London is the capital of the United Kingdom. It stands on the Thames River. Nearly 7 million people live here. That makes it one of the largest cities in Europe and it is one of the world's most enjoyable cities. Visited by tourists in the millions, the city offers them an astonishing variety of scenes. In this historic city one can meet the modern and the old; the great and the small live side by side; in every part of London's busy and complex life one feels respect and affection for her traditions.London's history dates back many centuries. Nearly 2000 years ago, Roman armies invaded Britain. One of the towns they set up was called Londinium. The Saxons and the Danes settled here in turn, and after them came the Normans. With the passing years London continued to grow in importance and it was also an important centre of government.London survived the plague, which killed nearly 100 000 people. In 1666, most of the city was destroyed by fire. It was soon rebuilt, but many of its buildings were destroyed again during World War I and World War II. Between 1940 and 1945, the city was bombed night after night by German planes. Many buildings of great historic value were laid in ruins and today the face of London is changed. Yet much was spared, including the Tower, St. Paul's and Westminster Abbey.