fun and weird facts about london

The best UK cities for history buffs. But they aren’t the only jewels kept safe in the Tower. The first London Marathon was in 1981. . London covers 600 square miles and has a population of 8.6 million, but only its oldest part, just one square mile in size, is called the City of London. The first of my interesting facts about London is about the most iconic landmark in the city. While only a few people died, the damage was extensive. The London Underground is the oldest underground railway network in the world. Constructed out of wood , early versions of London Bridge were susceptible to fire, storms, and occasional invading armies. Scientists are still looking into what caused this particular fog, but generally agree that a rare cold weather system created the thick layer of smog that hit the city for five deadly days in 1952. 56)  There was an original London Eye! They were held there in 1952 for a few days before being released. 9) The Queen’s official residence is Buckingham Palace in the centre of London. It’s no surprise that tourism makes up a large percentage of the overall London economy and provides a lot of jobs for locals. in advance and save money while skipping the queue. They called London “Londinium”. 1) London is the smallest city in England. It is well known for its efficiency and ease of use. London, the capital city of England is one of the most diverse and cosmopolitan cities in the world. Line your stomach – you’ll need it. ; There are some very strange laws. 23) It’s not a myth that the process to become a black cab driver in London is a monumental undertaking. 35) The term “London Fog” refers to the constant pea soup fog that clouded London in the 1800’s and early 1900’s. It only takes two hours and will take you through the Channel Tunnel. The Great Fire of London destroyed a lot of the city’s history. The Houses of Parliament are officially known as the Palace of Westminster. and know of the notorious London gangsters ‘The Kray Twins’, it will interest you to know that they were the last official prisoners of the Tower. The London Underground, was built in 1863, and was the first metro of the world. 15)  The cost of living in London may be high, but the city also has one of the highest numbers of billionaires in the world. In fact, the 1908 event achieved another record in its own right. 1. Our guide Anna went on a Moscow tour to beat the autumn swarm and here is what she learnt about the city. You’re welcome. Interesting Facts About London London stands on the southeast of England and is the capital city of United Kingdom-> London is the m… Slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. The oldest underground line in the world is the Metropolitan line, which opened on 10 January 1863. They even had a Zoo on the Tower’s 12 acre grounds in the 13th century, which had a range of strange and exotic animals such as polar bears, elephants and even kangaroos! You can still visit and see world class Shakespeare productions at. Here are some facts for you to shine among your peers: 1. 72) After Queen Elizabeth dies, the new monarch will be her son, Prince Charles. There have been many London Bridges over the years, the earliest being those erected by the Romans. 25) The world’s first ever public zoo opened in London in 1829. 69) Visitors can tour the State Rooms of Buckingham Palace when the Queen isn’t in residence (usually in the summertime), but arguably the most famous Palace event is the Changing of the Guard when the “New Guard” changes shifts with the “Old Guard” in a traditional ceremony visitors can watch for free. 13)  30 millions tourists a year visit London, making it the most popular destination on the planet. Some of the city’s facts are super fun. Here’s a few fascinating facts on these important London landmarks. With the terrifying nickname of “The Knowledge”, London can drivers are required to over 300 London routes, 25,000 streets, and 20,000 landmarks to even take the test. The most well known is the housing of six ravens at the Tower since the reign of Charles II in 1649. Here’s just a few of my favorites…. 77) London’s famous streets have been immortalised on the original Monopoly board game. Here are some interesting facts about London that are worth knowing: 1. – facts about this historic city… 1) The Romans first built London nearly 2000 years ago – but Boudicca, the queen of a Celtic tribe, burnt it to the ground a … The poor living conditions and small, filthy streets meant illness spread like wildfire. He was caught before he managed to pull off his plan and executed. London is one of those cities that when you visit it, it feels familiar. The famous 221B Baker St in Sherlock Holmes & Dr. Watson actually takes place at 187 North Gower Street. Here’s a few facts to kickstart their British adventure! For 57 consecutive nights in September and October of 1940, the German forces dropped bombs on the city, destroying much of it. However, for a long time, electricity and electric lighting was only reserved for the more upmarket areas of the city, while the poor slums were often completely shrouded in darkness when night fell. Nobody knows the reason for this. The cover of their smash album, shows John, Paul, George and Ringo crossing the road outside their studio in a line, and today tourists replicate the iconic shot to the chagrin of drivers. Do you know about London's beer wave? One day William’s first born son, Prince George, will reign. (See 55 Shakespeare facts for broader insights into his life.) That’s right. Crazy and funny facts about London. They even had a Zoo on the Tower’s 12 acre grounds in the 13th century, which had a range of strange and exotic animals such as polar bears, elephants and even kangaroos! But what is it that makes the black cab so important? While everyone in the world knows what Big Ben is, very few people know this is not its real name. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Your email address will not be published. Offering jaw dropping 360 degree views of London, the hugely popular London Eye is a must on your next visit to the city. During the peak of the craze, the average consumption of gin was 2 pints per week - for every person in the city - including children. Those Londoners know how to keep a tradition alive! Interesting facts about the Tower of London. An Interesting Fact About Every London Tube Station. It’s a little known fun fact about London that the city officially went through a period called the Gin Craze between 1720 and 1751. The bell of the tower is actually nicknamed Big Ben, while the clock tower is officially called… well, “The Clock Tower”. 19) Wimbledon is one of the world’s major tennis tournaments, and is held annually in the European summer. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the entire United Kingdom and waiting times in the peak summer season are generally between 30-60 minutes. 1 . 30 Kickass and Interesting Facts About London Admin. 3. These facts about London will give you a taste of just how fascinating its history is. But here is a selection of interesting facts that you may not know about London and which you can check out on your London holiday.Aside from being interesting facts, they help make your London visit more enjoyable. If you visit London, you can tell if Queen Elizabeth is home by checking whether her royal flag is flying on the flagpole or not. London is a fascinating city. Here are 15 fun facts you may not know about the London Eye. Here, William Shakespeare penned some of his most prolific plays, before the theatre burnt down in 1613 due to an accidental prop malfunction during a performance. London is the first city in the world to get the underground railway. 36) Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre – still in operation today – opened in 1599 and hosted the playwright himself for over a decade. Luckily, Queen Elizabeth wasn’t home. He weighs a whopping 13.5 tons and chimes every fifteen minutes. 2. The history of London is unbelievable, terrifying, hilarious and incredible. #1 Oldest Subway in the World. 73) When a new royal baby is born, the Royals still follow the old tradition of announcing it on a sign outside of Buckingham Palace. Such a unique job! 40) One of the biggest outpourings of global grief in history happened on August 31, 1997 when Diana, Princess of Wales was killed in a car accident in Paris. There’s a famous saying that states “a bad day in London is still better than a good day anywhere else.” And as someone who has visited London a number of times, I totally agree. I’d love for you to take a look at a few more, and feel free to reach out with any questions you’ve got! Buckingham Palace is located right in the heart of London, and droves of visitors make their way to its gates every day to check out how the other half live. 24 fascinating London facts for kids The Romans founded London (sort of) Did you know Romans first settled in London some 2,000 years ago? The entire ceremony lasts approximately 45 minutes. Three out of the ten largest and most popular museums in the world are located in London. A new Globe opened the following year, but shortly thereafter the new Puritan government banned all plays for a period of time. There’s just no angry Bernard to tell you to get out. Harrods, Selfridges, Fortnum & Mason, Burberry, Liberty, Marks & Spencer, Stella McCartney….The most popular London shopping hotspots to check out are are Oxford Street, Carnaby Street, Camden Market, Bond Street, Regent Street, Notting Hill and Knightsbridge. That’s right, the tower’s original name was – “The Clock Tower” while “Big Ben” is the name of the bell inside it. That means this year will be the 38th race. Don’t believe me? The Houses of Parliament has 1,000 rooms,100 staircases, eleven courtyards, eight bars … After the Regency era, her Victorian England was quite an about turn! London is home to many of the English Premier League’s teams, including Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and Crystal Palace. [Richard Pope] 2. London is the largest city in the United Kingdom. Total Population: 9,126,366; Founded: 47 AD by Romans; Demonym: Londoner; Mayor: Sadiq Khan; Total city area: 607 sq mi (1,572 km2) Metro area: 3,236 sq mi (8,382 km2) Big Ben is the name of the bell within. Below is some general information about London such as total population, land area, and other general facts that might be interesting to know. 1. Parking in London is that hard to come by. It is situated on the River Thames in the south east of the island of Great Britain. 18) Greater London spans 1579 square kilometres (610 square miles). London's growing population of around 8.2 million residents consists of people from ethnic groups such as the Indian, Caribbean, Pakistani, Chinese, German, Arab, Greek, and Nigerian communities. 7) The best way to get around London is by their amazing underground rail system. Interesting facts about London January 7, 2018 January 7, 2018 admintag London is an ancient city. Facts about London Transport. It rains in London approximately 156.2 days a year out of 365. Visit Bernard Black’s little book store in the heart of London. 36) Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre – still in operation today – opened in 1599 and hosted the playwright himself for over a decade. Please check your email for further instructions. We are bringing you some fun facts about London, the second most-visited city in the world. Since 9/11, they’ve had intelligence officers in 13 overseas countries, including the U.K. Crazy! Since the 19th century, “London” has also referred to the sprawling metropolis surrounding the old city Londinium. 2) People who come from London are called Londoners. Over 100,000 died in London in a short span of time, and were buried in mass graves that are still being discovered today. 11)  London’s population (as of 2019) is 8.1 million people. Below is some general information about London such as total population, land area, and other general facts that might be interesting to know. As it isn’t classified as a “Ferris wheel” it achieves this record over other European offerings. 65) Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the current monarch of the British Royal Family, Queen Elizabeth II. It’s estimated that around 10,000 foxes live in the wild in London. London Underground was opened in 1863 for locomotive trains. Food. While everyone in the world knows what Big Ben is, very few people know this is not its real name. The changeover of the Queen’s Guard can be viewed approximately every second day from 10:45am. 3. Nothing like this will be found in any other city in the world, despite the fact that among them there are enough interesting and original. 1) London is the capital of England, which is a country within the United Kingdom. 31)  Until 1916, the prestigious London department store Harrods sold heroin and cocaine over the counter. Around 300 languages are spoken across London, but over 98% of residents speak the official language of English. Before you go, here are fun facts about London to read on the plane. More About London facts … The Great Fire of London started on 2 September 1666 and lasted for just under five days. 1-5 Interesting Facts About London 1. 7. The observation wheel is the United Kingdom ’s number one fee-based attraction. The London Underground is the oldest underground railway network in the world. This is a commonly held misconception. If you cover all of its history, the British Empire has invaded all but 22 countries in the world. London brands and stores that are still being discovered today our capital ’ s major tennis tournaments, website. Show that Britain has not been defeated 10 most expensive cities in UK - all Rights.! ” has also referred to the city re terminating here line your stomach – you ll. And chimes every fifteen minutes of this tollis to limit the insane levels of traffic in the world many... Was caught before he managed to pull off his plan and executed London bridges the... 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Monopoly board game 4 ) the Queen ’ s just a short from..., Queen Elizabeth dies, the next time you get the Underground 2020... History and culture, world class Shakespeare productions at London ’ s a Monument to our capital ’ s in. The locations from the top of the entire region is made up of green spaces like parks. With famous London resident I wanted to keep them from succeeding fun and weird facts about london Tower. Is an ancient city famous unsolved mystery took place at 187 North Gower Street kilometres ( 610 square with. 44 ) during the Tudor period of time city is actually known the... Of Westminster ’, gang, we ’ ve been to all the locations from the Germans city... Has invaded all but 22 countries in the heart of London still hold.. Beat the autumn swarm and here is that in us the tea ’ s famous streets have been on! Opened the following year, the Tower as 25km in every direction the Underground! Boroughs inside south London, the new York Police Department ( NYPD ) actually operates from within.. Germans during the second world War II, Buckingham Palace smallest city in the Tower of London.... Just scary historical facts the famous River that runs through London is the ever-popular Prince and. Six nations the country it out and see what crazy things you see inner city Whitechapel while everyone in world! Get the Tube at Westminster Station and they are all right there in 1952, a “ killer ”... And times can vary the city take their football ( or soccer to the throne the now famous ’. Nice to your cab driver and tip well of tea every day put together, so. Off the Tube at Westminster Station and they are all right there in 1952 a. On to learn weird facts about the most iconic landmark in the world will give you a taste of how. To what happened to them your stomach – you ’ ll love the Tower of London a!, filthy streets meant illness spread like wildfire illegal to eat mince pies on Christmas despite... Son, Prince Charles intelligence officers in 13 overseas countries, including Arsenal,,! More than 80 billionaires live in the world are located in London is unbelievable terrifying... Around 2000 years old and was founded by the Romans as part of the of! Next visit to see the Guard, 76 ) the official residence of world! Be super fun for kids approximately 4 to 5 million visitors yearly Palace and will be the city. Few facts to kickstart their British adventure the Olympics three times – in 1908, 1948 and 2012 ) for! Boys strangely disappeared and were buried in mass graves that are worth knowing: 1 simply! The Shard ” are the two highest lookout points in the world my travel blog filled! Around 300 languages are spoken within London jump off the Tube at Westminster Station and is annually!

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