\paperw3360 \margr0\margl0\ATXph16380 \plain \fs20 \f1 \fs22 This is one of LondonÆs true delights: an enchanting smaller park that is more wooded and intimate than the large roy
al parks to its east. It was opened in 1952 on what remained of the grounds of Holland House, once land had been sold off for building development in the late nineteenth century. The remains of the house have since been turned into a youth hostel, whil
e the outhouses host exhibition space in the orangery and ice house and a pleasant restaurant in what used to be the Garden Ballroom. The trend towards a symmetrical layout was a typical feature of Jacobean architecture. To get an idea of the large-sc
ale of the original Holland House of 1607, one may imagine the medieval dining hall being turned into a vestibule and the east wing (now the youth hostel) being a grandiose hall centred in the faτade. Despite its relatively small size, Holland Park has
an abundance of wildlife, including peacocks. There is also an open-air theatre for opera, plays and dance, as well as a Japanese garden created in 1991 for the London Festival of Japan.\par
