London Stone

The London Stone is a stone in the center of London, which is part of several legends. One of them says that London will go under the stone should ever be destroyed or removed from the city. The stone, a limestone fragment is kept in a nondescript glass box behind a grille. This is located at House 111 Cannon Street in the City of London, opposite the Cannon Street Station. But you can get a better look at it in the shop in this house.

History

According to the mythological chronicle Historia Regum Britanniae of Geoffrey of Monmouth, a native of Troy Brutus of Britain is to be the city's founder. He had a temple built in honor of the goddess Diana; the London Stone was alleged as an altar stone. According to another legend, the London Stone is the last remnant of a stone circle on Ludgate Hill, where today the Saint Paul 's Cathedral stands.

The most realistic appearing theory on the origin of the stone is the one that the Romans around the year 50 AD lined up around the block to use it in the newly founded city of Londinium as a central marker. From there, all distances in Britain to have been measured.

In the 10th century the London Stone was first mentioned in writing in a real estate directory from the time of the reign of King Æthelstan. This is several times the location description " near London Stone" to find. The Londenstane appears on a map from 1198. Fitzailwyn Henry, the first Lord Mayor, de Londonestone called. In medieval times, contracts were signed on London Stone completed, oaths and announced official decrees.

Jack Cade, leader of a revolt against King Henry VI. , Came over in 1450, the city with an army of rebels. He went to the London Stone and cut it with his sword. With this symbolic gesture, he declared himself the ruler of London. William Shakespeare described this scene in the second part of his play Henry VI.

In 1742, the City of authorities to broaden Cannon Street to offer the increasing number of carts more space. The stone was placed on the north side of the road and placed on the wall, built by Christopher Wren Saint Swithin 's Church. 1798 wanted to remove the stone the parish because he was an obstacle. After protests, the rock was brought back to the church. Now he no longer stood in the open air, but was walled in the south wall of the church.

1941, the church was completely destroyed during the Second World War air raids of the German Air Force, but the stone remained intact. Instead of the church was built in 1960, a modern office and commercial building, in the south wall of the London Stone has since been held.