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Topic: London

London

 

London is the capital of Great Britain, its political, economic and cultural centre. It’s one of the largest cities in the world. Its population is over 8 million people. London is situated on the river Thames. It was founded more than two thousand years ago.

There are four parts in London: the West End, the East End, the City and Westminster.

The heart of London is the City, its financial and business centre. Few people live here, but over a million people come to the City to work. There are many offices, companies and banks in this part of the capital. The heart of the City is the Stock Exchange. The Tower of London and St. Paul’s Cathedral are situated in the City.

Westminster is an administrative centre of London. Westminster Abbey is the place where kings and queens have been crowned and many famous people were buried (Newton, Darwin, Chaucer, Dickens, Tennyson, Kipling, etc.).

Across the road from Westminster Abbey is Westminster Palace, the seat of the British Parliament. The Towers of the Houses of Parliament stand high above the city. The Clock Tower of the Houses of Parliament is famous for its big bell, known as "Big Ben".

To the west of Westminster is the West End, the richest and most beautiful part of London. It is the symbol of wealth and luxury. The best hotels, shops, restaurants, clubs, and theatres are situated there.

The Trafalgar Square is the geographical centre of London. It was named in memory of Admiral Nelson's victory in the battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The tall Nelson's Column stands in the middle of the square.

To the east of Westminster is the East End, an industrial district of the capital. Most of the plants and factories are situated there.

The official London residence of the Queen is Buckingham Palace. The palace was built in 1703 by the Duke Buckingham. The daily ceremony of the Changing of the Guard takes place in its courtyard.

There are many museums in London. For example, the British Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum. The British Museum is the biggest museum in London. The museum is famous for its library — one of the richest in the world.

There are many beautiful parks in London. St James’s Park, Green Park, Hyde Park, and Kensington Gardens are linked together and form above 300 hectares of parkland in the heart of London.

By the day the whole of London is busy. At night, offices are quiet and empty, but the West End stays alive, because this is where Londoners come to enjoy themselves. There are two opera houses here, several concert halls and many theatres, as well as cinemas. In nearby Soho the pubs and restaurants and nightclubs are busy half the night.

It’s impossible to describe all the places of interest in London. The best way to know this great city is to visit it.