The Great Pagoda is a 10-storey, octagonal landmark in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, designed by Sir William Chambers and completed in 1762. Its Chinese-inspired form is topped with 80 colourful dragons, restored in 2018. You can admire the building from the gardens or, when public access is available, climb 253 steps for views across Kew and London. Displays inside explain its history and conservation. Reaching the top takes effort, but benches on alternate landings give you places to pause.
A gift to Princess Augusta
Sir William Chambers designed the Great Pagoda for Princess Augusta, founder of Kew Gardens. Completed in 1762, it was one of more than 20 garden structures he designed. Chambers had travelled in China and studied East Asian architecture; the pagoda reflects the 18th-century European fashion for Chinoiserie, a European interpretation of East Asian design.
Its 10 octagonal storeys rise to about 50 metres. Curved roofs and Chinese Chippendale-style railings give the exterior its distinctive profile. The building was intended as a garden feature and a place from which to take in views of London.
The dragons and restoration
The pagoda originally had 80 dragons around its roofs. They were removed in 1784, after exposure to the weather and structural concerns. A major restoration, completed in 2018, returned dragons to the building. The replacements were made using modern materials and restored the pagoda’s colourful appearance.
The work addressed the challenges of conserving an old structure while bringing back details associated with its original design. You can see the dragons from the gardens without climbing inside.
Climbing the pagoda
When the building is open to the public, you can climb the internal staircase to the upper floors. The route has 253 steps and is narrow, so take your time. Benches on alternate landings provide places to rest.
Access is arranged in bookable half-hour slots on specified dates, and climbing requires a separate ticket. Public access can be limited in winter. Inside, displays cover the pagoda’s construction, history and conservation. From above, views extend across Kew Gardens and, on clear days, towards London.
Perguntas frequentes
How many steps are there in the Great Pagoda?
There are 253 steps to climb. Benches on alternate landings provide places to pause.
Can you climb the Great Pagoda?
Yes, when public access is available. Climbing requires a separate ticket and a bookable half-hour slot on specified dates.
What can you see from the top of the Great Pagoda?
The upper levels look out over Kew Gardens and, on clear days, across London.
When was the Great Pagoda built?
Sir William Chambers designed it for Princess Augusta, and it was completed in 1762.
