Hyde Park
Hyde
Park is one of several royal parks in London connected
to each other, forming one large green lung in the center
of the city.
 The other parks are the neighboring Kensington
Gardens, Green Park and St. James's Park. Hyde park
covers more than 360 acres (142 hectares) and hosts
many large events, including celebrations and concerts.
It is also a popular place for jogging, swimming, rowing,
picnicking and even horse riding.
History
In 1536 King Henry VIII acquired Hyde
Park from the monks of Westminster
Abbey. It was used primarily for hunting. King Charles
I created the ring (separating Hyde Park from Kensington
Gardens at the north side) and opened the park to the
public in 1637. The current park  layout was planned by architect Decimus Burton in 1825.
Serpentine
The Serpentine, a
large artificial lake, separates the Hyde park from
neighboring Kensington Gardens where the lake is called
the Long Water. Queen Caroline, wife of King George
II had the lake constructed in 1730. It is popular for
boating and swimming.
Rotten Row
At the south end of Hyde park is Rotten
Row, a famous bridle path. The road is almost
four miles long (6,4 km) and is now used as a horse
riding, cycling, rollerblading and jogging route. In
the 17th century the road was used by William III, who
found the walk from Kensington
Palace to St. James was too dangerous. So he had
oil lamps installed along the route, thus creating the
first public road to be lit in England. The term  'Rotten
Row' is derived from the French 'route du roi' or King's
road.
Speaker's Corner
In the 19th century Hyde Park had become
a popular place for meetings. In 1872, in response to
riots after police tried to disband a political meeting,
Speaker's Corner was established to
create a venue where people would be allowed to speak
freely. Here, every Sunday people stand on a soap box
and proclaim their views on political, religious or
other items, sometimes  interrupted and challenged by their audience.
Marble Arch
Just outside Hyde Park, at the north-east
corner, is the Marble Arch. It was
originally built in 1827 as a gateway to Buckingham
Palace, but it was too narrow for the state coach
and was moved to its present  location
in 1851. The design by John Nash was based on the Arch
of Constantine in Rome.
Wellington Arch
Another arch, the Wellington
Arch, can be found on the south-east corner
of the park, connecting Hyde Park with Green Park. The
arch was built in 1826 by Decimus Burton. A statue of
the Duke of Wellington was added later, in 1846. The
statue was replaced by the Quadriga of War in 1912.
Inside the arch are exhibitions and galleries open to
visitors.
|