Follies · London
Pagoda
Pagoda — Folly or eyecatcher.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 20 min–45 min
- Nearest railway station
- North Sheen · 0.9 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Dog-friendly
About
Pagoda is a folly — a piece of decorative architecture built more for the view than any practical purpose — in the United Kingdom. Records date its origin to 1762. Designed by William Chambers. Wikidata describes it as: "Folly or eyecatcher.". Coordinates: 51.4713°, -0.2957°.
Photo gallery
From the Wikipedia article
The Great Pagoda at Kew Gardens in southwest London was built in 1761 by Sir William Chambers as a present for Princess Augusta, the founder of the gardens. Constructed of grey brick, the pagoda comprises 10 storeys, totalling 163 ft (50 m) in height, with 253 steps to the viewing gallery. Closed for repairs in 2006, the pagoda was reopened in 2018 following a major programme of restoration. It is a Grade I listed building. The ground floor roof is supported on wooden pillars. The storeys above this have arcaded balconies with Chinese Chippendale railings and curved roofs. The roofs are now of lead although they were originally covered in alternating bands of green and white tiles. The 80 restored dragons surmount each roof. Bridget Cherry, in her London 2: South volume of the Buildings of England series, describes the pagoda as "this supreme example of chinoiserie". A study of 2019, written after the restoration, ranked it as "the most important surviving chinoiserie building in Europe".
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
Princess Augusta, widow of Frederick, Prince of Wales, established the botanic garden at Kew in 1759. Augusta employed Sir William Chambers to construct a number of architectural features in the gardens, including temples, a ruined arch and the Great Pagoda. The 18th century saw great increases in trade between China and the West, and led to an explosion of interest in Chinese art and culture. Chambers' pagoda was an early example of this. Born in Sweden, although educated in England, Chambers enlisted with the Swedish East India Company making three voyages to China and Bengal in the 1740s. Later in life, he was to publish a Dissertation on Oriental Gardening and he had already, in 1757,…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.4713, -0.2957
- District
- Richmond upon Thames
- Parish
- Richmond upon Thames, unparished area
- Postcode
- TW9 2AS
- Parliamentary constituency
- Richmond Park
- Established
- 1762
- Nearest railway station
- North Sheen — 0.9 km
- Official site
- www.kew.org
Sources
- osm: w4806085 (ODbL)
- wikipedia: Great Pagoda, Kew Gardens (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: The Chinese Pagoda in Kew Gardens.JPG (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Loading nearby places…
Nearby
📷 5Natural landmarks · London
Stop 3 - The Great Pagoda
Stop 3 - The Great Pagoda — a other in england-london, United Kingdom.
.jpg?width=1200)
📷 5Follies · London
Ruined Arch
Ruined Arch — Folly or eyecatcher.
📷 5Historic houses · London
Stop 2 - Temperate House
Stop 2 - Temperate House — a other in england-london, United Kingdom.
📷 5Public art & sculpture · London
Shepherd by John Cheere
Shepherd by John Cheere in England London, United Kingdom.
Flagship📷 5Historic houses · London
Temperate House
Temperate House — a Grade I-listed historic house in england-london, United Kingdom.
📷 5Public art & sculpture · London
Replica of Donatello's David in the Temperate House, Kew Gardens
Replica of Donatello's David in the Temperate House, Kew Gardens in England London, United Kingdom.
Other works by William Chambers
📷 5Galleries · London
Courtauld Gallery
Courtauld Gallery — art museum of the Courtauld Institute of Art, located in Somerset House, London.
📷 5Gardens · London
Kew Observatory
Kew Observatory — a garden in england-london, United Kingdom.
Flagship📷 5Historic houses · London
Parkstead House
Parkstead House — a Grade I-listed historic house in england-london, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic houses · Central Scotland
Dundas House
Dundas House — office building in St Andrew Square, Edinburgh.
Other follies from this era
📷 5Follies · London
Ruined Arch
Ruined Arch — Folly or eyecatcher.
📷 5Follies · South East England
Beckford's Tower
Beckford's Tower — Folly or eyecatcher.
.jpg?width=1200)
📷 5Follies · South East England
Jackdaw Castle
Jackdaw Castle — Folly or eyecatcher.
📷 5Follies · South East England
King Alfred's Tower
King Alfred's Tower — Folly or eyecatcher, 1769-1770.
More follies in this region
📷 5Follies · London
Arrows and Obelisk
Arrows and Obelisk — Public artwork (sculpture) by Peter Logan.
📷 5Follies · London
Audley End Lion Gate
Audley End Lion Gate — Folly or eyecatcher.
📷 5Follies · London
Audley End Ring Hill Temple
Audley End Ring Hill Temple — Folly or eyecatcher.
📷 5Follies · London
Barrington-White mausoleum
Barrington-White mausoleum is a folly in the United Kingdom.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Pagoda?
- Pagoda is in London, United Kingdom (postcode TW9 2AS), in the parish of Richmond upon Thames, unparished area.
- When was Pagoda built?
- Built or established in 1762. Designed by William Chambers.
- Who owns Pagoda?
- Pagoda is owned by Historic Royal Palaces.
- Is Pagoda free to visit?
- Yes, Pagoda is free to enter.
- How do I get to Pagoda?
- The nearest railway station is North Sheen, about 0.9 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode TW9 2AS.