The Serpentine
| The Serpentine | ||
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| The Serpentine, east part, as seen from the bridge over the lake. | ||
| Geographical location | City of Westminster , London | |
| Tributaries | Westbourne | |
| Drain | Westbourne | |
| Places on the shore | London | |
| Data | ||
| Coordinates | 51 ° 30 '19 " N , 0 ° 10' 10" W | |
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| surface | 11 ha | |
| length | 1.2 km | |
| width | 183 m | |
| Maximum depth | 12 m | |
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| The Serpentine in Hyde Park on a city map from 1833 (detail) | ||
The Serpentine is an 11 acre lake in London . It is mostly in Hyde Park , the north end is part of Kensington Gardens . The West Carriage Drive (The Ring) , which also forms the border between the two parks, bridges the lake. The Serpentine was created in 1730 by order of Queen Caroline , wife of George II , by damming the Westbourne River .
The serpentine got its name because of its curved shape. The north end of the lake is natural and is the habitat of various water birds. The eastern part is open to various leisure activities such as swimming, rowing and fishing. The Serpentine Road along the north bank is popular with inline skaters and joggers. Two restaurants and other recreational facilities are located on the lake shore.
Close to the lake, in a neo-classical building, is the Serpentine Gallery , maintained by the Arts Council of Great Britain , where exhibitions by internationally known artists and sculptors take place. The Serpentine gave its name to the gallery, which has an outdoor and indoor area.
Occasionally, The Serpentine is used for sporting events. In 2002 the World Rowing Sprints, a rowing competition , took place. During the Olympic Games in 2012 , triathlon swimming competitions and open water swimming competitions were held in the lake .
