Discover the Top 9 Unbelievable Fun Facts About London You Never Knew!

1. Big Ben's True Identity

Big Ben's got a big secret: it's not "tall, dark, and tower-clocky" like you'd think! In reality, it's just the largest of the five heavy metal members hanging out inside the Elizabeth Tower: Also known as the Great Bell of the Great Clock of Westminster, Big Ben weighs a whopping 13 tons and is surrounded by the clock itself – once deemed the world's largest and most accurate four-faced time whisperer – and a charming box of neo-Gothic stone ribbons designed by Augustus Pugin. So, the next time you see the iconic trio in London, remember – it's not just pretty faces; it's also jolly good British culture!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

2. Great Paul's Slow Journey

You've heard of "For Whom the Bell Tolls," but what about "For Whom the Bell Rolls"? Well, buckle up because we're about to embark on an adventurous journey of one colossal bell and its impressively slow journey to its home: Great Paul, the massive bell at St. Paul's Cathedral in London, is the largest ever cast in the British Isles, weighing over 16 tons. After being crafted in the 19th century, it had to be transported 140 miles to the cathedral. Forsaking trains and boats for a steam engine-drawn carriage, arduous 11 days were taken to reach its final destination.
Source => nytimes.com

Did you know that Paris' open-air urinals played a crucial role in World War II? Discover how these unassuming lavatories became secret communication hubs for the French Resistance! 🕵️‍♂️💬🚽

=> Fun Facts about Paris

3. Tower of London's Wild Past

Back in the royal day, when exotic animals roamed the Tower of London as if it were a king-sized Jungle Book: lions, polar bears, and three "leopards" gifted to Henry III in 1235 lived and played where now only ravens and tourists lumber. Kings and queens continued to expand the collection, with James I going so far as to refurbish the lions' den for the enjoyment of visitors. Eventually, concerns over animal welfare and public safety led to the Tower's menagerie being shuttered in 1835, but fear not, animal enthusiasts – the London Zoo in Regent Park is a direct descendant, housing descendants of those original 150 critters!
Source => hrp.org.uk

4. Driving Left's Equestrian Origins

Why did the chicken cross the road, you ask? To avoid a head-on collision with horse-drawn carts of course! But seriously folks: in countries like Japan, they drive on the left side of the road because of a historic cart system where riders controlled a horse from the left side, allowing them to better see oncoming traffic and prevent mishaps. Over time, this custom became law.
Source => curioushistorian.com

5. Killer Fog of 1952

Talk about a real pea-souper: In 1952, a four-day fog in London was so thick and toxic due to coal smoke that it killed approximately 4,000 people, leading to the passing of the Clean Air Act in 1956 - the first major air-pollution reform in England.
Source => epa.gov

6. The Earl's Culinary Invention

When hunger struck the Earl like a queen's gambit, he devised a plan that sandwiched history between two slices of bread: In 1762, during a gripping game of cards, the Earl of Sandwich® requested his roast beef to be served within bread to avoid using utensils, thus inventing the sandwich and inspiring his descendants to continue the legacy with Earl of Sandwich® restaurants.
Source => earlofsandwichusa.com

7. The Truth About Black Cabs

When gray turns from merely dull to stylishly chic, and a hearty meal of hay is left in the past: London's iconic black cabs were never actually required by law to be black, but instead became so due to a century-old tradition. In the 1970s, other colors were introduced, and while horse-drawn cabmen needed to carry food for their horsey companions, the myth that motorized cabs had to carry hay is just that, a myth.
Source => blackcabheritagetours.co.uk

8. Haunted Tube Stations

Hold onto your Oyster cards, ghostbusters: London's underground stations are teeming with spooky spirits! Covent Garden, Farringdon, Liverpool Street, Bank, Bethnal Green, Elephant & Castle, and even the ghostly abandoned British Museum station all boast bone-chilling tales of paranormal activity based on real-life events, making the Tube one of the most haunted transport systems in the world.
Source => secretldn.com

9. Tower Bridge's Style Mashup

Once upon a time, architectural fashion police deemed Tower Bridge guilty of a serious style crime: doing the medieval mashup with Victorian vogue! The verdict: It's a Neo-Gothic knockout: Built in the late 19th century, Tower Bridge flaunts its Neo-Gothic flair as a striking complement to the Tower of London and cleverly merges modern technological features with medieval-inspired design elements, making it one of the last architectural hurrahs for the Middle Ages style in the capital city.
Source => towerbridge.org.uk