Kensington Gardens The gardens of the Kensington Palace cover around 111 hectares or 275 acres and border Hyde Park on the east. Its main attraction is the Kensington Palace one of several royal !alaces in "ondon. History Kensington #ardens The history of Kensington #ardens started in 1$%& 'hen King (illiam III and )ary II bought the *ottingham house in Kensington. The house 'as turned into a !alace by +hristo!her (ren and the five h ectares ,12 acres- large garden 'as enlarged by ueen /nne !artly by ac0uiring forty hectares ,1 acres- of Hyde Park in 175. The garden 'as constantly redesigned es!ecially by ueen /nne and later by ueen +aroline. ueen /nne added the rangery a red3brick building north of the Kensington Palace used for housing !lants during 'inter time. Present Form The !resent form of the Kensington #ardens can be attributed to ueen +aroline 'ife of King #eorge II. 4he added the ound Pond and commissioned the 4er!entine and "ong (ater a large lake at the eastern end of the Kensington #ardens created from a string of !onds. T'o summerhouses 'ere added to the gardens one of them 3 the ueen6s Tem!le 3 still eists. ueen 8ictoria added the Italian gardens and the /lbert )emorial. Sights & Attractions Kensington #ardens is very !o!ular for 'alking and 9ogging. :arly morning you6ll encounter !lenty of !eo!le 'alking their dog. There are 0uite a fe' sights in the !ark several of 'hich are on many tourists6 itinerary including Kensington Palace the /lbert )emorial and the statue of Peter Pan. Kensington Palace The most famous attraction in Kensington #ardens is 'ithout a doubt Kensington Palace the former home of Princess ;iana and the birth!lace of ueen 8ictoria. The red brick !alace 'as originally built in 1$5 as a mansion by the :arl of *ottingham. It became a !alace in 1$%& 'hen it 'as bought by King (illiam III. Today the !alace is still a royal residence 3 !rince (illiam and Kate )iddleton live here 3 but you can visit !arts of the !alace including the ueen6s a!artments and the oyal +eremonial ;ress +ollection. In front of the east side of Kensington Palace is a marble statue of a young ueen 8ictoria created by her o'n daughter Princess "ouise and unveiled in 1%&< in the !resence of the 0ueen. Albert Memorial /t the south end of the Kensington #ardens you6ll find one of "ondon6s most s!ectacular monuments= the /lbert )emorial. The neo3#othic monument over fifty meters ,175ft- tall 'as built in 1%7$ in honor of Prince /lbert the consort of ueen 8ictoria. The monument is designed like a huge medieval shrine and is lavishly decorated 'ith reliefs scul!tures and ornaments. >elo' the !innacle is a gilded statue of the !rince 'ho died in 1%$1 at the age of forty3one.