Discover the Painted Hall in Greenwich – London’s answer to the Sistine Chapel.
We don’t say this lightly, but Greenwich’s Painted Hall is one of the most beautiful places we’ve ever visited in London.
Situated on the southern banks of the River Thames, inside the Old Royal Naval College, this is a stunning Baroque hall with more than 3,700 square metres of Baroque painting covering its walls and ceiling. Yes, you heard that right, 3,700 square metres.
You’ll have, no doubt, seen this grand hall popping up all over Instagram – and for good reason. It’s genuinely one of the best things to do in Greenwich.
Word of warning: prepare to take plenty of photos of this 18th-century beauty during your visit – and don’t forget to read to the end for practical tips on how to visit.
PS: check out our video of Greenwich’s best spots.
The images of the Painted Hall
So, we’ve established that the hall is pretty spectacular, but what are the paintings all about? Let us enlighten you.
There are over 200 figures featured on the ceiling, each helping to tell the story of Britain’s political, cultural, and naval achievements. One of the most famous depictions in the artwork is of King William III, Queen Mary II and King George I’s Protestant acquisition of the throne.
And if you were in any doubt, Thornhill was an incredible artist who used techniques like trompe l’oeil and chiaroscuro (the use of light and dark paint to create contrast) to bring the Greenwich ceiling to life.
He was deeply inspired by Italian Baroque painting, which is why his work has such a Renaissance feel to it.
History of the Painted Hall in Greenwich
Easily one of Europe’s most beautiful (and famous) Baroque interiors, the Greenwich Painted Hall ceiling was the brainchild of artist Sir James Thornhill.
Famously likened to the Sistine Chapel, this huge project took over 19 years to create, until it was finally completed in 1726.
Thornhill was given the title Painter-in-ordinary by King George I in 1718, then Sergeant-Painter in 1720 – and on 2 May that year, six years before the ceiling was even finished, he was knighted for his work. He was paid a pound per square yard for the walls and three pounds per square yard for the ceiling, adding up to £6,685 for his efforts (not too shabby, considering this amounts to roughly £1.4 million in today’s money).
He was the first artist in the UK to be given a knighthood for his work – pretty special, if you ask us.
What was the Painted Hall originally?
The Painted Hall has had many weird and wonderful uses over the years. It was originally created to serve as an opulent dining room for old naval workers, although it quickly turned into a special function room for high-paying visitors.
Lord Nelson’s body
Most famously, the hall hosted Lord Nelson’s body after he died in the Battle of Trafalgar, until January 1806, when he was taken to St Paul’s Cathedral to his final resting place.
Of course, this was incredibly popular, and hordes of people visited in order to catch a glimpse of the hero’s coffin. When you visit, keep your eye out for a plaque on the floor that marks the exact spot where his coffin lay all those years ago.
National Gallery of Naval Art
The Greenwich Painted Hall was transformed into the first National Gallery of Naval Art when it opened to the public in spring 1824 – a few months, in fact, before the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square. The ceiling actually took a backseat, as over 300 paintings by artists including J.M.W Turner and Sir Joshua Reynolds were showcased in the hall. The gallery ran until 1936, when the collection moved to the newly established National Maritime Museum; some pieces are still on show there and in the Queen’s House today, while busts of Nelson and fellow naval officer James Goodenough ended up in the Painted Hall’s own visitor centre.
Following this, the hall was used as a dining area for Royal Navy trainees between 1937 and 1997, before being opened to the public thereafter.
How to visit the Painted Hall in the Old Royal Naval College
Located in the charming Greenwich borough, you’ll find the Old Royal Naval College a five-minute walk from the Cutty Sark, and within easy reach of the rest of our pick of things to do in Greenwich, including the National Maritime Museum’s oddly hypnotic Tulip Stairs.
The Old Royal Naval College is the vast centrepiece of the many Greenwich maritime landmarks, complete with an equally impressive chapel and a brilliant cafe serving a cracking afternoon tea.
Can’t make it to the Painted Hall in person? You can take a virtual tour on the website, with 360 views of the ceiling and an up-close view of the artwork’s details.
If you want to know more about the particular people featured in the artwork and Thornhill’s life, time your visit for one of the free gallery talks, which run every half hour between 11am and 4pm and are included in general admission. You’ll get all the insider knowledge and be able to really impress your friends when you come back to visit.
If the weather is nice, do yourself a favour and pack a picnic for the Old Royal Naval College grounds. It’ll be one of the prettiest picnics you’ve ever had.
Getting there
Our favourite way to get there is through the Greenwich Foot Tunnel – spend some time admiring the beauty of this under-the-Thames cut-through before experiencing the Painted Hall for yourself.
Or alternatively, the nearest stations to the Painted Hall are Greenwich railway station, or Cutty Sark on the DLR line. Be sure to spend some time fully exploring the area, as there are some brilliant restaurants and cafes nearby.
The London x London Take: people fly to Rome for ceilings less impressive than this one, and the Painted Hall still doesn’t get the queues it deserves. Thornhill spent almost two decades on this room, and it shows in every inch, from the trompe l’oeil pillars that aren’t really there to the plaque marking the exact spot where Nelson’s coffin once lay. Give it more than a cursory glance on your way to the Cutty Sark – it rewards slowing down.
Need to know
- Where: Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, London, SE10 9NN
- When: Daily, 10am-5pm (grounds open 8am-11pm); hours can shift around events, so check before you go
- Price: General admission is £19 for adults, with accompanied children going free – this buys unlimited entry for a full year
- Booking: Book tickets and check current opening times here
- Getting there: Greenwich railway station or Cutty Sark DLR, both a five-minute walk away
