London is undoubtedly one of the world’s leading capitals, whether in economic, tourist, or any other aspect, and today it is one of the most complete cities in the world. There is plenty of heritage and architecture in its streets and museums, unmissable sights and monuments and people from all over the world all over the city! With a past that dates back to the Roman Empire, the capital of the United Kingdom is a city rich in history and curiosities. Here are some interesting facts about London that we’ve prepared to make your trip to London even more enjoyable!
Name’s origin
London was already occupied 4,000 years before Christ, but it was the Romans who founded it in 43 AD. The Romans conquered the territory, a trading settlement on the north bank of the River Thames, and called it Londinium, named after King Lud, who controlled the London area before the Roman invasion. Later, with the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons, it was called Lundenwic, and, over time, the names changed until it became London.
Two cities in one
London is the result of the merger of two earlier cities: London and Westminster.
The original core of London, London City or just The City, is just 2.58 km², home to the historic center and the Central Business District, and is home to just 9,000 people, making it the smallest city in the UK.
London City is considered one of the districts of London and a separate county, being an enclave surrounded by Greater London, the metropolis, with more than 5.15 km² and where more than 8 million people live.
London could be a forest
London’s green areas cover 40% of the city.
Because of this volume of green areas, according to a United Nations definition, London could be considered a forest.
Cultural diversity
More languages are spoken in London than in any other city in the world.
London’s population in the 17th century was half a million, and, since then, it has been considered the largest city in England and, sometime later, in the United Kingdom.
London has always attracted immigrants since Roman times, but only in the 17th century did the influx of Huguenots (French Protestants) begin, followed by Irish, Africans, Chinese, etc., turning London into one of the most diverse cities in the world, with almost every ethnic group on the planet and more than 300 different languages spoken. More than 9 million residents speak several languages, including Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Cantonese, Mandarin, Italian, German,…, and, of course, English.
London was the first city in the world to have 1 million inhabitants. This milestone took place in 1811.
Today, London’s population is 9,304,000, and it is estimated that,every year, more than 19 million people visit the city.
Cultural meaning
Among the 10 most famous museums and galleries in the world, three are located in London, with more than 857 art galleries spread across the city. There are more than 240 museums throughout London, and most of them are free to enter.
As well as the traditional Tate Modern, British Museum, and Natural History Museum, the city is also home to some dedicated to specific subjects such as dentistry and ophthalmology.
You’ll also find more than 395 libraries, which hold millions of books, and more than 900 bookshops throughout the city.
The city also has four UNESCO-listed monuments: the Tower of London, Maritime Greenwich, Westminster Palace (which includes Westminster Abbey and Saint Margaret’s Church), and the Royal Botanic Gardens.
London is also home to around 17,000 shows a year, a number that is sure to increase. More than 300 different venues host public events.
The great stink
Anyone who sees the River Thames today would never guess that it used to be known as The Great Stink because its waters were once so contaminated. In the middle of 1858, sessions of the British Parliament, which sits on the banks of the Thames, were interrupted solely because of the stench from the river, now one of the city’s iconic sights. After the strong smell flooded the English Parliament building, making it impossible for everyone to work, a major process of cleaning up the river was implemented.
Today, the River Thames is one of the planet’s cleanest and best-treated urban tributaries.
Big Ben
Did you also think that the name of the clock in the tower of the Palace of Westminster was Big Ben?
Big Ben is the name of the 13-ton bell installed behind the clock in the tower, which awaits you to take that magnificent photo with it in the background.
The underground
Used today by more than 1.2 billion people every year, both locals and foreigners, the London Metropolitan was inaugurated on January 10, 1863, making it the oldest metro in the world, at the time just six kilometers long. Budapest’s is the second oldest, with a difference of 33 years, and Paris’s is third in the ranking, inaugurated in 1900. The New York subway only arrived later, in 1904.
More than 80,000 umbrellas are lost every year on the London Underground. Furthermore, since 1863, three women have given birth in Underground stations.
Car speed
The average speed of cars allowed in central London is 16 km/h, the same speed as carriages 100 years ago.
The Black Cabs
In the 17th and 18th centuries, London hackney carriages were commonly known. These carriages were traditionally black and horse-drawn. Over time, they became a popular means of public transportation in the city.
When the first motorized cabs began to circulate in London at the beginning of the 20th century, the tradition of painting them black was maintained. It was considered a practical and elegant color, as it better hid traces of dirt and smoke.
In 1907, the Metropolitan Public Transport Act was passed, which standardized the design of cabs and forced them to be black.
A Black Cab driver takes 2 to 4 years to prepare for the exam, known as Knowledge, to pass it, and it is one of the toughest in the city. To pass the knowledge test, you need to know and memorize 320 main routes, 25,000 streets, and 20,000 sights and places of interest, requiring hours and hours of study.
The first national museum in the world
It is the British Museum, founded in 1753. It houses a vast collection of historical pieces from different cultures and periods. Among them, the Rosetta Stone is particularly remarkable. Thanks to it and its inscriptions in three different languages, Egyptian hieroglyphics have been deciphered. It also has on display the famous friezes from the Parthenon in Athens, taken from the temple in the 19th century.
However, it is also distinguished by a modern structure inaugurated in 2000: the Great Atrium, which is an impressive glass and steel construction with a large vaulted ceiling. It is the largest public space of its kind in Europe.
The monument to the great fire of London
The Monument is an impressive stone and marble Doric column in the heart of the city, raised to remember the disaster of the Great Fire of London that devastated the city in 1666, near St. Paul’s Cathedral, and to celebrate the complete rebuilding of the city.
Its height of 61 meters, including the golden urn at the top, has a special meaning, as it equals the distance, to the east, of the bakery where the fire started, in Pudding Lane.
A year after the Great Plague, which wiped out 20% of the British capital’s population, the Great Fire of London destroyed the City of London, the historic cradle of the city. The fire started on September 2 and ended on September 5.
Total balance: the destruction of 44 public buildings, 87 churches, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and 13,200 homes. Considering the tragedy’s size, only 8 people died.
The everlasting rains are a myth
London is one of the driest cities in Europe. Despite being known for its constant rain, the truth is that London receives 583.6 ml of rain a year, less than cities like Rome, Paris, Barcelona, Miami, and New York.
Despite this, the umbrella is an indispensable accessory in London, mainly because it can start raining at any time. But, in general, the rain stops shortly afterward.
The english are not the world’s biggest tea drinkers
The best-known English tradition in the world is the five o’clock tea!
Many people think the English are the biggest tea drinkers in the world, perhaps behind the Chinese. Turkey is in the top 10 countries, followed by Morocco, Ireland, and then England.
The Portuguese princess Catarina de Bragança was responsible for introducing tea to England. The stories of the Portuguese and tea crossed paths in 1560 when they arrived in Japan and came across the culture of using tea as a social drink, which had been the case there since the early days of the Tang Dynasty.
Catherine took the idea to the United Kingdom when she married King Charles II of England.
The London Eye’s capsules
The 135-meter-high London Eye observation wheel was opened on December 31, 1999, to honor the turn of the millennium. It has a maximum capacity of 800 people, divided into 32 capsules representing the 32 districts of London, each with a capacity of 25 people.
However, superstition reigned, and there was no cabin number 13, with the pods numbered from 1 to 33.
No more work after 6 pm
The working day ends at 6 PM. It’s rare for anyone to stay in the office after that. After 6 PM, the squares and bars are full of office workers drinking one beer after another.
Book your flight now on http://www.azoresairlines.pt/en!
