Monuments & Ruins

Not every statue in London. The ones worth crossing the road for: Roman wall, medieval ruins, and the monuments that earn a detour.

Tell us what we can do better, or what you’re trying to discover.

Crystal Palace Terraces

The terraces and sphinxes of a palace that burnt in a night, with nothing on top of them.

RuinsFree

Photo by Marathon, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Paxton's Crystal Palace was moved from Hyde Park to this hilltop in 1854 and burnt down on the night of 30 November 1936, in a blaze seen from eight counties. What is left is the ground it stood on: two great Italianate terraces with their balustrades and staircases, the six sphinxes that flanked the steps, returned in 2018 to the terracotta red they were painted in the 1850s, and the bust of Paxton looking at the space. Below the Parade is the Victorian subway that brought passengers under the road from the station, a fan-vaulted brick crypt that opens to the public on set days. From the top terrace the view runs to the North Downs.

Where
Crystal Palace Parade, SE19 1UA
Nearest station
Crystal Palace · 7 min walk

NearbyMonuments & Ruins

NearbyOther Categories

See more nearby listings

Submit a correction for this listing.

Data is compiled from public sources including OpenStreetMap, under the ODbL. Hours change often, so check before making a journey.

Which area are you in?