The Great Chinese Pagoda, at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
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. 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 pagoda is built of brick, and rises ten storeys to a height of 163 ft (50 m),[37] with 253 steps to the viewing gallery. The ground floor roof is supported on wooden pillars. The storeys above this have arcaded balconies with Chinese Chippendale railings and curved roofs.[5] 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". The Great Pagoda is a Grade I listed building.
Size: 2048px × 3072px
Location: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Photo credit: © John Gaffen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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