LEARN more about four of the "people's palaces" built to entertain the masses of Victorian England at an illustrated talk tonight at Bexley Village library.
Speaker Diana Rimel will give a glimpse into the history of Crystal Palace and Alexandra Palace, both in London, and two more in Mile End, east London and in Glasgow.
Crystal Palace was built in Hyde Park from glass and iron in 1851 for the Great Exhibition.
Afterwards it was rebuilt in Sydenham, where it was reopened by Queen Victoria in 1854, as a "winter garden under glass".
It attracted two million visitors a year to its festivals, displays and shows. The building was destroyed by a fire in 1936.
Alexandra Palace was opened in 1873 and also suffered a fire just 12 days after opening, which destroyed it.
It was rebuilt and reopened two years later and became a broadcasting centre for the BBC.
Today, in 196 acres of parkland, it is still a centre for entertainment.
Tickets for the talk cost £2.50 and are available from the library in Bourne Road, or by calling 020 8303 7777 ext 3361.
The talk starts at 7.30pm.
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