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Greenwich Park
back to sights listingWould you like to sit in the garden of the King's palace? Where else in the world can you step and relax in the "Back garden of the King's palace"? Where else you can cover with your eye the world time and watch a thousand years of history in front of you. Where else you will be able to look across the major sights of London and the River Thames.
Greenwich Park is that wonderful open spaces that managed to survive in London despite all the pressures put upon them. Greenwich is so much special mostly thanks to its wide views over the maritime heart of the capital and its great sense of history. Greenwich Park covers 73 acres and can be right considered to be the first Royal Park. It is placed on a hilltop, that gives you an impressive view onto the River Thames to the Docklands and the City of London, between Blackheath and the River Thames.
Greenwich Park provides a setting for several historic buildings, including the Old Royal Observatory, the Royal Naval College, the National Maritime Museum and the Queen's House.
The park was laid out in 1433 and walled in 1661.
The Greenwich Palace, later Queen's House was rebuilt 1661-2 and later became the focal point for the park design. But before this The Royal Naval College was placed in this building. Since 1999 this house partly belongs to the University of Greenwich. It was Charles II who planted the network of avenues in 1661. Le Notre has never been in England but he designed grass parterre, which has been implemented in 1662. It is overlooked by the remains of the Giant Steps which rise up to the statue of James Woolfe, sited on the hilltop in 1930. The southern section of Greenwich Park now has the characteristics of a nineteenth century park: a bandstand, a tea pavilion, tennis courts, a cricket pitch and a flower garden with gardenesque circular beds of the type which J C Loudon advocated. The remnants of the deer herd are enclosed in the south east corner of the park.
The natural beauty of the park creates classic background of the Palace and National Museum, newly built on the territory of the Park. On sunny days brass bands thump happily away on the elegant bandstand, there are donkey rides down at Blackheath Gate, a cafe offers sustenance not far from the Greenwich Royal Observatory. Looking down on the boating lake where children can hire boats and canoes for a twenty minute trip around this scenic corner of the park. Maze Hill railway station is not far from this corner of the park. Towers of the Royal Naval College are an impressive landmark and serve as a reference point.
You can also have a look down the Meridian Line to the site of the Millennium, Exhibition. On the site of the old Gas Works (gasometer in background, centre, right). At high tide large sea-going vessels can be seen going up to the Pool of London.
Greenwich will be always connected with royalty in our minds. After this land was inherited in 1427 by the Duke of Gloucester, brother of Henry V, generations of monarchs have taken this magnificent park to their ownership.
Greenwich was the birthplace of Henry VIII who introduced deer to the park. His two daughters Mary I and Elizabeth I were also born here and his son Edward VI died in Greenwich before he reached his sixteenth birthday. In the early 1600's, the park was redone to correspond the French style, many new trees have been planted, some of which stay today. James I gave the palace and the park to his wife Queen Anne, the latter decided to organize here a residence so she commissioned Inigo Jones to design her a special home which became known as the Queen's House.
Thanks to the Charles II's great interest in science The Royal Society has been founded here in 1661. Sir Christopher Wren was commissioned to build The Royal Observatory, named Flamsteed House after the first Royal Astronomer John Flamsteed, and it is now a part of the National Maritime Museum.
Today Greenwich is a World Heritage Site and is most famous for Greenwich Mean Time.
During World War II there were anti-aircraft guns in the Flower Garden, and the tips of some of the trees were cut off to widen the field of fire. Evidence of this can still be seen in the truncated shape of some of the trees. After the war, the park was restored to its former glory.
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