London began as the Roman settlement Londinium around 43 CE, strategically placed on the River Thames for trade and defence. After the Roman withdrawal in the early 5th century, it declined until revived by the Anglo-Saxons, later fortified by Alfred the Great against Viking raids. By the Norman Conquest in 1066, it was England’s largest city and political heart.

The medieval period saw the rise of iconic institutions like Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London, but also disasters such as the Black Death, the Great Plague of 1665, and the Great Fire of 1666, which led to major rebuilding under Sir Christopher Wren.

From the 18th to 19th centuries, London expanded rapidly during the Industrial Revolution, becoming the centre of the British Empire. The 20th century brought the devastation of the Blitz in World War II, followed by post-war reconstruction and modernisation.

Today, London is a global hub of finance, culture, and governance, its skyline and streetscape a blend of ancient heritage and contemporary innovation — a city continually reinventing itself while carrying the weight of two thousand years of history.