One of my dreams has always been to visit Greenwich. Well, recently I had the good fortune to make this dream come true. During my visit to London, I couldn't miss to go to the Royal Observatory. One sunny afternoon we took the subway and headed for Greenwich. The weather was great for a walk. After about 30 minutes we were there and we only had to go through the park to reach the observatory. The distance is not big and it is not too steep so it is fast. In just a few minutes we were upstairs. The park was full and it was very nice to watch the children play and the families have a picnic. We also saw a very interesting ship in a bottle.
When we reached the observatory we realized how beautiful it is. It is first on the list of the International Astronomical Union and from it comes the famous Greenwich Mean Time. Undoubtedly, however, the most famous there is the famous Greenwich meridian.
Opening hours are until 5 pm, so keep this in mind if you want to visit it. We were there at 4, which was quite enough to see. The ticket was about 15 pounds, and for children it was 8. So if you want to visit the whole family, you do not need to spend a lot of money. We hastily bought tickets and went in to see.
The Royal Observatory was established in the 17th century during the reign of King Charles 2. It has played a key role in the development of navigation and astronomy over the centuries. We saw various artifacts, clocks, some of the first navigation devices, the most accurate pendulum clock and what not. I really liked this globe, where you can see what time it is in other cities around the world in real time.
Although it has played a key role in astronomy and navigation over the years, today the observatory operates primarily as a museum. At the end of the last century, most of its activities were moved to other places. Today, only occasionally are some of the telescopes used for various studies.
One of the most impressive things was the large equatorial telescope. To reach it you have to go up to the top floor by narrow stairs. But when we arrived I was amazed by its size. It turned out to be the largest such telescope in Britain. But today, according to the observatory itself, the telescope is used
"more to teach people astronomy and the wonders of the night sky than for research."
But the biggest attraction is the Greenwich meridian. This meridian is perceived as the initial meridian of the world. It has been used around the world for hundreds of years as a standard for mapping and timing. It divides our planet into Eastern and Western Hemispheres. When you step on both sides of it at the same time you feel a strange feeling that you are in the center of the world. I am very glad that I experienced this feeling. Another thing I didn't know and really liked was that on both sides of the meridian are inscribed the larger cities around the world and their geographical coordinates.
Last but not least, remember that the Royal Observatory is located at the highest point in Greenwich Park. This means that there are amazing views of the whole of London. It was truly stunning and breathtaking. And if we didn't have to leave because the end of working hours was approaching, I would probably stay and take pictures for hours.
After seeing these beauties, I understood why it was full of so many people who just stood, talked and enjoyed life. If I lived in London, it would be a favorite place to walk. And a place I definitely want to go back to.
Thank you for being with me and for being able to share with you a small part of this great place and experience. 😘