highest point of the central part of Inner London, greater London, Hampstead Heath is in the borough of Camden with a height of 134 meters.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The City of London is the historical city core; that is usually only called the City. The City is best known for the large number of financial institutions, that there is established. The area is just 2.6 km² and is also known as the square mile called. The City has about 7000 inhabitants.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-22" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [22]

Administrative divisions
<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">London consists of thirteen boroughs (towns) of the City of London and Inner London: twelve directly surrounding boroughs, surrounded by Outer London in Greater London (the city as a whole). The boroughs themselves are also divided into several districts. The city has a total of 32 administrative units.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The City of London is not a borough, but a ceremonial County. The City of London has the status of city, just as the City of Westminster.

Climate
<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">London has a temperate marine climate. Relatively seen come rain and snow is not common. Probably this has to do with the heat-island effect. Still, one in London called snow, such as during the snowstorm of February 2009.

Demographics
<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In a big city like London is the demographics very diverse. More than 100 different nationalities live In the city and there are more than 300 languages are spoken.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-25" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [25]  <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-26" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[26]  of all inhabitants of London is 32% born outside the United Kingdom, of the inhabitants of Inner London even 39%. 69.4 percent of the 7.5 million inhabitants are blank. The largest group of immigrants in London are Indians (6.5%), followed by Pakistanis and Bengal (both 2.3%).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-27" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[27]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In the table of the population to the country of origin is to see that many ethnic groups come from the former British Empire.

Development of the population
<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">From the table, which indicates the development of the population, that the population has declined since 1939 . In recent years, the population again.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">* From 1881 the population for greater London.

Religion
Westminster Abbey<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">58.2% of Londoners calls himself Christian.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Religion_in_London_29-0" len="179" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [29]  15.8% of Londoners says they are not religious. Other major religious groups in London are Muslims (8.5%), Hindus (4.1%), Jews(2.1 per cent), Sikhs (1.5%), Buddhists (0.8%), Pagans (0.3%) and other (0.2%).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Religion_in_London_29-1" len="179" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[29]  8.7% at the 2001 census of no answer to the question what faith they adhere.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Religion_in_London_29-2" len="179" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [29]

The Bait-ul-futuhmosque<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In London is a large number of churches, of which a few are world famous. So are the Kings of England all crowned at Westminster Abbey. King Harold II Godwinson was the first frost who was crowned, in 1066. On Christmas day of the same year, William the Conqueror here already crowned as his successor. Also all subsequent English sovereigns were crowned here, except Edward V andEdward VIII, which were not crowned.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [30]  The Archbishop of Canterbury leads traditional this ceremony, although Harold and William were crowned by the Archbishop of York. The St. Paul's Cathedral is the largest church of the city. The Church is the seat of the Bishop of London. In this church was made the marriage between Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. Other famous churches in London are:All Hallows-by-the-Tower, All Souls, Brompton Oratory, Southwark Cathedral, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Temple Church, Westminster Cathedral, St Paul's Covent Garden and St Mary-le-Strand.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Many Muslims live in Tower Hamlets and Newham. The main mosques are the London Central Mosque and the Bait-ul-futuh mosque.Hindus live mainly in Harrow and Brent, while the Sikh communities live mainly in East and West London.

Local Government
The City Hall, the London City Hall, located on the River ThamesThe London Cityhall and the Shard, Europe's tallest skyscraper<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The local Government of London is divided into two levels. The highest level is formed by the Greater London Authority (GLA), which itself consists of two, chosen, parts: theMayor of London, which holds the Executive power, and the London Assembly, which can examine the policies of the Mayor and his budget proposals can approve or reject. Both parts have the modern City Hall along the Thames as head office. The current system exists only since 2000; for that year, the Government formed by the abolished Greater London Council in 1986. As the title "Mayor of London" only since 2000. The current Mayor of London Boris Johnsonis the conservative, who in 2008 succeeded Ken Livingstoneafter two terms.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The lower level of London's 33 local authorities: local government is formed by the Councils of the 32 London boroughsand the City of London Corporation.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-31" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [31]  The City has its own mayor, also known as the Lord Mayor (of the City of London) called.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Policing_32-0" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [32]  This 33 local authorities have the responsibility over local issues such as education, social services, waste collection and the local infrastructure.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Metropolitan Police Service is responsible for security in greater London, except for the City of London, and is under the supervision of the Metropolitan Police Authority. The City has its own police, the City of London Police. For the security in the National Rail and London underground, Underground, is taken care of by the London transport Police.The London Fire Brigade, the Fire Department in London, is active throughout Greater London, including the City, and is one of the largest fire departments in the world.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-33" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [33]  The London ambulance service is the London Ambulance Service NHS Trust.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-34" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [34]  Her Majesty's Coastguard and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution operate service on the River Thames.

National Government
<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">London, as the capital of the United Kingdom, has an important function in the national administration. The British Parliament is seated in the Palace of Westminster, better known as the Houses of Parliament. Near the Palace of Westminster, in particular on the street Whitehall, is a number of other important government buildings, including the headquarters of the Ministry of defence, the Ministry of health and the Department of work and pensions. The official residence of the British Prime Minister is located at 10 Downing Street, a side street off Whitehall. This address has acquired the status of his own name.

Cityscape
Views of contemporary London from St. Paul's Cathedral

Architecture
<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">London has not an architectural style that is characteristic of the city. Well there are a number of architects who have managed to print a stamp on the city.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Many of the buildings are in the current London after the great fire. Yet there are still buildings, or residues thereof, of for the time. So there are still pieces preserved Roman city wall. Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London are also remains of for the great fire.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Royal architect Inigo Jones introduced the palladianisme in the city. The most famous buildings that he designed are the Queen's House in Greenwich from 1616 (his earliest extant work), and the Banqueting Hall in the Palace of Whitehall from 1622.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Christopher Wren after the great fire created with the reconstruction of St. Paul's Cathedral a monument. In addition to this Cathedral he built still 50 other churches in the city, of which there are still 23 exist. He also made the monument commemorating the fire, known as simply 'The Monument'. He also carried out some renovations to the Palace of Whitehall before the complex burned down in 1698.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">John Nash has an important architectural contribution during the Regencyperiode. Nash has among other Regent Street, Trafalgar Square and designed the Regent's Park .

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Postmodernist skyscrapers dominate the City and Canary Wharf. Norman Foster's 30 St Mary Axe is a striking office building in the City. London has 35 skyscrapers that are higher than 100 metres.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-35" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [35]  The One Canada Square (235 metres) was the tallest building in the city until the end of 2011, but was bumped from his throne by The Shard (310 meters) that was opened on 5 July 2012.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-36" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [36]  Other tall buildings in the city are 8 Canada Square, Tower 42 and Citigroup Centre. In addition, there are some skyscrapers planned for 2012, as The Heron Tower and The Pinnacle.

Parks
<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">London is a city with a lot of green lungs. There are more than a hundred, including eight Royalparks. Every neighborhood does have a park. They range from small to very large and from wild to cultivated. The major parks are carefully maintained. The most famous park is Hyde Park. Here are major events like Live 8 2005 and the outdoor portion of theLast Night of the Proms organized. Main attractions in the park include Speakers ' Corner and the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain. The Royal Parks are Hyde Park, Bushy Park, Green Park, Greenwich Park, Kensington Gardens, Regent's Park, Richmond Park and St. James's Park. Other famous parks are Holland Park, Alexandra Park, Battersea Park, Hampstead Heath and Kew Gardens.

Squares
<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">London has a large number of squares, from which Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square and Leicester Square are the best known. Piccadilly Circus is an important transport hub, a meeting point and tourist attraction. The square is known for its illuminated signs and the fountain with the statue of Anteros, whose portrayal is often confused with Anteros ' twin brother Eros.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Trafalgar Square is named after the battle of Trafalgar. On the middle of the square is Nelson's Column. This column is about 54 feet high while the image of Nelson itself but 5.5 meters high. At the bottom of the Column are four bronze reliefs confirmed. These images four by Admiral Nelson's naval battles from. Furthermore, there is the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields and the National Gallery.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Leicester Square is located in the West End entertainment district and is only accessible to pedestrians. On the square there are sculptures of William Shakespeare, Isaac Newton and Joshua Reynolds.

Points Of Interest
The Houses of Parliament withBig Ben<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In London, many distinguished buildings. An icon for London is Big Ben's Bell Tower, part of the Palace of Westminster, also known as Houses of Parliament.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">A historic place is the Tower of London, which despite its name no tower is but a large fortress, of which the oldest parts date back to the eleventh century, not long after the Norman invasion. The construction work was In the history as a Royal Palace, but also as a prison where opponents of the Crown were detained. Today it is a museum, where the British Crown jewels are on display. Tower Bridge is located next to the Tower of London, to which the bridge its name. Daily pass more than 40,000 pedestrians and vehicles this bridge.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-37" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [37]  Tower Bridge is one of London's largest tourist attractions.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Palace Buckingham Palace is the London residence of Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip. In the city and the surrounding area is still a large number of other (former) Royal residences, such as Frogmore, Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace and Windsor Castle.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The London Eye Ferris wheel and The O<sub style="line-height:1;">2(formerly Millennium Dome) are among the newest of the city's attractions. The first offers from up to 135 yards a wide views over the city, the second is a large complex events, including pop concerts are given.

Museums and galleries
<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">London is home to a large number of museums and art galleries. In the South Kensington district is a cluster of museums, with the Natural History Museum, the Science Museumand the Victoria and Albert Museum. The British Museum, located in the District of Bloomsbury, is the national museum of the United Kingdom and has a large collection of historic objects from all over the world. Close to the British Museum, the British Libraryis a library that has more than 150 million documents.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-38" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [38]  some other museums include theImperial War Museum, the Bank of England Museum, Madame Tussauds and the London Transport Museum. The National Gallery has a comprehensive collection, with works by Leonardo da Vinciamong others, Rembrandt van Rijn, Johannes Vermeer, Frans Hals, Vincent van Gogh, Titian, Sandro Botticelli, Diego Velázquez, William Turner andJoseph Wright. The adjacent National Portrait Gallery is a museum with portraits of the most important people from British history. Also Tate Britain and Tate Modern have large and well-known collections.

Sports
The Wembley Stadium is the largest football stadium in Europe<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In 1908, 1948 and the 2012 London Summer Olympicsorganized. It is the only city that has organized summer games three times.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-39" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [39]  other major events in London, are the Wimbledon tennis tournament and the London Marathon. In 2007, the start of tour of France in London.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The most popular sport in London is football, both in terms of practitioners as spectators. There are thirteen London football clubs that play in the Football League, six of which play in the Premier League : Arsenal, Chelsea, Fulham, West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace FC. There are a lot of football stadiums to be found in and around London. The modern Wembley Stadium with a capacity of 90,000 people the largest indoor football stadium in Europe. The stadium was inaugurated in 2007 and replaced the previous stadium that opened in 1923. Wembley is the home of the English national football team. Also the finals of the FA Cup, the League Cupand the European Challenge Cup, a Rugby League football club competition, finished in the stadium. The second largest stadium of England is also in London: theTwickenham Stadium has a capacity of 82,000 and is the home stadium of the national Rugby unionteam.

<p lang="en" len="123" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Below is an overview of the London clubs that ever played in the Premier League and in what years to season 2014/15.

Theatre and music
The Royal Albert Hall<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">London has a large number of theatres, particularly concentrated in the West Endentertainment district. Performances run into West End often exceptionally long; so turning famous musicals such as Les Misérables, The Phantom of The Opera and Cats there for more than twenty years. The by far longest running piece is The Mousetrap. This performance is already running continuously since 1952. Some famous theatres are the Globe Theatre, the New London Theatre, Old Vic, the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal Opera House. London is a leader in the field of classical music and pop music. With the London Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the city has two world-class orchestras in house. Major record labels as EMI and Decca Records, based in London. The Beatles took their biggest hits and albums on in the Abbey Road Studios.London bands and musicians as David Bowie, The Kinks, Queen, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Madness, Gorillazand Coldplay , Bloc Party are respected worldwide. London is the cradle of punk music.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-40" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [40]  London bands such as Sex Pistols and The Clash have made an important contribution to this genre.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">There are several conservatories around the city: Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and Trinity College of Music. Charles Dickens (1812-1870)===Literature and film=== <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">London has produced a number of great writers. Charles Dickens described the London of the nineteenth century, as well as Arthur Conan Doyle, who became famous with his Sherlock Holmes stories. Samuel Pepys has become known for his eyewitness account of the great fire.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-London_in_Literature_41-0" len="181" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [41]  In 1722 Daniel Defoe wrote A Journal of the Plague Year, in which the London plague of 1665-1666 is central. Defoe also wrote the novel Robinson Crusoe.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-London_in_Literature_41-1" len="181" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [41]  William Shakespeare lived much of his life in London.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Major film studios in London include Leavesdenand Pinewood . The city has a number of courses for performing arts, including the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), the Central School of Speech and Drama (alumni: Judi Dench and Laurence Olivier) and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (alumni: Jim Broadbent). Each year in October, the London Film Festival organized. Fish and chips===Food and drinks=== <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">London has a large variety of restaurants due to the multi-ethnic population. In particular the districts of Soho and Chinatown are so well known, but also the more expensive international cuisine is spread over the whole of Central London. Many specialist Toko's but also the big department stores selling origin alien products.London is 42 restaurants with one or more Michelin stars of America.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-42" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [42]  Well-known chefs like Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver have multiple restaurants in the city.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The English pub is also richly represented in London. In addition to typical English beers, such as ale, is also popular, from the Mainland-derived lower donated. Food is also sold In many pubs. Often are typical English dishes such as fish and chips, black pudding, pie and mash and bangers and mash served.

Activity
<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">After Tokyo, New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Paris, London has the largest cityeconomy in the world.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-London_ranked_as_world.27s_six_largest_economy_43-0" len="207" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [43]  The city is also, with the London Stock Exchange as an indicator, one of the most important financial centres in the world. London carries 20% of the GDP in the United Kingdom (or $446 billion in 2005).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Londeneconomie_44-0" len="175" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [44]  Multinationals as HSBC, Barclays and Reuters in London have their headquarters. London's financial institutions as the Bank of England and Lloyd's of London have their headquarters in the City.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">London is also a leading city in the field of media. The BBC, Britain's public service broadcaster, has its head office in London. Most national newspapers of England in London printed. Examples include the The Daily Telegraph, The Times and the Financial Times. Fleet Street was for many years the Centre of the national press and the name is still synonymous with the British press.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Of London's workforce is employed in the financial and corporate sector 33.1% (rural: 19.3%) 26.2% is employed in the non-market & personal services (rural: 28.5 percent), 21% is employed in distribution and hotels (nationwide: 23.2%) 8% of the population are employed in transport and communication sector (nationwide: 6.2%), 6.6% of the population are employed in production (rural: 13.7%) and finally, 5.1% used in the construction works (rural 8.6%).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Londeneconomie_44-1" len="175" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[44]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The port of London is one of the largest ports of Britain. Here is 53 million tonnes of freight per year processed.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-45" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [45]  tourism constitutes a very important contribution to the London economy. The city receives about 15.6 million international visitors a year (2006).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Top_150_City_Destinations_46-0" len="186" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [46]  this makes it the most visited city in the world among foreign tourists, for other major cities as Bangkok (10.3 million), Paris (9.7 million) and Singapore (9.5 million).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Top_150_City_Destinations_46-1" len="186" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [46] Camden Market===Retail=== <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">London is known as shopping city. The city possesses, besides large department stores as Harrods and Marks & Spencer, also many small specialty shops. Some great shopping streets and areas are Bond Street, Oxford Street and Regent Street, all located in the Westminsterdistrict, and in the district of Kensington High Street, Kensington and Chelsea.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">A well known market in London is Camden Market, which is basically a collection of multiple, concatenated markets. Petticoat Lane Market is a large and busy street market in East London, both for tourists and locals. Furthermore, markets in areas such as Covent Garden and Portobello Road.

Traffic and transport
<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Transport for London (TfL) is a government organization responsible for the (road)traffic and transport (public) in London (' Greater London '). The Head Office of TfL was designed by Charles Holden and is located at 55 Broadway, near the St. James's Park in London.

Road Traffic
<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Traffic in London consists to a large portion from taxis and buses; regular traffic is banned from the city centre. The average speed of car traffic in the center of London is 17 km/h.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-47" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[47]  There is a toll collection in the Centre, the London congestion charge. Despite this road pricing for car transport is the city really busy with car traffic. London has a system ofring roads. The 188-kilometer M25 is the outer ring and has connection to the rest of the motorway network in Britain. The M20 connects London with the channel tunnel.Connects the M4 London, via Bristol, with Wales. The North is accessible via the M40 or M1. The university town of Cambridge is accessible via the M11. The M3 leads towards the southwest coast.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">London also has an extensive bus network including the famous red double-decker buses. Especially the red buses in London are very well known. The famous Routemastertype, with open rear balcony and conductor, is at the end of 2005, on two lines after, decommissioned. Nowadays there are almost only double decker buses with one-man operation and voorinstap. The dominance of the double-decker in the cityscape in recent years, however, takes off as more come in articulated buses service.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">London has distinctive black taxis (cabbies). The traditional, older model is gradually replaced by a more modern model, which, however, is built on the model of the old taxi model. There are about 23,000 taxis in London.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-48" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [48]

Airports
<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">With London Heathrow has the busiest airport in London over Europe.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-passenger_traffic_49-0" len="178" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [49]  in addition, the metropolis also served by the London Cityairports, Gatwick, Luton and Stansted. In 2006 a total of 137 million passengers passed through these airports.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Of the five airports are Heathrow and only City located within the boundaries of Greater London. Gatwick, Luton and Stansted are located outside the borders of this area, but have good transport links to London. London Heathrow is connected directly to the metro network to the Piccadilly Line; London City Airport is among other things connected with the rest of the city via the Docklands Light Railway.

Railways
<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">London is 14 major train stations the main railway junction of the United Kingdom. Like many other European cities in the nineteenth century was not allowed to main rail lines through the city. That is why most of these stations outside the heart of the city. With the construction of Crossrail is it after a century and a half to drive right through to trains (under) the city. St Pancras International station is since november 2007 <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-50" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[50]  the terminus of the London Eurostarvia the channel tunnel, which, with Paris, Lille and Brusselsdirects. The Waterloo Station is one of the busiest stations of London. Waterloo connects London with the regions South West England and South East England. The other drives are: Blackfriars, Cannon Street, Charing Cross, Euston, Fenchurch Street, King's Cross, Liverpool Street, London Bridge, Moorgate, Marylebone, Paddington (for Cardiff andGloucester) and Victoria .

Metro
<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">London has an extensive subway system, the Underground, nicknamed ' The Tube '. London was also the first city in the world with a network of underground railway lines. There are two systems: since 1987 the ordinary underground and DLR (Docklands Light rail). The metro is mainly through the Center, while the DLR goes by the Docklands . The metro will be further improved in the coming years, this was already partially done in preparation for the Olympic Games in 2012. In the subway, DLR and buses in London is paid with the Oyster card, the London version of the OV-chipkaart.

Education
University College, part of theUniversity of London<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">With 125,000 students the University of London is the largest University in the United Kingdom and Europe.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-51" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [51]  the University of London was founded in 1836 and existed only from two colleges: University College London (UCL) and King's College London (KCL). The University was the first in the United Kingdom which women admitted in the same way as men. Today it is a cross-cutting Institute that consists of 31 virtually independent colleges and institutes spread across London. In addition to UCL and King's are the best known colleges the Imperial College London, the London School of Economics (LSE) and Goldsmiths College. The Royal Academy of Music also belongs to this University.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Imperial College London and University College London are both in the top 10 of best universities of the world noted.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-52" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [52]

Health Care
St Bartholomew's Hospital, early 19th century<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The first form of health care in the city consisted of charity work by the monasteries.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Hospitals_53-0" len="170" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [53]  The oldest Hospital of London, founded in 1123, is St Bartholomew's Hospital.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Hospitals_53-1" len="170" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [53]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">London In the nineteenth century was one of the fastest growing cities in the world, but the water supply and hygienic conditions were extremely bad.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Volksgezondheid_in_de_19e_eeuw_54-0" len="191" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [54]  The life expectancy in London was constant throughout 1826-1871, but then took a sharp increase.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Volksgezondheid_in_de_19e_eeuw_54-1" len="191" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [54]  this can be explained by the fact that there were improvements in the food supply and vaccination programmes.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Volksgezondheid_in_de_19e_eeuw_54-2" len="191" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [54]  today, the life expectancy in London quite high; men are in London average 77.9 years old, women 82.4 years.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-55" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [55] however, does it matter if you live in the chic Kensington and Chelsea (AVG. life expectancy 83.3) or in the Tower Hamlets what poorer (AVG. life expectancy 76.5).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-56" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [56]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The National Health Service (NHS) is the publicly funded healthcare system in England. It was founded in 1948, as a result of the Beveridge report. This report advocates a insurance with pay-as-you-go system to combat poverty and disease.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">There are numerous hospitals in the city. Some, like the aforementioned St Bartholomew's Hospital, but also guy's Hospital and St Thomas ' Hospital, have existed for hundreds of years. In London are 25 research institutes and medicine training and 23 National Health Service hospitals. In the city of 175,000 people work in health care.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-57" len="160" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [57]

Town Twinning
<p lang="en" len="233" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Greater London Authority has twinning arrangements with five cities:

<p lang="en" len="79" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In addition, London still friendship ties with the following nineteen cities: <p lang="en" len="101" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Also the city boroughs of London have links with parts of other cities around the world.
 * Berlin (Germany)
 * Kuwait (Kuwait)
 * Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)
 * Moscow (Russia)
 * New York (United States)