Greenwich is a place long associated with knowledge from the Royal Observatory to the Old Royal Naval College, but it has much more going on than that. Whether you’re in the mood to learn, shop, drink, wander or have fun, there are plenty of things to do. We’ve identified our top ten favorite things to […]
Ten Interesting Facts and Figures about Maritime Greenwich
Greenwich, London is an area of London just south-east of the City of London. It’s first mentioned in a Saxon charter in 918 as “Grenowic” or “green settlement.” As London grew and prospered, Greenwich eventually became an area dedicated to maritime pursuits, eventually becoming the home of the Royal Navy College and the Royal Observatory. […]
London Alert: The Painted Hall in Greenwich is Closing for 6 Months
The Painted Hall, at the Old Royal Naval College, one of the Jewels of Greenwich will be closing for 6 months from Sunday. This is one of the most amazing things you need to see in Greenwich but if you’re planning on seeing it for the next 6 months, remove it from your itineraries. Why […]
Great London Buildings – Old Royal Naval College Greenwich
A World Heritage site located in Maritime Greenwich, the Old Royal Naval College is one of the grandest examples of architecture in Greater London. Of course, the building there now is not the first one to exist on the site. In 1433, Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, built a palace named Bella Court, but after he […]
Ten Interesting Facts about the Royal Observatory, Greenwich – The Home of the Prime Meridian
A pioneering place of British astronomy, the Royal Observatory in Greenwich has been observing the stars for hundreds of years. It owes its existence to a Who’s Who of 17th Century Britain, as it was commissioned by King Charles II and its location site chosen by Sir Christopher Wren in 1675. Since the Longitude Act […]
Video: Why The Prime Meridian Isn’t At 0º in Greenwich, London
If you travel to Greenwich, stand on the famous Prime Meridian Line — which is marked with a physical line and a sculpture at the Royal Observatory — and look at your GPS, it won’t read 0° longitude. It’ll be slightly out. Who’s right? And why?
London’s Maritime History: 10 Interesting Facts and Figures about the Cutty Sark You Might Not Know
Clipper ships were the fastest merchant ships on the oceans back in the 19th Century and one of the most famous was the Cutty Sark. Built in 1869, she was amongst the last of the tea clippers as steam engine technology began to dominate the industry. Pushed out of the tea trade by the newer […]
Great London Art: The Painted Hall at the Royal Naval College in Greenwich
The Painted Hall is often described as the ‘finest dining hall in Europe’. Designed by Sir Christopher Wren and Nicholas Hawksmoor, it was originally intended as an eating space for the naval veterans who lived here at the Royal Hospital for Seamen. Its exuberant wall and ceiling decorations are by Sir James Thornhill and pay […]
5 famous London painters
London has so many inspiring and colourful sights and characters dotted around its boroughs. So it is little wonder that the capital has been the birthplace of so many great painters. Here is a little information about five of the best of them. 5. Anna Airy Anna Airy was born in 1882 in Greenwich. The […]
Cutty Sark Sets its Re-opening Date
The Cutty Sark – an old Tea Clipper that has long been on display in Greenwich – has set it’s reopening date. The famous ship has been closed for almost 5 years now as crews worked to save the ship from disintegrating. Restoration work was delayed by a fire that damaged the ship further (and […]
Greenwich Becomes a Royal Borough – Video
The Queen has made Greenwich in south-east London a royal borough to mark her Diamond Jubilee. It is the first borough to be granted royal status in more than 80 years and is one of only four in the country. The honour has been conferred to recognise the close links between Greenwich and royalty since […]
Greenwich’s Woolwich Foot Tunnel re-opens after £11.5m revamp
The free under Thames foot tunnel in Woolwich has reopened after a major refurbishment. From the BBC: The Woolwich Foot Tunnel has reopened after £11.5m work to bring the structure up to date. New lifts, stairs, lighting and CCTV have been installed in the Victorian structure, while the tunnel itself has been refurbished. It follows […]
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