Proiect la colegiu la rom

1. Novotel London City South
53-61 Southwark Bridge Road London SE1 9HH
Novotel London City South Description
Coalescing a sense of contemporary style along with contemporary facilities and attentive
service, Novotel London City South is an ideal retreat for both business and leisure travellers
alike.
Location
Located just a short drive from shopping, nightlife and theatres of the West End, the Novotel
London City South is minutes from the London Eye, Tate Modern, Millennium Bridge,
Shakespeares Globe Theatre, Vinopolis and St Pauls Cathedral.
Rooms
The hotel boasts 182 comfortable guestrooms that are well furnished and equipped with
modern amenities and transmit their taste for detail and cosy atmosphere.
Restaurant
The onsite Elements restaurant serves delicious Mediterranean cuisine of the highest quality
with gastronomic proposals and combine pleasure with healthy eating. The in-house Clinks
bar offers the perfect environment to enjoy and unwind with a fine drink after a busy and
tiring day.
General
The hotel offers well-equipped meeting rooms for organising your business meetings. For
your recreation, the property offers a well-equipped fitness centre and a sauna where you can
spend some relaxing moments after a busy and tiring day.

2. Room Rates
Room Price from
Single $ 209.61
Superior Room Queen Bed Convertible Sofa Room Only, Breakfast Pers-Nt:
Double $ 209.61
14.50 Gbp - Nonrefundable
Triple $ 242.62
Superior Room Queen Bed Room Only, Breakfast Pers-Nt: 14.50 Gbp - Single $ 209.61
Nonrefundable Double $ 209.61
Single $ 234.37
Executive Room With Queen Size Bed Convertible Sofa Room Only,
Double $ 234.37
Breakfast...(Nonrefundable)
Triple $ 267.38
Single $ 242.62
Superior Room Queen Bed Room Only, Breakfast Pers-Nt: 14.50 Gbp
Double $ 242.62
Single $ 242.62
Superior Room Queen Bed Convertible Sofa Room Only, Breakfast Pers-Nt:
Double $ 242.62
14.50 Gbp
Triple $ 275.63
Single $ 267.38
Executive Room With Queen Size Bed Convertible Sofa Room Only, Breakfast
Double $ 267.38
Pers-Nt: 14.50 Gbp
Triple $ 300.39
Single $ 528.16
Suite Queen Bed Convertible Sofa Room Only, Breakfast Pers-Nt: 14.50 Gbp
Double $ 561.17
Hotel Facilities
• Bar / Lounge
• Conference Facilities
• Disabled Facilities
• Faxing Facilities
• Gym / Fitness Facilities
• Lobby
• Non-Smoking Rooms
• Pets Allowed
• Photocopying Facilities
• Reception
• Restaurant
• Room Service
• Safe Deposit Box
• Sauna
Room Facilities
• Air Conditioning
• Alarm Clock
• Cable / Satellite TV
• Disabled Facilities
• Ensuite / Private Bathroom
• Hairdryer
• Internet Access
• Iron / Ironing Board
• Mini Bar
• Safe
• Tea and Coffee Making Facilities

3. • Telephone
London (pronounced /ˈlʌndən/) is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom.a London
has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding
by the Romans, when it was named Londinium.[6] London's core, the ancient City of London, the
'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries. Since at least the nineteenth century, the name
"London" has also referred to the metropolis developed around it.[7] Today, the bulk of this
conurbation forms the London region[8] and the Greater London administrative area,[9] with its own
elected mayor and assembly.[10]
London is a major global city and one of the world's largest financial centres.[11][12][13][14] Central
London is home to the headquarters of more than half of the UK's top 100 listed companies (the
FTSE 100) and more than 100 of Europe's 500 largest. London's influence in politics, finance,
education, entertainment, media, fashion, the arts and culture in general contributes to its global
position. It is a major tourist destination for both domestic and overseas visitors. London hosted the
1908 and 1948 Summer Olympics and will host the 2012 Summer Olympics.[15] London contains
four World Heritage Sites: the Tower of London; the historic settlement of Greenwich; the Royal
Botanic Gardens, Kew; and the site comprising the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and
St. Margaret's Church.[16]
London has a diverse range of peoples, cultures, and religions, and more than 300 languages are
spoken within its boundaries.[17] In July 2007, it had an official population of 7,556,900 within the
boundaries of Greater London,[18] making it the most populous municipality in the European Union.
[19]
The Greater London Urban Area (the second largest in the EU) has a population of 8,278,251.[2]
while the metropolitan area (the largest in the EU) has an estimated total population of between
12 million[3] and 14 million.[4] The London Underground network, administered by Transport for
London, is the most extensive subway network in the world,[20] London Heathrow Airport is the
world's busiest airport by number of international passengers[21] and the airspace is the busiest of
any urban centre in the world.[22]
Toponomy
The name London may derive from the River Thames
The etymology of London is uncertain.[23] It is an ancient name and can be found in sources from
the 2nd century. It is recorded c. 121 as Londinium, which points to Romano-British origin.[23] The
earliest attempted explanation, now disregarded, is attributed to Geoffrey of Monmouth in Historia
Regum Britanniae.[23] The name is described as originating from King Lud, who had allegedly
taken over the city and named it Kaerlud.[24] From 1899 it was commonly accepted that the name

4. was of Celtic origin and meant place belonging to a man called *Londinos; this explanation has
since been rejected.[23] Richard Coates put forward an explanation in 1998 that it is derived from the
pre-Celtic Old European *(p)lowonida, meaning 'river too wide to ford', and suggested that this was
a name given to the part of the River Thames which flows through London; from this, the
settlement gained the Celtic form of its name, *Lowonidonjon.[25] Until 1889 the name officially
only applied to the City of London, however since then it has also referred to the County of London
and now Greater London.[7]
Prehistory and antiquity
By 1300 the City is still confined within the walls
Although there is evidence of scattered Brythonic settlements in the area, the first major settlement
was founded by the Romans in 43 AD.[26] This lasted for just seventeen years and around 61, the
Iceni tribe led by Queen Boudica stormed it, burning it to the ground.[27] The next, heavily planned
incarnation of the city prospered and superseded Colchester as the capital of the Roman province of
Britannia in 100. At its height in the 2nd century, Roman London had a population of around
60,000. By the seventh century, the Anglo-Saxons had created a new settlement called Lundenwic
approximately 1,000 yards (910 m) upstream from the old Roman city, around what is now Covent
Garden.[28] It is likely that there was a harbour at the mouth of the River Fleet for fishing and
trading, and this trading grew until the city was overcome by the Vikings and forced to relocate the
east, back to the location of the Roman Londinium, in order to use its walls for protection.[29] Viking
attacks continued to increase, until 886 when Alfred the Great recaptured London and made peace
with the Danish leader, Guthrum.[30] The original Saxon city of Lundenwic became Ealdwic ("old
city"), a name surviving to the present day as Aldwych, which is in the modern City of
Westminster.
Middle Ages
Westminster Abbey is one of London's oldest and most important buildings and a World Heritage
Site

5. Canute took control of the English throne in 1016, controlling the city and country until 1035, when
his death resulted in a reversion to Saxon control under his pious stepson Edward the Confessor,
who re-founded Westminster Abbey and the adjacent Palace of Westminster.[31] By this time,
London had become the largest and most prosperous city in England, although the official seat of
government was still at Winchester. Following a victory at the Battle of Hastings, William the
Conqueror, the then Duke of Normandy, was crowned King of England in the newly finished
Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day 1066.[32] William granted the citizens of London special
privileges, while building what is now known as the Tower of London, in the south-east corner of
the city, to keep them under control.[33]
In 1097, William II began the building of Westminster Hall, close by the abbey of the same name.
The hall became the basis of a new Palace of Westminster, the prime royal residence throughout
the Middle Ages.[34][35] Westminster became the seat of the royal court and government, while its
distinct neighbour, the City of London, was a centre of trade and commerce and flourished under its
own unique administration, the Corporation of London. In 1100 its population was around 18,000;
by 1300 it had grown to nearly 100,000.[36] There was an increasing population of Jews,[37] until the
edict of King Edward I in 1290, expelled them from England.[37] Disaster struck during the Black
Death in the mid-14th century, when London lost nearly a third of its population. Apart from the
invasion during the Peasants' Revolt in 1381,[38] London remained relatively untouched by the
various civil wars during the Middle Ages.[39]
Early modern
The Great Fire of London destroyed many parts of the city in 1666
During the Tudor period the Reformation produced a gradual shift to Protestantism, with much of
London passing from church to private ownership.[40] Mercantilism grew and monopoly trading
companies such as the British East India Company were established, with trade expanding to the
New World. London became the principal North Sea port, with migrants arriving from England and
abroad. The population rose from an estimated 50,000 in 1530 to about 225,000 in 1605.[40] In the
16th century William Shakespeare and his contemporaries lived in London at a time of hostility to
the development of the theatre. By the end of the Tudor period in 1603, London was still very
compact. There was an assassination attempt on James I in Westminster, through the Gunpowder
Plot on 5 November 1605.[41] London was plagued by disease in the early 17th century,[42]
culminating in the Great Plague of 1665–1666, which killed up to 100,000 people or a fifth of the
population.[43][44] The Great Fire of London broke out in City and quickly swept through the wooden
buildings.[44] Rebuilding took over ten years and was supervised by Robert Hooke[45][46][47] as
Surveyor of London.[48] In 1708 Christopher Wren's masterpiece, St. Paul's Cathedral was
completed. During the Georgian era new districts such as Mayfair were formed in the west; and
new bridges over the Thames encouraged the development in South London. In the east, the Port of
London expanded downstream. In 1762 George III acquired Buckingham House and it was
enlarged over the next 75 years. 18th century London was dogged by crime and the Bow Street
Runners were established in 1750 as a professional police force. The coffee house became a

6. popular place to debate ideas, with growing literacy and the development of the printing press
making news widely available; and Fleet Street became the centre of the British press.
You find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a
“ man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can
afford. ”
Governance
Local government
The Greater London Authority is based in City Hall, Southwark
The administration of London is formed of two tiers—a city-wide, strategic tier and a local tier.
City-wide administration is coordinated by the Greater London Authority, while local
administration is carried out by 33 smaller authorities.[52] The local authorities are the councils of
the 32 London boroughs and the City of London Corporation.[53] They are responsible for most
local services, such as local planning, schools, social services, local roads and refuse collection.
Certain functions, such as waste management, a provided through joint arrangements. Policing in
Greater London, with the exception of the City of London, is provided by the Metropolitan Police
Service, overseen by the Metropolitan Police Authority. The City of London has its own police
force – the City of London Police.[54] The British Transport Police are responsible for police
services on National Rail and London Underground services in the capital.[55]
The Greater London Authority (GLA) consists of two elected parts; the Mayor of London, who has
executive powers, and the London Assembly, who scrutinise the mayor's decisions and can accept
or reject his budget proposals each year. The headquarters of the GLA is City Hall, Southwark; the
current mayor is Boris Johnson. The mayor's statutory planning strategy is published as the London
Plan, which as of mid-2009 is being revised, for final publication in 2011. The London Fire
Brigade is the statutory fire and rescue service for Greater London. It is run by the London Fire and
Emergency Planning Authority and is the third-largest fire service in the world.[56] National Health
Service ambulance services are provided by the London Ambulance Service NHS Trust, the largest
free at the point of use emergency ambulance service in the world.[57] Her Majesty's Coastguard and
the Royal National Lifeboat Institution operate on the River Thames.[58][59]

7. National government
London is an important city because the Government of the United Kingdom is located around the
Palace of Westminster. Many government departments are located close to Parliament, particularly
along Whitehall, including the Prime Minister's residence at 10 Downing Street.[60] The British
Parliament is often referred to as the "Mother of Parliaments" (although this sobriquet was first
applied to England itself by John Bright)[61] because it has been the model for most other
parliamentary systems, and its Acts have created many other parliaments.
Geography
Scope
Map of Central London
Greater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London. The small, ancient
City of London at its core once contained the whole settlement, but as the urban area grew the City
Corporation resisted attempts to amalgamate it with its suburbs, causing "London" to be defined in
a number ways for different purposes; and the situation was once open to legal debate.[62] Forty
percent of Greater London is covered by the London postal district, within which 'LONDON' forms
part of postal addresses.[63][64] The London telephone area code covers a larger area, similar in size
to Greater London, although some outer districts are omitted and some places just outside are
included. The area within the orbital M25 motorway is sometimes used to define the "London
area"[65] and the Greater London boundary has been aligned to it in places.[66] Outward urban
expansion is now prevented by a metropolitan green belt,[67] although the built-up area extends
beyond the boundary in places, resulting in a separately-defined Greater London Urban Area.
Beyond this is the vast London commuter belt.[68] Greater London is split for some purposes into
Inner London and Outer London.[69] The city is split by the River Thames into North and South,
with an informal Central London area in its interior. The coordinates of the nominal centre of
London, traditionally considered to be the original Eleanor Cross at Charing Cross near the junction
of Trafalgar Square and Whitehall, are approximately 51°30′29″N 00°07′29″W / 51.50806°N
0.12472°W.[70]
Status
Within London, both the City of London and the City of Westminster have City status and both the
City of London and the remainder of Greater London are the ceremonial counties.[71] The current
area of Greater London has incorporated areas that were once part of the counties of Middlesex,
Kent, Surrey, Essex and Hertfordshire.[72] London's status as the capital of the England, and later the
United Kingdom, has never been granted or confirmed officially—by statute or in written form.a Its
position was formed through constitutional convention, making its status as de facto capital a part
of the UK's unwritten constitution. The capital of England was moved to London from Winchester
as the Palace of Westminster developed in the 12th and 13th centuries to become the permanent

8. location of the royal court, and thus the political capital of the nation.[73] More recently, Greater
London has been defined as a region of England and in this context known as London.[8]
Topography
West and central London seen from SPOT satellite
Greater London covers an area of 607 square miles (1,570 km2).[74] Its primary geographical feature
is the Thames, a navigable river which crosses the city from the south-west to the east. The Thames
Valley is a floodplain surrounded by gently rolling hills including Parliament Hill, Addington Hills,
and Primrose Hill. The Thames was once a much broader, shallower river with extensive
marshlands; at high tide, its shores reached five times their present width.[75] Since the Victorian era
it has been extensively embanked, and many of its London tributaries now flow underground. The
Thames is a tidal river, and London is vulnerable to flooding.[76] The threat has increased over time
due to a slow but continuous rise in high water level by the slow 'tilting' of Britain (up in the north
and down in the south) caused by post-glacial rebound.[77] In 1974, a decade of work began on the
construction of the Thames Barrier across the Thames at Woolwich to deal with this threat. While
the barrier is expected to function as designed until roughly 2030, concepts for its future
enlargement or redesign are already being discussed.[78]
Climate
London has a temperate marine climate (Koppen climate classification Cfb), like much of the
British Isles, so the city rarely sees extremely high or low temperatures. Summers are warm with
average high temperatures of 21 °C (70 °F) – 24 °C (75 °F) and lows of 11 °C (52 °F) – 14 °C
(57 °F). But temperatures can exceed 25 °C (77 °F) on many days, and in almost every year they
exceed 30 °C (86 °F) on some days. The highest temperature ever recorded was 39 °C (102 °F) [79]
on 10 August 2003. Winters in London are chilly, but rarely below freezing with daytime highs
around 8 °C (46 °F) – 12 °C (54 °F), while spring has mild days and cool evenings.[79] The lowest
ever recorded temperature is −21 °C (−5.8 °F) in 1795 and 1796. The lowest in recent years was
−10 °C (14.0 °F) on 14 January 1982. Autumn is usually mild but often unsettled as colder air from
the north and warmer air from the south meet. London is a relatively dry city with regular but
generally light precipitation throughout the year, with an average of 583.6 millimetres (22.98 in)
every year. Snow is relatively uncommon, particularly because heat from the urban area can make
London up to 5 °C (9 °F) warmer than the surrounding areas in winter. Some snowfall, however, is
usually seen up to a few times a year. The snowfall of February 2009 was the heaviest London had
seen for 18 years.
[hide]Weather data for London
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C 15 19 21 29 32 35 35 39 35 28 21 15 39

9. (°F) (59) (66) (70) (84) (90) (95) (95) (102) (95) (82) (70) (59) (102)
Average high °C 7.2 7.6 10.3 13.0 17.0 20.3 22.3 21.9 19.1 15.2 10.4 8.2 14.37
(°F) (45) (46) (51) (55) (63) (69) (72) (71) (66) (59) (51) (47) (58)
4.80 5.05 7.05 9.30 12.85 15.95 18.00 17.65 15.25 12.05 7.75 5.80 10.9
Daily mean °C (°F)
(41) (41) (45) (49) (55) (61) (64) (64) (59) (54) (46) (42) (52)
Average low °C 2.4 2.5 3.8 5.6 8.7 11.6 13.7 13.4 11.4 8.9 5.1 3.4 7.54
(°F) (36) (37) (39) (42) (48) (53) (57) (56) (53) (48) (41) (38) (46)
-21.1 -9 -8 -2 -1 5 7 6 3 -4 -5 -21.1 -21.1
Record low °C (°F)
(-6) (16) (18) (28) (30) (41) (45) (43) (37) (25) (23) (-6) (-6)
Precipitation mm 53 36 48 47 51 50 48 54 53 57 57 57 611
(inches) (2.09) (1.42) (1.89) (1.85) (2.01) (1.97) (1.89) (2.13) (2.09) (2.24) (2.24) (2.24) (24.06)
Avg. precipitation
14.8 10.8 13.4 12.7 12.5 10.5 10.1 10.9 10.5 11.6 14.0 13.2 145
days
Source: World Meteorological Organization (UN)[80]
London is in USDA Hardiness zone 9, and AHS Heat Zone 2.[81] Although extreme weather does
not happen very often, deep depressions have been known to pass through like the Great Storm of
1987. Tornados are rare, but the Kensal Green area of the city was hit by the 2006 London tornado
causing £10 million of damage and injuring 6 people. In the second half of the 19th century and the
first half of the 20th, London was noted for its dense fogs and smogs. Following the deadly Great
Smog of 1952, the Clean Air Act 1956 was passed, leading to the decline of such severe pollution
The City of London and the 32 London boroughs
1. City of London
18. Sutton
2. City of Westminster
19. Croydon
3. Kensington and Chelsea
20. Bromley
4. Hammersmith and Fulham
21. Lewisham
5. Wandsworth
22. Greenwich
6. Lambeth
23. Bexley
7. Southwark
24. Havering
8. Tower Hamlets
25. Barking and Dagenham
9. Hackney
26. Redbridge
10. Islington
27. Newham
11. Camden
28. Waltham Forest
12. Brent
29. Haringey
13. Ealing
30. Enfield
14. Hounslow
31. Barnet
15. Richmond
32. Harrow
16. Kingston
33. Hillingdon
17. Merton
in the capital.[82]
Districts
Main article: List of districts of London
London's vast urban area is often described using a set of district names, such as Bloomsbury,
Mayfair, Wembley and Whitechapel. These are either informal designations, reflect the names of
villages that have been absorbed by sprawl, or are superseded administrative units such as parishes
or former boroughs. Such names have remained in use through tradition, each referring to a local
area with its own distinctive character, but without current official boundaries. Since 1965 Greater
London has been divided into 32 London boroughs in addition to the ancient City of London.[83][84]

10. The City of London is the main financial district[85] and Canary Wharf has recently developed into a
new financial and commercial hub, in the Docklands to the east.
The West End is London's main entertainment and shopping district, attracting tourists.[86] West
London includes expensive residential areas where properties can sell for tens of millions of
pounds.[87] The average price for properties in Kensington and Chelsea is £894,000 with similar
average outlay in most of Central London.[88] The East End is the area closest to the original Port of
London, known for its high immigrant population, as well as for being one of the poorest areas in
London.[89] The surrounding East London area saw much of London's early industrial development;
now, brownfield sites throughout the area are being redeveloped as part of the Thames Gateway
including the London Riverside and Lower Lea Valley, which is being developed into the Olympic
Park for the 2012 Olympics.[89]
Architecture
Main articles: Architecture in London and List of tallest structures in London
Piccadilly Circus is a main road junction in the West End
London's buildings are too diverse to be characterised by any particular architectural style, being
built over a long period of time. Notable recent buildings are the 1980s skyscraper Tower 42, the
Lloyd's building with services running along the outside of the structure, and the 2004 Swiss Re
building, known as the "Gherkin". London's generally low-rise nature makes these skyscrapers and
others such as One Canada Square and its neighbours at Canary Wharf and the BT Tower in
Fitzrovia very noticeable from a distance. High-rise development is restricted at certain sites if it
would obstruct protected views of St. Paul's Cathedral. Nevertheless, there are plans for more
skyscrapers in central London (see Tall buildings in London), including the 72-story "Shard of
Glass", which will be one of the tallest buildings in Europe. Older buildings are mainly brick built,
most commonly the yellow London stock brick or a warm orange-red variety, often decorated with
carvings and white plaster mouldings.[90] Many grand houses and public buildings, such as the
National Gallery, are constructed from Portland stone. Some areas of the city, particularly those
just west of the centre, are characterised by white stucco or whitewashed buildings. Few structures
pre-date the Great Fire of 1666, except for a few trace Roman remains, the Tower of London and a
few scattered Tudor survivors in the City. Wren's late 17th century churches and the financial
institutions of the 18th and 19th century such as the Royal Exchange and the Bank of England, to
the early 20th century Old Bailey and the 1960s Barbican Estate form part of the varied
architectural heritage.
Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the British monarch

11. The disused, but soon to be rejuvenated, 1939 Battersea Power Station by the river in the south-
west is a local landmark, while some railway termini are excellent examples of Victorian
architecture, most notably St Pancras and Paddington.[91] The density of London varies, with high
employment density in the central area, high residential densities in inner London and lower
densities in the suburbs. In the dense areas, most of the concentration is achieved with medium- and
high-rise buildings. London's skyscrapers such as "Gherkin", Tower 42, the Broadgate Tower and
One Canada Square are usually found in the two financial districts, the City of London and Canary
Wharf. Other notable modern buildings include City Hall in Southwark with its distinctive oval
shape,[92] and the British Library in Somers Town/Kings Cross. What was formerly the Millennium
Dome, located by the Thames to the east of Canary Wharf, is now used as an entertainment venue
known as The O2. The Monument in the City of London provides views of the surrounding area
while commemorating the Great Fire of London, which originated nearby. Marble Arch and
Wellington Arch, at the north and south ends of Park Lane respectively, have royal connections, as
do the Albert Memorial and Royal Albert Hall in Kensington. Nelson's Column is a nationally
recognised monument in Trafalgar Square, one of the focal points of the centre.
Parks and gardens
Main articles: Parks and open spaces in London and Royal Parks of London
Italian gardens, Hyde Park
The largest parks in the central area of London are the Royal Parks of Hyde Park, its neighbour
Kensington Gardens at the western edge of central London and Regent's Park on the northern edge.
[93]
Regent's Park contains London Zoo, the world's oldest scientific zoo, and is located near the
tourist attraction of Madame Tussauds Wax Museum.[94][95] Closer to central London are the smaller
Royal Parks of Green Park and St. James's Park.[96] Hyde Park in particular is popular for sports and
sometimes hosts open-air concerts. A number of large parks lie outside the city centre, including
the remaining Royal Parks of Greenwich Park to the south-east[97] and Bushy Park and Richmond
Park to the south-west,[98][99] as well as Victoria Park, East London to the east. Primrose Hill to the
north of Regent's Park is a popular spot to view the city skyline. Some more informal, semi-natural
open spaces also exist, including the 791-acre (3.2 km2) Hampstead Heath of North London. This
incorporates Kenwood House, the former stately home and a popular location in the summer
months where classical musical concerts are held by the lake, attracting thousands of people every
weekend to enjoy the music, scenery and fireworks.[100]
Demography
Main articles: Demography of London and Religion in London
Population
Country of Birth[101]
(2001)
United Kingdom 5,230,155
India 172,162
Republic of Ireland 157,285

12. Bangladesh 84,565
Jamaica 80,319
Nigeria 68,907
Pakistan 66,658
Kenya 66,311
Sri Lanka 49,932
Ghana 46,513
Cyprus 45,888
South Africa 45,506
United States 44,622
Australia 41,488
Germany 39,818
Turkey 39,128
Italy 38,694
France 38,130
Somalia 33,831
Uganda 32,082
New Zealand 27,494
With increasing industrialisation, London's population grew rapidly throughout the 19th and early
20th centuries, and it was for some time in the late 19th and early 20th centuries the most populous
city in the world until overtaken by New York in 1925. Its population peaked at 8,615,245 in 1939
immediately before the outbreak of World War 2. There were an estimated 7,556,900 official
residents in Greater London as of mid-2007.[18] However, London's continuous urban area extends
beyond the borders of Greater London and was home to 8,278,251 people in 2001,[2] while its wider
metropolitan area has a population of between 12 and 14 million depending on the definition used.
[102]
According to Eurostat, London is the most populous city and metropolitan area of the European
Union and the second most populous in Europe (or third if Istanbul is included). During the period
1991–2001 a net 726,000 immigrants arrived in London.[103]
The region covers an area of 609 square miles (1,580 km2). The population density is
12,331 inhabitants per square mile (4,761 /km2), more than ten times that of any other British
region.[104] In terms of population, London is the 25th largest city and the 17th largest metropolitan
region in the world. It is also ranked 4th in the world in number of billionaires (United States
Dollars) residing in the city.[105] London ranks as one of the most expensive cities in the world,
alongside Tokyo and Moscow.[106]
Ethnic groups
According to the Office for National Statistics, based on 2006 estimates, 69.4 per cent of the 7.5
million inhabitants of London were White, with 58 per cent White British, 2.5 per cent White Irish
and 8.9 per cent classified as Other White. Some 13.1 per cent are of South Asian descent, with
Indians making up 6.5 per cent of London's population, followed by Bangladeshis and Pakistanis at
2.3 per cent each. 2 per cent are categorised as "Other Asian". 10.7 per cent of London's population
are Black, with around 5.5 per cent being Black African, 4.3 per cent as Black Caribbean and 0.7
per cent as "Other Black". 3.5 per cent of Londoners are of mixed race; 1.5 per cent are Chinese;
and 1.9 per cent belong to another ethnic group.[5] As of 2008, 40% of London's total population
was from an ethnic minority group.[107] Across London, Black and Asian children outnumber White
British children by about six to four.[108] In January 2005, a survey of London's ethnic and religious
diversity claimed that there were more than 300 languages spoken and more than 50 non-

13. indigenous communities which have a population of more than 10,000 in London.[109] Figures from
the Office for National Statistics show that, as of 2006, London's foreign-born population is
2,288,000 (31%), up from 1,630,000 in 1997.[110] The 2001 census showed that 27.1% of Greater
London's population were born outside the UK, and a slightly higher proportion were classed as
non-white.[111] The table to the right shows the 'Country of Birth' of London residents in 2001, the
date of the last UK Census. (Top 21).[101] A portion of the German-born population are likely to be
British nationals born to parents serving in the British Armed Forces in Germany.[112]
Religion
Henry VII Lady Chapel in Westminster was built in 1503
The majority of Londoners – 58.2% – identify themselves as Christians.[113] This is followed by
those of no religion (15.8%), Muslims (8.5%), Hindus (4.1%), Jews (2.1%), Sikhs (1.5%),
Buddhists (0.8%), Pagans/Wiccans (0.3%) and other (0.2%), though 8.7% of people did not answer
this question in the 2001 Census.[113] London has traditionally been dominated by Christianity, and
has a large number of churches, particularly in the City of London. The well-known St Paul's
Cathedral in the City and Southwark Cathedral south of the river are Anglican administrative
centres,[114] while the Archbishop of Canterbury, principal bishop of the Church of England and
worldwide Anglican Communion, has his main residence at Lambeth Palace in the London
Borough of Lambeth.[115] Important national and royal ceremonies are shared between St Paul's and
Westminster Abbey.[116] The Abbey is not to be confused with nearby Westminster Cathedral,
which is the largest Roman Catholic cathedral in England and Wales.[117] Despite the prevalence of
Anglican churches, observance is very low within the Anglican denomination, although church
attendance, particularly at evangelical Anglican churches in London, has started to increase.[118]
London is also home to sizeable Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, and Jewish communities. Many Muslims
live in Tower Hamlets and Newham; the most important Muslim edifice is London Central Mosque
on the edge of Regent's Park.[119] Increasing numbers of wealthy Muslims, partiularly those from the
Middle East are based around Mayfair and Knightsbridge in West London.[120][121] London's large
Hindu community is found in the north-western boroughs of Harrow and Brent, the latter of which
is home to one of Europe's largest Hindu temples, Neasden Temple.[122] Sikh communities are
located in East and West London, which is also home to the largest Sikh temple in the world
outside India.[123] The majority of British Jews live in London, with significant Jewish communities
in Stamford Hill, Stanmore, Golders Green, Hampstead,[124] Hendon, and Edgware in North
London.[125] Stanmore and Canons Park Synagogue has the largest membership of any single
Orthodox synagogue in the whole of Europe, overtaking Ilford synagogue (also in London) in
1998.[126] The community set up the London Jewish Forum in 2007 in response to the growing
significance of devolved London Government.[127]
Economy
Main articles: Economy of London, Media in London, and Tourism in London

14. The City of London is the world's largest financial centre alongside New York City[11][12][13]
London is a major centre for international business and commerce and is one of three "command
centres" for the world economy, with New York City and Tokyo.[128] According to 2005 estimates
by the PricewaterhouseCoopers accounting firm, London has the 6th largest city economy in the
world after Tokyo, New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Paris.[129] London generates
approximately 20% of the UK's GDP[13] (or $446 billion in 2005); while the economy of the
London metropolitan area—the second largest in Europe—generates approximately 30% of the
UK's GDP (or an estimated $669 billion in 2005).[130] London is one of the pre-eminent financial
centres of the world and vies with New York City as the most important location for international
finance.[131][132] London's largest industry is finance, and its financial exports make it a large
contributor to the UK's balance of payments. Around 325,000 people were employed in financial
services in London until mid-2007. London has over 480 overseas banks, more than any other city
in the world. Due to its prominent global role, London's economy has been affected by the global
financial crisis of 2008–2009. The City of London estimates that 70,000 jobs in finance will be cut
within a year.[133]
Canary Wharf is home the United Kingdom's tallest building
More than half of the UK's top 100 listed companies (the FTSE 100) and over 100 of Europe's 500
largest companies are headquartered in central London. Over 70% of the FTSE 100 are located
within London's metropolitan area, and 75% of Fortune 500 companies have offices in London.[134]
The City of London is home to the Bank of England, London Stock Exchange, and Lloyds of
London insurance market. Along with professional services, media companies are concentrated in
London and the media distribution industry is London's second most competitive sector.[135] The
BBC is a significant employer, while other broadcasters also have headquarters around the city.
Many national newspapers are edited in London. Tourism is one of London's prime industries and
employs the equivalent of 350,000 full-time workers in London in 2003,[136] while annual
expenditure by tourists is around £15 billion.[137] A study carried out by Euromonitor in October
2007 places London at first place out of 150 of the world's most popular cities, attracting 15.6
million international tourists in 2006.[138] London attracts 27 million overnight-stay visitors every
year.[139] The Port of London is the second-largest in the United Kingdom, handling 53 million
tonnes of cargo each year.[140]
Transport

15. The London Underground, oldest metro system in the world, known as the The Tube, because of
the shape of the tunnels
Transport is one of the four main areas of policy administered by the Mayor of London,[141]
however the mayor's financial control does not extend to the longer distance rail network that enters
London. In 2007 he assumed responsibility for some local lines, which now form the London
Overground network, adding to the existing responsibility for the London Underground, trams and
buses. The public transport network is administered by Transport for London (TfL) and is one of
the most extensive in the world. Cycling is an increasingly popular way to get around London. The
London Cycling Campaign lobbies for better provision.[142] The lines that formed the London
Underground, as well as trams and buses, became part of an integrated transport system in 1933
when the London Passenger Transport Board (LPTB) or London Transport was created. Transport
for London (TfL), is now the statutory corporation responsible for most aspects of the transport
system in Greater London, and is run by a board and a commissioner appointed by the Mayor of
London.[143]
Railways
St Pancras International is served by direct trains to European destinations such as Paris
The London Underground—commonly referred to as The Tube—is one of the oldest, longest, and
most expansive metro systems in the world, dating from 1863[20][144] The system serves 270
stations[145] and was formed from several private companies, including the world's first underground
electric line, the City and South London Railway.[146] Over three million journeys a day are made on
the Underground network, over 1 billion journeys each year.[147][148] An investment programme is
attempting to address congestion and reliability problems, including £7 billion (€10 billion) of
improvements planned for the Olympics.[149] London has been commended as the city with the best
public transport.[150] The Docklands Light Railway is a second metro system using smaller and
lighter trains, which opened in 1987, serving Docklands and Greenwich.
Commuter rail and intercity rail is popular in London mainly because South London has only two
underground lines. London houses Britain's busiest station - Waterloo with over 177 millon people
using the interchange station each year which has services to South West London and England.[151]
[152]
Most rail lines terminate around the centre of London running into fourteen terminal stations
with the exception of Thameslink trains connecting Bedford in the north and Brighton in the south
via Luton and Gatwick Airports. [153] Since 2007 High-speed Eurostar trains link St Pancras
International with Lille, Paris, and Brussels. Journey times to Paris and Brussels of 2h 15 and 1h 51

16. respectively make London closer to continental Europe than the rest of Britain by virtue of the High
Speed 1 rail link to the Channel Tunnel[154] while the first high speed domestic trains started in June
2009 linking Kent to London.[155]
Buses and trams
The red double-decker bus is iconic of London
London's bus network is one of the largest in the world, running 24 hours a day, with 8,000 buses,
700 bus routes, and over 6 million passenger journeys made every weekday. In 2003, the network's
ridership was estimated at over 1.5 billion passenger trips per annum, more than the Underground.
[156]
Around £850 million is taken in revenue each year. London has the largest wheelchair
accessible network in the world[157] and, from the 3rd quarter of 2007, became more accessible to
hearing and visually impaired passengers as audio-visual announcements were introduced. The
distinctive red double-decker buses are internationally recognised, and are a trademark of London
transport along with black cabs and the Tube.[158][159] London has a modern tram network, known as
Tramlink, based around Croydon in South London. The network has 39 stops, 3 routes and carried
26.5 million people in 2008. Since June 2008 Transport for London has completely owned tramlink
and plans to spend £54m until 2015 on maintenance, renewals, upgrades and capacity
enhancements. Since April 2009 all trams have now been refurbished.[160]
Air
London Heathrow Airport, Terminal 5. London's Heathrow is the busiest airport in the world for
international traffic, and is the major hub of the nation's flag carrier, British Airways[161]
London is a major international air transport hub with the largest city airspace in the world. Eight
airports use the word London in their name, but most traffic passes through only five. London
Heathrow Airport, in Hillingdon, West London, is the busiest airport in the world for international
traffic, and is the major hub of the nation's flag carrier, British Airways.[162] In March 2008 its fifth
terminal was opened,[163] and plans are already being considered for a sixth terminal.[164] Similar
traffic, with the addition of some low-cost short-haul flights, is also handled at London Gatwick
Airport, located south of London in West Sussex.[165] London Stansted Airport, situated north east
of London in Essex, is the main hub for Ryanair, and London Luton Airport to the north of London
in Bedfordshire, caters mostly for low-cost short-haul flights.[166][167] London City Airport, the

17. smallest and most central airport, is focused on business travellers, with a mixture of full service
short-haul scheduled flights and considerable business jet traffic.[168]
Roads
Although the majority of journeys involving central London are made by public transport, car
travel is common in the suburbs. The inner ring road (around the city centre), the North and South
Circular roads (in the suburbs), and the outer orbital motorway (the M25, outside the built-up area)
encircle the city and are intersected by a number of busy radial routes—but very few motorways
penetrate into inner London. The M25 is the longest ring-road motorway in the world at
121.5 miles (195.5 km) long.[169] A plan for a comprehensive network of motorways throughout the
city (the Ringways Plan) was prepared in the 1960s but was mostly cancelled in the early 1970s. In
2003, a congestion charge was introduced to reduce traffic volumes in the city centre. With a few
exceptions, motorists are required to pay £8 per day to drive within a defined zone encompassing
much of congested central London.[170][171] Motorists who are residents of the defined zone can buy a
vastly reduced season pass which is renewed monthly and is cheaper than a corresponding bus fare.
[172]
London is notorious for its traffic congestion, with the M25 motorway the busiest stretch in the
country. The average speed of a car in the rush hour is 10.6 mph.[173]
Education
University College London is part of the University of London
Home to a range of universities, colleges and schools, London has a student population of about
378,000 and is a centre of research and development. Most primary and secondary schools in
London follow the same system as the rest of England—comprehensive schooling. With 125,000
students, the University of London is the largest contact teaching university in the United Kingdom
and in Europe.[174] It comprises 20 colleges as well as several smaller institutes each with a high
degree of autonomy. Constituent colleges have their own admissions procedures, and are
effectively universities in their own right, although most degrees are awarded by the University of
London rather than the individual colleges. Its constituents include multi-disciplinary colleges such
as Royal Holloway, Birkbeck, UCL,[175] King's, Goldsmiths, Queen Mary[176] and more specialised
institutions such as the London School of Economics,[177] SOAS,[178] the Royal Academy of Music,
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine,[179] the Courtauld Institute of Art and the Institute
of Education.[180] University College London and Imperial College London have been ranked
among the top ten universities in the world by Times Higher Education: in 2009 UCL was ranked
the 4th best and Imperial the 5th best university in the world.[181] In addition, the London School of
Economics is the world‘s leading social science institution for teaching and research, plus has the
most international student body of any university in the world today.[182]
A number of colleges are dedicated to the fine arts, including the Royal College of Music, Royal
College of Art, and Guildhall School of Music and Drama. London's other universities, such as
Brunel University, City University, London Metropolitan University, Middlesex University,
University of East London, University of the Arts London, University of Westminster, Kingston

18. University and London South Bank University are not part of the University of London but are still
leaders in their field and popular choices among students both nationally and internationally. Some
were polytechnics until they were granted university status in 1992, and others which were founded
much earlier. Imperial College London left the federal University of London in 2007. Since the
merger of University of North London and London Guildhall University in 2003, London
Metropolitan University is the largest unitary university in the capital, with over 34,000 students
from 155 countries.[183] London is also known globally for its business education, with the London
Business School (ranked 1st in Europe—Business Week)[184] and Cass Business School (Europe's
largest finance school) both being top world-rated business schools.[185] In addition there are three
international universities: Schiller International University, Richmond University and Regent's
College.
Culture
Accent
The London accent long ago acquired the Cockney label, and was similar to many accents of the
South East of England, of which Cockney Rhyming slang is a part. The accent of a 21st century
'Londoner' varies widely; what is becoming more and more common amongst the under 30s
however is some fusion of Cockney, Received Pronunciation, and a whole array of 'ethnic' accents,
in particular Caribbean, which form an accent labelled Multicultural London English (MLE).[186]
Leisure and entertainment
The Queen's Theatre in the West End theatre district
Within the City of Westminster, the entertainment district of the West End has its focus around
Leicester Square, where London and world film premieres are held, and Piccadilly Circus, with its
giant electronic advertisements.[187] London's theatre district is here, as are many cinemas, bars,
clubs and restaurants, including the city's Chinatown district (in Soho), and just to the east is
Covent Garden, an area housing speciality shops. The United Kingdom's Royal Ballet, English
National Ballet, Royal Opera and English National Opera are based in London and perform at the
Royal Opera House, The London Coliseum, Sadler's Wells Theatre and the Royal Albert Hall as
well as touring the country.[188] Islington's 1 mile (1.6 km) long Upper Street, extending Northwards
from The Angel, has more bars and restaurants than any other street in the UK.[189] Europe's busiest
shopping area is Oxford Street, a shopping street nearly 1 mile (1.6 km) long—which makes it the
longest shopping street in the uk—and home to many shops and department stores including
Selfridges.[190] Knightsbridge—home to the Harrods department store—lies just to the southwest.
London is home to designers Vivienne Westwood, Galliano, Stella McCartney, Manolo Blahnik,
and Jimmy Choo among others; its renowned art and fashion schools make it an international
centre of fashion alongside Paris, Milan and New York. London offers a great variety of cuisine as
a result of its ethnically diverse population. Gastronomic centres include the Bangladeshi

19. restaurants of Brick Lane and the Chinese food restaurants of Chinatown.[191] There are a variety of
regular annual events in the city. The beginning of the year is celebrated with the relatively new
New Year's Day Parade, and the world's second largest street party, the Notting Hill Carnival is
held during the late August Bank holiday each year. Traditional parades include November's Lord
Mayor's Show, a centuries-old event celebrating the annual appointment of a new Lord Mayor of
the City of London with a procession along the streets of the City, and June's Trooping the Colour,
a formal military pageant performed by regiments of the Commonwealth and British armies to
celebrate the Queen's Official Birthday.[192]
Literature and film
Charles Dickens (1812–1870), whose works formed a pervasive image of Victorian London
London has been the setting for many works of literature. The literary centres of London have
traditionally been hilly Hampstead and (since the early 20th century) Bloomsbury. Writers closely
associated with the city are the diarist Samuel Pepys, noted for his eyewitness account of the Great
Fire, Charles Dickens, whose representation of a foggy, snowy, grimy London of street sweepers
and pickpockets has been a major influence on people's vision of early Victorian London, Virginia
Woolf, novelist, epistle, feminist, and writer of short stories, regarded as one of the foremost
modernist literary figures of the twentieth century.[193] The earlier (1722) A Journal of the Plague
Year by Daniel Defoe is a fictionalisation of the events of the 1665 Great Plague.[193] William
Shakespeare spent a large part of his life living and working in London; his contemporary Ben
Jonson was also based in London, and some of his work—most notably his play The Alchemist—
was set in the state.[193] Later important depictions of London from the 19th and early 20th centuries
are Dickens' novels, and Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories.[193] A modern writer
pervasively influenced by the city is Peter Ackroyd, in works such as London: The Biography, The
Lambs of London and Hawksmoor. London was also the setting of Peter Pan (1953), The 101
Dalmatians (1961), Mary Poppins (1964), Blowup (1966), Secrets & Lies (1996), Notting Hill
(1999), Match Point (2005), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street (2008). London has
played a significant role in the film industry, and has major studios at Ealing and a special effects
and post-production community centred in Soho. Working Title Films has its headquarters in
London.[194]
Museums and art galleries
The Natural History Museum.

20. London is home to many museums, galleries, and other institutions which are major tourist
attractions as well as playing a research role. The Natural History Museum (biology and geology),
Science Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum (fashion and design) are clustered in South
Kensington's "museum quarter", while the British Museum houses historic artefacts from around
the world.[195] The British Library at St Pancras is the UK's national library, housing 150 million
items. The city also houses extensive art collections, primarily in the National Gallery,[196] Tate
Britain[197] and Tate Modern.[198]
Music
London is one of the major classical and popular music capitals of the world and is home to major
music corporations, such as EMI, as well as countless bands, musicians and industry professionals.
London is home to many orchestras and concert halls such as the Barbican Arts Centre (principal
base of the London Symphony Orchestra), Cadogan Hall (Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) and the
Royal Albert Hall (BBC Promenade Concerts).[188] London's two main opera houses are the Royal
Opera House and the Coliseum Theatre.[188] London is home to the UK's largest pipe organ, at the
Royal Albert Hall. Other significant instruments are found at the cathedrals and major churches.
Several conservatoires are located within the city: Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of
Music, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and Trinity College of Music.
The Royal Albert Hall hosts concerts and musical events
London has numerous venues for rock and pop concerts, including large arenas such as Earls Court,
Wembley Arena and the O2 Arena, as well as numerous mid-size venues, such as Brixton
Academy, Hammersmith Apollo and The Shepherd's Bush Empire.[188] London also hosts many
music festivals, including the O2 Wireless Festival. London is home to the first and original Hard
Rock Cafe and the Abbey Road Studios where The Beatles recorded many of their hits. In the
seventies and eighties, musicians like David Bowie, Elvis Costello, Cat Stevens, Ian Dury and the
Blockheads, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Smiths, Madness, The Jam, The Small
Faces, Led Zepplin, Iron Maiden, Fleetwood Mac, The Police, The Cure, Squeeze and Sade (band),
took the world by storm, deriving their sound from the streets and rhythms vibrating through
London.[199] London was instrumental in the development of punk music,[200] with figures such as
the Sex Pistols, The Clash,[199] and Vivienne Westwood all based in the city. More recent artists to
emerge from the London music scene include Bananarama, Bush, East 17, Siouxie and the
Banshees, Spice Girls, Jamiroquai, The Libertines, Babyshambles, Bloc Party, The Verve,
Coldplay, Radiohead and Amy Winehouse.[201] London is also a centre for urban music. In
particular the genres UK Garage, Drum and Bass, dubstep and Grime evolved in the city from the
foreign genres of hip hop and reggae, alongside local drum and bass. Black music station BBC
1Xtra was set up to support the rise of homegrown urban music both in London and the rest of the
UK.
Sports

21. Wembley Stadium is home to English football and is the most costly stadium to be built in the
world[202]
London has hosted the Summer Olympics twice, in 1908 and 1948.[203][204] In July 2005 London was
chosen to host the Games in 2012, which will make it the first city in the world to host the Summer
Olympics three times.[15] London was also the host of the British Empire Games in 1934.[205]
London's most popular sport is football and it has thirteen League football clubs, including five in
the Premier League: Arsenal, Chelsea, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United.[206]
London also has four rugby union teams in the Guinness Premiership (London Irish, Saracens,
Wasps and Harlequins), although only the Harlequins play in London (all the other three now play
outside Greater London, although Saracens still play within the M25).[207] There are two
professional rugby league clubs in London – Harlequins Rugby League who play in the Super
League at the Stoop and the National League 2 side the London Skolars (based in Wood Green,
London Borough of Haringey).
From 1924, the original Wembley Stadium was the home of the English national football team, and
served as the venue for the FA Cup final as well as rugby league's Challenge Cup final.[208] The new
Wembley Stadium serves exactly the same purposes and has a capacity of 90,000.[209] Twickenham
Stadium in south-west London is the national rugby union stadium, and has a capacity of 84,000
now that the new south stand has been completed.[210] Cricket in London is served by two Test
cricket grounds Lord's (home of Middlesex C.C.C) in St John's Wood,[211] and The Oval (home of
Surrey C.C.C) in Kennington.[212] One of London's best-known annual sports competitions is the
Wimbledon Tennis Championships, held at the All England Club in the south-western suburb of
Wimbledon.[213] Other key events are the annual mass-participation London Marathon which sees
some 35,000 runners attempt a 26.2 miles (42.2 km) course around the city,[214] and the Oxford and
Cambridge Boat Race on the River Thames between Putney and Mortlake.[215]

22. Big Ben is the nickname for the great bell of the clock at the north end of the Palace of
Westminster in London,[1] and is often extended to refer to the clock or the clock tower as well.[2]
Big Ben is the largest four-faced chiming clock and the third-tallest free-standing clock tower in the
world.[3] It celebrated its 150th anniversary in May 2009 (the clock itself first ticking on 31 May),[4]
during which celebratory events took place.[5]
The nearest London Underground station is Westminster on the Circle, District and Jubilee lines.
Tower
The Palace of Westminster, the Clock Tower and Westminster Bridge
A clock tower was built at Westminster in 1288, with the fine-money of Ralph Hengham, Chief
Justice of the King's Bench.[6][7]
The present tower was raised as a part of Charles Barry's design for a new palace, after the old
Palace of Westminster was destroyed by fire on the night of 22 October 1834.
The new Parliament was built in a Neo-gothic style. Although Barry was the chief architect of the
Palace, he turned to Augustus Pugin for the design of the clock tower, which resembles earlier
Pugin designs, including one for Scarisbrick Hall. The design for the Clock Tower was Pugin's last

23. design before his final descent into madness and death, and Pugin himself wrote, at the time of
Barry's last visit to him to collect the drawings: "I never worked so hard in my life for Mr Barry for
tomorrow I render all the designs for finishing his bell tower & it is beautiful."[8] The tower is
designed in Pugin's celebrated Gothic Revival style, and is 96.3 metres (315.9 ft) high (roughly 16
stories).[9]
Monochrome image of Westminister clock tower
The bottom 61 metres (200 ft) of the Clock Tower's structure consists of brickwork with sand
coloured Anston limestone cladding. The remainder of the tower's height is a framed spire of cast
iron. The tower is founded on a 15-metre (49 ft) square raft, made of 3-metre (9.8 ft) thick concrete,
at a depth of 4 metres (13 ft) below ground level. The four clock faces are 55 metres (180 ft) above
ground. The interior volume of the tower is 4,650 cubic metres (164,200 cubic feet).
Despite being one of the world's most famous tourist attractions, the interior of the tower is not
open to the general public due to security concerns,[9] although from time to time press and other
VIPs are granted access. However, the tower has no elevator, so those escorted must climb the 334
limestone stairs to the top.[9]
Because of changes in ground conditions since construction (notably tunnelling for the Jubilee Line
extension), the tower leans slightly to the north-west, by roughly 220 millimetres (8.66 in) at the
clock face, giving an inclination of approximately 1/250.[10][11] Due to thermal effects it oscillates
annually by a few millimetres east and west.
Faces
The clock faces are large enough to have once allowed the Clock Tower to be the largest four-faced
clock in the world, but have since been outdone by the Allen-Bradley Clock Tower in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin. However, the builders of the Allen-Bradley Clock Tower did not add chimes to the
clock, so the Great Clock of Westminster still holds the title of the "world's largest four-faced
chiming clock".

24. The face of the Great Clock of Westminster. The hour hand is 2.7 metres (9 ft) long and the minute
hand is 4.3 metres (14 ft) long.
The clock and dials were designed by Augustus Pugin. The clock faces are set in an iron frame
7 metres (23 ft) in diameter, supporting 312 pieces of opal glass, rather like a stained-glass window.
Some of the glass pieces may be removed for inspection of the hands. The surround of the dials is
gilded. At the base of each clock face in gilt letters is the Latin inscription:
DOMINE SALVAM FAC REGINAM NOSTRAM VICTORIAM PRIMAM
“ ”
Which means O Lord, keep safe our Queen Victoria the First.