London is a place.
A capital city ( or simply capital ) is the municipality exercising primary status in a country , state , province , or other region , usually as its seat of government . London [ ˈlʌndən ] is the capital and most populous city of England and the United Kingdom . London 's ancient core , the City of London , largely retains its 1.12 sqmi medieval boundaries . London is a leading global city in the arts , commerce , education , entertainment , fashion , finance , healthcare , media , professional services , research and development , tourism , and transportation . In 2012 , London became the first city to have hosted the modern Summer Olympic Games three times .