Where: London
SW1
What: The
smallest of London's royal parks, green park covers an
area of 53 acres. King Henry the VIII (1509 - 47)
set aside this area as parkland but it was not until almost 150
years later, under King Charles II (1660 - 85), that green park
became a royal park. In the 18th century ballooning, fireworks
and duels
were
popular attractions.
Named Green
Park for its lack of colorful flowers, this large grassy area
with its beautifully large mature trees is a wonderful
spot to relax and find peace and quiet. It is said that Handel
wrote the music for the Royal Fireworks that were held here to
celebrate
the Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle
in 1748 in green park.
Green Park is
a stately place, with a fine central avenue and informal groups
of trees,
amongst which the valley of the former river Tyburn can just
be detected. There is also
an avenue that runs along the eastern edge of the park that is
named Queen’s Walk after George
II’s wife Caroline. The avenue centres on Sir Aston Webb's 1901
round-point in front of Buckingham Palace. The fine iron gateway
on the
Piccadilly
side is that of old Devonshire
House.
Its central location makes it a nice spot to escape the crowds
of the shoping and dining that surround the park and just and relax.
Nearest
underground station: Green
Park or Hyde Park Corner
Website: royalparks.gov.uk
London
Hotels (these links are to another website)