History of London: description, interesting facts and attractions. Message about London History of the name of the city London

London– a city of double-decker red buses and the famous Big Ben, only here you can see a skyscraper with the funny name “Cucumber” and the unusual Dali Universe. However, first things first.

Founding of London

This city appeared back in 43 AD; Emperor Claudius appropriated it for himself during one of his many campaigns. The name of the city comes from the Latin “londinium”, but no one knows what this word means. There is an assumption that it denotes an area - a lake or simply some kind of wild place. However, this will remain a mystery of the universe.

Numerous wars almost completely destroyed the city, only in the Middle Ages they began to actively restore it and as a result it became the richest city, which it remains to this day.

Population London is just over eight million people, of whom only about 44% are native white British. But all the rest are migrants from the countries of the Middle East, Poland, India, France, Italy and other countries. They moved into the country for centuries, gradually diluting the population of London.

The religion professed by the majority of London residents is Christianity; it is followed by approximately 48% of the total population, 12% are Muslims. There are also representatives of other religions in London, but in smaller numbers.

London is also famous for its huge number of streets - more than 25 thousand. If we consider by district, London consists of 32 districts, as well as the City - a county in the center of Greater London, from which the entire history of London began.

If you need to call London, you first need to dial the country code +44, and then the city code, for London it is 20. After this, the direct number of the subscriber is dialed.

London Attractions

Among the most striking sights is the famous tower clock with a bell. Moreover, it is the bell that is called Big Ben, and not the tower itself, as many tourists mistakenly believe. Quite often it is recommended to visit “” - this is the name of the Ferris wheel, whose height is 135 meters. It is from this height that you can perfectly view the entire city in full view, and at the same time notice the most Beautiful places which you can visit in the future.

The “cucumber” skyscraper mentioned at the beginning of the article also has every right considered London's highlight. Its real name is Mary-Ex 30, this creation has an oblong shape and is decorated with green glass, which is why local residents They jokingly call the skyscraper a “cucumber.” This skyscraper is unique in that, due to its shape, it consumes half as much electricity as its other skyscraper brothers of the same height.

For art lovers best place The Dali Universe is a creative exhibition of Dali's works, where more than 500 exhibits are presented.

London It is famous for its large number of luxurious palaces from different eras, as well as all kinds of museums, which are simply not possible to visit at one time. First of all, it is worth paying attention to the famous Madame Tussauds museum and. They perfectly reflect the true essence of London and all its beauty.

Londoners

Naturally, any person who plans to travel to London will be interested in the question - what are local Londoners like? These people are very positive, they sacredly honor all their traditions, prefer not to get into quarrels and know how to stand in queues absolutely calmly. Their main tradition is tea drinking, they drink tea always and everywhere. If you are visiting, you must definitely drink at least a couple of cups of tea, otherwise the hosts will think that you didn’t like it at their place.

The majority of the population of London are believers, therefore they observe fasts and always celebrate religious holidays - Easter, Christmas. Londoners are also avid conservatives; they do not particularly like any innovations. They are very punctual and are never late. All their plans are thought out for a week in advance, so they must be warned about important events in advance.

The majority of the population speaks English language, so communication problems usually do not arise. But in London there are also many dialects, the most striking of which is Cockney, the language of the lower strata of society, where many words are pronounced incorrectly, as if deliberately distorted.

The weather in London usually does not cause any inconvenience, as there are no sudden changes here. Temperatures here in summer range from 14 to 25 degrees, and London winters are usually damp, with temperatures ranging from 2 to 8 degrees. But in London it rains quite often, lightly but annoyingly. But you won’t get snow in London – it only falls a couple of times a year.

In addition to viewing the local beauties, you can safely go shopping in London - there are entire streets of boutiques, for example Oxford street or Regent street, the shops are located from the most expensive to the cheapest, so everyone can find the most suitable option for themselves. Grand sales are held twice a year, when the price can be even up to 90% lower than the original one. Typically sales are held in January and June, but some stores may choose their own sales times.

Naturally, London, like any other city in the world, has its own prohibitions, public and unspoken. You should find out about them in advance so as not to get into an awkward situation. Surely any tourist will take a lot of photographs, so it is worth remembering that it is better not to take photographs of other people’s children in London; their parents will most likely turn to the nearest policeman with a request to reprimand you. Also, do not try to deceive people in the queues, trying to move forward under a plausible pretext, and even more so, do not push your way into the queue - the calm British will look at you with such contemptuous glances that you will immediately want to immediately leave this queue to hell.

Local residents are usually always polite and friendly, so it is recommended to reciprocate - say hello to sellers, and always thank people who provided even trivial help. In addition, in London they love all kinds of pets, so do not openly demonstrate your dislike of animals.

It should be remembered that vehicular traffic in capital of Great Britain left-handed. This means that when crossing the road, you should first look to the right and then to the left. For this reason, tourists from countries with right-hand traffic are not recommended to rent cars in London - quite often it is difficult for the driver to change his habitual driving pattern and therefore tourists often become a nuisance on the road or even get into accidents. It is better to rent a bicycle - it will be much cheaper and more practical.

In general, in addition to renting a car, you can use public transport: the metro, the famous ones, the ticket for them is bought before the trip, and not on the bus itself. It is worth remembering that the machine that sells tickets at bus stops does not give out change. Public transport operates around the clock, closes around midnight and opens at half past five in the morning on weekdays, on weekends - at seven in the morning. You can always catch a taxi, but a trip in one will cost much more, in addition, the cost will increase if you are not traveling alone or with large luggage, which will have to be placed in the taxi cabin.

Another thing worth mentioning is the local cuisine. When you come to London, you should definitely try pudding from Yorkshire – that’s the name of the local county. An interesting dish is “shepherd’s pie” filled with minced meat and vegetables.

But if you can still miss the dishes, then you absolutely must visit at least one of them! Only here it is possible to try a huge number of different types of beer, which is rightfully considered the signature drink of Great Britain. All other alcoholic drinks are also available here, and in pubs you can try dishes of various cuisines. In addition to drinking strong drinks, the pub offers a chance to play billiards, watch live football or take part in traditional quizzes for which you can win prizes. If previously pubs were a place exclusively for men, now the whole family can come to a pub and children will also find suitable entertainment.

As seen, London is not only a gray city of constant rains, as many mistakenly believe. This is a city of bright colors, friendly people and unique beauty of sights. Therefore, you should visit the capital of Great Britain at least once in your life, dispelling all your myths and ideas about it.

The city is located near the North Sea on the banks of the Thames. It is considered one of the leading financial centers in the world, as well as the cultural and economic center of the country.

The history of London is long and very interesting. The founders of the settlement called Londinium were the Romans, who came to the local lands in 43. By the beginning of the third century, the city was protected by a high fortress wall along its entire perimeter. In 410 the Romans left Britain. Over the next couple of centuries, Britain was inhabited by the Saxons, who founded St. Paul's Cathedral in Londinium. By the mid-eleventh century the city was divided into two parts: the island of Thorney (Westminster), where construction of the abbey began and royal palace, as well as the city itself (City).

In the twelfth century, William the Conqueror was crowned in Westminster Abbey, under which construction of the Tower began. The thirteenth century was a period of rapid economic and social development in London. During this period, the city was actively built up, London turned into the capital. The Tudors' rise to power had an extremely favorable effect on the development of the city, when city parks were laid out in London, hospitals and municipal institutions were opened. By the early sixteenth century, London had become a successful European trading city, with businesses both small and large thriving. Over the course of one century, the population of London increased more than 4 times, which also led to cultural development: theaters and libraries were opened.

In the mid-seventeenth century, two great disasters struck London at once: the plague, which killed 60 thousand people, and the fire of 1666, which destroyed more than 13 thousand buildings, including almost 90 churches. Despite the terrible events, London quickly rose to its feet and by the beginning of the eighteenth century had become the largest European city. In 1707, after the unification of England and England, London became the capital of Great Britain.

The construction boom occurred in the nineteenth century. Then factories, factories, a railway, industrial areas appeared in the city, the Tower Bridge and Albert Hall were built. In 1863, the world's first subway began operating in London.

In the sixties of the twentieth century, London conquered the whole world thanks to the music groups Beatles and Rolling Stones, who were extremely popular among music connoisseurs and young people.

Currently, London is one of the most important economic and cultural metropolises in the world. The city is one of the ten most interesting tourist capitals - a large number of attractions, museums, concert halls and various galleries are concentrated here.

After the Romans left, Celtic tribes of Britons settled in the city. The proximity of a navigable river affected the rapid increase in the number of inhabitants. The Vikings and Saxons ruled London at different times, and from 1066 it became English. TO XVII century London is the most Big City V . England unites with Scotland. In the 18th century, construction of Buckingham Palace and Westminster Bridge across the Thames was completed. The population has exceeded 1 million people. The 19th century brought some polarity to London. On the one hand, the prosperous capital of a large maritime state, banks, industry, and fleet. On the other hand, there are terrible slums, tens of thousands of poor people.

With the growth of industry, industrial areas appear. Among them, the East End is the most famous. In the past century, London has become a city of industrial victories and achievements. In general, the capital has gone through a lot during its history. There were fires, wars, ups and downs.

By the beginning of the last century, the city became the largest in the world in terms of population; today it is the second in Europe. The leader in the number of passengers who used the airport's services is London Heathrow. The city has had a metro since 1863. Moreover, there were never any breaks in his work. The capital hosted the Olympic Games three times. The last time was in the summer of 2012. The number of tourists is slightly less than in Paris. This shows the people's interest in England.

The city's airports are always ready to provide services related to tourism: clarification of routes and flights, arrival and departure times, the possibility of purchasing an air ticket. The airline constantly operates flights to London and back. Almost all tourists know the Tower, Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square.

Among the new, we recognize the London Eye. This is a Ferris wheel with a diameter of 135 meters. It stands on the banks of the Thames. A Ferris wheel was built to celebrate the advent of the 21st century. There are many museums in London. There are approximately 240 of them. The museums vary in theme and are designed to suit all tastes. For example, there is a fan museum. And the most famous are the London National Gallery, the British Museum, the wax museum, and the museum of the famous detective Sherlock Holmes. The Houses of Parliament or the Tower are not considered museums, but they can also be explored with a guide.

The cultural life of the capital is simply enormous. It becomes the source of various youth movements, which then cover all countries of the world. This was also the case in the 60s, when London became "Swinging", the hippie movement, Britpop in the early 90s, which gave rise to interest in the cultural life of Britain.

The city of London with a population of 8 million. Capital of the United Kingdom. Located along the River Thames. The climate is maritime. Summer is warm, but with showers and thunderstorms, and fogs are common. Winter is not cold. January is considered the coldest. More than half of the city's population professes Christianity, followed by Muslims, Hindus, and Jews. It has been known as the capital for 2,000 years. The city was founded by the Roman Emperor Claudius in 43. A few years later, London becomes the capital of Roman Britain. After the Romans left, Celtic tribes of Britons settled in the city. The proximity of a navigable river affected the rapid increase in the number of inhabitants. The Vikings and Saxons ruled London at different times, and from 1066 it became English. By the 17th century, London was the largest city in Europe. England unites with Scotland. In the 18th century, construction of Buckingham Palace and Westminster Bridge across the Thames was completed. The population has exceeded 1 million people. The 19th century brought some polarity to London. On the one hand, the prosperous capital of a large maritime state, banks, industry, and fleet. On the other hand, there are terrible slums, tens of thousands of poor people. With the growth of industry, industrial areas appear. Among them, the East End is the most famous. In the past century, London has become a city of industrial victories and achievements. In general, the capital has gone through a lot during its history. There were fires, wars, ups and downs. By the beginning of the last century, the city became the largest in the world in terms of population; today it is the second in Europe. The leader in the number of passengers who used the airport's services is London Heathrow. The city has had a metro since 1863. Moreover, there were never any breaks in his work. The capital hosted the Olympic Games three times. The last time was in the summer of 2012. The number of tourists is slightly less than in Paris. This shows the people's interest in England. The city's airports are always ready to provide services related to tourism: booking air tickets, clarifying routes and flights, arrival and departure times, and the possibility of purchasing an air ticket. Ryanair operates regular flights to and from London. Almost all tourists know the Tower, Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square. Among the new, we recognize the London Eye. This is a Ferris wheel with a diameter of 135 meters. It stands on the banks of the Thames. A Ferris wheel was built to celebrate the advent of the 21st century. There are many museums in London. There are approximately 240 of them. The museums vary in theme and are designed to suit all tastes. For example, there is a fan museum. And the most famous are the London National Gallery, the British Museum, the wax museum, and the museum of the famous detective Sherlock Holmes. The Houses of Parliament or the Tower are not considered museums, but they can also be explored with a guide. The cultural life of the capital is simply enormous. It becomes the source of various youth movements, which then cover all countries of the world. This was also the case in the 60s, when London became "Swinging", the hippie movement, Britpop in the early 90s, which gave rise to interest in the cultural life of Britain. var addthis_product = "jlp-2.0"; var addthis_config = ( pubid:"Your+Profile+ID", data_track_clickback:true, ui_language:"ru", data_ga_property:"UA-10312200-2" )

Despite the fact that 60 years ago, after the Great London Smog, the city acquired an unusual nickname "The Big Smoke", today the fairly humid, fresh and clean air of the huge metropolis pleases its residents and tourists. Of course, fog, which was the main cause of the famous tragedy in 1952, is not uncommon for the city today, but after the high-profile incident, the metropolis authorities are carefully monitoring the ecology of the capital and the state. In addition, everyone who wants to visit London should take an umbrella with them, which will immediately become a basic necessity, because light rain drizzles here almost every day.

Despite the dull weather and cloudy sky, the residents of hospitable London are very friendly, smiling and never seem to be sad. The warm atmosphere of the city is literally imbued with a joyful mood and creative spirit. On Friday evening, all places of rest (especially pubs) are so crowded that you can see a lot of people just standing on the street, chatting and treating each other to wine or beer. Sunday evening is another matter - the city seems to stand still and you can rarely see a passer-by on the street.

Of course, compared to New York, where life is in an eternal rush, London is not such a “fast and active” city, although there is hardly enough time for measured gourmet breakfasts. But sitting somewhere in a park on the grass, surrounded by nature and city residents with coffee, a warm bun or a sandwich, is very English. During the day, such London parks are always very crowded, however, everyone around feels free and comfortable.

English restraint and patience are inherent not only to high-ranking titled persons, but also to ordinary London police officers, who will always tell tourists the way and friendly talk about local rules and laws. The patience and politeness of law-abiding residents of the capital of Great Britain is noticeably reflected on the roads, where drivers, even at night on an empty highway, try not to exceed the speed limit, and during the day let each other pass, thereby preventing endless traffic jams.

A little history

The history of London is multifaceted and interesting. Oldest city Europe was founded back in 43 AD. The metropolis, which today occupies 1706.8 km 2, grew from a settlement about 1.6 km long and 0.8 km wide. Since its inception, London has been a significant trading center and an important port, and by 100 AD. became the capital of Britain. Another 100 years later, when Britain was divided into several parts, the Romans built a protective wall around the city, and today tourists who go to London can see its remains.

For several centuries in a row, London passed from hand to hand, was destroyed and rebuilt more than once, but at the same time it did not stop developing and being built. In 1066, the power of the city passed to William the Conqueror, who began construction of the famous Tower, about which there have been legends for many centuries, attracting the interest of tourists.

The beginning of the 18th century was significant in the history of London, when after the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London the city was completely restored and began to bear the proud title of the capital of Scotland and England.

By the way, you can find out a lot of interesting things about London here:

Transport for London

Transport for London is not just a means of transportation, but one of the main symbols of the city, especially when it comes to double-decker buses, the world's oldest metro and the busiest airport, Heathrow.

Despite its impressive scale, the city metro, divided into 6 zones, does not pose any particular difficulties. In the first zone, i.e. in the center, all the sights of London are concentrated. For those who plan to frequently travel around the city by metro, it will be cheaper and more convenient to buy a travel ticket that is valid for one or several days.

There are quite a lot of buses in the city, and in the center you can see their schedules, as well as diagrams of routes of interest. The fare is paid to the driver or cashier upon entry. But it is worth remembering that during the day, when the streets are crowded, it is very difficult to get to the place on time by bus, so it is better to take the metro. But buses run around the clock, so you can walk freely until the morning.

Safety in London

Like any metropolis, London city is not free from crime, but effective police work allows all visiting tourists to feel confident in a foreign city. Even in the evening, you shouldn’t be afraid to walk down the street, especially in the Soho area, where a lot of people gather in the evening. However, the outlying areas of the city, such as Williston, are not worth visiting and are generally not visited by tourists. In any case, even in the center of the capital there is no need to let down your vigilance; for example, it is better not to “catch” an illegal taxi on the street.

London Attractions

The Tower and Tower Bridge are the most popular attractions of the city and its symbols. They can tell the best story about the history of London. The oldest fortress, the Tower, is today the historical center of the capital.

There is hardly a single tourist who has not heard about Big Ben - the third tallest clock tower in the world. "Big Ben" is the name of the largest bell on the huge clock of the Palace of Westminster, which weighs 13 tons.

The amazingly beautiful and mesmerizing cathedral church of Westminster Abbey is built in the Gothic style and is located in the area of ​​London called Westminster. In the temple you can see the tombs of the most famous people England: kings, military leaders, cultural figures.

In the same area is Buckingham Palace, the residence of British monarchs. The most important receptions, official ceremonies and banquets take place here. Every year, the residence is visited by approximately 50,000 guests invited to royal ceremonies and receptions. London's largest private garden extends around Buckingham Palace.

The main museum of Great Britain and one of the largest museums in the world is the British Museum. The main treasure of England is kept here - the Library of the British Museum.

And for dessert - interesting video about “toy” London:

Initially it was a small settlement with an area of ​​about 0.8 km 2. By the year 100, London had become the capital of Britain and reached its peak in the 2nd century. After the Romans left, London was abandoned and fell into decay. In the 6th century, the Saxons began to settle around and by the end of the 9th century old center London began to recover. In subsequent centuries, under changing rulers, London was the center of the territory that transformed into Great Britain.

London grew a lot during the 19th century. During the Second World War, the city suffered serious damage, after which many historical areas were replaced by new ones. Currently, London is one of the economic and legal centers of the world; the headquarters of leading international companies are located on its territory.

Encyclopedic YouTube

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✪ London. Biography of the city - episode 1

✪ London. Biography of the city - episode 2

✪ Great cities: London

✪ Tim Marlow: "The History of the Royal Academy of Arts in London in Persons"

✪ Londinium - where London began

Subtitles

Etymology

Etymology of the name London not determined. There are many different theories about the origin of the name: most of them are implausible and unfounded, and some are similar to plausible ones. But none of the versions has sufficient evidence.

Under the Romans the city was called Londinium. The name is believed to be pre-Roman (and possibly pre-Celtic), but there are no confirmed theories about its meaning. The Romans very often adopted the names of cities and territories adopted by indigenous peoples. The generally accepted theory is that the name comes from a Celtic place name Londinion from the word lond, meaning "wild".

The Anglo-Saxons founded their settlement of Lundenvik not far from the city abandoned by the Romans. The first part of the word was taken from the old name, and the suffix Vic in Old English meant " market town", so Lundenvik meant "London market town".

In 886 Alfred occupied the territory of London and made it inhabited again. To defend the kingdom, he began to build fortified settlements, which were called "burh" in the Anglo-Saxon language. London became one of these settlements under the name Ludenburgh. Later, this name was transformed by cutting off the second root into the modern name of the city. After the Norman Conquest, the city was called for some time in French-language sources Lundres, in Latin - Lundonia .

Among the unofficial names of the city: The Big Smoke And The Great Wen. Once upon a time the English called London The Big Smoke(or The Great Smog). This name can literally be translated as "Big Smoke". This definition is connected, of course, with the famous London smog of the 19th-20th centuries. Another unofficial name for the city is The Great Wen. Wen- this is old English word, which literally translates to “boil,” which in this context means “overcrowded city.” In terms of neighborhood nicknames, the City is often also referred to as the "square mile" because the area is just over a square mile in area. These two tropes are also used to generically refer to the financial sector of the British economy, as most financial companies and banks have traditionally been concentrated in the City for several centuries.

Early history

Legend of the founding

According to the legend from Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain, London was founded by Brutus of Troy after his victory over the giants Gog and Magog and was named Caer Troia, Troia Nova(from Latin New Troy), which, according to pseudo-etymology, was renamed Trinovantum. The Trinovantes were a tribe that inhabited the area before the arrival of the Romans.

However, despite intensive excavations, archaeologists have not found any signs of a powerful prehistoric tribe in this area. Prehistoric finds were found there, evidence of agriculture, burials and traces of habitation, but nothing more significant. It is now considered unlikely that a pre-Roman city existed, but Roman settlements have not been fully explored and precise data have not yet been obtained.

Londinium

At the end of the 3rd century, Londinium was raided several times by Saxon pirates. Because of this, around 250, several additional walls were built along the river. The wall stood for 1,600 years and defined the modern perimeter of London. 6 of London's 7 traditional gates were built by the Romans, namely: Ludgate, Newgate, Aldersgate, Cripplegate, Bishopsgate and Aldgate. At the end of the 4th century, Britain was again divided, and Londinium became the capital of the province of Maxima Caesarensis. In the 5th century, the Romans abandoned Londinium, and the city gradually began to be populated by Britons. After this, the city was practically abandoned.

London in the Middle Ages

Anglo-Saxon London

Until recently it was believed that no Anglo-Saxon settlements were built near Londinium. However, the Anglo-Saxon cemetery in Covent Garden, opened in 2008, showed that newcomers began to settle there from the beginning of the 6th century. The main part of the settlement is located outside the city walls. It was known as Lundenvik, the suffix -vik here meaning a trading settlement. Recent excavations have also revealed the population density and relatively complex urban organization of early Anglo-Saxon London.

In early Anglo-Saxon London there lived a people known as the Middle Saxons. However, at the beginning of the 7th century, the territory of the London region was included in the kingdom of Essex. In 604, King Saberth was baptized and Mellitus, the first bishop after the Romans, arrived in London. At this time, Ethelbert of Kent ruled in Essex, and under his patronage Mellitus founded the Council of St. Paul. The cathedral is believed to have been founded on the site of an old Roman temple to Diana (although Christopher Wren has found no evidence for this). It was only a modest church, and it was probably destroyed by the sons of Sabertus, who were pagans, after the expulsion of Mellitus. The establishment of Christianity in the east of the Saxon kingdom occurred during the reign of Sigebert II in the 650s. During the 8th century, the royal house of Mercia expanded its dominance over south-east England. Mercian dominance over London was established in the 730s.

London began to develop its own self-government. After Æthelred's death in 911, it became part of Wessex. Although it faced competition from the politically superior West Saxon center of Winchester, London's size and wealth brought it steadily increasing importance as a political focal point. King Æthelstan held many Witenagemot meetings in London and issued his laws from there, while King Æthelred the Foolish issued the laws of London in 978.

During Elthered's reign, Viking attacks on London resumed. In 994, London was unsuccessfully attacked by an army led by King Sven Forkbeard of Denmark. In 1013, a Danish attack ended badly for the English. London repelled the Danish attacks, but the rest of the country surrendered to Sven, but by the end of the year London had capitulated and Æthelred fled abroad. Sven ruled for only five weeks, after which he died, Elthered became king again. But Sven's son Knud returned with an army in 1015. After Æthelred's death in 1016, his son Edmund Ironside was proclaimed king and left to gather forces in Wessex. London was besieged by Canute, but was liberated by the army of King Edmund. When Edmund returned to Essex, Canute attacked again, but without success. However, Cnut defeated Edmund at the Battle of Ashdown and conquered all of England north of the Thames, including London. After Edmund's death, Canute gained control of the entire country.

The Norse sagas tell of a battle that took place when King Æthelred returned to attack the Danish forces occupying London. According to the saga, the Danes lined up on London Bridge and showered their attackers with spears. Undeterred, the attackers removed the roofs from nearby houses and, while on ships, covered themselves with them. Protected, they were able to get close enough to the bridge to attach ropes to the bridge, throw off the Vikings, and free London from occupation. This story supposedly took place during Elthered's return after Sven's death in 1014, but there is no conclusive evidence for this.

After the suppression of Canute's dynasty in 1042, Anglo-Saxon rule was restored by Edward the Confessor. He founded Westminster Abbey and spent most of his time in Westminster, which from that time became the center of government. Edward's death led to a dispute over the succession and the Norman conquest of England. Earl Harold Godwinson was elected by the people and crowned in Westminster Abbey, but was soon defeated and killed by the Norman Duke William at the Battle of Hastings. The surviving members of the Witan met in London and elected young Edgar Ætheling as the new king. The Normans advanced along the south bank of the Thames and stood opposite London. They defeated the English army and burned Southwark, but were unable to storm the bridge. They advanced upstream and crossed the river to attack London from the northwest. The English resolve crumbled, and representatives of the city, along with aristocrats and priests, came out to meet William to escort him to Berkhamsted. According to some reports, several skirmishes occurred when the Normans reached the city. William was crowned in Westminster Abbey.

London in the High and Late Middle Ages

Under the Norman regime, new fortresses were built in cities to subjugate the local population. The most important of these was the Tower in the eastern part of the city, where the first stone castle in England appeared on the site of earlier wooden fortifications. King William issued a charter in 1067 establishing the rights, benefits and laws of the city.

In 1176, construction began on one of the most famous incarnations of London Bridge (completed 1209), which was built on the site of earlier wooden bridges. This bridge stood for 600 years, and remained the only bridge over the Thames until 1739.

Over the next centuries, Norman policies were actively enforced in England. The Norman Conquest introduced the feudal culture of chivalry into England based on its French models. Old English was ousted from the sphere of government, and the Norman dialect of French became the language of administration and communication of the dominant social strata. For about three hundred years, the Anglo-Norman dialect dominated the country and had a great influence on the formation of modern English. However, in Everyday life French cultural and linguistic influence quickly declined to indistinguishably small levels. .

During the Peasants' Revolt in 1381, London was captured by rebels led by Wat Tyler. The peasants captured Tower of London and executed the Lord Chancellor, Archbishop Simon Sudbury, and the Lord Treasurer. The peasants plundered the city and set fire to many buildings. Tyler was killed during negotiations and the uprising subsided.

In 1100 the population of London was slightly more than 15,000. In 1300 it had risen to 80,000. London lost at least half of its population during the plague in the mid-14th century, but its economic and political importance stimulated a rapid recovery despite further epidemics.

Medieval London had many narrow and winding streets, and most buildings were built from flammable materials such as wood and straw, making them a fire hazard. Sanitation in the city was poor.

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London under the Tudors (1485-1603)