St. James Park
St. James Park is one of the most famous royal parks in London. It is the smallest (its area is only 23 hectares), but the oldest park in London.
Famous St. James Park (St. James Park) is surrounded by the most influential buildings in London: St. James Palace to the north and Buckingham Palace to the west.
In addition, it is a very picturesque place – beautiful trees, a pond and a large number of fattened squirrels and various birds.
In the XIII century in the swampy area on the site of the modern park there was a leprosarium named after St. James, after whom the nearby woods were named – the hunting grounds of Henry VIII. It was Henry who ordered the construction of St James’s Palace, which still exists today.
The modern image of the park
St. James Park is famous for its wonderful lake full of all sorts of wildlife, from ducks to pelicans. The pelicans appeared here at the court of Charles II, who received them from the Russian ambassador in 1684. And you can see up to 30 bird species in the park – you can read about them on bird boards.
The lake is not deep, about 1.5 meters, but of course it is forbidden to swim there, and getting close to the water is a territory of birds. But you can admire the beautiful views from the bridge in the center of the park.
From here you can see the lake, the two islands in it – one of which is named “Duck” – and the roofs of the buildings surrounding the park. This bridge over the lake was built in 1950 to replace the metal suspension bridge. And the islet is named Duck Island because it once housed the caretaker’s bird house.
The park is very beautiful – tall trees with strong trunks, green lawn, original flowerbeds with climbing plants and flowers, well-kept shrubs, fountains and numerous benches to rest on.
But do not forget that in Britain you can sit on the lawns, so when the weather is nice you can see Londoners and visitors soaking in the sun everywhere.
One thing you can’t do in St James Park is ride a bike. The paths are for pedestrians only, so cycling enthusiasts have to choose another park – Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens or Regent’s Park.
