London, historic and modern

Elementary / preliminary level English 

 

London - the big city

London, the capital of the United Kingdom, is one of the oldest and most important cities in Europe. Today, over 9 million people live there. People from all over the world come to learn about its history, to see its famous sites, to work, and to enjoy some time in the city.

Two thousand years of history

London is over 2,000 years old. The first city was built in the year 43 AD by the Romans, who called it Londinium. It was beside the River Thames, which was important for travel and trade.

In the year 1066, William the Conqueror became king of England. He built the Tower of London, which is still standing today.

In the 1600s, London had two big problems. In 1665, the Great Plague killed thousands of people. One year later, in 1666, the Great Fire of London burned a large part of the city. After the fire, people rebuilt London with better houses and streets, and the city began to expand.

During the 1800s, London grew even faster. It was the heart of the British Empire, and it became the biggest city in the world.

The modern city

Today, London is a busy and modern city, with a lot of historic monuments. Historic places like Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey are very popular with visitors. The city also has very modern buildings like the Shard and the Lloyds Building.

The historic "City of London" is now just a small part in the middle of the modern city. Modern London is important for many reasons. It is a centre for business, culture, education, sport and government. The British Parliament meets in London, and the King lives there too, most of the time. Curiously, there is no big football club called London; but there are famous football clubs in London. Chelsea, Arsenal, and Tottenham Hotspur are just three of them.

Today's London is a very cosmopolitan city. Over 250 languages are spoken there, and you can find food, music, and traditions from all over the world.

Global importance

London is important not only to the UK, but to the world. It is a global city, with big banks, famous universities, and important museums. Events like Wimbledon, London Fashion Week, and the Notting Hill Carnival bring in people from everywhere.

Modern London is a city of the past, the present, and the future. In short, it is one of the most interesting cities in the world.

Difficult words:
site: place, building - enjoy: like - travel: voyage, going from place to place  - trade: commerce -  expand: get bigger, grow - heart: centre -  busy: active, lively - reason: cause -  government: central administration - curiously: strangely - cosmopolitan: international  .

    ► For a longer text about London in B1-B2 level English, see The Story of London.



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