**Geography and Size**:
– Hyde Park is a Royal Park in central London, bounded by Bayswater Road to the north, Park Lane to the east, and Knightsbridge to the south.
– Hyde Park merges with Kensington Gardens to the west, separated by the Serpentine.
– Kensington Gardens has been separate from Hyde Park since 1728, covering 111 hectares (274 acres).
– Hyde Park covers 142 hectares (351 acres), totaling 253 hectares (625 acres) with Kensington Gardens.
– Kensington Gardens closes at dusk, while Hyde Park remains open from 5 a.m. to midnight.
**History**:
– Named after the Manor of Hyde, a sub-division of the manor of Eia in the Domesday Book.
– Property of Westminster Abbey in the Middle Ages, used for game and firewood.
– Created for hunting by Henry VIII in 1536 and opened to the public by Charles I in 1637.
– Used for fortifications during the English Civil War in 1642.
– Sold by Parliament in 1652 and restored to Charles II after the Restoration in 1660.
**Events and Notable Features**:
– Hyde Park has been a venue for free speech and demonstrations since the 19th century.
– Major events in the park have included The Great Exhibition of 1851 and Live 8 in 2005.
– Popular duelling spot in the 18th century, with 172 duels and 63 deaths.
– Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is an annual event.
– Hyde Park is the largest of the parks forming a chain from Kensington Palace to St. James’s Park.
**Facilities and Features**:
– Hyde Park is operated by The Royal Parks and is open year-round.
– The park is a public park with various facilities for visitors.
– Hyde Park is divided by the Serpentine and the Long Water lakes.
– Popular areas within Hyde Park include Speakers Corner and Rotten Row.
– The Italian Water Garden was constructed at Victoria Gate in 1861.
**Monuments and Memorials**:
– The Cavalry Memorial was built in 1924 at Stanhope Gate.
– Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial features various sculptures and memorials.
– Hyde Park has a number of statues and memorials, including the Cavalry Memorial.
– Jacob Epstein’s Rima sculpture is located in Hyde Park.
– South of the Serpentine, there are assorted statues and memorials.
Hyde Park is a 350 acres (140 ha), historic Grade I-listed urban park in Westminster, Greater London. A Royal Park, it is the largest of the parks and green spaces that form a chain from Kensington Palace through Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, via Hyde Park Corner and Green Park, past Buckingham Palace to St James's Park. Hyde Park is divided by the Serpentine and the Long Water lakes.
| Hyde Park | |
|---|---|
 Hyde Park, with Kensington Gardens in foreground | |
  Location within central London | |
| Type | Public park |
| Location | Westminster, Greater London, England |
| Coordinates | 51°30′31″N 00°09′49″W / 51.50861°N 0.16361°W |
| Area | 350 acres (140 ha) |
| Created | 1637 |
| Operated by | The Royal Parks |
| Status | Open year round |
| Website | www |
| Official name | Hyde Park |
| Designated | 1 October 1987 |
| Reference no. | 1000814 |
The park was established by Henry VIII in 1536 when he took the land from Westminster Abbey and used it as a hunting ground. It opened to the public in 1637 and quickly became popular, particularly for May Day parades. Major improvements occurred in the early 18th century under the direction of Queen Caroline. The park also became a place for duels during this time, often involving members of the nobility. In the 19th century, The Great Exhibition of 1851 was held in the park, for which The Crystal Palace, designed by Joseph Paxton, was erected.
Free speech and demonstrations have been a key feature of Hyde Park since the 19th century. Speakers' Corner has been established as a point of free speech and debate since 1872, while the Chartists, the Reform League, the suffragettes, and the Stop the War Coalition have all held protests there. In the late 20th century, the park was known for holding large-scale free rock music concerts, featuring groups such as Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones and Queen. Major events in the park have continued into the 21st century, such as Live 8 in 2005, and the annual Hyde Park Winter Wonderland from 2007.