London is the capital of the UK, its political, economic, cultural and industrial center. It is one of the world's most enjoyable cities. Visited by tourists in the millions, it offers them an astonishing variety of scenes. In this historic city the modern rubs shoulders with the old, the present is ever conscious of the past, the great and the small live side by side in mutual tolerance and respect and in every part of London's busy and complex life there is to be found a very genuine affection for her traditions, and her fortunes. London is situated on the river Thames about forty miles from its mouth. London was not built as a city in the same way as Paris or New York. It began its life as a Roman fortification at a place where it was possible to cross the River Thames. A wall was built around the town for defence, but during the long period of peace, which followed the Norman Conquest, people built outside the walls. In 1665 there was a terrible plague in London, so many people left the city and escaped to the villages in the surrounding countryside. In 1666 the Great Fire of London ended the plague, but it also destroyed much of the city. Although people returned to live in the rebuilt city after the plague and the Great Fire, there were never again so many Londoners living in the city centre. The two World Wars brought tremendous destruction. Many buildings of areat historic value were laid in ruins and today the face of London is changed. Yet much was spared, including the Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey. The heart of London is the City, a centre of trade and commerce. It is situated on the site of the original Roman town. This is an area of long and exciting history. St. Paul's Cathedral is a landmark dominating the centre of London. It is a work of Sir Christopher Wren, a famous English architect of the 17th cenfury. It’s the largest Protestant church in England. Its high Dome contains the remarkable Whispering Gallery. The City of London is also one of major banking centres of the world, and you can find here the Bank of England. The Lloyds is the most famous insurance company in the world. The Old Bailey is the centre of judicial system of the UK. And of course, the most famous place of London - the Tower of London - is situated in the City. It was built in 1066 by William the Conqueror as a fortress, but since that it's been used as a royal palace, an arsenal, a state prison, an observatory and the zoo. Now it is one of the popular museums. The Crown Jewels and a fine collection of armory are the principle attractions for the visitors. One of the main attractions of the Towel of London are black ravens. There is a legend that if ravens disappear from the Tower of London, London will fall. The raven master is responsible for feeding and caring for the ravens at the Tower of London. The military garrison of "Beefeaters" in their picturesq Tudor uniform ensures the security of the Tower. The East End covers a wide area to the East of the City. The working class of London lives in the East End. This vast area is poor and crowded. It has all the main docks and a lot of factories. In the East End one can see numerous dirty houses and many slums. As a matter of fact it is the poorest district of the capital. The East of London is unattractive in appearance, but very important for the country's commerce. It is one of the areas where people from abroad come to find work, so the population of London is considered to be the most cosmopolitan in the world. The West End and Westminster are associated with royalty and Government, wealth and luxury. From the centpe of Westminster Bridge you can have a splendid view of the Houses of Parliament. The structure is a remarkable example of neo Gothic architecture and was rebuilt in the 19th century after being completely destroyed by fire. The Clock Tower with Big Ben, the famous hour bell, has become the symbol of London.When the haouse is on session, a Union Jack flies from the Tower at daytime and at night the town is lit. Opposite the Houses of Parliament stands Westminster Abbey. It is a great church where the kingsand queens are crowned and famous people are buried. The Abbey is also known for its Poets' Corner, where graves and, memorials to many English poets, such as Byron and Kipling, can be found. One of the treasures, of the Abbey is the oaken Coronation Chair, a which is 7 hundred years old. The centre of the British press is Fleet Street, governmental offices are concentrated in White Hall and Downing Street No 10 is the residence of the Prime Minister. Trafalgar Square is just a few minutes walk from Westminster Abbey. It is a geographical centre of London. The square is named so to commemorate the victory of Admiral Nelson in the battle at Trafalgar, Spain in 1805. In the centre of it you can see the tall Nelson's Column with the Statue of Lord Nelson. The square is always full of visitors feeding the pigeons. On the north side of the square there is the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery, which have an outstanding variety of paintings from British, Italian, Spanisn, French and Dutch schools. Piccadilly Circus is the centre of night life in the West End. It is usually the top of everyone's list of things to see in London, because it is so well known. It is actually quite small, and most people are rather disappointed when they see it for the first time because they imagined it would be much bigger! Piccadilly Circus is one of the centre streets, where six streets meet together. The most important building, but not the most beautiful, is Buckingham Palace, which is the official residence of the Queen and her family. The flag (the Royal Standart) on the top of the Palace means that the Queen is in the city. The Canging of the Guard attracts thousands of tourists every morning. It starts at 11.30 and lasts half an hour. Buckingham Palace overlooks St. James’s Park where the previous royal residence, St. James’s’ Palace, can be found. The official residence of Queen outside London is Windsor Palace. If you are looking for something "different" it is certainly worth going to New Covent Garden. This used to be England's biggest fruit and vegetable market, but a few years ago, the market was moved to a new site on the other side of the River Thames. The old market, now called "New Covent Garden", was restored and converted into a shopping centre. Greenwich, a very close suburb, is worth visiting. There you can visit the Royal Observatory, the National Maritine Museum and stand on the Greenwich meridium. Other places of onterest in London that can attract tourists are Wimbledon and the Tate Gallery. There are 10 royal parks in and around London which are owned by the Crown but are open to the public free of charge. Each park has its own character. Hyde Park, for example, was originally a hunting forest and is still popular with horseriders. People who enjoy a good argument can go to Speaker’s Corner. The most important museums in London are Madame Tussaud's Museum of Waxworks and the British Museum. They include large numbers of items which will interest you. London has buildings that express all the different areas of its history, for London manages in a unique way to reflect its past and at the same time to fulfil the functions of a modern city. There is always something new to be discovered, some fresh approach to a familiar scene, some curious piece of history to be investigated.