This area of the UK’s capital, London, is brimming with places of cultural connotation: the Imperial War Museum, the Tate Modern Gallery, the Globe Theatre and the fantastic London Eye, A great place to visit with one of our many
London escorts, Most of the landmarks can be found on the Millennium Mile walk which runs between Westminster and London Bridges alongside the south bank of the River Thames.[more]
With Southwark situated on the North side of the area, Crystal Palace in the South, Blackheath in the East and Denmark Hill in the West of the region this area is now acclaimed as one of the foremost culturally varied spots in the Capital. This area is filled with museums, galleries and performance venues. Represented by many and varied art styles and genres including: Shakespearean Theatre at the Globe to classic masters and modern art at the Tate. There is a wealth of modern architecture to see, much of it built to commemorate the Millennium.
Crystal Palace was put on the map when the spectacular glass structure was relocated here after the Great Exhibition in the mid 19th century. Today this is a largely residential area, but can offer the visitor an excellent selection of Shops, Pubs and Eateries.
Up to the middle of the 19th Century this area was referred to simply as Sydenham. The Crystal Palace that had been erected in Hyde Park to accommodate the Great Exhibition of 1851 was relocated to this area of south east London. In a tradition that continues to the present day, a competition was held to find the most impressive design; the winner was Joseph Paxton, head gardener to the Duke of Devonshire. The Design of the Crystal Palace was in reality inspired by the impressive conservatory at the Duke’s Derbyshire estate, Chatsworth House.
Greenwich, a maritime centre, overloaded with nautical history, but is most probably famed for the meridian line that bestowed England with Greenwich Mean Time. Greenwich offers the visitor a wide range of phenomenon to see and do. You can enjoy a visit to the Cutty Sark, our most famous tea clipper ever built. The boat Sir Francis Chichester single-handedly circumnavigated the world in; Gypsy Moth IV is also open to public visitors.
Greenwich is the setting of the National Maritime Museum, offering its visitors an insight into England’s maritime history. The world’s biggest dome and now possibly folly, was built on the Meridian Line to proclaim the start of the new Millennium.
Track the Thames as it flows eastwards, you will eventually arrive at the Thames Flood Barrier located in Woolwich. Originally erected to counteract the Global Warming and Melting polar ice caps, The Thames with its inherent flooding capability, estimated to rise by over 2 feet each year, needed to be restrained. Without this breathtaking feat of contemporary engineering, London would face a real risk of flooding, presented by the tidal nature of this immense river. You can learn more about the Thames Barrier at the Information and Learning Centre, nearby.
