VISITING REGENTS PARK

Regents Park is well known as one of the most popular parks in the city, with a range of sites which would no doubt give it a great running as one of the best in the city. As one of London’s Royal Parks, you can be sure to find a range of incredible monuments and a rich history which could give any other park in the city a run for their money. Regents park is great all year round, and if you’re staying at the Marble Arch Hotel London Oxford Street, then you’ll find Regents Park just a stone throw away.

So, what is it about Regents Park which makes it one of the most beautiful and popular parks in the city?

Regents Park

With a history dating back to the Middle Ages, Regents Park was once part of the manor land owned by Barking Abbey. Once Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries he made the land his won and used it as hunting ground. In the early 19th century, the Prince Regent, from whom the park got its name, commissioned famous architect John Nash to build terraces and landscape gardens on the land and became one of the first example of a “garden suburb.” Upon completion the park was eventually opened to the public in 1835 and it is this original design which has been added to over the centuries.

The park is now Grade I listed and consists of 410 acres of land, just over 1 and a half kilometres.

London Zoo

One of the main draws to Regent’s Park in the modern day is that it holds London Zoo, one of the oldest zoos in the world. With a range of incredible animals living there, London Zoo is home to the first reptile house in the world alongside living tigers and a variety of other exotic animals. One of the great things about Regents Park is that it was originally opened as part of the Zoological society, dedicated to learning and educating others about animals to promote their own welfare.

Things to see in Regents Park

Aside from London Zoo, there’s plenty of other sites in the park. Until recently, the park was home to the Frieze Sculpture Park, one of the best examples of modern sculpture in the world. Here, visitors could walk around the Regents Park gardens and see sculptures from many of todays best international artists. Although the sculpture pars tenancy has now ended, there are plenty of wondrous monuments scattered around which are sure to engage both young and old alike.

What to do in Regents Park

With many animals in the various ponds of the park, there is plenty of duck feeding amongst the beautiful botany to take part in. On top of this, the famous Primrose Hill offers some of the best views in the city, a great place for a picnic! The beautiful St John’s Lodge, although a private residence, is home to a public landscape garden and you can see some of the best Regency architecture in the city in the surrounding houses.

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