History

London's history begins with the Romans. In 43 AD, they founded Londinium as a trading post on the Thames — the bridge they built stood approximately where London Bridge stands today. Londinium quickly grew into the largest city in Britannia (30,000 inhabitants), was burned down by Queen Boudicca in 60 AD (a red layer of ash is still visible in excavations today), and was rebuilt.

Norman Conquest (1066)

William the Conqueror defeated the Anglo-Saxon King Harold at Hastings and marched on London. To secure control, he had the Tower of London built — originally a wooden tower, soon a massive stone structure (White Tower), which still dominates the city today. Westminster Abbey became the coronation church, and London was finally established as the capital of England.

Middle Ages & Tudors

In the Middle Ages, London grew into the largest city in Europe — and suffered from corresponding problems: the Plague (Black Death, 1348–49) killed a third of the population. The Tudor era (1485–1603) brought splendor and cruelty: Henry VIII broke with Rome and founded the Church of England (because the Pope would not grant his divorce), had two of his six wives beheaded in the Tower, and dissolved the monasteries. His daughter Elizabeth I reigned for 45 years, defeated the Spanish Armada (1588), and made England a naval power. During her time, Shakespeare wrote his plays at the Globe Theatre.

The Great Fire of London (1666)

On September 2, 1666, a fire broke out in a bakery on Pudding Lane, which raged for four days and destroyed 80% of the City of London: 13,200 houses, 87 churches, and the old St Paul's Cathedral. Amazingly, "only" a few people died (officially: 6, probably more in reality). From the ashes, Sir Christopher Wren built the new St Paul's Cathedral and over 50 other churches. The Monument (61 meters, 311 steps, £5) at the fire's origin commemorates it.

The British Empire

In the 18th and 19th centuries, London became the capital of the largest empire in history. At its peak, the British Empire controlled a quarter of the world's population and land area. London was the undisputed center: the docks processed goods from around the world, the Bank of England dominated the global economy, and the museums filled with treasures from the colonies (the Rosetta Stone from Egypt, the Elgin Marbles from Greece, the Benin Bronzes from Nigeria — the debate over their return is more relevant today than ever).

Victorian London

Under Queen Victoria (1837–1901), London grew into the largest city in the world (6.7 million inhabitants in 1900). The Underground was opened (1863, the first subway in the world!), the major train stations were built (St Pancras, Paddington, King's Cross), the sewage system by Joseph Bazalgette was constructed (after the "Great Stink" of 1858 — the Thames smelled so foul that Parliament was evacuated), and the Victorian neighborhoods were established, which still shape London today.

The Blitz (1940–41)

From September 7, 1940, to May 1941, the German Luftwaffe bombed London for 57 consecutive nights — and then sporadically until 1945. Over 30,000 Londoners died, and 70,000 buildings were destroyed. The East End docks and the City were hit hardest. Londoners took refuge in the Underground stations (which served as air raid shelters — today you can book tours in the Aldwych tunnel) and displayed the stoic "Blitz Spirit", which remains part of British identity to this day. Churchill governed from the War Cabinet Room under Whitehall (now: Churchill War Rooms, admission: £25 — absolutely worth seeing!).

Post-war Era & Swinging London

The Empire disintegrated after the war: India became independent in 1947, followed by Africa in the 1950s and 60s. Immigration from the Commonwealth — Caribbean (Windrush Generation), India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Africa — transformed London into the multicultural metropolis it is today. In the 1960s, London became the center of pop culture: the Beatles on Abbey Road, the Rolling Stones at the Marquee Club, Carnaby Street as a fashion mecca, and the British Invasion conquered the world.

London Today

Since the 1980s, London has reinvented itself: the Docklands became a financial center, the Tate Modern opened in a power station, the 2012 Olympics regenerated the East, and Brexit (2016) turned London's relationship with Europe upside down — London voted 60% for "Remain". Today, London is a Global City of superlatives: 9 million inhabitants, 300+ languages, one of the largest economic outputs of any city worldwide, and despite (or because of) all its problems — housing costs, Brexit consequences, social inequality — one of the most exciting cities in the world.