Maritime Greenwich celebrates 10 Years as World Heritage Site

Maritime Greenwich, the vibrant heart of this beautiful corner of south east London, is celebrating the tenth anniversary since it was awarded World Heritage Site status in 1997 for its architectural, scientific, maritime and royal associations. Festivities start on 16 June with Greenwich Alive! twelve days of art, music and architecture and continue for the remainder of the year.

Located on the bank of the River Thames, Greenwich has played a key role in the story of Britain’s sea power and the development of navigation for over 400 years and today its museums celebrate its maritime history. It’s also home to the world’s Prime Meridian – Longitude Zero - and of Greenwich Mean Time. These attributes, combined with close links to England’s Tudor and Stuart monarchs, both Henry VIII and Elizabeth I were born here, ensure its place as a world class destination.

Key attractions within Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site include the Old Royal Naval College; National Maritime Museum which takes in the Queen’s House, Royal Observatory and spectacular new Peter Harrison Planetarium opening late May; Greenwich Royal Park, Ranger’s House, the Fan Museum, St Alfege Church and Cutty Sark, the last great tea clipper which is currently undergoing conservation. Many of these attractions offer free entry to the public.

The old marketplace and town centre with its historic 17th and 18th century buildings also provides plenty to explore and by night visitors can enjoy the thriving restaurants bars, theatre and live entertainment.

Painted Hall and Chapel:

Designed by Sir Christopher Wren and built between 1696 and 1751, the Old Royal Naval College started life as the Royal Hospital for Seamen providing a home for veteran sailors. It stands on the site of the former Greenwich Palace, once a home of the Tudor sovereigns.

It became the Royal Naval College in 1873, a role which lasted for 125 years, while today the fine buildings are home to the University of Greenwich and Trinity College of Music. Both the magnificent Painted Hall by Sir James Thornhill and neo-classical Chapel of St Peter and St Paul are open to the public with guided tours to the Victorian Skittle Alley and Jacobean Undercroft daily. The Tourist Information and Visitor Centre, with its changing exhibitions, shop and café, also occupy one of the buildings.

National Maritime Museum, Queen’s House and Royal Observatory:

Britain’s seafaring heritage is dramatically recreated in galleries filled with maritime treasures and artefacts. From the times of early explorers and household names like Nelson, Cook and Shackleton to visions of the future, it uses art, sounds, models and modern technology to provide a worldview of maritime history. The All Hands interactive gallery will keep children happily occupied.

Founded as a scientific institution for navigational research by Charles II in 1675, the Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park, was designed by Sir Christopher Wren. Among its most valued possessions are the clocks developed by John Harrison to determine longitude at sea.

Visitors come from around the world to stand in the courtyard astride the Prime Meridian Longitude Zero, which marks the division between the East and West hemispheres and from which world time zones have been calculated by international agreement since 1884.

Four new award-winning galleries opened last year as part of the £15million Time and Space Project, namely Time and Longitude, Time and Society, Time and Greenwich and Time for the Navy, together they tell the story of time and demonstrate how it has influenced society.

Also part of the Time and Space Project is the iconic new 120-seat Peter Harrison Planetarium opening on 25 May and which will use technologically advanced equipment to explain the Universe under the guidance of the Royal Observatory’s expert astronomers. Sheathed in bronze, its shape symbolising astronomical observation, the building is distinctive but blends sensitively with its historic environment.

Also part of the National Maritime Museum, the perfectly proportioned Queen’s House was begun in 1616 by Inigo Jones as a pleasure pavilion for the Stuart Queen Anne of Denmark, wife of James I. She died before it was completed and Jones finished it in 1635 for Queen Henrietta Maria, wife of Charles I. Of special note are the Great Hall, Tulip Stairs and fine views of the Royal Park. The House now serves as a fine art gallery with changing exhibitions.

Cutty Sark Conservation:

The last of the great tea clippers and the fastest sailing ship of her day, Cutty Sark was originally designed to last 30 years. Built in 1869 to serve the Chinese tea trade, she was later re-routed onto the wool run from Australia where she achieved the fastest passages for the route. Now, at the grand old age of 138, Cutty Sark is undergoing a major £25 million conservation project to preserve her for future generations.

This conservation project will secure the future of the ship and give visitors a truly awe-inspiring experience. Completion is planned for early 2009 but in the meantime a new Visitor Centre has just opened adjacent to the ship, in an architecturally stunning pavilion, inspired by the masts, sails and rigging of Cutty Sark. Visitors to the new exhibition will learn about the conservation techniques being used and the

Cutty Sark Trust’s exciting plans for the ship. Visitors can view a film show about the project, see the conservation works taking place before their eyes via interactive CCTV cameras, as well as symbolically take away Cutty Sark’s problem by making a donation in return for a pinch of salt extracted from the ship during the conservation process. As befits the world’s only remaining tea clipper, there will be an opportunity to taste the types of fine teas that Cutty Sark once carried.

Other Key Attractions:

A former residence of the Rangers of Greenwich Park, the 18th century Ranger’s House is now home to a collection of over 700 works of art brought together by the diamond millionaire Sir Julius Wernher (1850-1912). It contains one of Europe’s finest Renaissance jewellery displays along with old masters, Limoges enamels and an eclectic array of items that appealed to Sir Julius’s personal taste.

The only museum in the world dedicated to the history of fans and the art of fan-making, the Fan Museum has more than 4,000 items displayed in changing exhibitions within two beautifully restored early Georgian houses.

All these historic attractions are within an easy walk of Greenwich Park which affords outstanding views across the Thames to the City of London from its rolling landscape. London’s oldest royal park covering nearly 200 acres, it contains trees planted by Charles II, lovely formal gardens, a children’s playground and a deer enclosure as a reminder of when it was a hunting ground. Several events are staged in the park every year and it has been selected as a 2012 Olympic venue for the main equestrian events.

Maritime Greenwich is easily reached via the Docklands Light Railway alighting at Cutty Sark, or by main line train from four central London stations, namely Charing Cross, Cannon Street, Waterloo East and London Bridge. Alternatively there are several bus services coming through Greenwich or visitors can arrive by passenger boat at Greenwich Pier.

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 Greenwichwhs.org.uk.