Sights · Our pick in London
The Painted Hall, Old Royal Naval College
Thornhill’s painted ceiling
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Dmitry Tonkonog · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout The Painted Hall, Old Royal Naval College
The Old Royal Naval College, designed by Sir Christopher Wren as a hospital for seamen, frames the view from the river to the Queen’s House. Its Painted Hall was decorated by Sir James Thornhill between 1707 and 1726, with walls and ceiling covered in allegorical paintings; daybeds let you lie back and look up. The chapel opposite is also open to visitors.
Why it's on our list
- Thornhill’s paintings
- Wren buildings
- Riverside setting
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with The Painted Hall, Old Royal Naval College before you go.
What’s nearby
Distances from The Painted Hall, Old Royal Naval College 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
- Cutty Sark for Maritime GreenwichDLR0.2 mi4 min walk
- Island GardensDLR0.4 mi8 min walk
- Maze HillNational Rail0.4 mi9 min walk
Nearest taxi ranks
- Taxi rank, Greenwich High Road0.5 mi9 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 London3.5 miCycle 22 minCar or taxi 29 min
- The Shard3.8 miCycle 24 minCar or taxi 31 min
- London Eye5.1 miCycle 33 minCar or taxi 41 min
- Westminster Abbey5.3 miCycle 34 minCar or taxi 43 min
- Covent Garden5.4 miCycle 35 minCar or taxi 43 min
- Trafalgar Square5.5 miCycle 36 minCar or taxi 44 min
- Leicester Square5.7 miCycle 36 minCar or taxi 45 min
- The British Museum5.8 miCycle 37 minCar or taxi 46 min
- Buckingham Palace6.0 miCycle 39 minCar or taxi 48 min
- Harrods6.8 miCycle 44 minCar or taxi 54 min
Main rail terminals
- London Bridge3.7 miCycle 24 minCar or taxi 31 min
- Liverpool Street4.1 miCycle 26 minCar or taxi 33 min
- Waterloo4.8 miCycle 31 minCar or taxi 39 min
- Charing Cross5.4 miCycle 35 minCar or taxi 43 min
- Victoria6.0 miCycle 38 minCar or taxi 47 min
- King’s Cross St Pancras6.0 miCycle 39 minCar or taxi 48 min
- St Pancras International (Eurostar)6.2 miCycle 40 minCar or taxi 49 min
- Euston6.3 miCycle 41 minCar or taxi 50 min
- Paddington7.6 miCar or taxi 60 min