The gardens date back to the late 17th century when part of the royal deer hunting reserve, which was at one time Hyde Park, was bought by King William III (1650-1702) together with Nottingham House, later rebuilt into Kensington Palace. The king wanted an atmosphere around his home that was good for his ailing lungs and, to please him, Queen Mary commissioned a Dutch-style garden (William was of the Dutch lineage of Princes of Orange). However, the Dutch style didn’t last long, because at the beginning of the XVIII century the area of Kensington Gardens was enlarged by part of Hyde Park and was re-equipped in the English park style. A greenhouse appears in the gardens, and soon the area is again expanded by 300 acres and becomes equal to 111 hectares.

Originally the gardens were intended only for the walks of the nobility, but in 1728 they were made available to all decently dressed citizens, and later the gardens became one of the favorite places for walks with children. It was here that the interesting adventures of the fairy tale character Peter Pan unfolded, whose monument was erected in 1912.

The secret garden is hidden by a high hedge. Approaching the entrance, you can see the garden laid out on the request of King Edward VII in the Old Dutch style with a variety of flower beds and even a palm tree, and in the center of the garden – a rectangular pool. True, entry to the garden is forbidden to anyone except members of the royal family, but something can be seen from behind a wall of shrubs.

From Hyde Park, the gardens are separated by the artificial lake Serpentine, near which you can always see a lot of birds – ducks and swans – as well as a complex of Italian fountains. They consist of four small ponds, in the center of which is a fountain. Everything is lined with white marble and was a gift from Prince Albert to his wife, Queen Victoria – the prince himself was fond of developing park design.

The reciprocal gift, albeit posthumous, to Victoria Albert is located at the southern end of the park and features a 60-metre Gothic-style Memorial, erected in memory of the queen’s beloved husband, who died at the age of 42. The prince’s golden statue is framed by a memorial depicting his victories and achievements. The memorial is exceptionally impressive in its abundance of elaborate detail and overall complexity of design.

By the mid-nineteenth century, Kensington Palace had handed over its function as the royal residence to Buckingham Palace and with it, the gardens ceased to be the focus of the monarchs. They were not substantially reconstructed until 1860, when the Italian Fountains were created, and in 1909, when the Secret Garden appeared.

In the gardens is an important cultural site in London – the Serpentine Art Gallery. It was opened in 1970, and over the years it has exhibited the works of more than two thousand famous artists. In front of the gallery every year grows original temporary pavilions, which are developed each time by new architects. Admission to the gallery is free.

Kensington Gardens is full of statues and sculptures. There are monuments to Cecil Rhodes, the founder of the African state of Rhodesia, a monument to the inventor of the smallpox vaccine Edward Jenner, and a monument to the African explorer John Speke.

Children will love visiting Kensington Gardens because of the abundance of sites of interest to them and, in particular, the huge playground set up by Princess Diana. This playground is made in the form of a pirate ship with Indian teepees and piles of sand around it. In addition, next to this complex is the “elven oak” – the remains of the trunk of an almost thousand-year-old tree, from the folds of the bark of which the figures of fantastic creatures look out. Of course, you can’t touch them, as the oak is surrounded by a lattice fence.

Kensington Gardens is always full of people walking, athletes, runners and cyclists, as well as dog walkers who are allowed to walk their dogs there.

Most of the trees in the park are tall sprawling elms, oaks, and sycamores. Given the fairly mild English climate, green grass grows here almost year round.

The post Kensington Gardens appeared first on London Parks.

All the royal parks are managed by a special agency – The Royal Parks. London residents and tourists can use the parks for recreational purposes such as relaxing and walking, but they have no right to break the established order.

Hyde Park stands out among the rest by the fact that since ancient times there have been various rallies (there is even a specially designated place called “Speakers’ Corner”) and holidays. Now it is quite a popular and favorite recreation place for London residents.

Hyde Park Attractions in London

Speakers Corner

This is probably the main attraction of the park. It appeared in 1872. Anyone could take the floor on an improvised podium and freely express his thoughts. Sometimes not only workers, but also famous people, such as Karl Marx and George Orwell became orators. By the way, long before these events there was a gallows where the death penalty was carried out. Convicts were given the last word, allowed to say whatever they wanted.

To this day, Orators’ Corner is a symbol of freedom and the struggle for one’s rights. Even now, the place is practically never empty: someone is bound to take the floor here. There are a few interesting points: it is forbidden to insult the Queen, blaspheme, call for violence; the speaker must stand on a chair, box or other object and only then begin to speak (it is forbidden to swear while standing with your feet on the kings land).

Wellington’s Arch

The Arch was erected in 1830 to commemorate the victory of troops led by the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo. It was first established in Green Park (the smallest of London’s Royal Parks), then moved to Hyde Park because of road widening.

The arch was designed by architect Decimus Burton to feature a bronze horse and several small sculptures. However, it was adorned with a sculpture of the Duke of Wellington. Decimus disliked it so much that he offered a large sum for the demolition of his own brainchild. He did not succeed in carrying it out. The arch stood in this form for more than a decade. In 1912, instead of the sculpture of Wellington, a chariot appeared there, drawn by four horses, ruled by an angel with a crown of victory in his hand.

Statue of Achilles

The largest statue in Hyde Park. It was created to commemorate the victory over Napoleon at Waterloo. The statue is cast from the cannons taken from the battlefield. Installed the statue in 1822.

Apsley House

At the southeastern end of Hyde Park is the residence of the Dukes of Wellington. It is one of London’s most famous houses. Apsley House was built between 1771 and 1778. Now the northern part of the building is closed to the public, and in the other half is the Arthur Wellington Museum (there is a rich collection of paintings).

Princess Diana Memorial Complex

This monument opened in Hyde Park in 2004. The fountain was designed by the world-famous artist and landscape designer Catherine Gustafson. The shape of the fountain is unusual, like a bowl: one trough the water flows slowly, symbolizing a calm and bright period in the life of Diana, the other – swiftly, like a mountain stream, recalling the difficult trial of the princess and her death.

Lake Serpentine

In English “serpentine” means snake. The lake did not get such a name by accident. In shape, it really resembles a writhing snake. This irregular shape (oblong, with uneven banks) was specially given to the lake to make it seem more natural.

There is a very sad story connected with this lake: in 1816 the pregnant wife of famous poet Percy Bisha Shelley drowned there.

Serpentine Gallery

The gallery is located in central London, Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park. All the exhibits are works of art of the 20th and 21st centuries. At various times it has hosted exhibitions of Henry Moore, Andy Warhol, Bridget Riley, Jeff Koons and other famous artists, photographers, designers and sculptors.

Pet cemetery.

It’s true: there is a pet cemetery in Hyde Park. It is now, of course, inactive. Only slabs dating back to the 19th century remain there. In 1881 the curator of the park decided to bury on the request of a head of a London family, their beloved dog Charlie. The place was chosen secluded. However such a small memorial did not go unnoticed and soon there were several more tombstones in the cemetery. Representatives of noble families buried their favorites here. In total there are about 300 burials. In 1903, the cemetery was closed.

In Hyde Park you can see some more interesting art objects and sculptures. Admission to one of the most famous Royal Parks is free. The gates open daily at 5 a.m. and close at midnight.

The post Hyde Park appeared first on London Parks.