What makes London special? (loans, theatre, school)

[Trimac20]

The British Empire was once and in some ways is the closest thing to a Global Empire there ever was.

And London was the hub of that Universe. If there isn't life on other planets, then London is the de facto centre of the Universe.

[sunshineleith]

For those of you whose life is one big sodden rain cloud, take it to another thread. This one is about what makes London great.

[Jezer]

Some of the best museums in the World- and free to enter!

[sunshineleith]

The shopping in London is fantastic. Oxford Street, Camden, Notting Hill, Portobello Road, and many many more areas that are full of unique little shops that are just so cool! I love browsing through Liberty's - can't afford to actually buy anything, but it's gorgeous.

Liberty & Co. London

A walk around Camden up to Chalk Farm including Camden Lock market, north London, England

Alice's antique shop on London's Portobello Road

Red Teapot Arcade on Portobello Road

[Jezer]

I love it that there are still shops specialising in certain things. I recall passing a shop that seemed to sell nothing but umbrellas and walking sticks!

[Mulhall]

London is home to five world class symphony orchestras (as well as numerous world class chamber orchestras), top international ballet and opera companies based at the Royal Opera House and the London Coliseum, as well as the internationally famous Sadlers Wells (Dance). London has some of the best theatres in the world and world famous West End isthe largest theatre district in the entire world.

There are also numerous excellent breathtaking London Art Galleries as well as a vast array of world famous museums, indeed six of the top 20 (nearly one third) most visited museums in the world are in London.

List of most visited art museums in the world - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There are over 17 million books in the London Public Lending Libraries and a further 14 million books at the vast British Library (Reference Library) at St Pancras, and a further 25 million books held by academic libraries, colleges and the world famous universities and medical schools based in London.

Four of the worlds top music schools are also based in London, and there are numerous concert halls and performances across the city on a daily basis.

In fact few cities even come close when it comes to the arts, culture and education

[Mulhall]

20 facts about London’s culture

http://www.london.gov.uk/priorities/art-culture/cultural-metropolis/20-facts-about-london

Here are 20 of the many reasons why London is one of the most culturally vibrant cities in the world.


1. There are more than 32,000 music performances a year in London – 621 a week, 17% of which are free!

2. London has four UNESCO world heritage sites: Tower of London, Maritime Greenwich, Westminster Palace, Kew’s Royal Botanic Gardens.

3. London has 40,000 listed buildings and over 150 ancient monuments.

4. London has 22 national museums and more than 200 other museums.

5. London has twelve specialist arts and culture Higher Education Institutes.

6. The new Wembley Stadium is the largest football stadium in the world.

7. London has cultural centres run by and dedicated to its Polish, Kurdish, Chinese, Romanian, Hungarian, Bengali, Jewish, Somali, Hindu, and Irish communities.

8. London’s 395 public libraries stock 17 million books.

9. Nearly a third of all the UK’s archives are in London. These include the National Archives, which provide an unbroken record of Britain's government from the 11th century to the present day.

10. 51% of Londoners visited a museum or gallery in the last twelve months, compared to 42% for the UK as a whole.

11. The Tate Modern is the world’s most popular modern art gallery.

12. It is estimated that 200 festivals take place in London every year.

13. Baishaki Mela – the Bengali New Year – is celebrated in Brick Lane and is the biggest Bengali celebration outside Bangladesh and West Bengal.

14. The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will require 70,000 volunteers.

15. The O2 Arena sold two million tickets in 2008 and hosted 140 events, making it the world's most popular music venue.

16. There are more than 900 bookshops in London – twice as many as New York.

17. There were 14,350 film “shooting days” in London in 2007, making it the third most filmed city in the world.

18. London has 105 cinemas and more than 500 cinema screens.

19. There are more than 17,000 theatrical performances per year, and more than 50 theatres in London’s West End.

20. Around 85% of the UK’s fashion designers are based in London.

[Jezer]

Interesting stuff there.

I'm really surprised to hear that about Wembley (No. 6).

[Mulhall]

Originally Posted by Jezer

Interesting stuff there.

I'm really surprised to hear that about Wembley (No. 6).

I think it's the largest in height and size as a structure and building rather than in terms of capacity.

[Jezer]

Thanks.

I didn't know about the four UNESCO world heritage sites either.