Pictures of Greenwich

About Greenwich

The might of british sea-power and the historic town of Greenwich are inseparable. Two famous English sea-faring vessels are here, one is the Cutty Sark, a famous old clipper that shipped tea from China in the 19th-century, and the other, from the 20th-century is Gypsy Moth 1V, sailed round the world by Sir Francis Chichester.

The Royal Naval College, once a palace for royalty, has also served as the Greenwich Hospital. A Tudor building that once stood here was the birthplace of Queen Elizabeth 1st, her sister Mary and their father Henry VIII. Over the years, the original building, designed by Sir Christopher Wren, has been added to by other notable architects, among them - Hawksmoor, John Webb, Vanbrugh and Riply. The chapel was rebuilt in the late 18th-century and the famous Painted Hall has a ceiling by Sir James Thornhill.

Queen's House by Inigo Jones houses the National Maritime Museum. This museum contains an exceptionally impressive collection of paintings covering British sea-faring history, there is also a wonderful display of sea-faring models.

The old Royal Observatory is part of the National Maritime Museum and stands in Greenwich Park. Current observatory work is conducted elsewhere, but interesting astronomical and navigational exhibits can still be seen in the Greenwich section.

Other interesting buildings in Greenwich town include, the church of St. Alfege, built by Hawksmoor in the early 18th-century, and in Crooms Hill, you can witness delightful domestic architecture from many periods.

For ancient sea-faring history and fantastic architecture a trip to Greenwich is a must!