2. London is the capital of
England and the United
Kingdom. London has been a
major settlement for two
millennia and the history of
London goes back to its
founding by the Romans,
when it was named
Londinium. London's core,
the ancient City of London,
the 'square mile', retains its
medieval boundaries. Today,
the bulk of this conurbation
forms the London region and
the Greater London
administrative area, with its
own elected mayor and
assembly.
3. London is a major global city and one of the
world's largest financial centres . It is a major
tourist destination for both domestic and overseas
visitors. London hosted the 1908 and 1948 Summer
Olympics and will host the 2012 Summer
Olympics. London contains four World Heritage
Sites: the Tower of London; the historic settlement
of Greenwich; the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew;
and the site comprising the Palace of Westminster,
Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret's Church.
4. Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London
(and historically as The Tower), is an historic fortress and scheduled monument in
central London, England, on the north bank of the River Thames. It is located within
the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and is separated from the eastern edge of the
City of London by the open space known as Tower Hill. It is the oldest building used by
the British government.
The Tower of London is often identified with the White Tower, the original stark square
fortress built by William the Conqueror in 1078. However, the tower as a whole is a
complex of several buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and
moat.
5. The tower's primary function was a fortress, a royal palace, and a
prison (particularly for high status and royal prisoners, such as the
Princes in the Tower and the future Queen Elizabeth I). This last
use has led to the phrase "sent to the Tower" (meaning
"imprisoned"). It has also served as a place of execution and
torture, an armoury, a treasury, a zoo, the Royal Mint, a public
records office, an observatory, and since 1303, the home of the
Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.
6. It had been thought that there have been at least six
ravens in residence at the tower for centuries. The
legend of these Ravens in the Tower of London is so
important to the people of England that ten ravens (6
on duty and 4 young spares) are actually employed by
the Tower of London at the expense of the British
government, in return for their service they are
treated very well and in deference to the ancient
legend and the decree of King Charles II at least six
ravens are provided with Raven's Lodgings at the
Tower of London.
*Tower of London*
• The ravens' names/gender/age are (as of June
2009):
• Gwylum (male, 18 years old)
• Thor (male, 15 years old)
• Hugin (female, 11 years old)
• Munin (female, 11 years old)
• Branwen (female, 3 years old)
• Bran (male, 3 years old)
• Gundulf (male, 1 year old)
• Baldrick (male, 1 year old)
• Fleur (female, 4 years old)
• Colin (male, 2 years old)
7. The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, which is
almost always referred to popularly and informally as
Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in
Westminster, London, just to the west of the Palace of
Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and
burial site for English, later British and later still (and
currently) monarchs of the Commonwealth Realms.
8. St. Margaret's, Westminster
The Anglican church of St. Margaret, Westminster Abbey
is situated in the grounds of Westminster Abbey on
Parliament Square, and is the parish church of the British
Houses of Parliament in London. It is dedicated to
Margaret of Antioch.
