Prime meridian and other interesting features of Greenwich
Greenwich is a historic district in southeast London. It is located on the right bank of the Thames.
Brief historical outline of the area
The area originated in the 15th century as a small settlement called the "green village". A century later, Greenwich began to attract royalty. English kings and their families loved to relax here. At the end of the 17th century, by order of Charles II Stuart, an observatory was built in those places, similar to the one in Paris.
The geographical feature of the area and its main attractions
Greenwich is considered an elite, but at the same time not the most expensive area of London in terms of housing prices. The area gained worldwide fame due to the fact that it is through it that the zero meridian passes, counting the geographic longitude and time zones of the Earth.
The famous Royal Greenwich Observatory is located in Greenwich, from the top floor of which a green laser beam shines every night towards the north, counting the same zero meridian of the Earth. Being there, you can simultaneously be in the Western and Eastern hemispheres of the Earth, as well as at zero degrees of longitude. The observatory houses the Museum of Astronomical and Navigational Devices. On the territory of the observatory is the famous "Time Ball", designed to improve marine navigation, and Shepard's clock. There is also a monument to the zero meridian and a copper strip adjacent to it.
The famous Royal Naval Hospital, founded at the end of the 17th century, is located in this area. Previously, there was Royal Palace, from which the so-called House of Queen Anne of Denmark or Queens House, built in the classical style of architecture, remained. Next to Queens House is a monument to the famous navigator James Cook, who discovered Australia, New Zealand and the Hawaiian Islands.
Greenwich is well landscaped. Within its boundaries is Greenwich Park, decorated at the entrance with two columns with balls depicting the Earth. The park was previously used for hunting by members of the English royal family. The park, along with Queens House and the Royal Naval Hospital, are protected by UNESCO as sites. historical heritage. The embankment of the district is also under the protection of UNESCO.
In Greenwich, the famous ship "Cutty Sark" is located in a dry dock, which used to transport tea from China to England.
The marine theme of Greenwich is also represented by the National Maritime Museum.
Of the new sights, one cannot fail to note the monument to Yuri Gagarin, opened in late spring 2013.
The symbolism of Greenwich is emphasized by the fact that it is here that the first store and beer pub in the Western Hemisphere is located.
The area is famous for its main educational institution - the University of Greenwich, which has the status of an international university. The campus is adjacent to the university.
In Greenwich it is possible to walk through the tunnel under the Thames. This tunnel is completely pedestrian. Its length is about 370 meters.
There is a large market in the area, called Greenwich Market in English. This market is known for its handicrafts.
In Greenwich there is the Church of St. Alfeche, built in the early Middle Ages.
Most of Greenwich's buildings are built in the Victorian style of architecture. There is also a large number of elite antique shops.
How to get to the area
One of the branches of the London Underground passes through Greenwich, namely, the Docklands Light Railway. This branch works in automatic mode. You can get to Greenwich on the silver Jubilee metro line (Jubilee), getting off at the North Greenwich station. If you go along the white-green Dockland line, then you will have to get off either at the Cutty Sark station (Cutty Sark), or at the next Greenwich station of the same name (Greenwich). 
Greenwich can be reached from central London by train. To do this, you need to take the National Rail train at central station Charing Cross and go to Greenwich station. The trip lasts approximately 20 minutes.
It is possible to get to Greenwich by river tram along the Thames. Landing is carried out at the pier in the center of London. The journey will take approximately one hour. You can get off at two piers: Greenwich or North Greenwich.
Greenwich is undoubtedly an interesting district of London both in terms of architecture and in terms of its geographical uniqueness. This place is perfect for quiet rest and comfortable living.
In general, Greenwich is one of the most beautiful suburbs or boroughs of London, but in ordinary conversation it is often called a city. The history of Greenwich has long been closely connected with maritime navigation, which determined the appearance of many iconic sights here: the Greenwich Maritime Museum, the Royal Observatory, etc.
Another notable local facility is the University of Greenwich, whose students include representatives of 140 different countries peace. Traveling through capital city, you should definitely visit Greenwich to get an idea of life not only in the center of the capital, but also in its suburban areas.
Greenwich - educational center
The University of Greenwich is the first in London in terms of the number of students. The main feature of the university is its constant adherence to the changing requirements of the labor market. It is the University of Greenwich that annually opens up new areas of study: from property management and paramedicine to horse breeding and horticulture.
by the most popular destinations traditionally become training programs at a business school, as well as other departments: public relations, multimedia technologies, English language and literature, television and film.
The University of Greenwich is located in a picturesque area, which, however, is in close proximity to financial center world - the City of London. The two campuses of the university are located just 10 minutes from the center of London. The third campus is located not in the city, but in Kent so students can enjoy the benefits of living in the countryside.
Local Attractions
For many, Greenwich is, first of all, the zero meridian, from which time zones on Earth are counted. The choice of this site is associated with the Royal Greenwich Observatory. Those who wish can visit the exhibition located here, dedicated to navigational and astronomical devices.
Next to the observatory is the city park, formerly a hunting park, and now owned by the crown. While visiting the park, everyone can observe the same Greenwich meridian, as it is marked with a brilliant stripe.
The park may also be of interest to the Queen's House (or Queen's House), which became the first representative of the Palladian style of architecture in northern Europe. Nearby was the former Royal Naval Hospital, which this moment occupied by the National Maritime Museum.
No wonder the city is called sea gate» London: has long been closely associated with the British Navy. That is why they decided to open the largest museum in the country and the world dedicated to the maritime history of England and the fleet in general.
The museum presents exhibitions on the history of trade, empire and slavery, numerous sea travel and eminent sailors. Also, many will be interested in models of warships that were in business from 1660 to 1815.
The clipper ship Cutty Sark, which is now a popular tourist attraction, moored forever near the museum.
There is another museum in Greenwich, which, it would seem, is fundamentally not connected with either Greenwich or London - the Fan Museum. It is a kind of oasis of calm in the noisy world of the city. This is the first and even the only exhibition entirely dedicated to the ancient craft of creation and the art of owning a fan.
More than 3.5 thousand old fans from different countries are presented here, and for those who wish, they regularly conduct classes on making a fan on their own, which is especially interesting for young visitors. Next to the museum there is a greenhouse, which complements the impressions of the main exposition.
A Japanese garden, a small pond, a stream and exquisite architectural forms are in perfect harmony with wonderful and romantic accessories - fans. The originality of the museum is noted by many tourists, so it was no coincidence that it was included in the project " Unique places London".
The most optimal solution for traveling around Greenwich will be hiking and boat trip on the Thames. This will allow you to find out what else Greenwich is interesting for in addition to the Zero Meridian known to everyone from school lessons, and will also open London from a somewhat unexpected side.
The section is very easy to use. In the proposed field, just enter the desired word, and we will give you a list of its meanings. I would like to note that our site provides data from various sources - encyclopedic, explanatory, word-building dictionaries. Here you can also get acquainted with examples of the use of the word you entered.
The meaning of the word greenwich
greenwich in the crossword dictionary
Encyclopedic Dictionary, 1998
Greenwich
GREENWICH is a city in the UK, in the Greater London conurbation. 212 thousand inhabitants (1991).
Greenwich
Greenwich, urban district (since 1964) in conurbation Greater London(Great Britain). 226 thousand inhabitants (1970). Known for the astronomical observatory (see Greenwich Astronomical Observatory). In G. ≈ The National Maritime Museum.
Wikipedia
Greenwich (borough of London)
Royal Borough of Greenwich- the "sea gate" of London, a historic suburb, and now one of the 32 London boroughs, is located in inner London, in the southeast of the British capital, on the right bank of the Thames. It has long been closely associated with the British Navy. Greenwich is famous for being the reference point for longitude and time zones. the globe. Prime Meridian historically associated with the Greenwich Observatory. Greenwich is considered one of the most prestigious areas London. But in terms of real estate prices, Greenwich is noticeably inferior to such expensive areas London like Belgravia, Knightsbridge, Chelsea, Kensington and Hampstead.
Toponym Grenewic or Grenevic is of Saxon origin, and literally means the green village or the village on the green(“green village”).
Greenwich (disambiguation)
Greenwich- English toponym and surname:
Greenwich (Connecticut)
Greenwich is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut. It is the southernmost city in the state and the westernmost city in New England.
The population is 62396 people (2013), of which 90.02% are white. About 4% of residents live below the poverty line.
Greenwich was founded in 1640 as part of the New Haven Colony. This is one of the oldest settlements in Connecticut.
Greenwich (peninsula)
Greenwich- a peninsula in London on the River Thames. Partly located in the western and partly in the eastern hemispheres.
Greenwich (island)
Greenwich Island, also known as Berezina Island- one of the islands of the Southern archipelago Shetland Islands. Lies between the islands of Livingston and Robert. total area land - 142.7 km².
Greenwich ( historic district)
Greenwich- historical district modern city London. In the present administrative division The British capital is part of the Borough of Greenwich.
It is located in south-east London on the banks of the River Thames, on the opposite bank of the Isle of Dogs.
It is especially famous for the Royal Observatory located in it. The zero meridian, which is called the Greenwich Mean Time, was drawn through the observatory, and the time in its time zone is called Greenwich Mean Time. Greenwich is also home to the Royal Naval Hospital, a former almshouse for old sailors and now one of London's top architectural landmarks.
At one time, Greenwich was a town in the south-eastern suburbs of London, and it was not close to London - it took several hours to get to it on horseback. Nowadays, it is only 15 minutes to go from the center of London to it.
There is a port area near Greenwich, so its name is inextricably linked with the British Royal navy And maritime history Great Britain.
Now the area is considered very beautiful and calm place where you can spend time in the park and see the sights.
Previously in the town royal residence, now only the small Queen's House (next to the Royal Naval Hospital) has been preserved.
In 1997 international organization UNESCO has included the Greenwich area on its List of World Heritage Sites.
Examples of the use of the word greenwich in the literature.
No one noticed those huge yellow things in Greenwich, the radars at Cape Canaveral missed them, Woomera, Jodrell Bank and other tracking stations missed them - a pity, of course, because this is what they have been waiting for so many years.
I propose to think that Father Kaspar miscalculated and that, as a result of a mathematical error, he ended up exactly on our one hundred and eightieth degree, I mean, according to the Greenwich account, although for Kaspar Greenwich was the last place in the world where it would have occurred to him to start, because Greenwich- a city in the state of anti-papist schismatics.
Through the narrow streets Greenwich The village was trodden by people without coats, mostly a little younger than Poole himself.
By the way, he lived in New York in the area Greenwich The Village, and this, I repeat, is a well-known pederastic area.
His clock, like almost all clocks in the country, showed Swedish time, in other words, fifteen degrees east, or, if you like, one hour earlier. Greenwich, and since he kept his watch in exemplary order and they did not leave a single second in a year, the timekeeping in this case could be considered absolutely accurate.
Therefore, one hundred and eightieth longitude in his understanding for us should be equal to one hundred and sixty-second degrees according to Greenwich.
Mr. Katanga, at eleven o'clock Greenwich Britain declared war on Germany, as did India, Australia and New Zealand.
In addition, the Air Force intends to shoot down a Soviet satellite of oceanic radar reconnaissance during the next pass, tomorrow at twelve zero zero on Greenwich.
Screaming against a rusty tin can, he began to quickly and desperately dig forward until he found himself in a layer of damp clay soil somewhere in the area. Greenwich Village, among the foundations and concrete wells going far down.
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.
Prime Meridian
Until the middle of the 19th century, navigators from different countries used their own system for 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.
Many people wonder what Greenwich is. From time to time you can hear this word when it comes to time zones. However, "Greenwich" is a term associated with more than just time. It has several meanings, which will be interesting to learn about. And yet, most often people associate Greenwich Mean Time with a point of reference. Now it is worth moving on to consider all the meanings of this unusual word.
Greenwich is ... What does the word "Greenwich" mean?
So, let's move on to a detailed study of this term. As mentioned above, one of the interpretations of the word "Greenwich" is the place where the countdown of time zones around the planet begins. Greenwich Mean Time (or Greenwich Mean Time as it is also called) is the solar time of the meridian that passes through the place where the Greenwich Royal Observatory used to be located. It was located near London. Greenwich time was designated as GMT, which means Until 1972, Greenwich Mean Time was taken as the reference time for other time zones.
Other meanings of the word "Greenwich"
Thus, we have considered the question of what is Greenwich Mean Time. However, the interpretation associated with time zones is far from all the information about this place. There is also a historic suburb in London called the Royal Borough of Greenwich. It is worth talking in more detail about what it is. This place is rightfully considered the “sea gate” of the city and has a rather rich history, since it has been associated with the British fleet since ancient times. Now Greenwich has earned the title of one of the most prestigious. If we talk about the place where Greenwich is located, it is important to note that it is located in the historical district in southeast London, on the right bank of the River Thames. This place is famous not only for its rich history, but also by the fact that it is here that the reference point of longitude and, as mentioned above, time zones is located. Among the sights in the area you can see the Royal Greenwich Observatory, the Royal Naval Hospital, and even a monument to Yuri Gagarin. Interestingly, this area also includes the Greenwich Peninsula, which is worth talking about separately.
Greenwich Peninsula
It turns out that Greenwich is not just a district of London, but even a whole peninsula. This peninsula belongs to the area of the same name in South London. Its dimensions are about 1,500 by 900 meters. The most high point above sea level - 17 meters. The peninsula appeared in the XVI century. It is especially interesting that it was created artificially, by performing a drainage operation. It was made by Dutch engineers. The purpose of this transformation was to create a field for pasture. In the middle of the 19th century, several factories for the production of guns, the manufacture of chemicals and the smelting of steel functioned here. Later, in the 20th century, a large gas station operated on the peninsula. For a long period of time it was considered the largest in Europe. However, natural gas reserves were discovered in the North Sea, and the station was closed as unnecessary. As of 2014, it can be noted that the peninsula has been completely put in order, new roads have been laid here, and residential buildings and office buildings have been built. The main attractions of the peninsula are the famous Quantum Cloud sculpture and the Millennium Dome.
Royal Greenwich Observatory
Worth talking about interesting object like the Royal Greenwich Observatory. When wondering what Greenwich is, people often think of this observatory as well. As you know, this is the main astronomical organization in Great Britain. It is on government funding. The observatory was founded back in 1675, during the reign of King Charles II. It served mainly to clarify important coordinates for navigators.
The royal one operated for many centuries, but in 1953 most of it was moved to Herstmonceau Castle. Now in buildings Greenwich Observatory a museum of navigational and astronomical instruments was opened. Here you can see many interesting exhibits. Here you can also get acquainted in detail with the history of the development of various time measuring instruments that were used in astronomy and marine navigation. Summing up, we can conclude that Greenwich is not only a place where the countdown begins, but also an area, a peninsula, which is of great historical and scientific importance.
