5分钟了解伦敦(历史)2

「倫敦金融城的秘密(一)历史」- The (Secret) City of London, Part 1: History

The Great City of London,

伟大的伦敦城

known for its historical landmarks, modern skyscrapers, ancient markets and famous bridges.

以其历史地标现代摩天大楼古代集市和著名大桥而闻名

It's arguably the financial capital of the world

它无疑可以称得上是全世界的金融中心

and home to over eleven thousand people.

也是一个属于超过一万一千名民众的家园

Wait, what? Eleven... thousand?

慢着什么？一万……一千名？

That's right: but the City of London is a different place from London,

没错不过伦敦城跟伦敦是两个不同的地方

though London is also known for its historical landmarks, modern skyscrapers, ancient markets, famous bridges

尽管伦敦也是以其历史地标现代摩天大楼古代集市和著名大桥而闻名

and is home to the government, royal family and seven million people.

但它还是英国政府英国王室和七百万民众共同的家园

But, if you look map of London crafted by a careful cartographer

如果你去看看由严谨的制图师制作的伦敦地图

that map will have a 1-square-mile hole near the middle.

你会发现那个地图接近中央的位置会有一个一平方英里大的洞

It's here where the City of London lives inside of the city named London.

那就是伦敦城位于一个名叫伦敦的城市里面

Despite these confusingly close names

尽管这两个名字相似到容易混淆

the two Londons have separate city halls and elect separate mayors,

但这两个伦敦有各自的市政厅各自选举市长

who collect separate taxes to fund separate police who enforce separate laws.

他们各自收税给各自的警力拨款执行各自的法律

The Mayor of the City of London has a fancy title

伦敦城的市长有个尊贵的头衔

"The Right Honourable, the Lord Mayor of London" to match his fancy outfit.

“伦敦城市长大人阁下”来搭配他尊贵的服饰

He also gets to ride in a golden carriage and work in a Guildhall

他乘坐的是金色马车在伦敦城政厅里工作

while the mayor of London has to wear a suit, ride a bike and work in an office building.

而伦敦城长得穿西装套装骑自行车在办公楼里工作

The City of London also has its own flag and its own crest

伦敦城有自己的旗帜和市徽

which is awesome and makes London's lack of either twice as sad.

显得非常霸气的同时也让两个都没有的伦敦更加可怜

To top it off, the City of London gets to act more like one of the countries in the UK

除此以外伦敦城越来越像是英国的一个组成国

than just an oddly located city

而不只是一个地理位置古怪的城市

for uniquely the corporation that runs the city of London is older than the United Kingdom by several hundred years.

因为管理伦敦城的市政委员会的成立比英国还要早好几百年

So how did the UK end up with two Londons, one inside of the other?

那么英国最后究竟是怎样有了两个伦敦而其中一个在另一个之中的呢？

Because: Romans.

因为罗马人

2,000 years ago they came to Great Britain, killed a bunch of druids, 两千年前他们来到大不列颠杀了一班德鲁伊教士

and founded a trading post on the River Thames and named it Londinium.

然后在泰晤士河边上创立了一个贸易点并把它命名为伦丁尼姆

Being Romans they got to work doing what Romans do:

作为罗马人他们就得让里面的人“入乡随俗”

enforcing laws, increasing trade,

施行法律扩大贸易

building temples, public baths, roads, bridges and a wall to defend their work.

建造庙宇公共浴池道路桥梁以及一道用来保护他们工作成果的城墙

And it's this wall which is why the current City of London exists, 正是这座城墙使伦敦城得以保存至今

for though the Romans came and the Romans went and kingdoms rose and kingdoms fell,