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Greenwich, Maritime Museum, The Greenwich Observatory, The Meridian Line, The Old Royal Naval College
On our first day staying in London together last year, My Beloved Brit and I decided to explore Greenwich where the Naval College, The Observatory, The National Maritime Museum and the Meridian Line are.
Kate, The Duchess of Cambridge, attended a breakfast reception there this morning at the National Maritime Museum to meet a number of people supporting the bid to launch a British team in the America’s Cup. I thought this made it an appropriate time to revisit our visit to this incredible site.
As we came off the train and in to Greenwich, we saw bustling town on the edge of the Thames. Photo by me.
Walking down the street towards the Thames, we saw the masts of the Cutty Sark rising above the shoreline.
The masts of the Cutty Sark now on dry land on the edge of Greenwich. Photo by me.
We bypassed the ship tour and headed over to The Old Royal Naval College. Very impressive. It is across the Thames from London and Canary Wharf.
The Old Royal Naval College. Photo by me.
We went through the chapel on the grounds of the college, designed by Sir Christopher Wren. The chapel is dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul, both of whom have connections to the sea. The chapel is filled with naval symbols.
The Chapel at The Old Royal Naval College. Photo by me.
Then walked through the portico…
Photo by me.
…to the Painted Hall. Incredibly beautiful. It is often described as the finest dining hall in Europe, and was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and Nicholas Hawksmoor. It was originally intended for the naval veterans who lived here at the Royal Hospital for Seamen, but was later used for the National Gallery of Naval Art. As of 1939, it was used for dining by the officers of the Royal Naval College, and many grand banquets. The paintings by Sir James Thornhill pay tribute to British maritime power.
The Painted Hall. Photo by me.
Lord Nelson was very attached to the College, and you can see references to him everywhere.
Lord Nelson Photo by me.
We cut back through the edge of Greenwich to head over to the Maritime Museum.
Photo by me.
I knew this was something My Beloved Brit would love. The whole complex at Greenwich Park was wonderful.
The Maritime Museum in Greenwich. Photo by me
The entrance just screamed boating, naval tradition, and the sea.
Photo by me.
Photo by me.
When we saw this information, we knew it was going to be a good morning.
Photo by me.
We spent time looking at exhibits on Nelson, arctic convoys during WWII, and all sorts of seafaring memorabilia and displays.
Figure Heads in the museum. Photo by me.
After a time, we went outside and sat down trying to decide whether or not to hike the hill to the Royal Observatory and the Meridian Line.
The Naval College and the Thames behind us. Photo by me.
The Observatory at the top of the hill in front of us. Photo by me.
The views were worth the climb.
The view from The Observatory. That’s the Royal Naval College down the hill. Photo by me.
The Royal Observatory Greenwich is home of Greenwich Mean Time and the Prime Meridian of the World–Longitude 0. On one side is the Eastern Hemisphere, and on the other the West, just as the equator divides the northern and southern hemispheres. Every place on earth is measured in terms of its distance east or west from the Greenwich Meridian. The Observatory is also home to London’s only planetarium, the Harrison timekeepers and the UK’s largest refracting telescope.
The City of London in the distance. Photo by me.
After a full morning we decided to head back to London on the Thames by boat.
We take off from the Greenwich dock with The Naval College behind us. Photo by me.
It was about a forty-five minute ride back to the Embankment in London Center.
Past Canary Wharf and East London. Photo by me.
Under the Tower Bridge. Photo by me.
Leaving The Tower on London behind. Photo by me.
St. Paul’s in the background. Photo by me.
The new Shard on the South Bank. Photo by me.
Another way to see the river. Our ferry was not nearly so flash. Photo by me.
Leaving the east end of the Thames River behind. Photo by me.
Finally. Docking at the Embankment stop. Photo by me.
What a great morning. The weather was gorgeous, the company entertaining…it couldn’t have been a better day. After a trip on The Underground back to our room, we decided it was a full day. And a wonderful one.
Heading back to the hotel from the Piccadilly underground. Photo by me.
Our biggest challenge of the late afternoon was to decide where to eat. I love London.