Out of the ASHES
The word ‘palace’ tends to conjure up images of a grand, gilded building that is the preserve of a select few, yet in the case of north London’s Alexandra Palace, nothing could be further from the truth. First opened in 1873 as “The People’s Palace”, this was a purpose-built entertainment venue and recreation centre for Victorian England and almost 100,000 people visited in its first two weeks alone.
The location was key to the success. The palace was built in Alexandra Park – a 196-acre green space that had been created 10 years previously by the acclaimed landscape architect Alexander Mackenzie and offered panoramic views of the central London
