A Firm Foundation

London is a city packed with history. There are buildings from different eras and time periods littered among the modern architecture that has sprung up as London modernizes. We’ve seen a lot of these old memorials to history throughout our walks, but something that stood out to me was the remnants of the Londinium wall.

This old wall, which once marked where the ancient city of London started and ended, is still visible, in part, today. A spot I noticed in which this is particularly relevant is the section of the wall outside the London museum. It stands, clearly visible, with vines crawling up crumbling the surface, and a modern structure springing up behind it. It touches the wall as though integrating it as part of the support of the modern building.

During our walk along the rest of the ancient wall, I noticed that a lot of these remaining sections have provided a foundation for the new structures being built. The city has incorporated the wall into the growth of the new city rather than tearing it down. It’s so fascinating to see that Londoners just kept what was there and used the old to create the new. Having all these ruins around shows the depth of this city. It shows the importance London has had throughout time through all the layers on which it’s built, and is a reminder of where London started and how far it’s come since.

In the modern world today, you can see how this has affected the rest of London. The Roman Empire was at one time the most powerful empire in the world. It seems as though London has taken this momentum and kept it going. The city itself draws people to it. When most people think of England, they think of London. The city of London has its own power, its own driving force that influences the rest of the world. The foundations provided by influential empires and leaders throughout time have inspired London to become what it is today.

Today, most people pass by the old walls and don’t think anything of them. It’s just part of the city, something they’ve grown up seeing their entire lives. Little do they know that they’re walking past the foundation of what has made them great, and what has allowed London to become a thriving, wonderful city.