Description: | The Great Exhibition was held in Hyde Park in 1851, with as many as a million people visiting it, many of them tourists from Europe and America. The exhibition held displays from all over the British Empire, but the biggest attraction was the building in which the exhibition was held. Called the Crystal Palace, it was a vast iron and glass construction, unlike anything that had ever been built before. After the exhibition, the entire structure was moved to south London, where it remained a popular attraction. This popularity generated a service industry around the site, such as restaurants, cafes and confectioners. |