London is an awesome city with an interesting history. Lots of things have happened in London over the centuries, so it’s only normal that some of them are wackier than others.
After putting together a London Q&A Quiz, with lots of fun questions about the British capital, I figured it was only natural to write this compilation of London fun facts!
If you’re searching for the weirdest and most fun facts about London, this guide has you covered! So let’s dive in, and discover lots of quirky and unique things about London!
Generic fun London trivia facts
London is actually the smallest city in England
If I told you London is the smallest city in England, you would probably think I’m bonkers. Well, be ready to be proved wrong!
Technically, the City of London is only 2.9km squared and has a population of just over 9,000 people. Greater London however, is a whole other matter.
Technically London is a forest
Another fun fact that might seem weird for a big city like London. However London there are lots of gorgeous parks in London, with over 8.4 million trees dotted all over the city.
As per the UN definition, London can be classified as a forest thanks to its high concentration of green areas.
Over 300 languages are spoken in London
We all know London is a very international city, but that gives you an idea of just how much!
Only 6 people died in the Great Fire of London
For something that is called the “Great” Fire of London, and which went on for four days, ravishing four fifths of the city, I was surprised to discover that only six people died!
Monument to the Great Fire of London is one of the most beautiful viewpoints in London.
There are over 10,000 foxes in London
When I first moved to London I had no idea there were foxes around the city. I grew up in Milan after all and we don’t have foxes there, I didn’t think cities could be so different!
The first time I saw a fox was just off Gower Street, outside my university and I was positively baffled. Since then I’ve seen loads more foxes, with some of them even coming in my courtyard at home!
The Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square has been a gift from Norway since 1947
Every year Norway donates a huge Christmas tree to the people of Britain, which is regularly displayed in Trafalgar Square.
This tradition has been going on since 1947, as a token of gratitude for British support to Norway during Second World War.
Great Ormond Street Hospital owns the copyright to Peter Pan
This is such a wholesome fun fact. The author of Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie, didn’t have any children, so after his death he donated the copyright of Peter Pan to Great Ormond Street Hospital (a children’s hospital).
Over the years the many cartoon and movie remakes of Peter Pan have earned the hospital a decent amount.
London was founded by the Romans
Being Italian, I quite like this fun fact! The city of London was actually founded by the Romans, and was originally called Londonium.
London isn’t actually that rainy
As someone who hates the cold and rain, people often ask me why I live in London. While it’s true that winter in London can be quite grey, and it does often rain in London, it’s not as rainy as people think.
Actually, as far as statistics go, London actually has less annual rainfall than other European cities like Rome, Libson and Zagreb. So let’s stop hating on the British capital, and enjoy all the awesome things to do in London!
London University was the first to allow women to study
I love this London fun fact. University used to be only for men, and London University was the first to allow women to enrol.
Weird London fun facts
Harrods sold cocaine up to 1916
I guess this isn’t that weird given the context of the time, where cocaine was a legal drug. You could buy simply buy cocaine from Harrods.
London went through a Gin Craze
While I’m the first one to appreciate a good gin & tonic, our consumption of G&Ts today is far from that during the Gin Craze.
In the first half of the 18thcentury the consumption of gin was so high that Parliament had to pass five major Acts to control the consumption of gin.
If you want to explore some of London’s coolest bars, check out these bars in Camden, Notting Hill and these beautiful rooftop bars.
There was a beer flood in London
In 1814 there was an accident at Meux & Co’s Horse Shoe Brewery, where a 22-foot tall wooden vat of fermenting porter burst. This lead to what is now known as the London Beer Flood.
Between 580,000 and 1,470,000 litres of beer were released in the streets of London, causing eight deaths.
British people celebrate Guy Fawkes Night
On my first year in London all my university mates were super excited that the 5thof November was during reading week, so that we could have a huge celebration for Bonfire Night (or Guy Fawkes Night).
I had no idea what it was, so I went up to read on it and turns out it’s the annual commemoration for Guy Fawks failing to blow up the House of Lords. You read that right, we celebrate that someone tried to (and failed to) blow up the House of Lords.
You could pay entrance to London Zoo with an animal
This one is a bit of a dark one. In the 1700s instead of paying the three and a half pence entrance fee to London Zoo, you could pay with a cat or dog.
These were then used to feed the hungry lions and tigers.
Fun facts about London landmarks
The Shard is the tallest building in London
With its 309.6 metres, the Shard is the tallest building in London and the UK, as well as the sixth-tallest building in Europe.
Inaugurated in 2012 and designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, the Shard has become a modern London landmark.
The last execution at the Tower of London was in 1941
In 1941 the German spy Josef Jakobs was executed by firing squad in the Tower of London. Bet that’s way more recent that you would have thought?
The Tower of London is home to six ravens
A group of six ravens is always present at the Tower of London. Superstition says that if the ravens of the Tower of London are lost or fly away, The Crown will fall and Britain with it.
The tradition still holds, and the ravens are still present at the Tower of London, protecting The Crown and the Tower.
Big Ben isn’t what you think it is
I see loads of people walking along South Bank snapping gorgeous Instagram photos with “Big Ben”. However what most people don’t realise is that Big Ben isn’t what they think it is.
Big Ben is actually the name of the bell; the clock tower is called Elizabeth Tower. So considering you can’t really see the bell, people should really be saying Elizabeth Tower.
The Royal Standard flies wherever the Queen resides
Buckingham Palace is the official home of the Queen and the British monarchy, but how do you know if the Queen is home? The Royal Standard (not the Union flag) is flown at royal residences only if the sovereign is present.
St Paul’s Cathedral could have looked very different
One of the original designs for St Paul’s suggested having a 60 foot stone pineapple instead of the current dome. It’s a shame they didn’t go ahead with it, the tropical touch would have been nice if you ask me!
There is a time capsule beneath Cleopatra’s Needle
Cleopatra’s Needle is an Egyptian obelisk located in the City of Westminster, on the Victoria Embankment near the Golden Jubilee Bridges. Buried beneath the monument there is a time capsule.
Some of the items in the capsule include photos of women considered to be beautiful when it was buried, cigars, children toys, a portrait of Queen Victoria, a set of British coins and copies of the Bible in several languages.
Feeding pigeons in Trafalgar Square is illegal
I’ve never been a fan of feeding pigeons, but it’s a popular activity at most tourist hotspots all over the world. In 2003 they actually made it illegal to feed pigeons in Trafalgar Square, in a hope to reduce their numbers.
The London Eye has 32 capsules – one for each London borough
There are many fun facts about the London Eye, however this is probably my favourite. There is a capsule for each London borough, however they’re numbered up to 33.
Like in many other occasions (planes, floors etc) they skipped numbering capsule 13.
London Bridge isn’t the one you think it is
Some of you may already know this London Bridge fun fact, but I thought it was worth mentioning. That iconic London bridge, the one with the two towers, is in fact called Tower Bridge, not London Bridge.
London Bridge tube station is fairly equidistant to both bridges, so it’s easy to make the mistake.
Fun facts about the London underground (the tube!)
Londoners secretly love the tube. We love complaining about it and we hate how hot and packed it gets, but considering the ease and speed with which it allows us to travel around London, we actually all love it deep down.
It’s only natural that so many tube memes have emerged, as well tube etiquette rules. And it’s only natural that a whole section of guide is dedicated to fun facts about the London tube.
All sorts of things have been forgotten on the tube
Forgetting something on the tube can happen quite easily. After all when it’s so packed, if you have multiple bags it’s easy to put one down and forget to pick it back up again.
Some of the weirdest things that have been forgotten in the London underground include a samurai sword, a coffin and a human skull.
How does one forget a coffin?? Surely it’s big enough to realise you don’t have it on you! (I guess the real question is why were they bringing it in the tube in the first place).
More than half of the Underground is actually over ground
We call it the London Underground, however over half actually runs over ground. The London Overground doesn’t have the same ring to it.
There is a massive grave below Aldgate Station
London is one of the cities that was most affected by the Plague. When they were building Aldgate Station they found a massive grave with over 1,000 bodies.
The London Underground has its own special breed of mosquito
I hate mosquitos, but you have to recognise they are pretty resourceful creatures. A completely different breed of mosquito has developed and lives only in the London underground.
Six babies were born in the underground
How crazy is that?! Six babies were born in the London underground or at London tube stations!
Final thoughts on the craziest London facts
There you have it, the ultimate compilation of London fun facts! Whether it’s for a London games night or a pub quiz, these fun facts about London are perfect for any occasion.
Do you know any other London fun facts that you think should feature on this list? Let me know in the comments below!
Want to find out more about London? Check out these guides!
- Are these the most beautiful places in London?
- Discover the 20 prettiest streets in London
- 33 completely FREE things to do in London
- Discover these 10 hidden gems only Londoners know about
- How to spend 5 perfect days in London – or 1, or 2!
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