Transcript london
What do you know about …? LONDON WHERE IS LONDON? London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and, with a population of almost 8 million, it’s one of Europe’s largest and most cosmopolitan cities. A mix of people from all over the world have made it their home. London lies on the River Thames in the Southeast of England. LONDON IS MADE UP OF 32 BOROUGHS AND THE ORIGINAL CITY OF LONDON. HOW OLD IS LONDON? The city is 2,000 years old. In AD 50 the Romans chose to settle here and created the walled city of Londinium next to the River Thames. A few parts of the Roman wall can be seen today. THE RIVER THAMES WAS USEFUL FOR MERCHANT SHIPS AND TRADING, AND TODAY THE RIVER IS STILL IMPORTANT FOR TRANSPORT AND TOURISM. AFTER VICTORY IN THE BATTLE OF HASTINGS, WILLIAM, DUKE OF NORMANDY, WAS CROWNED KING OF ENGLAND IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY ON CHRISTMAS DAY, 1066. WILLIAM ALSO HAD THE TOWER OF LONDON BUILT AS HIS ROYAL SEAT OF POWER. LONDON WAS STILL A SMALL WALLED CITY IN 1300 AD THE LANCASTRIAN SIEGE OF LONDON IN 1471 IS ATTACKED BY A YORKIST SALLY. THE GREATEST PLAYWRIGHT AND HIS GLOBE THEATRE, AS DEPICTED BY VÁCLAV HOLLAR. THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON STARTED IN A BAKER'S SHOP IN 1666 AND DESTROYED MOST OF THE CITY. A CATHEDRAL HAS STOOD ON THIS SITE SINCE 604 AD. THE 4TH ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL WAS BUILT BY SIR CHRISTOPHER WREN IN 16691711. AT 111 METRES HIGH, IT WAS THE TALLEST IN LONDON UNTIL 1962. THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER WAS A ROYAL PALACE FROM THE 11TH CENTURY. IT WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE IN 1512 AND 1834. THE PRESENT GOTHIC PALACE IS THE SEAT OF PARLIAMENT WITH 1,100 ROOMS AND A FAMOUS BELL IN ST. STEPHEN’S TOWER. WESTMINSTER ABBEY - SINCE 1066, WHEN KINGS HAROLD AND WILLIAM WERE CROWNED, THE CORONATIONS OF ENGLISH AND BRITISH MONARCHS HAVE BEEN HELD HERE. BUCKINGHAM HOUSE WAS BUILT FOR THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM IN 1703. KING GEORGE III BOUGHT IT FOR £21,000 FOR HIS QUEEN CHARLOTTE IN 1761. QUEEN VICTORIA WAS THE FIRST MONARCH TO LIVE HERE FROM 1837. THE FACADE WITH BALCONY WAS ADDED IN 1847 AND THE MARBLE ARCH MOVED TO HYDE PARK. WHO LIVES IN ‘BUCK HOUSE’ NOW? IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE THE PALACE AT 11.00 YOU SEE ‘CHANGING OF THE GUARD’ CEREMONY. HYDE PARK, WITH ITS SPEAKER’S CORNER, IS ONE OF THE FAMOUS ROYAL PARKS IN LONDON. THE MARBLE ARCH STANDS IN ONE CORNER. BY 1806, THE CITIES OF LONDON, WESTMINSTER AND SOUTHWARK HAD GROWN. CHARLES DICKENS LIVED AND WROTE IN LONDON IN THE 19TH CENTURY. DURING WWII, THOUSANDS OF LONDONERS WERE KILLED BY GERMAN BOMBS, INCLUDING MY GREAT-GRANDPARENTS AND GREAT AUNTS. WHO LIVES AT 10, DOWNING STREET? I DO! WHAT IS MY NAME AND MY POSITION? THERE ARE MANY WORLD-FAMOUS MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES (FREE ENTRY) IN LONDON. THE BRITISH MUSEUM – INSIDE AND OUT! THE NATIONAL GALLERY STANDS ON TRAFALGAR SQUARE. ADMIRAL NELSON SITS ATOP HIS COLUMN IN TRAFALGAR SQUARE. HE WAS SHOT IN BATTLE BUT WHO DID HE BEAT AT TRAFALGAR IN 1805? THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM AND SCIENCE MUSEUMS ARE IN SOUTH KENSINGTON. THE TATE MODERN IS IN AN OLD POWER STATION ON THE SOUTH BANK OF THE THAMES. PEREGRINE FALCONS NEST ATOP THE CHIMNEY. ST. PAUL’S WAS THE TALLEST, BUT LONDON HAS GROWN MUCH TALLER IN THE LAST 50 YEARS. POST OFFICE TOWER, 1962, 165M NAT WEST TOWER, 1980, 177M THE CANARY WHARF OFFICE COMPLEX BUILT IN FORMER EAST DOCKLANDS IN PAST 20 YEARS – ONE CANADA SQUARE IS 235 METRES. THIS OFFICE BUILDING IN THE CITY IS NICKNAMED THE GHERKIN (OR A RUDE NAME) BY LONDONERS! FROM 2013, THE TALLEST BUILDING IN THE EUROPEAN UNION IS THE ‘SHARD’ AT 309 M. LONDON’S OLD COUNTY HALL AND NEW CITY HALL (2002) – THE ‘ONION’ (OR GLASS TESTICLE)! YOU CAN FLY INTO ONE OF LONDON’S FIVE AIRPORTS, OF WHICH THE BIGGEST AND BUSIEST IS HEATHROW IN THE WEST. HOW SHOULD WE TRAVEL AROUND LONDON? The best way to get around the city is by public transport, either the underground train, known as ‘the tube’ (which was built from 1863 and is the world’s first underground train system). Or you can take one of London’s iconic red doubledecker buses. The DLR trains run in the air in the Docklands and East London with NO drivers! If you are in a hurry, you can always take one of London’s famous black cabs (taxis). TAKE THE TUBE TRAIN TAKE A BUS OR FLAG DOWN A CAB. DOCKLANDS LIGHT RAILWAY – WHERE IS THE DRIVER? THERE ISN’T ONE! IF WE NEED TO CALL HOME WE CAN STILL FIND RED PHONE BOXES, CARDS ONLY–NO CASH. LONDON HAS 43 UNIVERSITIES, INCLUDING UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON AND THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC AND 400,000 STUDENTS. BUSINESS, CULTURE, SPORT… The City of London is an important business and finance centre. London has a huge influence on fashion, culture, politics, entertainment, media and sport across the UK and Europe. The 2012 Summer Olympics took place there. What else can you see in and around London? THE ROYAL BOTANICAL GARDENS AT KEW ARE A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE. SO ARE THE NAVAL ACADEMY COMPLEX, MERIDIAN AND OBSERVATORY AT GREENWICH. PICCADILLY CIRCUS IN THE WEST END. IF YOU ARE FEELING RICH YOU CAN SHOP AT HARRODS OR SELFRIDGES IN THE WEST END! STREET PERFORMERS AND COFFEE AT COVENT GARDEN, YOUNG FASHION AT CAMDEN MARKET. WHICH SPORTS CAN YOU WATCH AT THESE TOP LONDON VENUES? The summer Olympic Games were held here in the Olympic Village in East London in 2012. THE CHAMPION’S LEAGUE FINAL WAS HELD AT WEMBLEY STADIUM IN 2013. THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP IS HELD IN WIMBLEDON EVERY YEAR IN JUNE. CLASSICAL AND ROCK CONCERTS AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL. POP AND ROCK CONCERTS AT THE MILLENIUM DOME (O2 ARENA) SO NOW YOU KNOW MUCH MORE ABOUT LONDON THAN YOU DID BEFORE! Try to fill the gaps in the worksheet. Use this presentation and information from the internet to help you find the missing words. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London http://www.projectbritain.com/london/ Good luck!