London [antikvár]

rhc spint of London No single book can attempt to do justice to the diversity of London, one of the greatest cities of the world. This publication gives the reader a tantalising glimpse of the fascinating places, people and traditions which combine to give the capital its unique appeal. The Román histórián Tacitus gives us the first recorded detail of London, which even in the year ad 62 was a thriving markét town, though not as large as many other Román settlements. Towards the end of the Román era London was enclosed by a wall, but little is known of its subsequent history until the reign of King Alfréd, who refortified the city against the Danes. The arrival of the Normans brought a change in the fortunes of London, for William the Conqueror granted it a charter and began to build the Tower. Westminster Hall was begun by William Rufus and in 1176 the first London Bridge was built. From about 1190 until the fourteenth century the city was governed by the mayor and aldermen. At the beginning of the fifteenth century, the period when the benevolent Dick Whittington was four times mayor, the plague first struck London and killed 30,000 people, but the city soon recovered and became extremely prosperous during the sixteenth century. Then in 1665 and 1666 two catastrophes occurred: the first was another epidemic of plague which killed 100,000 citizens, and the second was the Great Fire which destroyed practically the whole of the City, including St Paul's Cathedral. Most of London's finest buildings date from the second half of the seventeenth century onwards, and the greatest development of commerce took place in the nineteenth and present centuries. During the Second World War London was bombed repeatedly and there was great destruction, but although three-quarters of all the houses in the capital suffered damage and a third of the city was destroyed, nothing could shake the Londoner's spirit. Today the scars have healed; new buildings have risen from the ruins and London once again greets her visitors with pride. Nowhere is this pride more apparent than in the Chelsea Pensioners, retired servicemen who are cared for in the Royal Hospitál at Chelsea. They wear a distinctive scarlet uniform, often adorned by hard-earned medals, and are among London's most delightful characters. The London 'Bobby', as a policeman is affectionately called, is another familiar figure, his unenviable tasks including anything from directing the traffic to dealing with complex and dangerous situations. His knowledge of London is often encyclopaedic and he is consequently often approached by visitors seeking information or directions. Pavement artists, street performers and markét traders all add to the rich mosaic of London life. Somé of the characters who were once a familiar part of the London scene have, alas, disappeared. The shoeblack is now seldom seen, and the lamplighter, with his tall pole, is only a memory; but others are still with us. The pearly 'kings and queens' who don their brilliant outfits on special occasions; the impassive commissionaires outside hotels, restaurants, cinemas and theatres; and the occasional city gent who sports his bowler hat and brolly. These, and many others, help to give London its unique personality.