London, the capital of the UK, was founded in AD 43 by the Roman invaders as a settlement and a fortress. At first it had the name of Londinium. Due to its convenient position in the mouth of the river Thames the settlement grew and developed into a city. In the 11th century London became the capital of England. For centuries it was a prominent port through which wealth and prosperity came to the country. Being an important trade and political centre, the city enjoyed greater independence than the other cities of the medieval England and even had the right to elect the head of the city, Lord Mayor. The picturesque ceremony of the elections of Lord Mayor of London is still held every year and attracts thousands of tourists.
The city was built rather chaotically, the streets being narrow and dirty. It grew and developed together with the developing of the nation. In 1666 the Great Fire of London destroyed the most part of the city, which was rebuilt, but the old planning remained untouched.
Historically and geographically London can be divided into three parts: the City, the West End and the East End. The City is the financial centre of the country, with offices of large firms and banks and the Stock Exchange.
The West End has always been considered a place where aristocrats lived. There is a great number of sights and attractions: the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, St Paul's Cathedral, the Nelson Column, to mention just a few of them. London's beautiful parks are also there: Hyde Park, St. James' Park, Regent's Park are favourite places for Londoners to visit and relax. One may also go shopping in the West End — Piccadilly Street and Oxford Street both present a wide choice of expensive shops and boutiques.
The East End was previously considered the place where not well-to-do people lived. The identity of the East End as a place of deprivation and poverty persisted until well after the Second World War, becoming overlaid with certain gangster glamour in the 1960s. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, London east of the City is still seen as having a different character, claiming a certain independence of look from the rest of metropolis; but its cultural status has been transformed. Parts of the East End are believed to house the highest population of artists in Europe, and the East End is now considered a bohemian district. The ugly docks, which for years disguised the face of the East End, are now closed, and new hotels, stadiums and apartment houses are being built.
Now London extends much more than the City, the West End and the East End. Its suburbs grow rapidly. London and its suburbs are called Greater London.
As well as it is impossible to say that Moscow is a typical Russian city, nobody can call London a typical British one. In fact, it has become a multinational metropolis, being inhabited by people from all over the world. It is always busy and crowded. It certainly has its own face — millions of faces. Maybe, this is the reason why people say: "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.”
