Rare Look Inside the Secret Passageway to London’s Lost Crystal Palace | National Geographic

you don’t know it’s there so literally I

you don’t know it’s there so literally I can stand on that road up there and say

can stand on that road up there and say

can stand on that road up there and say do you know what’s under your feet and

do you know what’s under your feet and

do you know what’s under your feet and people don’t know this subway was a

people don’t know this subway was a

people don’t know this subway was a pedestrian foot way from the railway

pedestrian foot way from the railway

pedestrian foot way from the railway station into the Crystal Palace the

station into the Crystal Palace the

station into the Crystal Palace the Crystal Palace was a rebuild of the

Crystal Palace was a rebuild of the

Crystal Palace was a rebuild of the Great Exhibition held in 1851 in Hyde

Great Exhibition held in 1851 in Hyde

Great Exhibition held in 1851 in Hyde Park the original Crystal Palace

Park the original Crystal Palace

Park the original Crystal Palace building was modular design so it could

building was modular design so it could

building was modular design so it could be taken down and it was moved here so

be taken down and it was moved here so

be taken down and it was moved here so that they could continue to make money

that they could continue to make money

that they could continue to make money from the exhibition they built a new

from the exhibition they built a new

from the exhibition they built a new high level station about ten years after

high level station about ten years after

high level station about ten years after the Crystal Palace opened on this site

the Crystal Palace opened on this site

the Crystal Palace opened on this site the station was at the other end of this

the station was at the other end of this

the station was at the other end of this foot subway so that you could have a

foot subway so that you could have a

foot subway so that you could have a covered entrance it’s a series of arches

covered entrance it’s a series of arches

covered entrance it’s a series of arches which support the weight of the roadway

which support the weight of the roadway

which support the weight of the roadway above probably designed by Charles Barry

above probably designed by Charles Barry

above probably designed by Charles Barry jr. who just come back from a Grand Tour

jr. who just come back from a Grand Tour

jr. who just come back from a Grand Tour including Italy so it’s got an

including Italy so it’s got an

including Italy so it’s got an Italianate style the palace burnt down

Italianate style the palace burnt down

Italianate style the palace burnt down November the 30th 1936 so after that

November the 30th 1936 so after that

November the 30th 1936 so after that there wasn’t very much traffic on the

there wasn’t very much traffic on the

there wasn’t very much traffic on the line the station was eventually closed

line the station was eventually closed

line the station was eventually closed and so there was no longer a need for

and so there was no longer a need for

and so there was no longer a need for the subway Crystal Palace is an area it

the subway Crystal Palace is an area it

the subway Crystal Palace is an area it isn’t really an area Crystal Palace

isn’t really an area Crystal Palace

isn’t really an area Crystal Palace doesn’t really exist it gains his name

doesn’t really exist it gains his name

doesn’t really exist it gains his name because of the palace that was once

because of the palace that was once

because of the palace that was once there but it’s survived in such

there but it’s survived in such

there but it’s survived in such fantastic condition for so many years

fantastic condition for so many years

fantastic condition for so many years it’s part of and a very important part

it’s part of and a very important part

it’s part of and a very important part of the Heritage the hiddenness of it is

of the Heritage the hiddenness of it is

of the Heritage the hiddenness of it is really exciting every year we open up as

really exciting every year we open up as

really exciting every year we open up as part of open house London the demand is

part of open house London the demand is

part of open house London the demand is clear and I think I think increasingly

clear and I think I think increasingly

clear and I think I think increasingly so in the UK community assets are being

so in the UK community assets are being

so in the UK community assets are being recognized and this is very much seen as

recognized and this is very much seen as

recognized and this is very much seen as a community asset the brickwork inside

a community asset the brickwork inside

a community asset the brickwork inside isn’t exposed to the elements

isn’t exposed to the elements

isn’t exposed to the elements so it has weathered extremely well but

so it has weathered extremely well but

so it has weathered extremely well but it was used in World War

it was used in World War

it was used in World War to us a an air-raid shelter it was then

to us a an air-raid shelter it was then

to us a an air-raid shelter it was then used as a store for statues from the

used as a store for statues from the

used as a store for statues from the park that it was locked up until the

park that it was locked up until the

park that it was locked up until the North society started having cultural

North society started having cultural

North society started having cultural events down here but once a year in the

events down here but once a year in the

events down here but once a year in the 1980s I like the fact that it’s quite

1980s I like the fact that it’s quite

1980s I like the fact that it’s quite ruined and quite magical

ruined and quite magical

ruined and quite magical some people think it’d be a great cafe

some people think it’d be a great cafe

some people think it’d be a great cafe I’d planned for it to be a museum

I’d planned for it to be a museum

I’d planned for it to be a museum personally I think it should maintain

personally I think it should maintain

personally I think it should maintain its integrity it should be kept as

its integrity it should be kept as

its integrity it should be kept as beautiful it is now and people should be

beautiful it is now and people should be

beautiful it is now and people should be encouraged to use the space as it is

encouraged to use the space as it is

encouraged to use the space as it is it’s beautiful