INGLESE
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London between past and present
London is the capital of the United Kingdom and one of the
largest cities in the World. It stands on the River Thames and is an
important commercial port. The city is one of the most important financial
and business centres in the country and it is one the most dynamic and
cosmopolitan cities in the World, when about 30 million people more
or less, every year. Furthermore it has the largest public transport
network in the World. An easy way to travel around London is by Underground,
or “tube” as it is called by Londoners (it was built in
the 19th century and completed in 1863). |
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| There are 273 stations and ten different lines with different names and colours, so it is easy to change line or not. London was built in the original city which was built by the Romans was called Londinium. After the Norman Conquest in 1066, London become the capital of the Norman Kingdom. Subsequently it expanded West to include the City of Westminster where Parliament and Royal Court were. After the Great Fire, which lasted for five days destroying most of the medieval city during 1666, the town was rebuilt and expanded over the centuries. |  |
| During World War II London was Bombed and then
partly rebuilt again. Over the years, the town became part of what is
now called Greater London. About 7,5 million people live in Greater London
today. It is a very large area and include about 32 Boroughs. The majority
of Londoners live in the suburbs, far from the commercial, financial and
historic centre. However the traffic is one of London’s biggest
problems. London is a multicultural town, with people of different origin. The ethnic minority population lives in London, where there are resident communities of more than 10000 people from 34 different countries, who speak different languages and are have different cultures. |
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| The city, that is the oldest part of the Roman Town which was once the heart of the medieval London, includes the bank of England, the London stock exchange and Lioyd’s, that is the famouse insurance company in the World. Most office are concentrated in this district and about a million people work there. London is not only the City, but also the West End and the East End . |  |
| The West End is the main Shopping and entertainment
area. There are the most famous shops, department stores and the most
expensive residential areas. Furthermore we can see many cinemas, theatres
and tourist attractions. The area of Westminster in the seat of government
and the Houses of Parliament, and the Prime Minister’s residence
at 10 Downing Street. Here we can find royal buildings, such as Buckingham
Palace, the official residence of the Queen. Here we can also find some of London’s famous Royal Parks, which belong to the Monarch. As for the East End, it was once a neglected part of London. In fact many immigrants and working people used to live there and worked in the docks. London’s docks played a vital role in Britain’s economy until the 1970s. But today the character of this part of London has completely changed. Starting in the 1980s, a large redevelopment project has transformed Docklands into a blend of modern office blocks, homes, shopping and leisure facilities. Furthermore new buildings have been built in order to encourage people to live and work in the area. Finally new companies, industrial plants and small firms have moved in. In this area we can find the London City Airport, the Docklands Light Railway and the New East London University campus. |
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| Finally during the 1950s and 1960s the South bank became London’ main cultural centre because of its museums and concert halls and most recently has been completed with many interesting places to visit as well as pleasant cafés, gardens and entertainment by the river. |
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