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London is not only the British Capital. It is also one of the biggest and most famous
cities in the world. Millions of tourists go there every year. They visit the many historical sights. Let´s start a tour through London.
We start in the southerast fo London. There ist the Tower Bridge and under it flow the River Thames. You can go on a boat trip along the River Thames. There you can travel to Greenwich to one of the most uniusual tourist attractions in ther World:
the Thames Flood Barrier. In the past there have been several terrible floods in London. There are walls along the river, but these are not high enough to protect the city.
In 1928 forteen people died when the water came over the walls in west-minster. Londoners now hope that the huge Tanes Barrier will hold back the water so that this will never happen.
Quite near of the Tower Bridge ist the Tower of London. The tower is over 900 years old and is one of the most famous castles in Britain. It was once a royal palace, home of the kings and queens of England. Later it was a prison and a place for many esecutions. Today it is a museum and over two million people visit it every year. They come to see the Crown Jewels and Beefeaters (Tower-Wächter).
In the east is \"The City\". That is the name of one very small part of London (about one sqare mil ( über eine quadrat mile). It is famous all over the world. The city is the oldest part of London, the place where the old Roman town was first built. In the smal area you can find the big banks, the offices of many big firms and one of Britain`s largest newspapers and magazines, but few are still there today.
Near the Fleet Street is the St. Paul`s Cathedrale. It is the second largest church in the World. Christopher Wren built it after the Great Fire of London in 1666.
In the south of London is the house of Parliament an Big Ben. both of them were built in the 19th century. big Ben is a big site of London. People sometimes call the clock and even the tower Big Ben, but it ist really the name of the huge bell inside the clock tower. The clock weights 13 1/2 tons.
There is West Minster Abbey, too. It is a beautyful church, which were all british kings and queens crowned since 1066. And the most burials (Beerdigungen) took place there.
Near the West Minster Abbey stand the Buckingham Palace. Inside there live queen Elizabeth II with her husband. In front of the palace you can see the royla guard. These guard consist of 7 regiments, two of them constitute the cavalerie (that`s the horse guard) and the other and the other 5 constitute the infrantrie (that`s the foot guard). The foot gurard wear only the red skirts and the bearcoathunts (Bärenfellmützen). This clothes were originally by Napolean. The English are very proud at the royal guard. In the south middle of London you can see the Trafalger Square and in this middle stand (tront) Lord Nelson at the Column (Säule) in 5 meter high. He is the famous admiral of England. Quite nera of the Trafalger Square is the Piccadilly Circus. He is the turnplace (Drehpunkt) of London and many young people meer there each other. In 1890 was install the first neon sign and now the glaring glitter advertising (grellblinkende Werbung) have tradition.
In the West End of London is Madame Tussaud with its wax figures of kings, queens, pop stars, politicians and - in ther Chamber of Horrors- famous criminals.
In London you cannot only see sites, but also you can go shopping in the biggest shopping center of London. The Harrods. It has 300 departments and you can buy there all what you want. But torrists usually see only a very small part of London. They visit the here presenting sights, or they go to the big store, theatres and cinemas in ther West End. But London habe another site, too. In areas like Brixton in south London and the East End, a lot of houses and buildings are very old and shabby. Most people there are very poot and many of them came from India, Pakistan, or the West Indies. Houses and flats in ther nice parts of London are very expensive. They cost so much that even most people with good jobs cannot pay for them and because of this many people live in towns and villages outside London.
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