London's St James's Park is the oldest Royal Park in the city and the site of many special events. The 23-hectare (58 acre) park boasts beautiful gardens, a lake that's home to local waterfowl, and lots of wide open space.The land on which pristine St James's Park sits was acquired by Henry VIII in 1532. At this site, he built St James's Palace. Later, Elizabeth I, who loved pageantry, held many special events in the park, and her successor, King Charles II, made many additions to the park, including more trees and grassy areas. He was the first to open the park to the public.
Throughout the centuries, the park was used as a Royal Zoo, a reservoir, and even a bowling alley, all of which took their toll on the park in one way or another. In the 1830s, John Nash redesigned the park, making it more romantic in style and revitalizing the trees, lawns, and gardens.