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Surviving the Crystal Palace Fire: 160-Year-Old Subway lives on

The Crystal Palace Subway will open its doors to the public for the first time following a major restoration, just in time for its 160th anniversary in 2025. The structure dates from 1865 and is the most substantial survivor of the huge Crystal Palace complex which was dramatically lost to fire in 1936.

It was previously used as an air raid shelter during World War Two, and then became an occasional community event space, with The Chemical Brothers filming their 1996 music video for Setting Sun in and around the subway.

The subway will be run by Crystal Palace Park Trust, the new community-led custodian of the park in which the subway is located. The space will be opened to the public as part of the Open House Festival on Saturday 21st September.

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6 minutes

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