Sights · Our pick in London
Royal Observatory and the Prime Meridian
Stand on the meridian
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Daniel Case · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout Royal Observatory and the Prime Meridian
The Royal Observatory was founded by Charles II in 1675, and Flamsteed House, by Sir Christopher Wren, sits at the top of Greenwich Park. Here the Prime Meridian marks longitude 0°, and you can stand with a foot in each hemisphere. There is also a planetarium. The view from the hill over the Queen’s House to Canary Wharf is one of London’s best.
Why it's on our list
- Prime Meridian line
- Flamsteed House
- Planetarium
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Royal Observatory and the Prime Meridian before you go.
What’s nearby
Distances from Royal Observatory and the Prime Meridian are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 15 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest stations
- Maze HillNational Rail0.4 mi9 min walk
- Cutty Sark for Maritime GreenwichDLR0.6 mi11 min walk
- GreenwichDLRNational Rail0.6 mi13 min walk
Nearest taxi ranks
- Taxi rank, Greenwich High Road0.6 mi11 min walk
Black cabs can also be hailed in the street: a lit yellow TAXI sign means the cab is available.
Key sights
- Tower of London3.9 miCycle 25 minCar or taxi 32 min
- The Shard4.2 miCycle 27 minCar or taxi 34 min
- London Eye5.4 miCycle 35 minCar or taxi 43 min
- Westminster Abbey5.7 miCycle 37 minCar or taxi 45 min
- Covent Garden5.8 miCycle 37 minCar or taxi 46 min
- Trafalgar Square5.9 miCycle 38 minCar or taxi 47 min
- Leicester Square6.0 miCycle 39 minCar or taxi 48 min
- The British Museum6.2 miCycle 40 minCar or taxi 49 min
- Buckingham Palace6.3 miCycle 41 minCar or taxi 50 min
- Harrods7.2 miCar or taxi 56 min
Main rail terminals
- London Bridge4.1 miCycle 27 minCar or taxi 34 min
- Liverpool Street4.5 miCycle 29 minCar or taxi 37 min
- Waterloo5.2 miCycle 34 minCar or taxi 42 min
- Charing Cross5.8 miCycle 38 minCar or taxi 46 min
- Victoria6.3 miCycle 40 minCar or taxi 50 min
- King’s Cross St Pancras6.5 miCycle 42 minCar or taxi 51 min
- St Pancras International (Eurostar)6.6 miCycle 43 minCar or taxi 52 min
- Euston6.7 miCycle 43 minCar or taxi 53 min
- Paddington8.0 miCar or taxi 62 min