Features of multiculturalism in London Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Features of multiculturalism in London - Essay Example At low tide the channel would have shrunk to about 275 m, still considerably wider than the river of today which is about 200 m across. On its north side the Thames had cut against a pair of low hills, and it was here that the town was built. The western hill, Ludgate Hill, is now occupied by St Paul's Cathedral whilst that to the east (hereinafter referred to as Cornhill) is presently surmounted by Leadenhall market. These hills were separated by the valley of the Walbrook, the upper parts of which remained marshland until reclaimed in the Roman period. To the west of Ludgate Hill was the Fleet River, and on both hills there were springs which fed small streams.Despite intense search no trace has been found of any immediately pre-Roman occupation in the City, although several sites have produced remains of earlier prehistoric activity, especially in the area of Bishop's gate. The skeleton of a young man found at the Tower of London might have been buried in the late Iron Age but thi s is far from certain (Parnell 1985, 5-7). The distribution of certain pre-Roman coin types seems to indicate that some form of centre had been established in the lower Thames valley, west of London, in the early first century BC. There is no evidence, however, that this hypothetical site had continued beyond c. 60 BC and it is of little evident relevance to the later history of the area. We can be reasonably certain that there were no major settlements in or around London at the time of the conquest. The modern London still reflects the old side of London which shows which makes the seasoned visitors interested in a different perspective on the city, here's a guide to tile high life in London -- just In time for cheap fall fares and tempting holiday getaways. (Taylor, 1999, 45) Many great cities have high points providing fabulous views: Paris has the Eiffel Tower and Sacre Coeur; Rio de Janeiro, Sugarloaf Mountain; New York City, the Empire State Building and World Trade Center. Recently, London added an aerial view to its many charms -- British Airways London Eye began taking passengers high over the River Thames in March. (Pile 1999, 4-9) In the early 1960s, the height of the buildings in London was restricted to almost 100 feet (30 metres), even though there were some exceptions to this rule. This reason for this restriction was to keep every floor of a building accessible to the fire brigade's ladders. During the 1960s, the lifting of the height limit caused a boom in the building of tall buildings. Of these, most conspicuous was the Post Office (now BT) Tower, built as a microwave relay station. The NatWest Tower, one of London's tallest monuments, was completed in 1980 and is 183m tall. Then, in 1991, it was followed by 1 Canada Square which was 235m tall and formed the centrepiece of the Canary Wharf development. After a gap of around 10 years, many new skyscrapers were built - 8 Canada Square, 25 Canada Square, the Heron Quays buildings and the award-winning 30 St Mary Axe.Two other of London's tallest buildings, left is Tower 42 (183 metres, 600 feet, once called the NatWest Tower) and right is the Swiss Re Tower (180 metres, 590 feet). London might see more skyscrapers appearing in the next few years, as part of the London's high-rise boom. The 306m Shard London Bridge, the 288m Bishopsgate Tower and fifteen other skyscrapers