Belgravia (/bɛlˈɡreɪviə/)[1] is a district in Central London,[2] covering parts of the areas of the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

Belgravia was known as the 'Five Fields' during the Tudor Period, and became a dangerous place due to highwaymen and robberies.

[3] The area is mostly in the City of Westminster, with a small part of the western section in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

[7] The nearest London Underground stations are Hyde Park Corner, Knightsbridge and Sloane Square.

Victoria station, a major National Rail, tube and coach interchange, is to the east of the district.

[6] The area takes its name from the village of Belgrave, Cheshire, two miles (3 km) from the Grosvenor family's main country seat of Eaton Hall.

[10][11] Despite its reputation for crime and violence, Five Fields was a pleasant area during the daytime, and various market gardens were established.

In 1826, Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster received rights from Parliament to build on land that was to become Belgravia, and came into agreement with Thomas Cubitt to design an estate.

[12] Towards the late 19th century, Belgravia ranked among other fashionable areas in London such as Tyburnia and Mayfair.

[13] After World War II, some of the largest houses ceased to be used as residences, or townhouses for the country gentry and aristocracy, and were increasingly occupied by embassies, charity headquarters, professional institutions and other businesses.

[15] As of 2013, many residential properties in Belgravia were owned by wealthy foreigners who may have other luxury residences in exclusive locations worldwide, so many are temporarily unoccupied as their owners are elsewhere.

The increase in land value has been in sharp contrast to the UK average and has left the area empty and isolated.

It was laid out by the property contractor Thomas Cubitt for the 2nd Earl Grosvenor, later to be the 1st Marquess of Westminster, beginning in 1826.

[3] The square contains statues of Christopher Columbus, Simón Bolívar, José de San Martín, Prince Henry the Navigator, the 1st Marquess of Westminster, a bust of Basevi and a sculpture entitled "Homage to Leonardo, the Vitruvian Man", by Italian sculptor Enzo Plazzotta.

The square is one of London's largest and is divided into six compartments by the upper end of King's Road (northeast of Sloane Square), a main road, now busy with traffic, that occupies its long axis, and two smaller cross streets.

[21][22] It is a Grade II* listed building, in a Greek revival style featuring a six-columned Ionic portico and a clock tower.

The scientist William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin lived here, as did the Irish Unionist Edward Carson.

[27][28] Wilton Crescent was created by Thomas Cundy II, the Grosvenor family estate surveyor, and was drawn up with the original 1821 Wyatt plan for Belgravia.

The play Major Barbara is partly set at Lady Britomart's house in Wilton Crescent.

Mick Jagger and James Fox once filmed in Leonard Plugge's house in Lowndes Square.

Flunkeyania or Belgravian Morals, written under the pseudonym "Chawles", was one of the novels serialised in The Pearl, an allegedly pornographic Victorian magazine.

[36] In the popular British television series Upstairs, Downstairs (1971–1975), the scene is set in the household of Richard Bellamy (later 1st Viscount Bellamy of Haversham) at 165 Eaton Place, Belgravia (65 Eaton Place was used for exterior shots; a "1" was painted in front of the house number).

In 2010, filming began on a mini-series intended to pick up the story of one of the main characters, Rose Buck, in 1936, as she returns to 165 Eaton Place to serve as the Holland family's housekeeper.

[38] Moreover, Conan Doyle's friend and literary collaborator, Bertram Fletcher Robinson, died in Belgravia in 1907.

The Princess Switch, a 2018 Netflix original movie starring Vanessa Hudgens, takes place largely in the fictional kingdom of Belgravia.