London
The history and origin of London is quite murky until between 605AD and 610AD when Sebert, King of Essex, established a church on the island of Thorney. It is well recorded that the Romans under Julius Caesar established encampments in the area but no record of a noteworthy place is made in early Roman chronicles. The first mention of a significant settlement inhabited by both Romans and Britons is made about a hundred years after Caesar, during the reign of Nero.
Over the centuries London has taken a few knocks. It has been raised to the ground by fire more than once, attacked by both foreign invaders and rebellious natives and lives under the constant threat of flooding. The population has been reduced by disease and epidemic ranging from cholera to bubonic plague. Living conditions for the poor were desperate up until the late 20th century. Despite all of this London first became the de facto capital of England and later the United Kingdom. The city became a great centre for trade, finance, culture and sport.
More photographs:
Flickr London folio
Through the medium of literature many place names are known in the four corners of the world.
Baker Street, Covent Garden and Scotland Yard owe their fame to writers such as Conan Doyle, Dickens and Shaw. Modern film has brought Notting Hill, Pimlico and Ealing into focus, while sport has made the areas of Wembley, Wimbledon and Twickenham internationally famous. Perhaps the most bizarre is the Zebra crossing on Abbey Road near the EMI studios which was made famous by four musicians in 1969.
More information: London official web page