Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain, Memorial fountain in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom.
The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain is a granite memorial in Hyde Park, Westminster, London. Water flows in an oval loop over different surfaces, creating fast cascades in some sections and gentle streams in others.
Queen Elizabeth II opened the fountain in July 2004, with Prince Charles, William, Harry and Diana's brother Charles Spencer in attendance. The project was built to designs by American landscape architect Kathryn Gustafson.
The name honors Diana Spencer, whose approachable nature is reflected in the design – people are welcome to touch the water and even wade in. This openness sets the fountain apart from most other royal monuments in London, which usually remain behind barriers.
The fountain opens daily at 10 AM, closing around 4 PM in winter and 8 PM in summer. On hot days many families come to cool off, so mornings are usually quieter.
The granite stones were quarried in Cornwall and each one was shaped by computer to make the water behave in a precise way at every point. Each of the more than 500 pieces has a different form and surface.
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