Great Pagoda, Kew Gardens

Great Pagoda
"This supreme example of Chinoiserie"
TypePagoda
LocationKew Gardens, London
Coordinates51°28′17″N 0°17′45″W / 51.4713°N 0.2957°W / 51.4713; -0.2957
Height163 ft (50 m)
Built1761
Restored2018
Restored byAustin-Smith:Lord
Current useMuseum
ArchitectSir William Chambers
Architectural style(s)Chinoiserie
Governing bodyHistoric Royal Palaces
Listed Building – Grade I
Official nameThe Pagoda
Designated10 January 1950
Reference no.1262593[1]
Great Pagoda, Kew Gardens is located in London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
Great Pagoda, Kew Gardens
Location of Great Pagoda in London Borough of Richmond upon Thames

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,[2] with 253 steps to the viewing gallery.[3] Closed for repairs in 2006, the pagoda was reopened in 2018 following a major programme of restoration. It is a Grade I listed building.[1]

The ground floor roof is supported on wooden pillars. The storeys above this have arcaded balconies with Chinese Chippendale railings and curved roofs.[1] The roofs are now of lead although they were originally covered in alternating bands of green and white tiles.[4] The 80 restored dragons surmount each roof.[a] Bridget Cherry, in her London 2: South volume of the Buildings of England series, describes the pagoda as "this supreme example of chinoiserie".[2] A study of 2019, written after the restoration, ranked it as "the most important surviving chinoiserie building in Europe".[5]

  1. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference auto was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c Cherry & Pevsner 2002, p. 512.
  3. ^ "Climb the Great Pagoda at Kew". Royal Botanical Gardens Kew. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  4. ^ Harris & Snodin 1996, p. 65.
  5. ^ Prosser, Lee (20 November 2019). "The Great Pagoda at Kew: Colour and Technical Innovation in Chinoiserie Architecture". Architectural History. 62. Cambridge University Press: 69–88. doi:10.1017/arh.2019.3. S2CID 214482397.


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