50 Amazing Facts about London

coat of arms and flag 1 1 Facts about London

FUN & INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT LONDON

  1. London is the biggest city in the United Kingdom and Europe

  2. London is formed by two former cities, City of London and City of  Westminster, which now form the region of Greater London.

  3. Over 12% of the British Population lives in London.

  4. There are around 20 subterranean rivers flowing beneath London’s streets.

  5. London was the first city in the world to have an underground railway.

  6. The world’s first public zoo first opened in 1829 in London

  7. London is the first city to host the Olympics three times (1908, 1948 and 2012)

  8. It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament.

  9. The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree comes from Norway. The tree represents gratitude to the people of England for their alliance in World War II.

  10. All black cab drivers in London have to pass ‘the knowledge’ test to become a black cab driver. It requires you to learn 320 basic routes, all 25,000 streets within these routes and 20,000 landmarks within a 6 miles radius of Charing Cross.

  11. Over 300 languages are spoken in London.

  12. London Underground transports three million people a day.

  13. London Underground escalators travel the equivalent of twice around the world, every week.

  14. The Romans were the first to make London their home. Who named it Londinium.

  15. The iconic tower is known as Big Ben, isn’t actually called Big Ben, its official name is the Clock Tower and Big Ben is the name of the Bell, within the Clock Tower.

  16. More than half of the London Underground network, in fact, runs above ground.

  17. London Underground was actually intended to terminate in Paris.

  18. In 1986 London’s bakers apologised for the Great Fire of London…320 years after it happened.

  19. London has more than 70 Billionaires, making it one of the richest cities in the world.

  20. The last person to be executed at the Tower of London was German solider Josef Jakobs in 1941.

  21. Until 1994 there were no “Road”s in the City of London, and now there’s only one, Goswell Road

  22. London was now always known as London, before settling on the London, it was also known as “Londonium, Ludenwic” and “Ludenburg”.

  23. London attracted over 16 million international visitors.

  24. There are so many trees in London, that according to a UN definition of a forest, London can be classified as a forest.

  25. Around 70% of all train journeys in England Start or Finish in London.

  26. London was once the Capital city of six countries at the same time: Poland’s government in exile moved in then Norway, Belgium, Holland, and France, London was a safe haven for governments of the countries that Hitler had Invaded during World War II.

  27. Traffic in central London moves at the same speed as horse-drawn carriages a century ago.

  28. London tried to build a structure to surpass the Eiffel Tower in Height in 1891 however due to complications and the health and safety risk it was demolished in 1907.

  29. Greater London area has more than 40% of Green Space.

  30. Before the 1980’s any bank operating in the City of London had their office within a walking distance of the bank of England, if there was a crisis, the Governor of the Bank of England wanted to have Chief Executive of each bank within 30 minutes in his office.

  31. Hitler had a plan to dismantle Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square and display it in Berlin.

  32. During the World War II, The London Zoo killed all their venomous animals encase the animals escaped if the zoo was bombed.

  33. London population dropped during World War II and only in January 2015, it reached its populations level before World War II happened.

  34. A single parking space was sold in London for £400,000, in 2014.

  35. Three of the top ten museums and galleries in the world are in London

  36. The worlds first traffic signal was installed in London in 1868 but less than a month later it exploded and injured its policeman operator.

  37. If you see a fox in London, don’t worry there are over 10,000 foxes living in London.

  38. The Queen needs permission to enter the city of London. The Queen needs permission from the Lord Mayor. “The citizens of London, through the Corporation of the City, still retain their ancient privilege of being able to bar the Sovereign from entering their streets.”

  39. There are over 1,000 bodies buried beneath the Aldgate station, known as the plague sit.

  40. George Washington status in Trafalgar square doesn’t stand on English Soil but in fact, the soil was imported from the United States of America to go underneath the statue. Because George Washington once said, “Never again step foot on English Soil”.

  41. Wilton’s Music Hall in the city is the world’s oldest surviving Music Hall, built in 1743.

  42. London has 43 Universities.

  43. Heathrow Airport is so named because the land it was built on was once a sleepy hamlet called Heath Row.

  44. Richard the Lionheart introduced swans to Britain in the 12th century, from Cyprus. Mute Swans are owned by the Crown and can be found in some parts of the Thames.

  45. London is twinned with Moscow, New York, and Berlin.

  46. The Thames river is home to over 110 species of fish, as well as voles, eels, and otters.

  47. St Thomas’ Hospital used to have seven buildings, one for each day of the week.

  48. The City of London is actually one of the smallest cities in the U.K with a population of just over 7,000 residents.

  49. Royal Navy ships entering the Port of London are still required by law to give a barrel of rum to the Constable of the Tower.

  50. Henry III was given a polar bear by the King of Norway in 1251, The polar bear was kept in the Tower of London, on long chains so it could swim in the Thames and catch fish.

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