Fifteen Fun Facts
you never knew about Maritime Greenwich
Everyone knows that Greenwich is the home of time, from where
world time, ‘Greenwich Mean Time’ was first measured,
that the Cutty Sark, the last tea clipper in existence, is now
dry-docked in Greenwich, and that the area has a long and fascinating
maritime history. However delve a little deeper and you will uncover
some interesting and little-known facts about the area:
1. Maritime Greenwich, encompassing the National Maritime Museum,
Greenwich Park and the Old Royal Naval College, was awarded World
Heritage Site status in 1997. Other sites within Britain include
Stonehenge, The Tower of London, Hadrian’s Wall, Blenheim
Palace and the City of Bath. Further afield the Taj Mahal, the
Great Barrier Reef, and the Grand Canyon have all been awarded
World Heritage Site status.
2. Despite the 183 acres of parkland and more open spaces than
any other London borough, Maritime Greenwich is actually in zone
2 on London’s transport map!
3. The stunning Painted Hall with its elaborate ceiling depicting
William III and Queen Mary, took 19 years to complete.
4. The
second wedding in Four Weddings and A Funeral was filmed in the
chapel in the Old Royal Naval College.
5. One
of the world’s longest row of toilets is in Greenwich Park
on the day of the London Marathon!
6. The
design of the US White House uses the same style of architecture
as that of the Queen's House in Greenwich - it is based on the Palladian
style derived from the buildings by Palladio in Renaissance Italy.
The Queen's House exhibits a selection of the National Maritime
Museum's vast art collection.
7. Shakespeare
performed two comedies in front of Elizabeth I at Greenwich Palace,
and it is believed that he rehearsed his plays in Greenwich.
8. Maritime
Greenwich is reputed to be where Sir Walter Raleigh famously laid
down his coat so that Elizabeth I would not get her feet wet. A
bronze statue of Raleigh, previously located in Whitehall, can now
be seen in Monument Gardens, in the grounds of the Old Royal Naval
College.
9. King
Henry VIII, and his daughters Elizabeth and Mary, were all born
at the Palace of Placentia that once stood on the site of the Old
Royal Naval College.
10. Greenwich
Park, London’s oldest royal park and still home to deer, is
a former king’s hunting ground.
11. Greenwich
is home to the world's only fan museum, housing a collection of
more than 4000 fans displayed in changing exhibitions from all over
the world dating from the 11th century.
12. The
Old Royal Naval College, National Maritime Museum and the Queen’s
House, all have wedding licenses offering couples a wedding fit
for a king.
13.
Greenwich has one of the most vibrant markets in the country, offering
arts and crafts and antiques and collectables from Thursday to Sunday,
plus a food market on Wednesdays and at weekends.
14. In
days gone by, girls used to roll or tumble down the slopes of Greenwich
Park and men would watch to try and get a glimpse of their ankles!
15. The
Trafalgar Tavern on the waterside, one of the most historic pubs
in the area, was once frequented by Thackeray, Dickens and friends
who all enjoyed the tavern’s most famous dish – whitebait
caught straight from the Thames!
For information contact the Greenwich Tourist Information Centre
on 0870 608 2000.
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