Hyde Park, one of the few royal parks in London, which are united among themselves and form one vast green area in the heart of the city. The park received the status of Royal Park in 1536 when King Henry the Eight purchased land from the monks of Westminster Abbey for royal hunting. In 1637, King Charles the First built a “ring” that divided the Park and Gardens in the north and opened a park for visitors to the townspeople.
Hyde Park – Over The Years:
Nearby are Kensington Gardens, Green Park and St. James’s Park. Walking in the Park, it should be noted that it seems to merge with the Gardens in the west, is their continuation, although they are separated by the West Road (West Carriage Drive). It is spread over 350 acres (1.4 sq. Km.), And Kensington Gardens occupy about 260 acres (1.05 sq. Km). Going to the Park on one side, you can become a witness of some spectacular event, and on the way out on the other side, join a group of people who spend time in philosophical conversations.
Hyde Park is considered the oldest park in the city and since its creation has been the scene of duels, demonstrations and concerts. For years the tradition of celebrating anniversaries related to the Royal House by firing 41 cannon shots at noon has been fulfilled.
Walk through Hyde Park:
In addition to walking among green roads and forgetting the madding crowd, in Hyde Park it is possible to do many activities such as sunbathing, skating, cycling and some other sports. For those who want to rest but do not like to lie on the lawn, there is no impediment, since it is possible to rent sunbeds in many areas of the park. The park offers ample opportunities for active recreation and entertainment (sports, horse riding, picnic, etc.). Here often there are major concerts and celebrations.
Speakers’ Corner:
In the northeast corner of Hyde Park is Speakers’ Corner, a curious place where on Sunday mornings meet colourful characters (speakers and eccentrics) to make speeches on different issues, both religious and political. It is a true spectacle to which people come to listen and applaud. Today at Speakers Corner it is possible to talk about any topic if it does not go against the law.
Kensington Palace – A real garden for all:
Open to the public in 1841, the royal gardens of Kensington Palace are today, the ideal place to forget the rush of the city and take a break. In 1689 William III bought a small piece of land from Hyde Park, along with an old house known as Nottingham house to turn it into gardens and Kensington Palace.
The Kensington Gardens were growing and gaining ground to Hyde Park while they became a beautiful garden that everyone wanted to visit. Although it was the royal gardens, they were only separated from Hyde Park by a ditch and London citizens could enjoy them freely.
Walk Around Kensington Gardens:
In addition to enjoying the tranquillity offered by the green space, the gardens have some points of interest that are worth visiting, such as Kensington Palace, the Princess Diana of Wales Memorial, the bronze statue dedicated to Peter Pan or the belle Orangery, an old greenhouse where you can have a delicious English tea.
With more than 140 hectares, Hyde Park is the largest park in central London. It constitutes the great lung of the city and serves as a place of leisure for Londoners and tourists.
