
Hyde Park is a royal park in London, England. It is the largest of four royal parks in the city, and it was established by King Henry VIII in 1536 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries; he took land from Westminster Abbey and turned it into a hunting ground. It opened to the public in 1637 and became popular for May Day parades, and Queen Caroline of Ansbach oversaw several improvements during the early 18th century. In 1872, Speakers' Corner was established as a point of free speech and debate, and various reform movements such as the Chartists and suffragettes held demonstrations there. In the late 20th century, the park also came to host concerts by bands such as Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, and Queen.