The Upper And Lower Terrace Of The Crystal Palace Gardens

The Upper and Lower Terrace of the Crystal Palace Gardens are located in Crystal Palace Park, Penge. The Crystal Palace was designed by Sir Joseph Paxton for the Great Exhibition of 1851 in Hyde Park and was later dismantled and rebuilt on this site between 1852 and 1854. Although the building itself was destroyed by fire in 1936, the two terraces of the formal garden in front remain. These terraces were also designed by Paxton during the rebuilding. Each terrace features a series of round-headed arches with semi-circular semi-domed niches arranged in groups of three, separated by taller pilasters that extend up into a balustrade. The balustrade has a similar design of narrow round-headed arches, with the taller pilasters topped by vases or statues. There are flights of steps leading down from each terrace at intervals, and the area between the terraces is decorated with fountains and statues.