Ин.яз ЛУР / London(history)

From the history of London.

London was born hundreds of years before our era. On the banks of the Thames was a

small settlement named Llyn-din. To this place, in the year 55 before our era Yulins

Caesar and his troops came from Rome.

Britain was conquered, and for 400 years remained a Roman province. Llyn-din

became Londinum. Althouth Londinium was quite an important Roman town, it was

Winchester that was the capital of Anglo-Saxon England.

In the 5 century the Romans left Britain and other invaders came. During 400 years

Londinium lay in ruins. Only in the 9^th century the Saxon kings began to rebuild

Londinium.

In 1066 William the Conqueror settled in Londinium which now became London -

the capital of Norman Britain. For 500 years the Normans were masters of Britain.

They brought with them Latin and French civilization, built new palaces, churches

and cathedrals in or near London. William the Conqueror built the Tower of London

and Westminster Abbey where he was crowned the king of Britain.

In 1666 a great fire hit the city destroying most of buildings. In commemoration of

the fire a tall column 202 ft high was erected not far from St. Paul's Cathedral. They

were built by the famous architect Sir Christopher Wren.

After the fire houses were built of brick and stone, the streets were made much wider,

a new London became one of the largest cities of the world.