Crystal Palace Park

Crystal Palace is home to a 200-acre park that houses a National Sports Centre and Stadium alongside a historical wooded landscape.

Formerly the home of the Great North Wood, the park is situated on one of the highest points in London and offers stunning views across central London.

Crystal Palace Park came into being as the permanent home for the Crystal Palace that housed the Great Exhibition in 1851. In 1854 the park opened and was described as 'the worlds first theme park', people from London and further a field flooded in to see the exhibitions and events held there. Unfortunately the Palace burned down in 1936 and was never replaced, however the terraces and retaining walls of the palace can still be seen.

Motor racing was a big part of the parks history, up until the 1970s regular races took place on the track there and the park was used to film car scenes from the film 'The Italian Job'. Other sporting activities to take place in the park include football (the FA Cup final was held in the park between 1895 and 1914), as well as the events that take place in the Grade II listed National Sports Centre.

The Grand Central Walk runs from the site of the Palace to the steps of the National Sports Centre, however the original walkway linked the Palace to the Penge Gate and was 2,660 feet long. The park also houses London's largest maze, boating lake, a swimming pool, a museum, children's farm, several Waterhouse Hawkins Grade I listed dinosaur models, the South Basin Pool, a railway station and much more.

Find out more about Crystal Palace Park.

How to get there

The closest mainline train stations are situated at Crystal Palace and Sydenham Hill.

If travelling by bus the 3, 122, 157, 202, 227, 249, 322, 358, 363, 410, 417, 432 and 450 all serve the area.