Guide to London

''Encyclopedic in their historic, artistic and touristic detail.'' -- Conde Nast Traveler Legend has it that as long as the ravens remain safe in the Tower of London, the stately city and the kingdom of England will not fall. Indeed, the country has survived much: the Norman Conquest, the Great Fire of 1666 and two World Wars. Still under the watchful eye of the Beefeaters, the ravens are safe and the stalwart city remains one of the most popular places in the world. Find the traces of London's past in the chilling dungeons of the Tower -- which held many famous prisoners including Sir Walter Raleigh and two of Henry VIII's wives -- or at the Poet's Corner in Westminster Alley, a shrine to England's illustrious writers from Auden to Shakespeare. Explore the city's modern-day attractions on a journey through the markets on Portobello Road and enjoy a piping steak and kidney pie at the local pub. The Knopf Guide to London will teach you how Georgian townhouses were built and how Christmas pudding is made, as well as how to ride the Tube and take in the ''Trooping of the Colour,'' when the Queen inspects the royal guards. It will guide you through the city's great museums including the Tate and National Gallery and take you on leisurely strolls through London's famous Hyde Park and Queen Mary's Garden.