Friday, March 29, 2013

Interesting Information about Belgravia

By Rachel Knols


Located in the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Belgravia is a district like none other. It is in the heart of London and is surrounded by famous streets like Sloane Street, Knightsbridge, Grosvenor Place, Pimlico Road, Buckingham Palace Road, Sloane Street. However, the feature that sets this Central London district apart is its calm and relaxing atmosphere. In contrast to it are the neighbouring areas where life is hectic because of the many hotels and office blocks.

Postcodes

The Belgravia district encompasses 400 acres of land, all of which was inherited by the Grosvenor family. Furthermore, the name Belgravia comes from a village- Belgrave- on the family's estate back in Leicestershire. The area postcodes are SW1X, SW1W.

Area history

An interesting fact is that, during the Georgian Period, the houses in Belgrave were made generally on site and had brick facades. Moreover, owing to the influence the Italian style had on the Victorians, the buildings in Belgravia were first covered in stucco and later painted. Modern construction aims to imitate the mews houses style, however, on a different scale. The new houses are gated and offer a more suitable living space to the smaller families of today.

Famous residents

Several famous people have lived in the district of Belgravia. In 1764, while he was still 8 years old and living at 180 Ebury Street, Mozart composed his first symphony. The area has of lately became unofficially known as "Mozart square". Vivien Leigh- a famous actress- spent a large part of her life at 53 Eaton Square. Her popularity comes from her portrayal of Scarlett O'Hara from Gone with the Wind (1939) which won her an Academy Award.

Transport Networks

In Belgravia there are many types of transport: the Tube, train or bus. Moreover, because the transportation network is exceptionally well connected, there are links to destinations inside the city and the rest of the UK. If you wish to travel to the South or South East part of the UK, you should pick a train from the Victoria Station, Southeastern, Gatwick Express or Southern.

Underground station

From Belgravia you can easily go to any part of London using the four major lines- Victoria, Circle, District Lines and Piccadilly. The underground stations you can go to are Victoria, Sloane Square and Green Park (all in zone 1).

Airport Travel

Travelling to the London airports- Stansted, Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton- is very easy because of the Victoria Coach Station. It is one of the most significant stations in London, and from there you can also travel to many other domestic and foreign destinations.

Attractions in Belgravia

The shopping area known as Collonade Place, located on the southern perimeter in the residential area, is well-known for its wares. In the middle of Belgravia you will find Ebury Square. It is one of the most beautiful gardens in London.

Gardens and Square

The Grosvenor Gardens are named after the Grosvenor family which was the greatest patron and landowner of its time in Central London. Cast from bronze, The Statue of Mozart is the centrepiece of the Orange Square which can be found in the western part of Belgravia.




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