.

more about LONDON

We are going to visit some old and modern buildings in London and also some

interesting places which are not very popular among

tourists butfor all that not less rich in

charm and curiosities.Let’s start with a little bit of

history.

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Discovering Londinium

The Roman conquest of Britain started in 43 A.D, by Emperor Claudius. In 55 B.C. Julius Caesar had already tried to conquer Britannia.

In the 47 A.D Romans bridged the river Thames, built a port and a wall making of Londinium the capital city

of northern province of Roman Empire.

-the most famous Roman remains are in the City :the temple of Mithras.

-under the Guildhall there are amphitheatre ruins.

-the ruins of a Roman wall are outside Tower Hill station.

-on the Thames banks it’s possible to find Roman pottery.

Guildhall

Statue of Trajan in front of a section of the Roman wall, Tower Hill

At Syon Park, west London, archeologists found a Roman agricultural village.

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In the 11th century, Westminster, a village nearby, became the capital of England. At first Westminster and London were separated, but slowly they grew into one city.

Saint Mary Le BowLondon life revolved around street markets, pubs, pie shops, and near the churches.It is said a true Londoner, a Cockney, is born within the sound of the BowBells.

In 1091 a terrible storm blew off the roof

In 1666 the Great Fire destroyed the church

In 1683 Sir Christopher Wren

rebuilt the church

In 1941 it was destroyed again by

German Bombers during the

second World War.

The church was built by William the Conqueror

the inside

Bow Bells

The church has the most famous bells in the world. They rang at 9 p.m. every day. In the past they signalled a curfew and the end of the working day for apprentices.

In the past many important events took place in front the church.

Now St. Mary-Le-Bow is a sanctuary. It offers its parishioners continuity and shelter. Visitors can listen to concerts and carols at Christmas.

In 1700 London had 600,000 inhabitants and was the largest city in Europe.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, it was the capital of the British Empire, the heart of the Industrial Revolution and the centre of world trade.

In the 20th century people from all over the world were attracted to London, making it a cosmopolitan, multicultural city.

Secret London

The largest collection of antique silver

in the world is at Chancery Lane,

three floors under the city.

You can find the household valuables of rich Londoners, dating back of 18° century:

•Egg cups

•Tooth pick boxes

•Armchairs

•The biggest silver objects

THE NEASDEN TEMPLE

In northwest London there is the biggest Indian temple outside India called Neasden Temple with his domes and pinnacles. The temple was built using 2000 tonnes Carrara’s marble and 3000 tonnes of Bulgarian limestone. Inside the temple there are statues of gods in their gold shrines, dressed in silk.

• POSTMAN’S PARK.

•London has many famous parks but in the heart of the City there is a quiet space not so famous: Postman’s Park. This park were built to remember the heroic-self-sacrifice.

In this park there is, under a canopy, a tablet where some people are remembered for their dead, for example Sara Smith, she died for injuries received when she tried to turn off the flames on her friend’s dress.

Eltham Palace

Eltham Palace is a less well-known royal palace, in the south of London. It has a design of 1930. Inside you can see a medieval Great Hall, near you can see Art Deco interiors.

The original place was given to King Edward I in the 1300, when it was still a country village. Then it became important, because here deer-hunting jousting tournament was practiced.

Henry VIII lived here with nursery.

Eltham was a royal palace where there was the Parliament and European monarchs were entertained.

The entrance home has got a glass dome, lavish furnishings and murals on the walls. Inside there is a gold-plated bathroom and pet lemur.

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HENRY VIII’S WINE CELLAR

Below UK’s Ministry of Defence there is clandestine wine cellar. In this building there are a lot of wooden rooms. It was built by Cardinal Wolsey in 1514. He was a very rich and powerful man. He imported champagne from France. When Wolsey became less important, Henry VIII took also the wine cellar.In 1940s the building was destroyed but the cellar wine were saved. Today it lies perfectly preserved with its Tudor vaulted roof, pillars and brickwork.

FOOT TUNNELS

IN LONDON

GREENWICH

It is a tunnel that runs 15 meters under the Thames.

The tunnel is very old.It was opened in 1902 and it connects in 370 meters Cutty Sark Gardens to Island Gardens.

It is public and it is open 24 hour a day it is part of National Cycle Route 1.

There is a glazed dome at each end with a lift.

WOOLWICH

It is less known but it is longer than Greenwich foot tunnel.

Both entrance buildings are listed buildings of historic interest.

In one of this building there is now a leisure centre.

18/04/23

London Graffiti

In the centre of

London you can see

some eye catching graffiti,

they are paintings

on walls and

houses.

In the 20th century the most important mural movement was born in The USA and Mexico, with artists such as Diego Rivera.

It was a political expression.

In the 1970 this tradition reached London. Murals were painted by individual artists, or done by groups like the Greenwich Mural Workshop.

DIEGO RIVERA

FOUR OF THE BEST

•This mural is in Brixton, a district in the south London. It is called “Nuclear Dawn”, it was produced as a poster of the CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament).

•It depicts a giant skeleton striding across London dropping atomic bombs and in the background there’s a cloud with children’s faces screaming. You can also see the politicians cowering under the House of Parliament.

The Battle of Cable Street

It is in Shadwell, east London. It depicts a fighting between police and protestors trying to stop a fascist march in 1936.

Ode to the West WindIt just off Oxford Street. It shows Percy Bysshe Shelley, one of the most important English romantic poets, reading a book beneath a tree which has been split by the wind.

Big SplashIt is in Brixton.It shows the River Effra full of life. It is now mainly underground.

BUT NOWThe murals of London are pieces of social history.

Today only some murals has survived, they are changing the urban landscape, others have been knocked down or are faded.

A group of people created the London Mural Preservation Society.

Buskers

Busking is a very old performance by artists. Since Roman times people with special skills, have sang or played an instrument in the street to receive food or money.

It's very difficult to be a busker because you have to take an exam, but if you pass the exam it is very easy to become famous. In London buskers were considered a public nuisance but now they are an official form of entertainment.

The "Right Spot " is an event organized by London's Colourful Mayor Boris Johnson and it consists of a "London Busking Undergorund Competition". The winners receive one-year underground busking licence, a course at the Accademy of the Contemporany Music and an opportunity to play live gigs.

Side by side…with the stars!!

You see a lot of Hollywood stars, but they don’t move … What is it?

Madame Tussaud wax museum in London, it’s the flagship of 13 Madam Tussaud wax museum in the world.

How are made the models?●The techniques model-makers use today are very similar to Madame Tussaud’s. They use callipers to take precise measurements of the celebrity.●Clay face models are made around a skeleton of wire.●The hair’s models are real hair.●Expert spend up to 10 hours modelling each pair of eyes.●The make up is made from make up artist.

Madame Tussaud Madame Tussaud was a model

maker during the French Revolution, she would create the death mask of infamous and she made the death mask of Marie Antoniette too when she was beheaded. She came to London working in travelling bazaars, and just before her death she chose a building.

PARKS

Hyde Park

Regent’s park

Saint James’s Park

Green ParkRichmond Park

Kensington Gardens

Greenwich Park

In London there are eight royal parks. They aren’t only green areas, but also spaces of historical interest.

•The most famous park is Hyde Park in the heart of London. Henry VIII bought the park in 1536 and Charles I opened it to the public in 1637.

The Speaker’s Corner is a typical English

institution, an area in Hyde Park where

everyone can speak about any topics they like.

In the park you can eat sandwiches on the benches, you can have a picnic, but you can also listen the concerts, go rowing, jogging, rollerblading or horse-riding. Finally you can see a lot of animals:

•Deer

•Pelicans

•Squirrels

GREEN PARK

REGENTS’ S PARKIt is situated in the northwest of London. There isa boating lake, where you can rent a boat and take pictures of birds.

There are a lot of flowers too.

REPTILES HOUSE in REGENT’S PARK ZOOA scene from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was filmed here in 2001He discovered his unusual powers during a visit when he talked to the snakes.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE

The Queen’s home in London. When she is in residence a flag flies on the roof. Every morning a ceremony takes places in front of the Palace.

THE TOWER OF LONDONWilliam the Conqueror built the firstTower in about 1066.In the past it wasa royal palace,a prison and a fortress.

The crown jewels are in the tower, they are shown to the public under the strict control of the Beefeaters, thewarders in red uniforms.

Black ravens live in the Tower. They guard the tower from bad luck.

The construction started in 1886and took eight years.King Edward VII officially openedthe bridge in 1894

TOWER BRIDGE

In the past it was the biggestsuspension bridge in the world.

The bascules raised to allowtall boats and ships pass.

It worked thanks to a steam engine.Today it is replaced by anelectro-hydraulic drive system.

It is close to the Tower of London, from which it takes its name. It has become an iconic symbol of London.The bridge consists of two towers tied together at the upper level by means of two horizontal walkways.The bascule pivots and operating machinery are housed in the base of each tower.

The Globe Theatre

The globe

The Globe Theatre was built by Shakespeare’s Company in 1598 when Elisabeth I was queen and it was one of first theatre in London.

In 1613 the Globe caught fire.

Shakespeare’s Company built a new theatre in the same place but some years later the puritans closed it, because they hated the fun.

structureThe Globe was almost round, with its octagonal shape. There wasn’t the roof and it had three balconies which were covered where rich people stood.

Poor people stood around the stage that was rectangular.

Plays were performed during the afternoon with the daylight.

The foundation of Shakespeare’s Globe rebuilt a new theatre in 1993 using the same methods and materials of almost 400 years before.

MODERN BUILDINGS

GHERKIN30 st Mary Axy, nicknamed Gherkin , is one hundred eighty meters high. Itwas designed by one of the great names in moderne architecture, Sir Norman Foster.

The Gherkin requires 25% of energy used in the modern office. The structure uses the natural ventilation and the natural light.

It’s unique, although the form, there is a single curved piece in the entire structure: the glassy dome at its summit.

LONDON EYELondon Eye is 135 m tall and has 32 capsules. It rotates very slowy and passegers can enjoy wonderful views of London. It was opened in 2000 .

MILLENIUM BRIDGELondon Millenium Bridge was opened in 2000. It is a pedestrian bridge and it looks like a ribbon of steel.This bridge offers a splendid views to London and joins the financial district to the south bank.

The end2D MAY 2012