What trams run to Greenwich. Greenwich is the place where time begins. Royal Greenwich Observatory
Having seen the main sights in the center of London, we decided to travel around the suburbs. Greenwich was first in line. And although formally it is considered one of the most prestigious areas cities, the road will take some time.
You can get here by train from Charing Cross Station. You can also use the underground, and take the Docklands line to Greenwich station. We decided to get to Greenwich by boat on the Thames. This is the longest way, but you can see London from the water. In addition, the trip was accompanied brief information about the sights we passed. So, we came to the pier at the Palace of Westminster, better known as the Houses of Parliament. River boats run to Greenwich quite often, so we didn’t really wait for departure, but settled on the deck.
Along the way, we passed the famous Tower, and the ship Belfast, and more remote residential areas of London, located on the banks of the Thames.
About an hour later we landed at Greenwich. Previously, there was a small settlement on this place, and the very name of this place was translated as “green village”. By the XV-XVI centuries. Greenwich was chosen by royalty who came here to relax among the many trees in the bosom of nature. During Tudor times, there was a Royal Palace in Greenwich, where Henry VIII and all his legitimate children were born. Unfortunately, at present, only the Royal House remains from the palace. The main building has not been preserved.
The special location gave Greenwich the status of the "sea gate" of London. The whole history of this suburb is closely connected with the British Navy.
Immediately on the embankment we saw a monument to Sir Walter Reilly. I remember this name from the film "The Golden Age", about the times of Elizabeth I. Sir Walter Reilly was a favorite of the Queen for a long time, she granted him numerous titles, lands and estates. Walter Reilly took an active part in the development North America, as well as in search of gold on the North American continent. Some also claim that he brought tobacco and potatoes to Europe, but this is most likely speculation.
The buildings of the British Naval Museum rise near the embankment. These buildings were built according to the project of the most famous architect in England, K. Ren, the one who built St. Paul's Cathedral and many other buildings in the center of London after the great fire. At first, a hospital for veteran sailors was located here. Later, the buildings housed the Royal Naval College.
Currently, only a small part of the premises is used by college students. The rest is located maritime museum, which features ancient maps, weapons and ship models that tell the history of the British Navy.
Then we went to the Royal House, the only building left from the time of the former royal palace. This building was built at the beginning of the 17th century and served as a gift from Charles I to his wife Henrietta Maria. Soon civil war broke out in England, and the Tudor palace was destroyed, miraculously only this royal house was saved.
When K. Wren created his hospital, it was decided to place the royal house in the center, and create four wings around it, named after the kings and queens of England. Now all architectural ensemble included in the list world heritage UNESCO.
Greenwich is also famous for its large green park, in which kings once loved to hunt. As elsewhere in England, there are well-groomed trimmed lawns, many trees, alleys, it is a pleasure to walk here.
The hill offers stunning views of the entire C. Wren building complex, the Thames and the Dockland area with the Canary Wharf high-rise building complex, as well as London's largest O2 stadium.
But our main goal was the Royal Observatory, created at the end of the 17th century. To determine longitude sea vessels used chronometers, which were checked against the lighthouses installed along the coast.
In Greenwich, a red ball was preserved, which was raised up at about one in the afternoon, then it froze for a short time so that all ships had time to check their chronometers, and at exactly one in the afternoon the ball descended.
Then in 1851 the Greenwich meridian was put forward as the standard for the prime meridian. Now not only longitude is counted from here, but also time zones around the world.
The observatory houses a museum dedicated to the timekeeping device, and you can also see the various devices used for navigation. In addition, there is a planetarium.
From the building of the royal observatory, a conditional line of the zero meridian begins, at the end of which a kind of monument is erected. There is even a queue to take a picture with this meridian.
We went through the park to the residential areas of Greenwich. The development of the area is typical for England, there are old and very interesting houses.
In this part of Greenwich we met the church of St. Alfridzh. This building was restored after the Second World War, and in the original cathedral, which was founded in the 11th century, the young Henry VIII was baptized.
Since it gets dark early in winter, we returned from Greenwich already in the dark, admiring the lights of the city at night and the beautiful illumination of many sights, including the London Eye.
In Greenwich, I was not so much impressed by the famous zero meridian, but by the magnificent views from the hill, and the stunning buildings of the former royal hospital. I can imagine how beautiful Greenwich is in the summer, when long daylight hours and a riot of vegetation adorn this already amazing place.
useful links
Hotels in Greenwich: reviews and bookings
London Hotels
London Pass online
London Ferris wheel ticket online
Bus tour with online audio guide
Ticket for a tour of Buckingham Palace with Russian audio guide online
London Bridge ticket
Ticket to Madame Tussauds
Other attractions and excursions online
Greenwich Park in London is one of those places that not only a true lover of England, but every traveler should see. Since I consider myself both of those and others, Greenwich was on my list of must-see attractions, if not the first, then certainly in the top ten.
Where is Greenwich Park located? Historical reference
The Borough of Greenwich (not to be confused with the New York quarter of Greenwich Village) is located in southeast London and is rightfully considered sea gate British capital. And the story began with the fact that on the site of Greenwich there was a small fishing village. Gradually, it grew, and several hundred years ago, Greenwich Park became one of the favorite hunting grounds of the British monarchs. Duke in the 15th century Gloucester built the Bella Court mansion here, and soon the park was fenced off so that unnecessary visitors could not enter there. For the next two hundred years, monarchs came to Greenwich Park to hunt. King James I greatly favored Greenwich and even ordered the construction of an estate as a gift for his wife. However, subsequent monarchs still preferred Buckingham Palace to Greenwich. In 1675, the Royal Observatory was built according to the design of the famous architect Christopher Wren. In 1997, Greenwich received the status of a London borough and became on a par with the famous areas of London. Nowadays, the park is open to everyone, and Greenwich is one of the most respectable boroughs in London.
The Greenwich shopping center in Yekaterinburg opened in the city center in 2006 and now occupies a whole block between the streets of March 8, Kuibyshev, Vainer, Radishchev.
The shopping center is steadily expanding: together with the fifth phase opened at the end of 2016, its area is 303,000 sq. m; The complex includes retail outlets, offices, amusement parks, parking.
To navigate through the huge Greenwich shopping center for buyers, stands with detailed maps: You can find them near entrances and escalators.
Amusement parks in Greenwich
On the third floor of the shopping and entertainment center, amusement parks of various themes receive visitors daily.
The main part of the attractions is located on the territory of the fourth stage of the shopping center behind the cash desks of the Greenwich Cinema.
In the entertainment area there is a theatrical attraction for those who like to tickle the nerves "House of Strains" and a mirror labyrinth "Illusionarium", a children's play city "FantasyGrad", an amusement park and extreme entertainment"Heroes Park".
How to get to Greenwich in Yekaterinburg
You can get to Greenwich from any bus station in the city: in less than 20 minutes, without traffic jams - thanks to the metro. However, there are other options.
How to get from Northern Bus Station to Greenwich
The route Northern Bus Station - Greenwich by metro takes only 4.5-5 minutes. Taking into account the descent and a short walk along the underpass - about 20 minutes. From the North Station, you need to sit down at the Uralskaya metro station, choose the direction - towards Botanicheskaya, get off - at Geological, the third one after Uralskaya. The landing direction is marked on the platforms.
An alternative to the metro in this case is bus number 57 from the Vokzalnaya stop, which reaches the Greenwich shopping center in about 25-30 minutes if there are no traffic jams, but during rush hour, the time can increase significantly.
How to get from the South Bus Station to Greenwich
Get to the shopping center Greenwich from the South Bus Station on land transport- trams or buses - sometimes you can do it as quickly as by metro, since the distance is short and the route runs completely through March 8th. Landing - from the side of the station.
All trams from South bus station to the center go through the stop "Circus", where you will need to get off.
Buses and minibuses No. 011, 016, 23, 50, 54, 57 follow from the Bus Station stop to the Greenwich shopping center.
A trip by metro - take Chkalovskaya and get off at the next station - Geological. After the escalator, turn right, from the doors at the fork, choose the middle and longest passage with a travelator - it leads to the lower shopping level of Greenwich, where the Hyperbola hypermarket is located.
IN good weather you can walk from the South Bus Station to Greenwich on foot, following the left side of the street. March 8. The distance is just over 2.5 km.
How to get from the railway station to Greenwich
From the Yekaterinburg railway station to Greenwich, you can take the metro: the entrance to the Uralskaya station is about 300 meters from the station.
By ground transport railway station Greenwich can be reached directly only by bus number 23 (landing in front of the Olimp shopping center).
Video "Flashmob in Greenwich on Valentine's Day"
Greenwich
Greenwich is famous all over the world for the fact that the zero meridian passes here and it is from here that the countdown of time zones begins. However, not everyone imagines what kind of place this is and why it is interesting for tourists.
Today Greenwich is one of the most prestigious areas of London. It is located on the right bank of the Thames in the southeastern part of the British capital.
The name of the area comes from the Anglo-Saxon phrase "green village", and it still lives up to its name. Greenwich is considered to be one of the greenest areas of the city.
In the Middle Ages, this place was a small fishing village, which over time began to grow rapidly.
Under King Edward I, the vast forests of Greenwich became a favorite place for royal hunting, and a small palace of Platzenia was even built here, famous only for the fact that King Henry VIII was born here. Later, on the site of the dilapidated palace, Greenwich Castle was erected, in which the already matured Henry loved to pass the time with his many mistresses.
This castle was razed to the ground in the 17th century during civil war, and after it, according to the project of the great English architect Christopher Wren, the Naval Hospital was erected on this site.
Another historical landmark of Greenwich is the Queen's House, built under King James I, especially for his crowned wife. This building is now part of architectural complex National Maritime Museum.
Today, the former hunting grounds have been turned into a huge park, terraced down to the Thames. From here opens great view on central part London, located opposite, on the other side. By the way, you can get there through an underground pedestrian tunnel.
Greenwich is also home to one of the most prestigious universities country - the University of Greenwich, and therefore on the green lawns and in the shady alleys of the park you can always meet a lot of students.
Many attractions in Greenwich are connected to the sea. In dry dock on the very bank of the river stands the famous clipper ship Cutty Sark, which once carried tea from the English colonies in India. The National Maritime Museum and the Royal Maritime College, already mentioned above, are also located here. Actually, the very appearance of the observatory in this place was primarily due to the needs of English sailors, then our story will be about it.
Flamsteed House
The decision to open the first scientific observatory in England was taken by King Charles II in 1674. This step was necessary, since the British Navy was in dire need of precise geographical coordinates, vital for the correct orientation of the sea.
The most famous English astronomer at that time, John Flamsteed, was to work in the new observatory.
It was decided to build Flamsteed House on an existing foundation, left over from the tower of Duke Humphrey that once stood on this site, and therefore, to the great disappointment of the scientist, it was not possible to accurately orient the building to the cardinal points.
Nevertheless, the Royal Observatory began its work, and the Flamsteed House building contained all the necessary astronomical equipment, and became the first purpose-built scientific laboratory in the country. A little later, the standard of time was also placed here.
Determination of longitude
The main task set by the king before the learned astronomer was to teach navigators to determine the geographical longitude at any point in the ocean.
On land, calculating longitude is easy, for this there is a simple geodetic device, but on the high seas, where there are no visual landmarks, this process has always been fraught with great difficulties. Until the second half of the 18th century, navigators were guided by the stars, and it was to compile accurate tables of the movement of heavenly bodies that an observatory was established.
John Flamsteed began his work in 1676, however, the first Nautical Almanac did not come into the possession of English sailors until a century later. It was completed in 1767 by Neville Maskelyne, who was already the fifth Astronomer Royal.
And just a few years later, in 1772, watchmaker John Harrison designed a watch that allowed not only to determine the time, but also to calculate longitude with an accuracy of 50 km.
Until the middle of the 19th century, sailors different countries used their own system of measuring geographic longitude, and various meridians served as its reference point. For example, the Italians considered the zero meridian passing through Naples, the French - Paris, and the Swedes - Stockholm. However, with the development of international trade, the whole world realized the urgent need for a unified system for determining geographic coordinates.
In 1884, an international conference was held on this issue. The discussions lasted for a whole month, and as a result, scientists came to an agreement to call the zero meridian of the Greenwich Observatory. The standard for measuring East and West longitudes in two opposite directions from the original meridian was also adopted here.
The prime meridian of Greenwich can even be seen. It is visually marked by a stainless steel strip running across the observatory yard. In our time, a rare tourist will deny himself the pleasure of taking a photograph in which he will stand with one foot in the Western Hemisphere, and the other in the Eastern Hemisphere.
And since December 16, 1993, at night, the meridian is also indicated by a green laser beam, which is perfectly visible in the dark sky and is directed from the observatory exactly to the north.
GMT
Greenwich Mean Time is calculated not only geographical coordinates but also time. At the same international conference where the Zero Meridian was adopted, the starting point for each new day was also determined. It began at the moment when the celestial meridian was fixed in the sighting axes of the Greenwich Royal Observatory telescope. Since then, for more than a century, time in all time zones has been counted in accordance with Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and only recently began to be used for this. new point a reference based on data obtained from space (UTC).
In London itself, the habit of checking clocks according to Greenwich Mean Time appeared half a century earlier. The astronomer John Pond, who headed the Royal Observatory at that time, placed the so-called Ball of Time on a high mast above the roof of Flamsteed House. This ball of bright red color falls down at exactly one in the afternoon, and you can see it every day in any weather and regardless of the season.
Explosion in 1894
There are tragic pages in the history of the Greenwich Observatory. What happened here in 1894 can safely be called the first case of "international terrorism" in history. The young French anarchist Martial Bourdin managed not only to bring a bomb to the territory of the observatory, but also to blow it up. What was the reason for the attempt to destroy such a respected and quite peaceful scientific institution, is still a mystery, but even an entire spy novel by Joseph Conrad called The Secret Agent is dedicated to this episode.
observatory today
The rapid development of civilization in the twentieth century, unfortunately, greatly damaged the observatory. The appearance of bright street lighting and thick smog that enveloped London made it impossible to further observe heavenly bodies from Greenwich. In the middle of the century, it was decided to move the observatory away from the capital, and it was located in the Herstmonceau castle.
In 1990, astronomers and telescopes moved to Cambridge, and at the end of 1998, by special decree of the Queen, the observatory was closed altogether.
Today, Flamsteed House is part of the National Maritime Museum and has a very interesting exhibition dedicated to astronomical instruments, many of which are operational.
The museum houses the largest refractor telescope in the world. British Isles, which was designed by Howard Grubb at the end of the 19th century.
There is also an interesting exhibition of the history of time measurement, where you can see a wide variety of chronometers, from John Harrison's old marine clock to a curious device, the “beeping” of which became calling card Air Force programs.
It is very pleasant that the British pay tribute to Russian achievements in the field of astronomy and space exploration. In particular, at the same exhibition of chronometers there are astronomical clock Fedchenko. A well-known Soviet astronomer designed them in the middle of the last century, and they are still considered the most accurate pendulum clocks that have been mass-produced.
And quite recently, a monument to Yuri Gagarin was solemnly erected on the territory of the former observatory.
Visiting Greenwich will be interesting not only for adults, but also for children. Recently, a huge Planetarium has been operating here, where you can see unique performances created using the latest digital technologies.
Greenwich is one of the most interesting suburbs London. It is located in the southeastern part of the British capital on the banks of the Thames, just six miles from. The largest expanse of historical buildings and parkland in England has been preserved here. In addition, in Greenwich you will find many attractions related to scientific, astronomical and maritime history.
I offer you a one day itinerary that will take you to most of the museums, monuments and markets in Greenwich. Morning:
Clipper "Cutty Sark"
If you arrive on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR), V Our first stop will be at the Cutty Sark clipper. Cutty Sark is the last of sailing ships 19th century that once carried goods between Britain and China. She was built in 1869 and was considered the most beautiful and fastest ship of her time. The ship became museum exhibit in 1956 and, since then, has been part of royal museums Greenwich. The exposition of the Cutty Sark Museum also includes an interesting collection of figures from ships, printed publications, drawings, and travel reports and personal records. 
The museum is open daily from 10:00 to 17:00 (last entry at 16:00). Tickets: for adults - 13.50 £; for children (5-15 years old) - 7 £.
Next to Cutty Sark is the Discover Greenwich Visitor Centre, where tourists can find all the information they need about Greenwich. 
Old Royal Naval Academy
Further along the waterfront is the Old Royal Naval College. The college stands on the territory where the palace was located, which belonged to Edward I, later Henry VII. Henry VIII was born in this palace, married Catherine of Aragon, signed the death warrant for Anne Boleyn, and married Anne of Cleves. The new palace was built by Wren in 1696 for Charles II, but soon became a hospital for disabled sailors. Be sure to visit the main attractions of the college - the Chapel and the Painted Hall. 
The chapel, designed by Sir Christopher Wren, was built for the Royal Mariners' Hospital. After a catastrophic fire in 1779, it was reconstructed by James Stewart in the Renaissance style, and today is a wonderful example of a perfect neoclassical interior.
The chapel is dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul. The large canvas of the altarpiece "The Shipwreck of St. Paul" is by Benjamin West.
The 1789 chapel organ is the most big job Samuel Green, the leading organ builder of his time. 
The Painted Hall originally served as the dining room for the Royal Mariners' Hospital. Decorated with beautiful baroque paintings that would not look out of place in Sistine Chapel, this hall was considered the most beautiful dining room in Europe.
In 2013, restoration work was completed in the western part of the hall. Work on part of the historic hall cost £335,000. The entire restoration project will cost £2.5 million and take several years to complete.
Entrance to the college is free, daily from 10:00 to 17:00.
From the center, head down King William Walk to the Royal Observatory.
Royal Observatory
The observatory sits in the middle of the 183-acre Greenwich Park. This is one of the oldest of the eight. On the territory of Greenwich Park, in addition to beautiful lawns and walking paths, there is a plot wildlife called "Deer Park". From here you have a beautiful panorama of London and the Thames, especially at sunset. 
The Royal Observatory is one of the most important historical and scientific sites in the world. The Royal Observatory, founded in 1675 by Charles II to promote safe navigation, was housed in a building designed for it by Sir Christopher Wren. In 1967 the scientific part of the observatory moved to Herstmonceau in Sussex. A museum has been established in Greenwich containing a collection of old astronomical instruments. 
The prime meridian of longitude, dividing the world into eastern and western halves, runs through the building and is marked by a steel rail. At the Observatory, visitors can simultaneously stand in both the eastern and western hemispheres at the same time, this is one of the most popular attractions of the Observatory. On the mast of one of the towers, a red ball is visible, every day at 13:00 it falls down. This device was originally used to adjust the chronometers of ships on the Thames. A huge dome dominates the Equator building, which houses the largest telescope in Britain and a planetarium. 
The museum is open daily from 10:00 to 17:00. Tickets to the Observatory: for adults - £ 7; for children (5-15 years old) - 2.50 £. Planetarium: for adults - £ 6.50; for children (5-15 years old) - 4.50 £
Coffee break
Then, go down the hill to the National Maritime Museum, this is our next stop. But first, turn the corner to the Biscuit Ceramic Café. There you can relax, treat yourself to good coffee with delicious English pies. And if the fire of creativity burns in you, you can use the provided white ceramic dishes to draw your masterpiece on it. 
Royal National Maritime Museum
After short rest, go to the Royal National Maritime Museum. It is in the famous 1635 mansion, the Queen's House, by the architect Inigo Jones. The Queen's House is a masterpiece of classical architecture and is known for its perfect proportions, fine marble floors, as well as wrought iron balustrades and magnificent paintings on the ceilings.
In the museum you will learn about the journeys and the sailors who made them. This is the largest maritime museum in the world, keeping in its funds more than two million objects related to navigation. Its main exhibition is devoted to the history of the Royal Navy, starting from the Tudor era. The museum opened in 1937 and, in addition to ship models, cartographic materials, and other scientific objects, contains excellent maritime paintings by William Turner, as well as portraits of famous sailors by Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough. For children, it will be especially interesting to have a huge interactive map world used to show details of some famous events in naval history.
The museum is open daily from 10:00 to 17:00 (last admission at 16:30), admission is free.
Lunch:
The Greenwich Market, which has existed since 1737, is a great place to refresh yourself with local cuisine with a cup of coffee or tea and go shopping. English marmalades and jams, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian dishes, Danish cookies - everything for your appetite. But not only the gastronomic variety is famous for the Greenwich market. 
There is a lively arts and crafts market here, and many artists and designers present their arts and crafts in their own stalls. And on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10:00-17:30, you can also buy antiques, collectibles and antiques in the market.
The market is open six days a week (from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00-17:30).
Day. Fan Museum
After lunch, visit the unique Fan Museum, the only one in the world. The Fan Museum in Greenwich is part of the World Heritage of Humanity and contains over four thousand antique fans and fans from the 11th century to the present day. Visitors can get acquainted with the design of these unique objects, which for centuries have served people not only for cooling, but also as ceremonial items, fashion accessories, symbols of social status. 
The museum is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 11:00 to 17:00, and on Sunday from 12:00 to 17:00. Tickets for adults - £4.00, for children (7-16 years old) - £3.00.
If you still have some energy left, you can walk through the park to the redbrick caretaker's house. This historical monument architecture in the Georgian style, which now houses Art Gallery. The collection features over seven hundred works, from the Old Dutch Masters to the Renaissance.
Evening in a pub
The best way to end such a busy day in Greenwich is in one of the iconic pubs. The Gipsy Moth, near Cutty Sark, is a large three-story pub with a comfortable outdoor beer area for warm, sunny days. great place to try local, cider or potato vodka with a big slice of hot English pie for a snack.
How to get to Greenwich
Greenwich is just 20 minutes from Central London, in Zone 2.
The best way to get here is by boat. Riverboats commit regular flights to Greenwich from the Quays, Canary Wharf and the Tower. 
The Docklands Light Railway, DLR, a driverless automated railway system, departs from the central London terminals Tower Gateway (next to ) and Bank (transfer from Underground). Take the train to Lewisham and get off at Cutty Sark station in Greenwich city centre. valid.
You can travel to Greenwich by train from Charing Cross, East Waterloo, Cannon Street and .
North Greenwich tube station is located far from the center of Greenwich and was built to access the Millennium Dome (now the O2 Arena). But you can walk along the banks of the Thames in about 45 minutes.
