Hyde Park covers an area of over 140 hectares, which makes it the largest park in London. It is a default place for the locals to take a rest from the city traffic, which is no wonder when you take into account the park’s size, which makes it easy to get lost in, forgetting for a moment that you are in the middle of a metropolis.The grounds where Hyde Park is located used to belong to Westminster Abbey until 1536, when King Henry VIII confiscated it and converted into his royal hunting grounds. Hyde Park was officially opened for the public in 1637 and it soon became very popular, especially for parades.
The main renovative works on the park were done in 18th century, during the reign of Queen Caroline. In the same century, several duels took place in the park, all of which were between nobles. Since 19th century, the park has become a synonym for freedom of speech and demonstrations. The Speaker’s Corner was established as a space for freedom of speech and public debate in 1872, and it is no rarity for demonstrations to take place here.
At the end of 20th century, rock concerts were also organized in Hyde Park, welcoming groups such as Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones and Queen. The Park was the setting of the Great Exhibition of 1851, for which a Crystal Palace was constructed, which was designed by Joseph Paxton. The Palace was constructed in the south side of the Park, but was soon after demolished due to public outcry.
In addition to walking around and forgetting about city traffic, you can also sunbathe, ice-skate and ride bicycles in the park. For those who just want to rest, you can lie on the grass, and sunbeds can also be rented in the park. One of the main activities is sailing the Serpentine, a small oasis which is inhabited by various animals. In the summer, the park hosts many concerts, and the Speaker’s Corner hosts social gatherings on Sunday mornings for those who want to express their opinions. Debates about current themes in the world and Britain alike are the usual agenda of the meetings. Today, you can speak publicly on any topic, if the police consider the topic to be legal.
Hyde Park is open every day between 5am and 12pm.
Hyde Park is open every day from 05:00 am to 00:00 am
