The Royal Observatory Greenwich is the site of the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and the “Prime Meridian” and is therefore one of the most important historical scientific places in the world. Built by Sir Christopher Wren in 1675. Due to an international agreement, this is the official starting point of every new day, year and millennium. You can see the time ball drop every day at 1 p.m. Visitors can stand on the western and eastern hemisphere at the same time by placing one leg on both sides of the Greenwich Meridian. The Royal Observatory is part of the National Maritime Museum and has been on the World Heritage list since 1997 by UNESCO.
The Royal Observatory explains the bizarre phenomena of time, space and astronomy. The Planetarium allows visitors to explore the wonders of space. And Flamsteed House, Sir Christoper Wren’s first building, houses London’s only publicly accessible Camera Obscura.
The Royal Observatory Greenwich is located in beautiful Greenwich Park. In the immediate vicinity are the National Maritime Museum, the Old Royal Naval College, the Cutty Sark Clipper Ship and the Queen’s House.