Hyde Park

Hyde Park is a historic Grade I-listed urban park in Westminster, Greater London, spanning more than 350 acres. This park and green space stretches from Kensington Palace to St James’s Park and, along with Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, Hyde Park Corner, Green Park, and Buckingham Palace, forms a chain of greenspace. It is divided by the Serpentine and the Long Water lakes. Henry VIII established the park in 1536, taking the land from Westminster Abbey and using it as a hunting ground. It opened publicly in 1637 and quickly became popular, particularly for May Day parades. In the early 18th century, Queen Caroline directed major improvements to the park. During this time, the park was frequently used for duels, particularly by members of the nobility.