Heading in the right direction – The Royal Observatory at Greenwich
By: pmcindoe | Posted: 04th July 2008
When visiting London, most people will head directly for Westminster to take in the houses of Parliament or enjoy a eye-opening ride on the London Eye, or to Victoria to see the home of the Queen - Buckingham Palace. For others, a trip to Soho in order to take in the sights and sounds (and smells) of the many clubs, restaurants and bars is on the agenda.
Quite aside from the regular sightseeing tour, the city is home to some of the most famous museums in the world – the Natural History, Science, V&A and Tate Modern all offer something unique and can each take a whole day to fully explore. With 25.45 million overnight visits made to London in 2007, its many historical attractions remain a great draw for tourists from around the world, but it is also only possible to take in a certain amount during one trip.
For anyone overwhelmed by the fast-paced and over-crowded centre, a trip to the southeast of the city may be a welcome diversion. Greenwich is home to the expansive Greenwich Park, filled with large green spaces, a flower garden, lake and even a deer sanctuary. The former hunting park was first enclosed in 1433 and enjoys wide views over the Queen’s House and Greenwich University, as well as Canary Wharf a little further away.
The major attraction in the park though, is the Royal Observatory. Commissioned in 1675 by King Charles II, it was the first purpose-built scientific research facility in the UK, built essentially to accommodate the work of the Astronomer Royal -John Flamsteed at the time - and his work on stellar tables; but it was also used as the point from which time was measured.
Many tourists will choose to stand on the clearly marked Prime Meridian, the line running from North to South Pole that, thanks to international convention, has a recorded longitude of zero degrees and is the point that astronomers have long used as a basis for measurement. Although strictly an arbitrary point, it is still known as being the centre of measurement for those visiting the observatory – the positions of cities the world over are marked on the stainless-steel representative line in the courtyard.
With added extras like the planetarium and space galleries, the site is truly worth a visit. When looking for hotels in London, most people will chose to stay in a central area. It can be cheaper, and just as rewarding, to set up base further from the majority of the hustle and bustle, where attractions like the Planetarium are an easy walk away.
Once a centre of science and discovery, the Royal Observatory is now a hugely popular attraction for many of London’s visitors. It can also be used as a perfect excuse to avoid the busy city centre and explore the quieter, greener areas of the capital. It may not feel like the centre of the universe, but it is the centre of the world, at least as far as longitude is concerned.
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Tags: flower garden, visiting london, houses of parliament, buckingham palace, sightseeing tour, london eye, tate modern