Crystal Palace, London, UK
Once a Victorian masterpiece, this impressive glass and steel structure was built in 1851 in London’s Hyde Park but it was later moved to Penge Place, where it remained for 82 years. In its heyday, it was home to a mind-boggling array of delights: a roller coaster, festivals, cricket matches and even a garden complete with model dinosaurs all featured within its grounds in the south of the capital.
Tragically, the building was swallowed up by flames in 1936 and it’s still not known how the fire was started and if it was intentional. Currently, remnants of the palace including terraces, sphinxes, and a huge bust of its designer Sir Joseph Paxton can be seen in the park, which has been renamed Crystal Palace Park.
