Hyde Park

Hyde Park is a 140-hectare Royal Park in the City of Westminster. It lies between Bayswater Road to the north, Park Lane to the east, and Knightsbridge to the south. The Serpentine and Long Water lakes divide the park, and to the west it merges with Kensington Gardens. The two parks cover 253 hectares in total and remain open throughout the year from early morning until midnight. Queen Caroline separated Kensington Gardens in 1728, but the two spaces still feel continuous during daylight. The park began as Henry VIII’s hunting ground in 1536 and opened to the public in 1637. Queen Caroline’s early 18th-century landscaping created the Serpentine by damming the River Westbourne. The Great Exhibition of 1851 brought The Crystal Palace to the south side, designed by Joseph Paxton. Speakers’ Corner has hosted free speech and debate since 1872, while major concerts have featured Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones and Queen. Protests by the Chartists, suffragettes and Stop the War Coalition have shaped its reputation as a place for public expression. Visitors find broad carriage drives, tree-lined walks and open lawns around the Serpentine. Rotten Row, the first road lit at night in London, runs across the southern edge for riders. The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain lies near the Serpentine Bridge, and the park’s Grade I-listed status reflects its long history. From May Day parades to winter festivals, Hyde Park remains a central green space in the city’s daily life.