KENSINGTON GARDENS IN LONDON

There are many so-called green areas in London. There are many squares, parks and gardens here. Initially, many of them were available only to royal persons, where they rested, had fun and hunted. Then these royal parks became available to ordinary citizens. Among such royal parks are Kensington Gardens, which are mainly associated with the life of the favorite of the British - Princess Diana, although their history began much earlier than her appearance.

Kensington Gardens are located in Kensington - one of the districts of London. At first, Kensington Gardens was part of Hyde Park, but in 1728, when Queen Christina was allowed access here to the general public, the Gardens became an independent object with its own attractions and unique appearance.

Thanks to its convenient location almost in the heart of London, these lands were fenced and made exclusively royal territory, where representatives of the most noble dynasties could hunt. The history of Kensington Gardens as an independent unit dates back to 1689, when the Nottingham House, located in Kensington, was acquired by King William III and Queen Mary II. Later, this house was transformed into a real palace by Christopher Wren, and the gardens surrounding the house, occupying only 5 hectares, expanded significantly under Queen Anne. This was accomplished by transferring part of the land from Hyde Park to Kensington Gardens. Under Queen Anne, the gardens were redesigned, and a greenhouse appeared, located north of Kensington Palace. Queen Caroline, wife of George II, began to create the current splendor of Kensington Gardens. Under her, the Round Pond, Long Lake and Serpentine Lake were created. In the same period, two gazebos were decorated, one of which has survived to this day ("Temple of the Queen").

Princess Diana lived in Kensington Palace, which is surrounded by Kensington Gardens, from 1981 until her death in 1997, so the palace is considered in some way a monument in her honor, which is why much in the park was created or named after her, and the palace constantly flowers lie.

By the middle of the 19th century, Kensington Palace transferred its function of the royal residence to Buckingham Palace, and with this, the gardens ceased to be the subject of close attention of monarchs. They were significantly reconstructed only in 1860, when the Italian fountains were created, and in 1909, when the Secret Garden appeared.

The secret garden is hidden by a high "hedge". Approaching the entrance, you can see the garden in the old Dutch style, laid out at the request of King Edward VII, with various flower beds and even a palm tree, and in the center of the garden there is a rectangular pool. True, the entrance to the garden is forbidden to everyone except for members of the royal family, but something can be seen from behind the wall of the bush. The gardens are separated from Hyde Park by the artificial lake Serpentine, near which you can always see many birds - ducks and swans - as well as the complex of Italian fountains. They consist of four small ponds with a fountain in the center. Everything is faced with white marble and was donated by Prince Albert to his wife, Queen Victoria - the prince himself was fond of developing park design.

The main attraction on the territory of Kensington Gardens is the famous Kensington Palace, but there are other, no less remarkable, and sometimes downright funny objects. A notable site is the Prince Albert Memorial, opened by Queen Victoria to honor her husband, Prince Albert, who died of typhus in 1861.

The gardens are home to an important cultural site in London - the Serpentine Art Gallery. It was opened in 1970 and in different years the works of more than two thousand famous artists were exhibited here. Every year, in front of the gallery building, original temporary pavilions grow up, which are designed by new architects each time. The entrance to the gallery is free. Kensington Gardens are full of statues and sculptures. There are monuments to Cecil Rhodes, the founder of the African state of Rhodesia, a monument to the inventor of the smallpox vaccine, Edward Jenner, a monument to African explorer John Speke.

Children will be very happy to visit Kensington Gardens because of the large abundance of interesting places for them and, in particular, the huge playground arranged by Princess Diana. This platform is made in the form of a pirate ship, around which there are Indian wigwams and heaps of sand. In addition, next to this complex there is an "elven oak" - the remains of the trunk of an almost thousand-year-old tree, from the folds of the bark of which figurines of fairy creatures peep out. True, you will not be able to touch them, since the oak is surrounded by a lattice fence.

References:

1. A Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers in Great Britain and Ireland: 1500–1830/ Skempton, A.W. — Thomas Telford, 2002. — P. 341.
2. Dunton, Larkin. The World and Its People. — Silver, Burdett, 1896.
3. Self, Andrew. The Birds of London. — A&C Black 2014.