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London Overview
London. Just saying the name conjures up an array of iconic images: Big Ben, the London Bridge, Buckingham Palace, the London Underground, and more. The 2012 Summer Olympics represent the third time it has been selected for the Olympics and with good reason: it seems everywhere you look in the nearly 2,000-year-old city there is something new to see. Noted essayist and literary critic of the eighteenth century Dr. Samuel Johnson had this to say about London: “Sir, if you wish to have a just notion of the magnitude of this city, you must not be satisfied with seeing its great streets and squares, but must survey the innumerable little lanes and courts.” While this may not be everyone’s opinion of this capital city, it certainly illustrates how much London has to offer both seasoned travelers and first-time visitors. Located in the southeast corner of Great Britain, Greater London covers an area of 1,579 square kilometers, but it is relatively easy to navigate via the Underground, also known as “the tube.” The city hosts a wide variety of things to see and do, including many kid-friendly and free options. To get an idea of the true London, pop into a corner pub or take in a football match, just don’t be caught calling it soccer! Since you are in London, where the weather can change drastically in a moment, take an umbrella and jacket on every outing. Come to explore the past, revel in the present, and peek at the future, but be sure to “mind the gap”!
In order to appreciate how London became the city she is today, you need to start at the beginning. The settlement that would become London began more than 500,000 years ago with the Celtic tribes, who eked out an existence along the Thames Valley marshlands. Some believe London was named for Welsh King Lud, who pre-dated the Romans, while others believe the city was originally called Lyndon, Celtic for “shadowy waters.” The tidal river Thames, meandering through gently rolling hills, has played an integral part in London’s history. In AD 43, Romans led by Emperor Claudius invaded England, built roads, and established trade and commerce routes. The construction of a wooden bridge just east of the present-day London Bridge attracted newcomers, and a grid of roads was laid out, making the area well suited for commerce. The depth of the Thames and its tidal zones made the newly minted Londinium an ideal place for the berthing of trade ships, and a thriving permanent settlement was born. The original Roman Londinium lasted only 17 years before Queen Boudica of the Iceni tribe burned it to the ground in AD 60. The Romans rebuilt and the new city prospered for another several centuries until the Romans, worn down by barbarian invasions, pulled out of England entirely in AD 410. Over the next 16 centuries, London would see invasions by the Goths, Picts, Danes, Vikings (who would come back again as Normans), Saxons, Scots, Geats, Jutes, Angles, Cambrians, and Frisians. Whether they invaded and left or invaded and remained, their descendants melded together and became the face of England.
London is a universal city home to a vast array of people from various cultures, many of whom came to avoid persecution elsewhere. It is an intriguing blend of ancient history, modern sensibilities, and promise for the future. Advances in art, architecture, science, politics, and religion all have root in London’s history. A trip to London can satisfy anyone, regardless of age, nationality, or interest. This city is the only place in the world where you can walk in the footsteps of a Roman emperor, kings and queens, famous authors, and modern pop icons all before afternoon tea. With an illustrious history rooted in the past and one hand always reaching for the future, London keeps reinventing herself.