Maritime Time in Greenwich, London
Despite the Cutty Sark Fire, London's Greenwich Has Lots to Offer
Jun 29, 2007
Maritime Greenwich, which stands right by the River Thames in south east London, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of its major attractions, the Cutty Sark, was sadly damaged in a huge fire in May 2007, and although the ship remains closed for restoration and conservation work, Greenwich still has plenty to offer the visitor to London.
The graceful Cutty Sark was built in 1869, a clipper ship designed to work in the tea trade, plying the route between Britain and China, and other parts of south east Asia. She was later in the Australian wool trade, and then became a training ship before arriving at a dry dock in Greenwich and being opened as a museum. There are presently two rival plans for the Cutty Sark's future. One is to restore the ship as before, the other to restore her to full seaworthiness and set her sailing once more. It is expected that the Cutty Sark will be restored again, one way or the other, by 2010.
While the Cutty Sark's future is decided, there is still much else to bring visitors to this attractive and historical London borough. The Royal Observatory in Greenwich Royal Park has two big new features alongside it. These are the Peter Harrison Planetarium and the Time and Space Galleries. In the latter four new award-winning galleries, opened in 2006, tell the fascinating stories of Time and Longitude, Time and Society, Time and Greenwich and Time for the Navy.
The Observatory is famous as the home of Greenwich Mean Time, and visitors like to be photographed astride the Greenwich Meridian, or Longitude Zero, with one foot in the Eastern Hemisphere and one foot in the Western.
Nearby, there is free admission to the Old Royal Naval College and to the National Maritime Museum. This museum is packed with maritime treasures and fascinating displays. There are items associated with Britain's famous seafarers, like Captain Cook, Lord Nelson and the heroic Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. Also a part of the Museum is Queen's House, which was begun by Inigo Jones in 1616 for the wife of King James I, Queen Anne of Denmark. Today the Queen's House is an art gallery, with changing exhibitions.
The Royal Observatory was founded by King Charles II in 1675 as a scientific institute of navigational research. It was designed by Sir Christopher Wren, renowned as the architect of London's beautifully elegant St Paul's Cathedral. It's from here at the Royal Observatory that the world's time zones have been officially calculated since 1884.
Visitors to London should definitely make time to visit Greenwich, where these attractions and several more ensure a good time for everyone.
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With so much to see and do within the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site it deserves more than just a day visit. For further information and accommodation suggestions visit the official Maritime Greenwich website by clicking here or telephone the Greenwich Tourist Information Centre on +44 (0) 870 608 2000.
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