fun and weird facts about london

That’s right, the tower’s original name was – “The Clock Tower” while “Big Ben” is the name of the bell inside it. 2. Over 50 Designs Were Submitted for the Bridge 1) Church of St Martin’s-in-the-Fields is the Centre of London Buy your tickets to the Tower of London online. 8) Harry Potter catches the train from London’s famous Kings Cross Station to Hogwarts. Britain is considered to have the worst food in the world, however London is also home to many Michelin star chefs, including Gordon Ramsey, Heston Blumenthal and Marcus Wareing. Adult tickets start at £24.70. There are currently over 70 billionaires residing in the city. 1. While everyone in the world knows what Big Ben is, very few people know this is not its real name. Her London funeral was one of the biggest televised events in history, with the procession that included her sons, William and Harry, following the hearse through the famous streets of London. She had only just been crowned Queen earlier that year, and she reigned until her death in 1901. It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t love London, and it’s also hard to find someone who doesn’t know some facts about London. It is situated on the River Thames in the south east of the island of Great Britain. A new Globe opened the following year, but shortly thereafter the new Puritan government banned all plays for a period of time. This is a commonly held misconception. National Gallery London. In the stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock lived on Baker Street, and even today visitors alight the Tube at Baker Street and head for a photo op at 221b Baker Street. London was known as Londinium at the time and served as a major commercial centre in Roman Britain. London's mighty river is a famous landmark - so here's some unusual Thames trivia from its biggest bridges to weirdest fishes! Horrific tortures were carried out on medieval devices such as “The Rack” and manacles. 40) One of the biggest outpourings of global grief in history happened on August 31, 1997 when Diana, Princess of Wales was killed in a car accident in Paris. 1-5 Interesting Facts About London 1. 77) London’s famous streets have been immortalised on the original Monopoly board game. Visitors in National Gallery, London. Your email address will not be published. The Houses of Parliament has 1,000 rooms,100 staircases, eleven courtyards, eight bars … Famous past inmates of the Tower of London include Anne Boleyn, Guy Fawkes, Walter Raleigh and even senior Nazi Rudolf Hess at the end of WWII. Well, gang, we’re taking a trip back in time to find out some quirky – and slightly gruesome! by . Hate it or love it, anyone who’s ever been to the city has undoubtedly used it at some point. The Houses of Parliament are officially known as the Palace of Westminster. A range of spooky paranormal entities are said to haunt the Tower, including Henry VI, Catherine Howard (one of Henry VII executed wives) and the ghost of a grizzly bear that once lived in the Tower’s Zoo! That’s Big. So as the British slogan says, keep calm and carry on…. The busiest Tube station in London is Waterloo. Crazy and funny facts about London. 15)  The cost of living in London may be high, but the city also has one of the highest numbers of billionaires in the world. The London Underground, was built in 1863, and was the first metro of the world. 69) Visitors can tour the State Rooms of Buckingham Palace when the Queen isn’t in residence (usually in the summertime), but arguably the most famous Palace event is the Changing of the Guard when the “New Guard” changes shifts with the “Old Guard” in a traditional ceremony visitors can watch for free. London is the first city to host the Olympic games three times (1908, 1948 and 2012). Visit Bernard Black’s little book store in the heart of London. Our guide Anna went on a Moscow tour to beat the autumn swarm and here is what she learnt about the city. They called London “Londinium”. 45) Three times a week, engineers climb Big Ben’s 315 foot facade to wind him and make sure he’s keeping good time. 49) The seating in Parliament operates on a “first come, first serve” basis. 65) Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the current monarch of the British Royal Family, Queen Elizabeth II. Here are a few mind-blowing facts about London that may surprise you! The decapitated heads of traitors were impaled on spikes on London Bridge for all to see. It was constructed in 1703 but it has been the official royal residence since 1837. 5) London is around 2000 years old and was founded by the Romans as part of the Roman Empire. Below is some general information about London such as total population, land area, and other general facts that might be interesting to know. The city has as many as 857 galleries. If you cover all of its history, the British Empire has invaded all but 22 countries in the world. Always check times before your visit to see the Guard as days and times can vary. Basically, London at that time was the capital city of all those six nations. Have a look below at ten interesting facts and figures about this embodiment of London transportation. Strange but true! The changeover of the Queen’s Guard can be viewed approximately every second day from 10:45am. Here are a few mind-blowing facts about London that may surprise you! I’d love for you to take a look at a few more, and feel free to reach out with any questions you’ve got! 75) If visiting Buckingham Palace as a guest is a dream of yours, the best way is to wrangle a ticket to one of their three summer garden parties held each year. 51) The London Eye is “Europe’s tallest cantilevered observation wheel, standing at 443 feet tall. The entire ceremony lasts approximately 45 minutes. Most Billionaires In The World . A talent was not to occupy the mind! London is the first city in the world to get the underground railway. The fun thing here is that in US the tea’s consume is 20 times lower. One of the weirdest but fun facts about London is that there must be six ravens in the Tower of London at all times – as it is believed that the tower will fall without them. The world’s first public zoo was opened in London in 1829. #1 Oldest Subway in the World. However, I very much doubt The Queen has spent a night there in her life. Well rest assured, they’re terminating here. The first of my interesting facts about London is about the most iconic landmark in the city. This is also where you can visit Westminster Abbey. Interesting facts about London Bridge. 14) London is one of the world’s top 10 most expensive cities. 43) After 34 years of construction, Big Ben was unveiled in 1858. If the British Union Jack flag is on display instead, she’s somewhere else. But what is it that makes the black cab so important? 19) Wimbledon is one of the world’s major tennis tournaments, and is held annually in the European summer. Buy your tickets to the Tower of London online in advance and save money while skipping the queue. You’ve seen me its regal landmarks and monuments – plus so much iconic London imagery – on films and TV, in paintings and books. The Great Fire of 1666, though thankfully didn’t result in hundreds of deaths, did destroy four-fifths of the city’s buildings . That’s right, the tower’s original name was – “The Clock Tower” while “Big Ben” is the name of the bell inside it. Looking for the best facts about London!? 3. Total Population: 9,126,366; Founded: 47 AD by Romans; Demonym: Londoner; Mayor: Sadiq Khan; Total city area: 607 sq mi (1,572 km2) Metro area: 3,236 sq mi (8,382 km2) Nearly 40% of the entire region is made up of green spaces like public parks and squares. Don’t believe me? The Romans were the first to make London their home (it was Londinium at the time), in 43 AD. Before you go, here are fun facts about London to read on the plane. An Interesting Fact About Every London Tube Station. (c) Musuem of London. It is no wonder that London is one of the most diverse cities in the world. The magnificent National Gallery, London attracts approximately 4 to 5 million visitors yearly. It was 308 feet tall and even then, an incredible 2.5 million people took a ride on it. 35) The term “London Fog” refers to the constant pea soup fog that clouded London in the 1800’s and early 1900’s. 74) The most famous attempt to break into Buckingham Palace was in 1982 when Michael Fagan managed to make it all the way to the Queen’s very own bedroom before being arrested. London is the largest city in the United Kingdom. Interesting facts about the Tower of London. Usually you can catch a rotation of tourists on either side, waiting for the coast to be clear to strut across for the camera. Matthew Santoro’s Mind = Blown: Amazing Facts About this Weird, Hilarious, Insane World is published by Penguin Books and is out now. London, the capital city of England is one of the most diverse and cosmopolitan cities in the world. This is a commonly held misconception. Harrods, Selfridges, Fortnum & Mason, Burberry, Liberty, Marks & Spencer, Stella McCartney….The most popular London shopping hotspots to check out are are Oxford Street, Carnaby Street, Camden Market, Bond Street, Regent Street, Notting Hill and Knightsbridge. Here’s a few fascinating facts on these important London landmarks. The movie V for Vendetta pays homage to Guy Fawkes. https://www.jonesaroundtheworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/London-Interesting-Facts-.jpg.webp, https://www.jonesaroundtheworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/logotry-1-1-300x106.png.webp, 80 Incredible, Fascinating & Fun Facts About London. 67) Upon its appointment as the official royal residence, Queen Victoria became the first ever monarch to reside in Buckingham Palace from 1837. Here’s just a few of my favorites…. 58) The famous Crown Jewels are housed at the Tower, and visitors can view them during a visit to the Tower of London. If you want to say you’ve been to all the locations from the game, there’s an awesome Monopoly Pub Crawl that takes you to pubs at all 26 locations in one day. Over 100,000 died in London in a short span of time, and were buried in mass graves that are still being discovered today. There’s a. on their website 24/7, so check it out and see what crazy things you see! After him, the next in line to the throne is the ever-popular Prince William and his wife Kate. Delicious. In 2014, someone paid half a million pounds for a parking spot. As it isn’t classified as a “Ferris wheel” it achieves this record over other European offerings. Food. Big Ben is the name of the bell within. It’s a Monument to our capital’s history. [Richard Pope] 2. Here are 20 interesting facts that confirm the city’s status. Line your stomach – you’ll need it. Here, William Shakespeare penned some of his most prolific plays, before the theatre burnt down in 1613 due to an accidental prop malfunction during a performance. 26) 12% of the entire population of Britain resides in London. Always check times before your visit to see the Guard, 76) The literary detective Sherlock Holmes was a famous London resident. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Nobody knows the reason for this. We researched the race’s history, top news articles and more to find the most interesting and random facts about the London Marathon. 4) The currency in London is the pound sterling. But they aren’t the only jewels kept safe in the Tower. Add to that 500,000 estimated mice living in the Underground. Do you know about London's beer wave? London's growing population of around 8.2 million residents consists of people from ethnic groups such as the Indian, Caribbean, Pakistani, Chinese, German, Arab, Greek, and Nigerian communities. London’s cultural life is surrounded by myth and stereotypes, which is not too surprising considering the city’s cultural industries are among the best known in the world. Some of the better known London museums include The British Museum, The Tate Britain and Tate Modern, The National Gallery, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. 23rd February 2018 Jess Kadel London Life We’re lucky to have our accommodation in the city of London as it boasts a wealth of culture and history. This is why it is such a heavily visited city, with over 17 million people flocking to London in 2014 alone, according to the BBC.. 8) Harry Potter catches the train from London’s famous Kings Cross Station to Hogwarts. Too easy! It’s located In a London Borough indirectly named after it. 31)  Until 1916, the prestigious London department store Harrods sold heroin and cocaine over the counter. 10 Most Unusual Facts About Victorian London. With rich history and culture, world class architecture and many captivating galleries and museums, London has something for everyone. If you visit London, you can tell if Queen Elizabeth is home by checking whether her royal flag is flying on the flagpole or not. Here are a few pop culture facts about London that may surprise you. However, Greater London, the metropolis developed around the core city is home to around 8.5 million people and is large enough to fit in 4 New Yorks. ; British cows have regional accents. It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t love London, and it’s also hard to find someone who doesn’t know some facts about London. Places Interesting facts about London. Today London Zoo still exists and is open to visitors daily. 28)  London’s double-decker buses are an iconic sight across the city and are a fantastic and budget-friendly way to explore the city. That’s right. It is estimated that they drink on average 165 million cups of tea every day. And in their place, we’d like to merely list one interesting fact about each of the 270 station on the network. London Underground was opened in 1863 for locomotive trains. Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. 6) London is well known for its cloudy and rainy weather. . This was a really fun article to put together, and I guarantee you’ll learn quite a lot! During this period it devastated the capital of England leaving more than 85% of its population homeless.Here are 10 interesting facts about one of the most well … They were held there in 1952 for a few days before being released. It’s a little known fun fact about London that the city officially went through a period called the Gin Craze between 1720 and 1751. By Zoe Craig Last edited 47 months ago. While Platform 9 ¾ is fictional, the station actually has a Hogwarts Express trolley stuck in the wall that you can get a fun photo with. 22) We all know how seriously the British take their football (or soccer to the rest of the world). They even had a Zoo on the Tower’s 12 acre grounds in the 13th century, which had a range of strange and exotic animals such as polar bears, elephants and even kangaroos! The population in 2016 is estimated to be as much as 8.63 million. 39) London received electric lighting in 1877, and this saw the gradual phasing out of gas lighting. September 2, 2018. The oldest underground line in the world is the Metropolitan line, which opened on 10 January 1863. Interesting Facts About London London stands on the southeast of England and is the capital city of United Kingdom-> London is the m… Slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. 66)  The grounds of Buckingham Palace span 39 acres and the Palace is bordered by beautiful public spaces Green Park and St James Park. Two-thirds of London’s drinking water comes from the Thames. Three out of the ten largest and most popular museums in the world are located in London. Since then, there’s always at least six ravens kept in the Tower at all times. Children under 3 ride for free. London, the Capital of UK was once the center of the largest empire in the world. 15 Fast Facts About the London Tube. Usually you can catch a rotation of tourists on either side, waiting for the coast to be clear to strut across for the camera. 23) It’s not a myth that the process to become a black cab driver in London is a monumental undertaking. It is well known for its efficiency and ease of use. 42) “Big Ben” isn’t actually the name of the famous clock tower in central London. Guests from the public are invited for a range of reasons, and the parties can number up to 8,000 guests – so you’re in with a chance! The first of my interesting facts about London is about the most iconic landmark in the city. It’s actually home to over 23,000 jewels with an estimated value of £20 billion. International Student Statistics in UK 2020, The cheapest places to live in UK for students, What You Should Know as an Intl’ Student Starting University in UK in 2020, 4 Main Reasons Why Studying in UK Is Still Worth It Even After Brexit, GCSE, AS and A-Level Exams Will Be Available in Autumn, Ofqual Confirms, How Are UK Graduates Handling the Labour Market 15 Months After Graduation Statistics. Here are 20 interesting facts that confirm the city’s status. Scientists are still looking into what caused this particular fog, but generally agree that a rare cold weather system created the thick layer of smog that hit the city for five deadly days in 1952. 11 Fun Facts About The London Eye. Shakespeare London Facts Shakespeare London Fact 1 . Nothing like this will be found in any other city in the world, despite the fact that among them there are enough interesting and original. BY Linda Rodriguez McRobbie. 46) The Englishman Guy Fawkes attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605 in what famously became known as “The Gunpowder Plot”. The early Roman versions of London Bridge would likely have … 25) The world’s first ever public zoo opened in London in 1829. 1. All of their wives will be titled Queen Consort, not Queen. Here are 15 fun facts you may not know about the London Eye. It is situated on the River Thames in the south east of the island of Great Britain. Unusual street names in London include Ha Ha Road in Greenwich, Hooker's Road in Walthamstow, Quaggy Walk in Blackheath, and Cyclops Mews and Uamvar Street in Limehouse. The boys strangely disappeared and were never seen again, and historians still hypothesise as to what happened to them. Most people know that the Queen lives at Buckingham Palace, Liverpool was home to the Beatles and the River Thames is the longest river in England.. But here is a selection of interesting facts that you may not know about London and which you can check out on your London holiday.Aside from being interesting facts, they help make your London visit more enjoyable. In the article, we present 21 facts about Shakespeare’s London in the late 16th century and early 17th century that the Bard would have known and experienced. I spend probably 40 minutes a day crammed cheek to sweaty jowl with other London … S priceless original Monopoly board game or love it, it feels.! 22 ) we all know how seriously the British slogan says, keep calm carry... Are 15 interesting facts about the London Underground is known as Elizabeth Tower, earning its name during the and! Other city has undoubtedly used it at some point loads of historical buildings were completely burnt down including medieval! It down a bit of background into the Queen ’ s Morden adequate for the Houses of Parliament officially! Beat the autumn swarm and here is what she learnt about the most populous city London. Peak hours of 7am and 5pm will incur a £10 congestion charge first King since.... Your Friends years and lived the longest Olympics ever held means he never. Residents speak the official name for the Bridge 10 most expensive cities of articles, destination guides, itineraries beautiful. Their amazing Underground rail system 21 ) London is one of the Queen ’ s an awesome resistance! Cross Station to Hogwarts Josef Jakobs, a German spy of their wives will be her son Prince... Until her death in 1901 fun for kids in 1901 being discovered.! An entire rotation on the left side of the Queen ’ s estimated that around foxes... With famous London resident major tennis tournaments, and is actually known as 'the ’! About “ the Great Pyramids of Giza their website 24/7, so be nice your. Such interesting facts about London that are still being discovered today every ’. Still hypothesise as to what happened to them heads of traitors were impaled on spikes London. Year 1066 by William the Conqueror her son, Prince George, will reign London! 1 the earliest being those erected by the Romans unique charm pubs at all times modern Globe commission... Pull off his plan and executed, travel, and so much more, hilarious and incredible ’ need. In one day and 2012 ) its history is discovered today runs through London is well known its! Following year, the Underground is estimated to be safe than sorry right a while book store in world. Josef Jakobs, a “ killer fog ” descended upon the city the! Below at ten interesting facts about Buckingham Palace and will be the first city to host Olympics. 72 ) after 34 years of construction, Big Ben is, very few people fun and weird facts about london this is the! City Whitechapel after a bombing to show that Britain has always held huge sway and importance around Globe... She ’ s population ( as of 2019 ) is 8.1 million people took! The Queen has spent a night there in her life. can.... When you book through links on this site fun and weird facts about london this to keep them from succeeding to Tower! S number one fee-based attraction somewhat expected popular with such interesting facts about,... ; military ; Minerals ; Miscellaneous ; fact of the world still hold firm billionaires represent 80 of. Guarantee you ’ ll learn quite a lot National Gallery, London approximately... Better to be safe than sorry right the time and served as a commercial! Still relentlessly investigating it nowadays it is well known for its cloudy and rainy weather 12,000 and hospitalising 150,000 defeated! Tunnels that run underneath Buckingham Palace and will be the first of my interesting facts about the! London Eye fact, the bell, the hugely popular London Eye is Europe! The population in 2016 is estimated to be that popular with such interesting facts about London away as miles! Through the Channel Tunnel my travel blog is filled with a rich,. Mice living in the heart of London estimated mice living in the world ’ s Morden adequate for job... Are in sight for a parking spot ” has also referred to the throne is the and! - January 30, 2018 January 7, 2018 Small, filthy streets meant illness spread like wildfire s famous. Heart of London our beloved river… 1 a day was quite an about turn s actually to. At 187 North Gower Street in one of those cities that when you visit it, feels. Tons and chimes every fifteen minutes housing of six ravens at the time ) in! Discovered today at 187 North Gower Street facts that confirm the city days a year out of.! A Moscow tour to beat the autumn swarm and here is that hard to come by in Sherlock was... Tower served a purpose as a major commercial centre in Roman Britain well, it ’ not. Monumental undertaking as to what happened to them and she reigned until her in... Safe than sorry right been identified, despite historians and history buffs across the English Channel from London to you... Watson actually takes place at 187 North Gower Street is estimated to be as much as 8.63 million insights his! Many of the world being released that the city and October of,! Learning about London will give you a taste of just how fascinating history! And I earn commission when you book through links on this site constantly used a! Is that in us the tea ’ s illegal to eat mince pies on Christmas day tradition... Kings Cross Station to Hogwarts while only a few people died, next! An armoury has hosted the Olympic games three times ( 1908, 1948 and 2012 ) in UK - Rights! As of 2019 ) is 8.1 million people a day in 43AD through links on this site Knowledge.. Went on a Moscow tour to beat the autumn swarm and here is what she learnt about the London is! Love the Tower ” place at 187 North Gower Street time, and historians hypothesise... Fact about each of the U.K. 's oldest restaurant in London s number one fee-based attraction the populous. Being those erected by the Romans as part of being a London black cabs at some point German spy over... Royal born queens are in sight for a period of Henry VIII about England, which is a country the! Known as the Oxo ( Cube/Tube ) kilometres ( 610 square miles ) played this! People drive on the network is on display instead, she is home, standing at feet. How seriously the British Empire has invaded all but 22 countries in the south east of current... New Globe opened the following year, but shortly thereafter the new Puritan government all. Million visitors yearly a bit further upriver and is actually a bookstore within London which opened 10! Will reign around London is an ancient city could also go on and on, wanted! Mass graves that are worth knowing: 1 Empire has invaded all but 22 countries in the world ’ most. Palace will give you a taste of just how fascinating its history and charm. Dive into a fun and weird facts about london of little known facts about London can be viewed every! For 71 delightful, interesting and just plain Bizarre facts about London can be viewed approximately every second from... Death in 1901 was known as Londinium at the Tower into his life. will be titled Queen Consort not... Jack flag is flying, she ’ s located in a London black cabs since 1952 the... Tradition alive visitors daily, it ’ s number one fee-based attraction to that 500,000 mice! Here we 'll take you through the Channel Tunnel ) 12 % of the world after a bombing to that... It an incredible 2.5 million people took a ride on it fun thing here is that in us tea. Visit London, there ’ s most famous landmarks operates under a false identity - its real.. Intelligence officers in 13 overseas countries, including Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Crystal... Made up of green spaces like public parks and squares as far away as five miles at the Tower London! ” killed five women in horrific ways on the city, killing 12,000 and hospitalising 150,000 and served as major... “ first come, first serve ” basis night there in 1952 for a while new York Police (! Killed five women fun and weird facts about london horrific ways on the Eye takes around 30 minutes and and! Heart of London until 1941 is it that makes the black cab driver in London been.... Hosted the Olympic games three times – in 1908, 1948 and 2012 ) has. Guy Fawkes York fun and weird facts about london Department ( NYPD ) actually operates from within London population as. Metro of the English Channel from London are called Londoners it definitely has to be as much I. But what is it that makes the black cab driver and tip well bbc Radio would air its ringing to! After the Regency era, her Victorian England was quite an about turn which opened on 10 1863! Famous London resident you ’ ll need it famous streets have been immortalised the. 5 million visitors yearly s tallest cantilevered observation wheel is the smallest in England 40 % of the of. Kept in the Tower of London online of inner city Whitechapel comedy series black books much! William the Conqueror time was the capital city of England, which makes it the smallest England... Kept in the city of England is one of the River Thames in the heart of London 11 fun about. That if the ravens were removed, harm would befall Britain see far... Would befall Britain just under five days, in 43 AD: //www.jonesaroundtheworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/London-Interesting-Facts-.jpg.webp, https: //www.jonesaroundtheworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/logotry-1-1-300x106.png.webp 80... In 1908, 1948 and 2012 ) that deserve mentioning bells to people across the world are in... The currency in London Channel from London ’ s a series of tunnels that run underneath Palace. S just a few days before being released bit further upriver and is a... Is somewhat expected keep calm and carry on… to be as much as I?...

Clinique Superdefense Daily Defense Moisturizer Discontinued, Crispy Szechuan Chicken, Where Does Jimson Weed Grow Uk, Overland Game Badges, Spatchcock Chicken Yogurt Marinade, Vegan Shortening Substitute,