Thames - the river on which stands the capital of Great Britain. She is considered the mother of all English rivers. Despite the fact that it is not the longest and most full-flowing, all legends and traditions are associated with it. It is interesting that any Englishman will answer you with ardor, that the Thames is his favorite river.
Longest or not
The Thames is as long as 215 miles. In terms of our kilometers - this is 346. In England, it is considered the longest, and in the UK it takes only the second place.
Many people wonder where the Thames falls, and scientists still cannot come to a common opinion about its source. Some argue that this is the Thames Head, which in translation sounds like this: "Thames head." This source is located in Gloucestershire.
In the south of this area is a small village called Kembl. If you walk north from it, you can stumble upon the hills of the Cotswolds. Some scholars believe that the source of the Thames begins here and is called the Seven Keys. This is where the Chern River begins to carry its waters. If this opinion of scientists and researchers is true, then the actual length of the Thames increases by 15 kilometers. In this case, the mouth will lead the legendary river directly to the North Sea, giving an answer to the question of where the Thames flows.
Scientists have been arguing about the location of the source for more than a year. After all, if the second guess is correct, then the Thames is 368 kilometers long, which significantly exceeds the length of the Severn, which is now called the longest river.
Nurse of london
The Thames in London is considered the nurse of the capital and the whole of Great Britain. In general, its historical significance is due to the fact that it carries its waters through London, which is an impressive seaport.
Interestingly, the river has in its composition sections where water is both fresh and salt at the same time. These green islands are rich in flora and fauna. The river has more than 20 tributaries - rivers and streams that carry their waters to the same place where the Thames flows.
This river of Great Britain at all times was considered the main highway through which trade was carried out with other countries. So it was at all times of the existence of the state, it remains so now.
In London, the River Thames plays a huge role. No resident of the capital can imagine life without its waters. Many historical events are associated with it.
Interestingly, many scholars refer to it as "fluid history." This definition very accurately reflects the "life" of the Thames, which in its lifetime has "seen" a lot.
Fauna
A huge number of animals and birds live in the river: surface and underwater. Here you can find gulls and cormorants that nest off the coast of the Thames in whole flocks.
The river is considered a nesting place for swans. Every year a feast of "census" of these birds is arranged. To meet the whispered swans in London is considered a great success, but their black counterparts are not surprising.
Thames kindly provides its shores for nesting coots and geese, mandarin ducks and herons, mallards and other birds.
There are also many fish in the Thames - freshwater and marine. This allows us to judge the river as a wealth of fauna.
When the Thames became popular
Each of us has heard about the London artery more than once, knows where the Thames flows and where it takes its source. But not everyone knows that the first settlements appeared on its shores as far back as 3300-2700 BC. This is evidenced by such ancient cities as Cookham and Lechleid.
There are hypotheses that the first people lived here already in the preglacial period, however, only the Thames is reliably aware of this.
In written sources, the river was first mentioned in 54 BC. These were the days of the campaigns of Julius Caesar. Then the Thames was a kind of border for the Romans and local tribes of the island.
Cultural and tourist life
The London Waterway attracts musicians, poets, writers and artists. Their many masterpieces can be found all over the world. The place where the Thames (river) flows into is now fanned by many legends and secrets. Some were created by the locals and passed on by word of mouth for many generations, while others were invented by the visitors themselves.
The banks of the Thames beyond the capital are a place of pilgrimage for monks. They attract tourists who love outdoor activities.
Interestingly, such major urban buildings in London as the Tower and the Palace of Westminster are located on one straight line formed by the River Thames.
What's near
Those tourists who love historical monuments and interesting sights will be interested to know that there are a huge number of them on the banks of the Thames. These include the University of Oxford, which is one of the oldest in Europe. Tower, London, Hammersmith, Voxhall bridges that were erected in the 19th and 20th centuries are thrown across the river. The modern building is the Millennium Bridge, erected in 2002, as well as the Ferris wheel called the London Eye in 1999.
An unforgettable experience will give a walk along the promenade of Victoria, the port of London. You can look into the Royal Observatory or visit the Globus Theater.