Victorian Exhibitions Gallery

Crystal Palace FF91_00333

CRYSTAL PALACE, Sydenham, London. These giant figures depicting the Egyptian pharaoh Rameses II, copied from the temple at Abu Simbel, dominated the Tropical transept at the north end of the Crystal Palace. This view may be by Delamotte who took two earlier series of photographs of the Crystal Palace at Sydenham. It is hand coloured, and reproduces the decorative scheme for the Palace devised by Owen Jones. Probably photographed 1854-66 by Philip Henry Delamotte

© Historic England

Crystal Palace after the fire 1936 rhw11521_h6133

CRYSTAL PALACE, Sydenham Hill, London. View of the remains of the Crystal Palace after the fire in November 1936. Although 89 fire engines and over 400 firemen attended the blaze, they were unable to save the building. It was not adequately insured to enable reconstruction. The two towers were removed during World War II. Photographed by R H Windsor

© Historic England