About London (city of)

Country: England
Region: London
Established: around 47 AD
Area: 3,443 sq mi (8,917 km2)
Population: 15,400,000

Situated on the banks of the River Thames in south eastern England, London started as a small river settlement that has evolved into one of the most influential cultural, financial, and historical cities in the world. The city of London is surrounded by further London boroughs that create Greater London. Beyond Greater London Hertfordshire is to the north, Essex to the north east, Kent to the south east, Surrey to the south, and Berkshire and Buckinghamshire to the west.

Londinium:
The Name London was first recorded around 65 AD as Londinium, on a Roman writing tablet Roman Britain.

History:
Prehistoric Times:
Nomadic hunter-gatherers and early farming tribes regularly travelled along the river, using it as a vital highway for trade and communication.

Archaeologists have revealed Bronze Age wooden tracks preserved in the mud flats of Southwark. The remains of a 3,000 year old timber structure near Vauxhall which may have been an early bridge or jetty. Artifacts have been dredged from the river, including the famous Waterloo Helmet, an Iron Age bronze helmet with horns.

Roman Times:
When the Roman Empire invaded Britain the Roman military built a wooden bridge across the Thames and established Londinium. By 50 AD it had grown into a busy port town.

In 61 AD Queen Boudica of the Iceni tribe led a massive Celtic rebellion and burnt the city to the ground. The Romans rebuilt on a grander scale and made Londinium the capital of Roman Britain, building a defensive stone wall, known as London Wall.

Ships from across the Mediterranean docked at its quays and brought wine, olive oil, and silk. At its peak in the 2nd century London was a thriving cosmopolitan city of around 45,000 people while establishing a legacy of international trade that continues today.

Anglo-Saxon Times:
Early 5th century Londinium was mostly abandoned. By the 7th century Anglo-Saxons arrived and instead of living inside the Roman walls, which they viewed with superstition, they built a new town to the west, near modern day Covent Garden named Lundenwic "London trading place".

Lundenwic became a wealthy trading hub which attracted the attention of Viking raiders. Following decades of destructive Viking attacks. King Alfred the Great of Wessex took decisive action in 886 AD and moved the population back inside the safety of the old Roman stone walls. He repaired the fortifications, and established Lundenburh. Alfred’s strategy worked, and London grew as a political and economic centre. In the early 11th century, King Edward the Confessor moved the royal court Westminster, building a grand palace and founding Westminster Abbey.

Norman Times:
Recognizing the London’s immense wealth and power, following William the Conqueror’s victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, he marched on London. To secure his grip and intimidate the local population he immediately ordered the construction of a massive stone fortress on the riverbanks, the White Tower, which forms the historic heart of the Tower of London.

The Normans transformed London into a true medieval powerhouse. William granted the City of London a special charter that guaranteed its citizens their traditional rights and financial independence. Citizens began building grand stone houses and work began on the first stone London Bridge, complete with houses and shops built directly on top of it. At the same time the Westminster was expanded, making it the permanent home of the royal government, law courts, and royal coronations.

Tudor and Stuart Times:
London experienced a golden age of culture followed by unprecedented catastrophes. During Queen Elizabeth I reign London’s population exploded to over 200,000. It became a hub of theatrical activity. William Shakespeare staged his legendary plays at the Globe Theatre on the Southbank drawing crowds from all walks of life.

However, the 17th century brought immense tragedy. In 1665 the Great Plague swept through the cramped unsanitary streets killing nearly 100,000 citizens. Just one year later in September 1666 the Great Fire of London occurred. Over four terrifying days the inferno consumed 13,000 wooden houses and destroyed the medieval St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Rising from the ashes Londoners rebuilt their city using brick and stone. Architect Sir Christopher Wren redesigned the city skyline, crowning it with the magnificent domed St. Paul’s Cathedral that still stands today.

Industrial Revolution Times:
The Industrial Revolution transformed London into the capital of the British Empire and the largest city on Earth. The River Thames became crowded with thousands of merchant ships.

To handle the overwhelming volume of global trade, engineers constructed massive enclosed docklands including the West India Docks and the London Docks which turned the city's east end into The Warehouse of the World.
The city’s population increased to over one million people as rural workers flooded in looking for employment.
Factories, breweries, and gasworks sprouted up along the south and east boundaries of the city. While the Industrial Revolution brought immense wealth to London's banks and merchants, it also created severe overcrowding, heavy smog, and deep poverty in the working class neighbourhoods, setting the stage for major social and urban reforms.

Victorian Times:
With the use of pioneering engineering London solved its industrial crises. The city's growth had overwhelmed its infrastructure creating the Great Stink of 1858 when the polluted Thames smelled so bad it halted parliament. Sir Joseph Bazalgette engineered an underground brick sewer system that eradicated cholera and cleaned the river.

In 1863 global transportation was revolutionised by the opening of the Metropolitan Railway, the world's first underground passenger railway which evolved into the famous London Underground, The Tube.

Tower Bridge opened in 1894, a masterpiece of Victorian Gothic design and engineering. This was also an era of great cultural expansion. The Great Exhibition of 1851 funded the creation of London's museum district that included the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum.

Modern Times:
Modern London is defined by its remarkable resilience and its status as a vibrant multicultural hub. The city welcomed generations of immigrants from across the Commonwealth, drastically reshaping London into one of the most culturally diverse and creatively dynamic cities on Earth.

Today historic landmarks like Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament stand alongside striking modern skyscrapers like The Shard and the Gherkin. As a global hub for finance, technology, fashion, and the arts London constantly evolves while protecting the ancient footprints of its rich and storied past.