London

From ArticleWorld

The capital of England and the UK, London, is one of the world’s most affluent cities. A city vitally associated with the life of the British people. Poets like Chaucer, Spenser, Shakespeare, Milton, Dr. Johnson and T.S. Eliot have celebrated the glory and magnificence of these metropolises. William Morris, the pre-Raphaelite poet wrote: "Think rather of the pack-horse on the down and dream of London, small and white and clean".

London is situated on the banks of River Thames. London was during the Roman occupation, a military storage depot. It was naturally suitable to be a trading centre with the main land of Europe and soon developed into an important seaport. Furthermore it was ideally suited to be the capital of Great Britain. London gradually developed into a city with growing population with paved streets, temples, public baths, shops, brickfields.

London has passed through several vicissitudes. William the Conqueror constructed a number of fortresses within the city walls, including portions of West Minster Hall and the Tower of London.

The present population of London is approximately 7.5 m. In the present age, London has developed into a great metropolis. Many of the streets in London were named after the trades and occupations practiced there, such as Threadneedle Street, which was the tailor’s district, Bread Street, which had bakeries and Milk Street, which was home to a herd of cows.

London can boast several excellent theatres. (e.g. Kingsway Hall Hotel, Shaftsbury Hotel, Lincoln House Hotel, Radisson Edwardian Mountbatten and Thistle Trafalgar Square), which have always been associated with the need for relaxation between theatrical shows.

London, being one of the commercial capitals of the world, is a naturally, prosperous shopping centre. The expansion of the tourist industry has given rise to a boom in accommodation facilities, with approximately 2000 new hotel/B&Bs, (e.g. Four Seasons Townhouse, Millennium Bailey’s Hotel Kensington and The Thistle Hyde Park). These new hotels are ideal relaxation sites for professional’s shoppers and sight-seeing enthusiasts.