London

Tower Bridge in London.

London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It is the largest city in Europe.

History

London was founded by the Romans as Londinium, and became the capital of England (taking over from Winchester) during the reign of William II. It grew steadily during the middle ages, during which period it became a major port, specializing in the export of English wool.

In the Renaissance, London became a centre of learning and culture, though the rise of Puritanism soon put a stop to this.

During the period of the British Empire, London was a key transhipment point for various cargoes, including tea, slaves, molasses, jute, and silver, indeed, anything traded in by the East India Company.

During World War II, London was heavily bombed by Germany's air force as a part of Operation Sea Lion.

Popular Perception

Although London is frequently depicted in the American media as a quaint and historic city perpetually shrouded in fog, the reality is that London is a modern city at the cutting edge of developments in architecture, transport, commerce, industry and entertainment, and fog is a rare occurrence. In fact London is considered by many to be the financial capital of the world, and one of the world's premier cities.

Notable landmarks include the Houses of Parliament, The London Eye, Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey. The London Underground (London's subway system, also known as the Tube) is the oldest in the world.