Greenwich Walking Route

Where Time Begins

The Royal Observatory was commissioned by King Charles II in 1675 to improve navigation at sea, particularly the problem of calculating longitude. The Prime Meridian running through Greenwich was eventually adopted internationally as 0° longitude in 1884, making Greenwich the reference point for time zones across the world. The famous red time ball on top of the Observatory drops every day at 1pm — a tradition dating back to 1833, when ships on the Thames would set their chronometers by it before heading out to sea.

Henry VIII's Hunting Ground

Greenwich Park has been a royal hunting ground since the 15th century. Henry VIII was born at Greenwich Palace in 1491 — the palace stood where the Old Royal Naval College now stands — and introduced deer into the park. The park covers 183 acres and has been enclosed since 1433. The avenue of chestnut trees running down from the Observatory was planted in the 17th century on the orders of Charles II, who also commissioned the Observatory. The deer enclosure in the southeast corner still holds a small herd.

The World's Largest Maritime Museum

The National Maritime Museum opened in 1937 and is the world's largest maritime museum, with a collection of over two million items covering charts, instruments, paintings, models and personal objects. Greenwich's historic buildings — including the Royal Observatory, the Queen's House and the Old Royal Naval College — form part of the Maritime Greenwich UNESCO World Heritage Site, designated in 1997. The Queen's House, designed by Inigo Jones and completed in 1635, was the first classical building in England and is considered one of the most important architectural works in the country.

Wren's Masterpiece

The magnificent buildings were originally built as the Royal Hospital for Seamen, providing accommodation for retired and injured sailors — the Greenwich equivalent of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. Sir Christopher Wren designed the original complex, with construction beginning in 1696. The Painted Hall inside is covered with spectacular early-18th-century paintings by James Thornhill and took 19 years to complete. It was intended as a dining hall but was considered too grand to eat in, and was instead used as a picture gallery. Nelson's body lay in state here in 1805 before his funeral at St Paul's.

The View Across the River

The view from Greenwich riverside looking north across the Thames to Canary Wharf is one of the most photographed in London. The Isle of Dogs — the peninsula directly opposite — was marshland until the West India Docks were built there in 1802. The docks closed in 1980 and the area was redeveloped as Canary Wharf from 1988 onwards. One Canada Square, the pyramid-topped tower that dominated the skyline for years, was completed in 1991. The Foot Tunnel under the Thames, a short walk east, connects Greenwich to the Isle of Dogs and dates from 1902.

The Fastest Ship of Her Day

The Cutty Sark was launched in 1869 and was built for the tea trade between Britain and China. She was designed for speed and could carry large quantities of cargo across the world's oceans. Her name comes from the Scottish term for a short nightdress, inspired by the witch Nannie in Robert Burns' poem Tam o' Shanter — the figurehead shows Nannie reaching for the tail of Tam's horse. After the tea trade declined, she switched to the wool trade from Australia. She was badly damaged by fire in 2007 while undergoing restoration, but was repaired and reopened in 2012.

Trading Since 1737

Greenwich Market has been operating on its current site since 1737. What began as a market for fruit, vegetables and other goods has evolved into today's mix of street food, antiques, crafts, clothing and independent traders. The covered market building dates from the early 19th century. The market is busiest at weekends, when the food stalls in particular draw large crowds. The surrounding streets — particularly Greenwich Church Street and College Approach — have a concentration of independent shops and restaurants that give Greenwich a distinct character from most of London.

A London Institution Since 1890

Goddards has been serving traditional pie, mash and liquor since 1890. The dish became particularly associated with working-class London and was once one of the city's staple cheap meals, sold from pie and mash shops across the East End and South London. The liquor — a green parsley sauce — is unique to the London pie and mash tradition and has no equivalent elsewhere. Most of the original pie and mash shops have closed over the decades; Goddards is one of the few remaining examples still operating in a traditional format.

From Dome to Destination

The building originally opened as the Millennium Dome in 2000, built to house the Millennium Experience exhibition. It was widely criticised at the time and closed after a year. It was later transformed into The O2, reopening as an entertainment venue in 2007. It is now one of the busiest music venues in the world by ticket sales. The nearby cable car — the Emirates Air Line — crosses the Thames between Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks, a journey of about ten minutes. It opened in 2012 and was the first urban cable car in the UK.