London is a capital of Great Britain; it has a population of 6, 770, 000. It lies on the river Thames, where the Romans landed nearly 2000 years ago. From about 1800 until World War Two London was the biggest city of the world, but now there are many cities which are much bigger. London is famous for many things. Tourists come from all over the world to visit its historic buildings. The Tower of London has dominated the city of London for over 900 years and today is still one of the capital’s most prominent landmarks and a world famous visitor attraction. The Tower has served earlier as a royal palace and fortress, prison and place of execution, an arsenal, and a jewel house.

St. Paul’s Cathedral is Sir Christopher Wren’s masterpiece, built between 1675 and 1708 because the previous cathedral was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. The huge and elegant dome dominates the skyline of the City and gives panoramic views over London. Inside you can enjoy the acoustics of the Whispering Gallery. The Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of The Queen. Its magnificent rooms which contain some of the finest works of art in the world are only open to visitors for a limited period each year. Every morning, at half past eleven, you can see the changing of the guard in front of the palace.

At the Houses of Parliament you can see and hear the famous clock, the Big Ben, which got its name after a minister who was responsible for the clock. His name was Sir Benjamin Hall and he was a very tall man. The minute hands of the clock are 14 feet long. They jump seven inches every half minute.

Shakespeare’s Globe was founded by the American actor and director Sam Wanamaker and has become one of London’s most successful theatres and top visitor attractions. The theatre is a faithful reconstruction of the 1599 open-air playhouse where Shakespeare wrote many of his greatest plays.