Home to over eight million people, the capital of the UK has been an important financial, educational, and cultural center for hundreds of years. 超过八百万人的家，这座英国首都数百年来一直是重要的金融、教育以及文化中心。

Of the many gifts England has given to the world, none has been greater than her language and literature. 英国带给世人的众多礼物中，没有什么比得过她的语言和文学。

And if ever there's a city that reads like an epic saga, it's London. 如果有哪座城市读起来就像一篇史诗级长篇故事，那无庸置疑是伦敦。

The story of London began in the Bronze Age, but it didn't really get going until the Romans withdrew in the fifth century. 伦敦的故事始于青铜时代，不过真正开始是到五世纪时罗马人撤离。

Growing into one of the great medieval trading cities, she truly came of age in the 11th century, 逐渐发展成中世纪重要的贸易城市之一，伦敦在十一世纪时真正臻于成熟，

when William the Conqueror built the Tower of London, which was to become one of England's grimmest prisons. 那时征服者威廉建造伦敦塔，伦敦塔后来成为英国最阴郁的监牢之一。

London is very easy to navigate around and is compact enough to explore on foot. 伦敦逛起来很容易，而且面积够小可以用双脚探索。

This world city is filled with iconic symbols. 这座世界城市充满代表性标志。

And one of the most easily recognizable is Tower Bridge, an impressive reminder of London's rapid expansion during the Industrial Revolution. 其中一个最好认的是伦敦塔桥，一座让人忆起伦敦在工业革命期间快速扩展的杰出建筑。

Just upriver, at the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben's reassuring chimes peal across the city every hour, on the hour. 就在上游，国会大厦那，大笨钟抚慰人心的钟声每小时准点响彻伦敦城。

Buckingham Palace, perhaps the most famous palace in the world, is the official residence of Queen Elizabeth. 白金汉宫，或许是全世界最知名的宫殿，是伊丽莎白女王的官邸。

It's a popular London attraction, offering tours of State Rooms and gardens. 它是热门伦敦景点，提供国事厅和花园的导览。

Nearby, Kensington Palace is open to the public year-round. 不远处，肯辛顿宫全年开放大众参观。

The palace and gardens will be remembered as the home of Princess Di and Prince Charles and have recently undergone a multimillion-pound refurbishment. 肯辛顿宫和花园将被忆为黛安娜王妃与查尔斯王子的家，而且最近刚经历值数百万英镑的翻修。

Another legacy of England's monarchy are the Royal Parks of London. 英国君主政体留下的另一个遗产是伦敦皇家公园。

They were once reserved as private hunting grounds for the royal family, but nowadays, they're open for everyone to enjoy. 它们一度被留作皇室家族的私人狩猎场，但现在，它们开放给所有人共享。

There are eight Royal Parks, and many of them are in central London and close to royal palaces and other historic monuments. 有八个皇家公园，其中有许多位在伦敦市中心，邻近皇宫和其它历史纪念馆。

Green Park and St. James' Park are right next to Buckingham Palace, Admiralty Arch, and The Mall. 绿园和圣詹姆士公园就在白金汉宫、水师提督门和林荫路旁。

Hyde Park is perhaps the most famous, with its man-made lake, the Serpentine. 海德公园可能是最有名的一个，有着人造湖「九曲湖」。

And on the other side, Kensington Gardens is a beautiful, open expanse that stretches east towards Kensington Palace. 另一边，肯辛顿花园是座美丽、开放的广阔园地，向东延伸至肯辛顿宫。

The Albert Memorial is at the southern end of Kensington Gardens, 阿尔伯特纪念亭位在肯辛顿花园南端，

and the striking bronze statue looks towards the Royal Albert Hall just across the road. 那引人注目的铜像望向道路另一旁的皇家阿尔伯特厅。

The hall is yet another reminder of Queen Victoria's great love for her husband, Prince Albert. 皇家阿尔伯特厅是另一个让人想起维多利亚女王对丈夫阿尔伯特亲王强烈的爱的象征。

Many of London's greatest stories have begun in her houses of worship. 伦敦许多最伟大的故事都在她的教堂内展开。

And none is so impressive and important as Westminster Abbey. 而没有一个和西敏寺一样让人印象深刻且重要。

This is where kings and queens have been crowned, married, and even buried. 这是国王与皇后加冕、结婚，甚至是埋葬的地方。

London was rebuilt after the Great Fire in 1666, and St. Paul's Cathedral is the most enduring monument to the city's transformation. 伦敦在 1666 年大火后重建，而圣保罗大教堂是这座城市转变最不朽的纪念碑。

It's a great testament to British strength and resilience. 那是英国力量和复原力的绝佳证明。

The West End, in central London, is a story in itself. 西区，位在伦敦市中心内，本身就是个故事。

Here, the streets are lined with ancient buildings, but the throngs of people are out to have fun. 在这里，街道上排列着老旧建筑，不过人群是到外头去享受好时光。

By day, the charming boutiques and cafes hum with shoppers. 白天，迷人的精品店和咖啡馆充满顾客而一片热闹。

And by night, the bars along Carnaby Street are packed with patrons enjoying pre-show drinks. 到了夜晚，卡尔纳比街沿途的酒吧挤满正在享受秀前小酌的赞助者们。

This is one of the largest theater districts in the world. 这里是全世界最大的剧院区之一。

And at times, it can feel like you're on a Monopoly board, with Coventry Street, Trafalgar Square, and Piccadilly Circus all close by. 有时候，那可能会感觉起来像你身处大富翁游戏，柯芬特里街、特拉法加广场和皮卡迪利圆环全都在附近。

Moving away from the historic center, London's trendy suburbs offer a different kind of story. 离开历史中心，伦敦的潮流近郊提供不一样的故事。

The Portobello Road markets in Notting Hill attract thousands of visitors, especially to the antiques market that's held on Saturdays, 诺丁丘的波多贝罗路市集吸引数千游客，特别是周六举办的古董市集，

while the edgier Camden Town features six popular markets that are open every day of the week and operate along her streets, the canal, and in her historic stables. 而比较前卫的肯顿城有六个每天开放的特色热门市集，沿着她的街道、运河以及在具历史性的马厩内营业。

London is a city that honors not only her own story but also the story of humankind. 伦敦是座不仅颂扬她自身故事，也颂扬人类故事的城市。

The British Museum is one of the finest in the world, and her treasures cover thousands of years of history and number in the millions. 大英博物馆是世界上最棒的博物馆之一，她的馆藏涵盖数千年历史且多达数百万件。

The museum is open every day, and best of all, it's free. 大英博物馆每天开放，最棒的是，那是免费的。

From the ancient to the modern, the London Eye offers a complete change of pace and perspective. 从古代来到现代，伦敦眼提供截然不同的步调和角度。

The massive wheel is over 400 feet high and takes 30 minutes to complete one rotation. 这座巨大的摩天轮高超过四百呎，而且转完一圈要花费三十分钟。

From here, you can see the London of old as well as some of the city's newest additions, all in air-conditioned comfort. 从这里，你可以观赏伦敦的古老以及一些城市新添样貌，全在冷气吹拂的舒适中享受。

London will always be a city that looks towards the past and the future in equal measure. 伦敦会永远是座同时看向过去与未来的城市。

From "Rule, Britannia" to Cool Britannia, the fabric and the skyline of this city is forever turning over a new page— 从「统治吧，不列颠尼亚」到酷不列颠尼亚，这座城市的结构和天际线永远在翻开崭新一页－－

which is, after all, what every great story should do. 毕竟，那是每篇伟大故事都该做的。