Crystal Palace Park, London
We explore the story of Crystal Palace Park – from past to present! Beware: dinosaurs roam there!
A vast 200-acre park in South London still teases its Victorian roots.
Origins Elsewhere
The Crystal Palace was designed for the Great Exhibition of 1851 by architect Joseph Paxton and was originally located in Hyde Park London, not far from where the Royal Albert Hall stands today. Conceived by Prince Albert, it was designed as a grand international showcase of industry, design and manufacturing.
After the Exhibition closed, a new site was chosen (where else!) in Upper Norwood for a redesigned, bigger and better, Crystal Palace, intended to be the jewel in an extravagant “pleasure ground”.
Permanent exhibits within the palace were the fine arts courts, showcasing examples of architecture and sculpture from around the world, covering a period of over three thousand years. Botany with plants from almost every clime and exhibits on natural history, industry and agriculture were also included to delight the Victorians. This new Crystal Palace was opened by Queen Victoria in 1854.
The Palace was located at the top of the vast 200-acre park in a commanding position and, judging from contemporary pictures, it dominated the skyline of the Upper Norwood area.
Intended to rival great continental spectacles such as the Palace of Versailles, the park was designed with the wow factor in mind with grand fountains and water cascades, set within Italianate terraces.
The Palace and gardens were initially a big hit, attracting a reported 2 million visitors per year in the first 30 years of its opening. Changes in tastes and familiarity meant the popularity of the Palace declined around the turn of the century and never fully recovered.
In 1936, the Crystal Palace burned down in spectacular fire which was said to have been seen across the whole of London. Sadly, nothing of the Palace remains today, however the park still has plenty of visual reminders of its history with plenty to explore.
Why visit Crystal Palace today
The park offers many remnants of the Palace and original gardens if you know where to look!
You can still discover the remains of the south and north water towers, designed by Brunel, which stood on either side of the Palace and powered the magnificent fountains. Hiding away in the North of the park, there are the ruins of an Aquarium. Opened in the remains of the north transept of the Palace which burned down in 1866, the aquarium opened in 1871 and at one point was the largest salt water marine aquarium of its kind.
The Sphinxes, which once stood at the entrances from the Palace to the park, have recently had a spruce up and repaint. They certainly help to visualise size and scale of what the Palace would have been like.
Other features from the parks glory days are a maze, fishing & boating lakes and the fascinating, now grade-1 listed, life-size models of dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures that preside over the lake.
While these days only the low level Crystal Palace station (from London Bridge and London Victoria) still serves the park, originally there were two railway stations serving the Palace at the height of its popularity. There are some remnants of the former grand High Level station, the most interesting being the ornate Grade-2 listed Italianate subway which once led from the station to the Palace. It’s not usually open to the public but look out for occasional open days that Open House might offer.
Info
Getting to Crystal Palace Park
Arrive By Train
The park is a short walk from Crystal Palace Station or Penge West Station.
Get There By bus
Routes serving the park and its surrounding area include 3, 122, 157, 202, 227, 249, 322, 358, 363, 410, 417, 432, 450
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