Palaces to visit London

Right next door to the Palace of Westminster, Banqueting House is a resilient presence within Whitehall, remaining the only part of the building not destroyed by the tragic fire of 1698. The fire, started by a maid inadvertently leaving her washing to dry far too close to the fireplace, engulfed much of this magnificent palace. Banqueting House, an authentic architectural treasure, was built by Inigo Jones between 1619 and 1622, one of England's leading classical architects. A testament to the classical style, and more specifically the Palladian style, close to the Italian Renaissance, Banqueting House embodies an aesthetic which, at the time, was totally revolutionary in England.

Comprising a single hall spread over two levels, Banqueting House was long the epicenter of grandiose festivities. In 1635, Charles ^I commissioned Rubens to paint a fresco on the ceiling in memory of his father. But once the work was finished, he feared that the smoke would damage the painting, and the feasts were held elsewhere. It was this same Charles ^I who was beheaded in front of the Palace of Whitehall on January 30, 1639, bearing the brunt of the first English revolution. Rubens' work is the painter's only in situ painting. It features three main scenes: the union of the crowns, the apotheosis of James ^I and his reign. Between 1890 and 1964, the building served as an army chapel and museum. Today, it is occasionally used for receptions.

The building that once housed royal residences now embodies the Houses of Parliament, the prestigious precinct where the UK's House of Commons and House of Lords operate.
Originally built in 1097, Westminster Hall is the oldest part of the building. The rest of the building dates back to the ^19th century, after a gigantic fire destroyed much of it in 1834. Architect Sir Charles Barry (1795-1860) was commissioned to rebuild the building in a neo-Gothic style inspired by the Tudor era. Work lasted from 1840 to 1852. Today, the palace extends over 3.24 hectares and is almost 300 meters long. There are some 1,100 rooms, 100 staircases and 4.8 km of corridors. It also contains state apartments for the Speakers of both Houses.
On the north facade of the building, atop the clock tower (renamed the Elizabeth Tower in 2012), Big Ben is also one of the city's symbols. This 13.5-tonne bell stands 96 metres high and was installed in 1859. This iconic London tower is currently undergoing major renovation work. These have been the subject of numerous articles, as they are expected to cost a total of over £80 million, compared with the initial figure of £30 million. The work involves repairing damage caused by a World War II bomb, asbestos and pollution.

The magnificent Hampton Court Palace and its gardens make up a magnificent walk in Surrey, south of London. The place was used in particular as the residence of King Henry VIII. He was the most famous occupant and the first royal owner. We discover the ceremonial apartments, the large hall, the royal chapel. The Tudor kitchen could feed up to 800 people, it is the most important 16th century kitchen still in existence. Outside, the gardens are superb, a rose garden, a French garden and a labyrinth complete the visit.

The palace was built by Inigo Jones in 1616, and was one of the first classical style buildings in England, known as the Palladian style. It was Anne of Denmark, wife of James I, who commissioned the architect to build the building. However, it was not completed until 1635, and Queen Henrietta Maria, wife of Charles I, was the first to occupy it. Despite some modifications, the Palladian style is still visible. Inside, a collection of works of art on the theme of the navy and the sea. Don't miss the magnificent spiral staircase.

Kensington Palace was the home of Lady Di, nicknamed Princess of Hearts by the English, and when her death was announced in 1997, a sea of bouquets of flowers filled the palace gardens. Kensington Palace then remained open for 24 hours straight, to welcome the 136,000 people who came to mourn the princess' death. In addition to Diana, a number of other royal figures or those close to royalty have had a connection with Kensington Palace. Queen Victoria was born here in 1819, spent her childhood here and, at the age of 18, learned that she was to become Queen of England. Today, the palace is home to Prince William and his family.

Grand rooms of the state apartments:

The King's Staircase is the first link in the circuit of rooms that make up the King's State Apartments. All the great and good of London in Georgian times would have climbed these stairs to visit the King.

The Presence Chamber is the room where the monarch received courtiers, ministers and foreign ambassadors.

The Privy Chamber was one of Queen Caroline's favorite entertainment areas. See the magnificent ceiling painted by William Kent in 1723, as well as the impressive tapestries.

The Cupola Room is the most magnificently decorated room in the palace. In the King's Gallery, William III played soldiers with his little nephew, and it was here that the king caught a cold, leading to his death in 1702.

Spencer House, the historic family home of Diana, Princess of Wales (1961-1997), is one of London's most ambitious aristocratic residences and one of the last intact examples of an ^18th-century palace. Built between 1756 and 1766 by architects John Vardy and James "the Athenian" Stuart, it is a fine example of Palladian architecture. Inside, you'll find a fine collection of paintings and decorative objects, including five works by Benjamin West, graciously lent by Her Majesty the Queen.

St James Palace is one of the oldest palaces in London. Commissioned by Henry VIII in 1530, it was built in 3 years between 1553 and 1556 in the Tudor style and was built around four courts: Ambassadors' Court, Engine Court, Friary Court and Colour Court. In 1558, it was within the palace that Mary Tudor signed the treaty that returned the city of Calais to France. Henry VIII's children died there, the first in 1536, an illegitimate son of the king, and Marie Tudor whose remains lie in Westminster Abbey with her half-sister. Charles II and James II were both born and baptized in St. James, as were Mary of York (Mary II), Anne of York (Queen Anne) and James Francis Edward Stuart (the Old Suitor). It was the residence of British rulers from 1698, when the Whitehall Palace was destroyed by fire, and remained the royal residence for nearly three centuries, until Queen Victoria's arrival on the throne in 1837. William IV was the last ruler to reside at the Palace of St James. After his death, and until 1939, certain court decisions were still held at the Palais de Saint-James. It is also within the royal chapel that Queen Victoria married Prince Albert in 1840. The building still houses members of the royal family, Prince Charles and his sons lived there. The large apartments contain many furnishings and an interesting range of royal portraits from the time of Henry VIII.

This gallery presents works from the Royal Collection. Major themed exhibitions are organized to showcase these collections, which are three times larger than those of the National Gallery... They cover all the arts and all eras. Designed by John Nash, the Queen's Gallery was modelled on the other two conservatories at Buckingham Palace, and adopts the architecture of the Ionic temples, on the south-west corner of the palace overlooking the garden. It was completed in 1831. In 1997, John Simpson & Partners were chosen to extend and modernize the pavilion. The new entrance portico uses the Doric order derived from Greek architecture, as John Nash had done in the quadrangle of Buckingham Palace. On the gallery level, two friezes symbolize the Queen's reign and four panels represent the patron saints of the United Kingdom, created by Scottish sculptor Alexander Stoddart. The expansion of the Queen's Gallery was the most significant addition to Buckingham Palace in 150 years. The project involved stonemasons, wood and plaster carvers, copper and bronze workers, specialist carpenters, blacksmiths, specialist painters and cabinetmakers. The Queen's Gallery was opened by Her Majesty The Queen in May 2002, as part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations. It hosts a program of temporary exhibitions, featuring masterpieces from the Royal Collection.