The Crystal Palace Palace

Address: Crystal Palace Park, Thicket Road, London SE19 2GA, United Kingdom

Website: https://www.crystalpalacepark.org.uk

Hours: Park open daily dawn to dusk

The Crystal Palace originally referred to a cast-iron-and-glass exhibition building designed by Joseph Paxton for the Great Exhibition of 1851 in Hyde Park, London. After the exhibition it was dismantled and re-erected in Sydenham in 1854; the relocated structure was destroyed by fire in 1936.

Today the name most commonly denotes the surrounding Crystal Palace Park in south London, which occupies the original Sydenham site and retains Victorian terraces, a boating lake and several notable survivals from the 19th century. The park also contains the mid 19th-century life-sized dinosaur sculptures produced under the direction of Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins.

The original Crystal Palace was commissioned to showcase industrial manufacturing and design to a wide public audience, then became a popular Victorian cultural venue after relocation. The loss of the building by fire in 1936 ended its physical presence, but the park and its features remain an intact public open space.

The park and historic site lie on a prominent ridge in the Crystal Palace area of south London, offering elevated views across several London boroughs and serving as a public recreation area.

• Dinosaur models: The park contains mid 19th-century life-sized dinosaur and prehistoric animal models sculpted by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins and collaborators.
• Original building history: The original glass-and-iron exhibition building was created for the Great Exhibition of 1851, relocated to Sydenham in 1854 and destroyed by fire in 1936.

What to See#

• Crystal Palace Park: A landscaped public park on the original site of the glass-and-iron structure, containing terraces, a boating lake and Victorian-era plantings.
• Dinosaur sculptures: A set of life-sized concrete animal models created in the mid 19th century, among them the earliest large-scale dinosaur sculptures visible in their original outdoor setting.
• Sports facilities: A sports and leisure complex established within the park area that hosts athletics facilities and community sports events.

Crystal Palace Park is served by Crystal Palace station (Southern, Overground and National Rail) and Crystal Palace Parade bus routes. The main entrances are a short walk from the rail station.

• For the best sense of the site's ambition, visit Crystal Palace Park's Victorian terraces and the surviving dinosaur sculptures.
• Avoid the busiest weekend hours if seeking a quiet stroll; early morning reveals the site's melancholy grandeur.
• Seek out the Crystal Palace Subway (now derelict) if access is possible on special heritage open days - it's one of the most surprising subterranean remnants.