Wednesday, April 25, 2007

The Catherine Palace

Ekaterininsky palace. Front stairs. Photo. 1998.

The exposition in the Catherine Palace Museum (prior to 1910 - the Great Tzarskoje Selo Palace) encompasses the 250-year history of the famous monument, and acquaints visitors with the work of the architects who participated in its construction and decoration in the 18th and 19th centuries, and also with the current state of this unique landmark, with the work of restorers who managed to bring the palace back to life after World War II. Currently, 29 of the 57 palace halls destroyed during the war have been restored.

In 1717, when the city of St. Petersburg was just being built on the banks of the Neva river, Tzarskoje Selo saw the construction of a new, stone imperial manor, which became known as the "Stone Chambers" of Catherine I. In August of 1724, when the construction was already completed, a celebration was organized in the palace during which "13 cannons were fired thrice." The Tsar and all of the major government dignitaries were present.

The palace was a small two-story building typical of Russian palaces of the early 18th century. The first attempt to expand the palace was undertaken during the reign of Empress Elizabeth according to plans by Mikhail Zemtsov at the end of 1742 and beginning of 1743. Reconstruction of the Catherine Palace and park ensemble was carried out by his pupils, Andrei Kvasov and Savva Chevakinsky. Following the death of Mikhail Zemtsov, work at Tzarskoje Selo passed under the direction of Andrei Kvasov and his assistant, the builder Giuseppe Trezini. On May 5, 1745, along with Trezini, Savva Chevakinsky was appointed to Tzarskoje Selo, and the latter oversaw the construction at Tzarskoje Selo until 1760. From the end of 1748 and through 1756, construction of the Tzarskoje Selo residence was directed by court architect Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli. On May 10, 1752, Empress Elizabeth signed a decree ordering the complete overhaul of the old palace. On July 30, 1756, Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli presented his creation to Elizabeth and foreign diplomats.

The palace was quite impressive with its size, powerful spatial dynamics and picturesque decoration in the style of the Russian Baroque. The wide, light blue ribbon of the palace with its snow-white columns and gilt ornament looked quite festive. The northern wing was topped by the five golden domes of the Palace Chapel, and the southern wing, which contained the formal, state rooms, was topped off by a golden dome with a star on the spire. Approximately 100 kilograms of gold were used to gild the exterior and interior ornaments. At this time the formal yard was also designed, surrounded by the palace's service buildings placed in a semi-circle around the "circumference" of the yard. The galleries of the palace's facade consisted of windows and columns, each of which bore a wooden, gold-leafed statue or vase.

Ekaterininsky palace. Northern wing. Fragment. Photo. 1998.

On the first floor, the large, semi-circular French doors were separated one from the next by sculptural figures of powerful, nude youths. Like the hero of ancient Greek myth, Atlantis, who was commanded by Zeus to hold up the heavens on his head and hands, they bear on their shoulders the colossal weight of the colonnades linking the upper floors. Atlantes, caryatids (feminine forms leaning near the windows of the second formal floor), cartouches on the pediments, lion's masks, window frames and other plaster decorations were executed according to models by Johann Dunker. Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli also luxuriously decorated the interiors and suites of the palace with its magnificent enfilade of formal halls which, for its wealth of gilded carvings, was dubbed the "Golden Enfilade." The placement of halls one next to the other, or enfilade style unknown in Russia until the mid-18th century, was introduced by Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli in other palaces as well. Not only in Tzarskoje Selo did the length of the enfilade equal the length of the entire building, from the Main Staircase to the Chapel. Beginning in 1756, the Great Palace became the center of court life, where not only balls and masquerades were held, but important affairs of state were also carried out.


Ekaterininsky palace. "Golden suite". Fragment. Photo. 1998.

A new stage in the metamorphosis of the palace's formal halls came in the 1770s. The palace's new owner, Empress Catherine II, with her penchant for antique art, demanded her own personal quarters in the palace, decorated by Charles Cameron. The palace interiors created by this architect in the classical style are remarkable for their exquisite beauty, austerity of decoration and certain flair for selection of decorative materials. We will never see most of the halls since they perished during World War II and have not yet been restored. This includes the spacious apartments of Empress Catherine II: the Arabesque Room, the Lyons and Chinese Drawing Rooms, the Domed Dining Room, Silver Study, Bedchamber, Dressing Room and Palm Room. The rooms belonging to Grand Duke Paul (the future Emperor Paul I) and his wife, Maria Fyodorovna, have been restored. The most significant of these are: the Green Dining Room, the Waiters' Room, the Blue Room, the Chinese Blue Room, the Leisure Room, the Picture and Sculpture Studies.

The 19th century brought changes to the Catherine Palace ensemble. In 1817, by order of Emperor Alexander I, the architect Vasily Stasov created the Formal Study and several adjoining rooms unified by a single style. Here, everything speaks of pride in military victories in the War of 1812.

On June 9, 1918, the Catherine Palace was opened as a museum. The Tzarskoje Selo and the Orient exposition, located in the former personal quarters not yet restored, continues to be featured at the Catherine Palace Museum.

Emirates Palace

Entrance

An enchanting landmark that's a wonder to behold for all who venture through its magnificent gates. Fairytales come to life as your senses are treated to an extraordinary and unforgettable experience. Breathe the air of luxury that fills every corner of this serene paradise.

Feel the promise of a majestic experience fit for a king and deserving of an emperor. The Palace boasts 302 superior rooms and 92 magnificent suites each combining the ultimate in luxury with 22nd century technology.

Auditorium

International Conference Centre of Abu Dhabi

Palace Conference Centre is the most luxurious and technologically advanced meeting facility in the region. The conference facilities include an auditorium with seating for 1200 guests, a main ballroom that can accommodate up to 2800 persons and an extensive range of 48 meeting rooms including a Media Centre and Business Centre.

In addition, six large terraces and a variety of pre-function areas provide many possibilities for breaks, cocktail receptions and banquets. Set on 100 hectares of beautifully landscaped park with several open lawns, Emirates Palace offers spectacular outdoor venues for gala dinners and creative events.

State-of-the-art technology is also present in all meeting and function rooms and each comes fully equipped with a projector, motorized screen, plasma screens, microphones, audio-visual systems, wireless and wire data systems, special sound system, video conferencing system, IP camera and broadcast camera connectivity.

THE PEACE PALACE

The Peace Palace in The Hague is home to a number of international judicial institutions, including the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or World Court, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), the renowned Peace Palace Library, as well as the Hague Academy of International Law, which attracts law students from all over the world every summer.

The Peace Palace is one of the most photographed landmarks of The Hague and is accessible to the public through guided tours.

The Palace, the premises on which it stands and the Library are the property of the Carnegie Foundation. The Foundation encourages the organisation of seminars and other initiatives to foster the peace ideal and is part of the international philantropic network of Carnegie Institutions.

Diocletian's Palace

At the end of the third century AD, the Roman Emperor Diocletian built his palace on the bay of Aspalathos. Here, after abdicating on the first of May in A.D. 305, he spent the last years of his life. The bay is located on the south side of a short peninsula running out from the Dalmatian coast into the Adriatic, four miles from the site of Salona, the capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia. The terrain on which the palace was built slopes gently seaward. It is typical karst terrain, consisting of low limestone ridges running east to west with marl in the clefts between them.

This palace is today the heart of the inner-city of Split where all the most important historical buildings can be found. The importance of Diocletian's Palace far transcends local significance because of its level of preservation and the buildings of succeeding historical periods, stretching from Roman times onwards, which form the very tissue of old Split. The Palace is one of the most famous and integral architectural and cultural constructs on the Croatian Adriatic coast and holds an outstanding place in the Mediterranean, European and world heritage.

In November 1979 UNESCO, in line with the international convention concerning the cultural and natural heritage, adopted a proposal that the historic Split inner city, built around the Palace, should be included in the register of the World Cultural Heritage.

The ground plan of the palace is an irregular rectangle with towers projecting from the western, northern, and eastern facades. It combines qualities of a luxurious villa with those of a military camp. Only the southern facade, which rose directly from, or very near to, the sea, was unfortified. The elaborate architectural composition of the arcaded gallery on its upper floor differs from the more severe treatment of the three shore facades. A monumental gate in the middle of each of these walls led to an enclosed courtyard. The southern Sea Gate was simpler in shape and dimensions than the other three. Perhaps it was originally intended as the emperor's private access to boats, or as a service entrance for supplies.

The dual nature of the architectural scheme, derived from both villa and castrum types, is also evident in the arrangement of the interior. The transverse road (decumanus) linking the east and west gates divided the complex into two halves. In the southern half were the more luxurious structures; that is, the emperor's apartment, both public and private, and cult buildings. The emperor's apartment formed a block along the sea front. Because the sloping terrain created large differences in level, this block was situated above a substructure. Although for many centuries almost completely filled with refuse, most of the substructure is well preserved, giving us evidence as to the original shape and disposition of the rooms above.

A monumental court, called the Perystile, formed the northern access to the imperial apartments. It also gave access to Diocletian's Mausoleum on the east, and to three temples on the west.

The northern half of the palace, which was divided in two parts by the main longitudinal street (cardo) leading from the North Gate to the Perystile, is less well preserved. It is usually supposed that each of these parts formed a large residential complex, housing soldiers, servants, and possibly some other facilities. Both parts were apparently surrounded on all sides by streets. Leading to perimeter walls there were rectangular buildings, possibly storage magazines.

The Palace is built of white local limestone of high quality, most of which was from quarries on the island of Brac; tuffa taken from the nearby river beds; and brick made in Salonitan and other workshops. Some material for decoration was imported: Egyptian granite columns and sphinxes, fine marble for revetments and some capitals produced in workshops in the Proconnesos.

Water for the palace came from the Jadro river near Salona. Along the road from Split to Salona impressive remains of the original aqueduct can still be seen. They were extensively restored in the nineteenth century.

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Haga Park

The Tempel of the Echo in Haga Park. Photo: Gomer Swahn Reklam AB/Gomer Swahn.
Logotyp
Haga Park is perhaps Sweden's foremost example of an English landscape park.

The style refers to a type of the romantic informal landscape gardening, which was popular in England from the mid 18th century to the early 19th century and known in Sweden as the “English park".

Inspired by the desire for more a “natural" garden, this type of park features softly formed lawns, where dark wooded areas interplay with half-open meadows.

"Gustavian Park"
The style was inspired by Roman antiquity, Italy and China and is characterized by winding paths, leafy bowers and stately trees. Haga Park is also known as a “Gustavian Park" as it was initiated by Gustav III. The park's landscaping was greatly influenced by the architect Fredrik Magnus Piper.

Copper Tent at Haga Park. Photo: Gomer Swahn Reklam AB/Gomer Swahn.
Copper Tent
The Copper Tent was built in 1787 to house stables and lodgment for the guards. The southern façade was built to give the illusion of a Sultan's tent on the edge of a forest. Today the Copper Tent houses a restaurant, café and a park museum.

Haga Palace
Earlier known as the “Queen's Pavilion", the Haga Palace was built in 1802-04 by Gustav IV Adolf and designed by the architect Christopher Gjörwell. Throughout the 19th century, the palace was a residence of members of the Royal Family.

Haga Palace was renovated in 1930 and became the residence of Crown Prince Gustav Adolf and Princess Sibylla. The current King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf and his sisters were born and raised in Haga Palace.
Since 1966 the palace has been used to accommodate guests of the Swedish government.

The Temple of the Echo
The Temple of the Echo (large photo above) was built in 1790 as an outdoor summer dining hall for royalty. Today it is an outdoor museum that is a very popular location for marriages.

Haga Ruins
The foundations of the magnificent palace inspired by Versailles that Gustav III intended to build are all that remain today. In fact, the foundations are all that was ever built as construction of the palace came to standstill following the assassination of Gustav III in 1792.
The French architect Jean Louis Desprez was commissioned to design the palace, which was to be positioned in a free line of vision with and as a counterpart to the Royal Palace of Stockholm.

Royal Cemetery
The final resting place for several members of the Bernadotte dynasty is located on a point in the Bay of Brunnsviken, including Gustav VI Adolf and Queen Louise. The cemetery is open to the public during the month of May on Sundays and public holidays from 13:00 - 15:00. It is also open from June-August on Thursdays from 09:00-15:00.

Old Haga
Old Haga was where Gustav III stayed from 1772 until a larger residence was completed. The building has been moved from its original location and today is a private residence.

The Chinese Pagoda at Haga Park. Photo: Gomer Swahn Reklam AB/ Gomer Swahn.
The Turkish Pavilion and the Chinese Pagoda
These buildings were part of the magnificent park created by Gustav III. The Turkish Pavilion was the only building erected by C M Piper in the park. It is decorated in Pompeian style by the artist Louis Masreliez.

The Chinese Pagoda is an open octagonal building with a tent roof decorated with a dragon head.

Finnstugan
Finnstugan is the oldest building in Haga Park still situated in its original location. At the turn of the century it was used as a music café. Today the building houses private residences.

The Green House
The Green House, which once served as part of the kitchen gardens to the Royal Court until the latter part of the 19th century, today houses the Butterfly Museum.

Gates
The gates at the northern entrance of Haga Park once stood in Kungsträdgården in central Stockholm and were moved to Haga by Karl XIV Johan, whose insignia decorated the entrance to the park. The gates at the southern entrance of Haga Park, like those at the northern entrance, also stood at Kungsträdgården and were moved to Haga by Karl XIII, whose insignia decorated the gateway.

Haga Mound
The Haga Mound is a restored part of the Stockholmsåsen or Stockholm ridge. Earlier the mound was partly excavated, functioning as a gravel pit, but was restored using excavated material from the Stockholm city centre during the 1960s.

19th century buildings
The park also contains a number of privately owned buildings. Houses that were built in the latter part of the 19th century were given names such as China, Japan, Valhalla, Gemstone and Sofieberg.

Kensington Palace

Kensington Palace stands at the western end of Kensington Gardens and is perhaps the finest building in the Borough. Originally called Nottingham House, it passed into royal ownership in 1689 when it was acquired by William and Mary.

The King's asthma dictated a move from Whitehall Palace to the healthier air of Kensington. Sir Christopher Wren was engaged to design improvements to the house and the Clock Court and the South Front, including the 96-foot Long Gallery were added.

After William III's death in 1702 the palace became the residence of Queen Anne. Wren designed the Orangery for her and a 30-acre garden was laid out by Henry Wise.

Further extensive alterations were carried out for George I and William Kent painted the elaborate trompe l'oeil ceilings and staircases. The last monarch to live at Kensington Palace was George II, whose consort, Caroline of Ansbach, influenced the development of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. For her, Charles Bridgman created the Serpentine, the Basin and Grand Vista and the Broad Walk.

Queen Victoria spent her childhood at Kensington Palace and it was here in June 1837, that she learned of her accession to the throne.

Diana, Princess of WalesThe palace was the London home of Diana, Princess of Wales and is still home to several other members of the Royal Family.

The State Apartments and the Court Dress Collection are open to the public and highlights of a visit include the recently restored Kings Apartments and a magnificent collection of paintings.

The Court Dress Collection includes a fabulous and very rare court mantua made sometime between 1750-53 and the 'exploded' gentleman's outfit - everything from underclothes to fine lace cuffs and all part of the elaborate costume worn to Court by an 18th century gentleman.

The Orangery Cafe adjacent to the Palace serves light lunches and snacks throughout the year.

Malacanang Palace

Malacanang Palace


by Filed under Cebu

Malacanang Palace PhilippinesThe island of Cebu is a bustling progressive region that has attracted many tourists. Cebu is not too hot, nor too cold. It offers modern facilities but a nature hideaway is always accessible. There are several cultural, historical, and natural attractions located in Cebu. And today, there is another tourist attraction that will showcase more of the admirable traits of the people of Cebu. This tourist attraction is the Presidential Palace of the South or the Malacañang Palace sa Sugbo.

To get to Cebu, the best route for foreign tourists is to take a direct flight from outside the Philippines towards the Mactan International Airport. There are daily international flights to Cebu from the airports of Tokyo, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Upon arrival at the airport, the tourist will need to take a taxi that will bring him to the hotel where he has made his reservations. Cebu has several world-class hotels where a tourist can pleasantly recover from his jetlag.

Then, to reach the Malacañang sa Sugbo, the tourist may take either a taxi or a jeepney to reach the port area of Cebu. This structure was created to attain the President Arroyo’s goal to decentralized governance. That is, instead of having all national offices in Metro Manila, some of them can transfer to other cities to the south. And since Cebu is the Queen City of the South, it is only fitting that it will be the location of the Presidential Palace of the South.

A tour guide will explain that the construction of this Presidential Palace was not done the conventional way of starting from scratch. Instead, one old neglected building was renovated to become the center of government power.

This building was first built before the Second World War. It was used as the headquarters of American officials who were tasked to lead the liberation of the Philippines. But, afterwards, since the building has no significant architectural design (except for what was common during the time it was build) and has no significant historical event (except for housing the American officials during the WW2), it was left to its own.

Time and the weather elements had no mercy on it, until it was restored and renovated so that it will become the Malacañang Palace sa Sugbo.

The Cebuanos boast that the creation of the Malacañang sa Sugbo was successful due to their team spirit. That is, the 53rd Engineering Brigade of the Philippine Army provided the free labor in constructing it. And private companies in Cebu gave donations so that together, they made the Malacañang Palace sa Sugbo into one attractive government building complex.

Inside the Palace, the elegant furnishings of the Trader’s Lobby were donated by the Pacific Traders. There is a Guitar Room in which the exquisite furniture was donated by the Cebu Fil-Veneer. There is also an inner courtyard in which the furnishings came from the Dedon, which is another furniture manufacturing company. This courtyard is, of course, called Patio Dedon.

Blenheim Palace

Welcome to Blenheim Palace Blenheim Palace, home to 11th Duke of Marlborough and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, offers a memorable day out. Set in 2100 acres of beautiful parkland landscaped by ‘Capability’ Brown, the exquisite Baroque Palace is surrounded by sweeping lawns, formal gardens and the magnificent Lake. Inside, the scale of the Palace is beautifully balanced by the intricate detail and delicacy of the carvings, the hand painted ceilings and the amazing porcelain collections, tapestries and paintings displayed in each room. Situated in Woodstock, just 8 miles from Oxford, the Palace was created a World Heritage site in 1987. We look forward to welcoming you to Britain’s Greatest Palace very soon. [Photo] [Photo] [Photo] Latest news in brief Terracotta statues restored… Six beautiful statues have been replaced on the north front façade following years of essential restoration. The six statues… [Photo] Season Tickets Read more... For those who have discovered that with so much to see at Blenheim Palace, one visit is not enough, a Season Ticket provides the perfect excuse to return again and again... [Photo] Churchill Memorial Concert [Photo] Read more... Saturday 28th April 2007 // [Photo] Blenheim Palace: The Untold Story... Read more... On 5th May 2007 an exciting new visitor experience will open within the heart of Vanbrugh’s awe-inspiring Palace. Untold stories are brought thrillingly to life by talking portraits, touch screens and innovative film and projection technology… [Photo] [Photo] Please click here for the Heritage Management Plan [Photo] [Photo] [Photo] Read more... Britain’s best loved television star, Alan Titchmarsh, is hosting a major event for UKTV

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace

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Buckingham Palace and the Victoria Memorial. This principal façade of 1850 by Edward Blore, the East Front, was redesigned in 1913 by Sir Aston Webb.
Buckingham Palace and the Victoria Memorial. This principal façade of 1850 by Edward Blore, the East Front, was redesigned in 1913 by Sir Aston Webb.

Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the British monarch in London. The Palace is a setting for state occasions and royal entertaining, a base for many officially visiting Heads of State, and a major tourist attraction. It has been a rallying point for the British people at times of national rejoicing, crisis or grief. "Buckingham Palace", "Buck House" or simply "The Palace" commonly refers to the source of press statements issued by the offices of the Royal Household.

In the Middle Ages, Buckingham Palace's site formed part of the Manor of Ebury. It had several royal owners from Edward the Confessor onwards and was also the object of much property speculation. (A loophole in the lease of Charles I allowed the area to revert back to royal hands in the 18th century.) Precursors of Buckingham Palace were Blake House, Goring House, and Arlington House.

Originally known as Buckingham House, the building forming the core of today's palace was a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703 and acquired by King George III in 1762 as a private residence. It was enlarged over the next 75 years, principally by architects John Nash and Edward Blore, forming three wings around a central courtyard. Buckingham Palace finally became the official royal palace of the British monarch on the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837. The last major structural additions were made in the late 19th and early 20th century, when the large east wing facing The Mall was added, and the former State entrance, Marble Arch, was removed to its present position near Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park. The east front was refaced in Portland stone in 1913 as a backdrop to the Victoria Memorial, creating the present-day public face of Buckingham Palace, including the famous balcony.

The original early 19th-century interior designs, many of which still survive, included widespread use of brightly coloured scagliola and blue and pink lapis, on the advice of Sir Charles Long. King Edward VII oversaw a partial redecoration in a Belle epoque cream and gold colour scheme. Many smaller reception rooms are furnished in the Chinese regency style with furniture and fittings brought from the Royal Pavilion at Brighton and from Carlton House following the death of King George IV. The Buckingham Palace Gardens are the largest private gardens in London, originally landscaped by Capability Brown, but redesigned by William Townsend Aiton of Kew Gardens and John Nash. The artificial lake was completed in 1828 and is supplied with water from the Serpentine, a lake in Hyde Park.

The State Rooms form the nucleus of the working Palace and are used regularly by The Queen and members of the royal family for official and state entertaining. Buckingham Palace is one of the world's most familiar buildings and more than 50,000 people visit the palace each year as guests to banquets, lunches, dinners, receptions and the royal garden parties.

Queen Victoria, the first monarch to reside at Buckingham Palace, moved into the newly completed palace upon her accession in 1837
Queen Victoria, the first monarch to reside at Buckingham Palace, moved into the newly completed palace upon her accession in 1837

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History

Buckingham House, c.1710, was designed by William Winde for the first Duke of Buckingham and Normandy. This façade evolved into today's Grand Entrance on the west (inner) side of the quadrangle, with the Green Drawing Room above.
Buckingham House, c.1710, was designed by William Winde for the first Duke of Buckingham and Normandy. This façade evolved into today's Grand Entrance on the west (inner) side of the quadrangle, with the Green Drawing Room above.

The site

In the Middle Ages, Buckingham Palace's site formed part of the Manor of Ebury (also called Eia). The marshy ground was watered by the river Tyburn, which still flows below the courtyard and south wing of the palace. Where the river was fordable - Cow Ford - a village, Eye Cross, grew up. Ownership of the site changed hands many times: owners included Edward the Confessor and his wife Queen Edith, and, after the Norman Conquest, William the Conqueror, who gave it to Geoffrey de Mandeville. Mandeville bequeathed it to the monks of Westminster Abbey.[1]

In 1531 King Henry VIII acquired from Eton College the Hospital of St James (later St James's Palace), and in 1536 he received the Manor of Ebury from Westminster Abbey. These transfers brought the site of Buckingham Palace back into royal hands for the first time since William the Conqueror had given it away almost 500 years earlier.

Various owners leased it from royal landlords and the freehold was the subject of frenzied speculation in the 17th century. By then, the old village of Eye Cross had long since fallen into decay, and the area was mostly wasteland.[2] Needing money, King James I sold off part of the Crown freehold but retained part of the site on which he established a four-acre mulberry garden for the production of silk. (This is at the northwest corner of today's palace.) Clement Walker in Anarchia Anglicana (1649) refers to "new-erected sodoms and spintries at the Mulberry Garden at S. James's", suggesting it may have been a place of debauchery.

Eventually, in the late 17th century, the freehold was inherited from the property tycoon Sir Hugh Audley by the great heiress Mary Davies.[3]

First houses on the site

Possibly the first house erected within the site was that of a Sir William Blake, around 1624.[4] The next owner was Lord Goring, who from 1633 extended Blake's house and developed much of today's garden, then known as Goring Great Garden. He did not, however, manage to obtain freehold interest in the mulberry garden. Unbeknown to Goring, in 1640 the document "failed to pass the great seal before King Charles I fled London, which it needed to do for legal execution".[5] (It was this critical omission that helped the British royal family regain the freehold under King George III.)

The improvident Goring defaulted on his rents; Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington obtained the mansion and was occupying it, now known as Goring House, when it burnt down in 1674. Arlington House rose on the site — the southern wing of today's palace — the next year, and its freehold was bought in 1702.

The house which forms the architectural core of the present palace was built for the first Duke of Buckingham and Normanby in 1703 to the design of William Winde. The style chosen was of a large, three-floored central block with two smaller flanking service wings.

Buckingham House was eventually sold by Buckingham's descendant, Sir Charles Sheffield, in 1762 to King George III for £21,000.[6] (Like his grandfather, George II, George III refused to sell the mulberry garden interest, so that Sheffield had been unable to purchase the full freehold of the site.) The house was originally intended as a private retreat for the royal family, and in particular for Queen Charlotte, and was known as The Queen's House. St. James's Palace remained the official and ceremonial royal residence; indeed, the tradition continues to the present time of foreign ambassadors being formally accredited to "the Court of St. James's", even though it is at Buckingham Palace that they present their credentials and staff to the Queen upon their appointment.

House to palace

George IV transformed Buckingham House into a palace
George IV transformed Buckingham House into a palace

Queen Charlotte died in 1818 and George III in 1820. The spendthrift King George IV decided to enlarge Buckingham House to use in conjunction with St James's Palace as had his father, but by 1826 he had decided to convert the house to a fully equipped royal palace. He commissioned John Nash to realise his vision. The palace that arose formed three sides of an open cour d'honneur, with the former Buckingham House as the corps de logis. The new work was faced in Bath stone, with exquisite detailing in the French neoclassical style. This is the palace much as it is today, but without the great east front (facing The Mall) which now encloses the quadrangle. On the future site of the present east front, between the two projecting wings, was a colossal triumphal arch of Racaccione marble, modelled on the Arch of Constantine in Rome. This arch, which had cost £34,450 to build, served as the state entrance. George IV had intended it to be crowned by a bronze equestrian statue of himself, but he died before its completion, and when Parliament reluctantly paid the bill for it, they decided to put it in Hyde Park, where it remains today. The interiors of the palace were to be of unparalleled splendour. George IV was advised on the interior design by Sir Charles Long, who advocated the widespread use of brightly coloured scagliola and blue and pink lapis, with sculptured plaster panels set in the ceilings. George IV died in 1830, and the colourful and heavily gilded present state and semi-state rooms were not completed until the reign of King William IV.

King William IV's practicality informed the completion of the palace. While his monogram and that of Queen Adelaide decorates many rooms, they never lived there
King William IV's practicality informed the completion of the palace. While his monogram and that of Queen Adelaide decorates many rooms, they never lived there

By the time of George IV's death, the escalating cost of the still unfinished palace was causing concern in both parliament and the press. William IV dismissed Nash as architect and employed Edward Blore, who suited admirably the more restrained tastes of the new king. A less idealistic but more businesslike architect than Nash, Blore retained Nash's contributions and completed the palace in a similar, if more solid and less picturesque, vein. The final cost to the nation of rebuilding Buckingham Palace was more than £719,000.

Though William IV and Queen Adelaide held receptions and courts in the state rooms, they never lived in the palace, preferring to remain at Clarence House, the more modest London mansion they had commissioned to be built before their succession. Moreover, when the Houses of Parliament burned down in 1834, the King offered the incomplete palace to the nation as a replacement seat of government. (The offer was declined and the old Palace of Westminster rebuilt.)

Many of the smaller reception rooms were furnished during William IV's reign — as they remain today — in the Chinese Regency style, utilising many of the fireplaces, decorations, and furniture brought from George IV's palaces, the Royal Pavilion at Brighton and from Carlton House, following his death.

The Garden, the Royal Mews and the Mall

A garden party at Buckingham Palace in 1868.
A garden party at Buckingham Palace in 1868.
For more details on this topic, see Buckingham Palace Gardens.

At the back of the Palace, large and park-like, is Buckingham Palace Garden. The Garden Front of the Palace, by Nash, is of pale golden Bath stone. The garden, which includes a lake, is the largest private garden in London.

Here the Queen hosts her annual garden parties each summer, but since June 2002, she has invited the public into the Garden on numerous occasions. See Buckingham Palace Garden for accounts for the historical spectaculars which marked the Queen's Golden Jubilee (2002) and her 80th birthday (2006).

Crowds walk down the Mall towards the Palace and the Victoria Memorial.  The flags interspersed with the Union Flag indicate a Norwegian State Visit in progress.
Crowds walk down the Mall towards the Palace and the Victoria Memorial. The flags interspersed with the Union Flag indicate a Norwegian State Visit in progress.

Adjacent to the Palace is the Royal Mews, also designed by Nash, where the royal carriages, including the Gold State Coach, are housed. This rococo gilt coach, designed by Sir William Chambers in 1760, has painted panels by G. B. Cipriani. It was first used for the State Opening of Parliament by George III in 1762 and is used by the monarch only for coronations or jubilee celebrations. Also housed in the Mews are the carriage horses used in royal ceremonial processions.

The Mall, a ceremonial approach route to the Palace, was designed by Sir Aston Webb and completed in 1911 as part of a grand memorial to Queen Victoria. It extends from Admiralty Arch, up around the Victoria Memorial to the Palace forecourt. The reddish colour of the Mall's tarmac recalls the red carpet of former times. This route is used by the cavalcades and motorcades of all visiting heads of state, and by the Royal Family on state occasions such as the annual State Opening of Parliament as well as Trooping the Colour each year.

Home of the monarch

The Palace c.1837, depicting the Marble Arch, which served as the ceremonial entrance to the palace precincts. It was moved to make way for the east wing, built in 1847, which enclosed the quadrangle.
The Palace c.1837, depicting the Marble Arch, which served as the ceremonial entrance to the palace precincts. It was moved to make way for the east wing, built in 1847, which enclosed the quadrangle.

Buckingham Palace finally became the principal Royal residence in 1837 on the accession of Queen Victoria. While the State Rooms were a riot of gilt and colour, the necessities of the new palace were somewhat less luxurious. It was reported the chimneys smoked so much that the fires had to be allowed to die, and consequently the court shivered in icy magnificence. Ventilation was so bad that the interior smelled, and when a decision was taken to install gas lamps there was a serious worry about the build up of gas on the lower floors. It was also said that the staff were lax and lazy and the palace was dirty. Following the Queen's marriage in 1840, her husband, Prince Albert, concerned himself with a reorganization of the household offices and staff, and with the design faults of the palace. The problems were rectified, the builders finally leaving the palace in 1840.

By 1847, the couple had found the palace too small for Court life and their growing family, and consequently the new wing, designed by Edward Blore, was built, enclosing the central quadrangle. This large east wing, facing The Mall is today the 'public face' of Buckingham Palace and contains the balcony from which the Royal Family acknowledge the crowds on momentous occasions and annually following Trooping the Colour. The ballroom wing and a further suite of state rooms were also built in this period, designed by Nash's student Sir James Pennethorne.

Before Prince Albert's demise, Queen Victoria was known to love music and dancing, and the greatest contemporary musicians entertained at Buckingham Palace. Felix Mendelssohn is known to have played there on three occasions. Johann Strauss II and his orchestra played there when in England. Strauss' 'Alice Polka' was first performed at the palace in 1849 in honour of the Queen's daughter, Princess Alice. Under Victoria, Buckingham Palace was frequently the scene of lavish costume balls, in addition to the routine royal ceremonies, investitures and presentations.

When widowed in 1861, the grief-stricken Queen withdrew from public life and left Buckingham Palace to live at Windsor Castle, Balmoral Castle, and Osborne House. For many years the palace was seldom used, and even neglected. Eventually public opinion forced her to return to London, though even then she preferred to live elsewhere whenever possible. Court functions were still held at Windsor Castle rather than at the palace, presided over by the sombre Queen habitually dressed in mourning black.

Interior

Piano nobile of Buckingham Palace. A: State Dining Room; B:Blue Drawing Room; C:Music Room; D:White Drawing Room; E:Royal Closet; F:Throne Room; G:Green drawing Room; H:Cross Gallery; J:Ball Room; K:East Gallery; L:Yellow Drawing Room; M:Centre/Balcony Room; N:Chinese Luncheon Room; O:Principal Corridor; P:Private Apartments; Q:Service Areas; W:The Grand staircase. On the ground floor: R:Ambassador's Entrance; T: Grand Entrance. The areas defined by shaded walls represent lower minor wings. Note: This is an unscaled sketch plan for reference only. Proportions of some rooms may slightly differ in reality.
Piano nobile of Buckingham Palace. A: State Dining Room; B:Blue Drawing Room; C:Music Room; D:White Drawing Room; E:Royal Closet; F:Throne Room; G:Green drawing Room; H:Cross Gallery; J:Ball Room; K:East Gallery; L:Yellow Drawing Room; M:Centre/Balcony Room; N:Chinese Luncheon Room; O:Principal Corridor; P:Private Apartments; Q:Service Areas; W:The Grand staircase. On the ground floor: R:Ambassador's Entrance; T: Grand Entrance. The areas defined by shaded walls represent lower minor wings. Note: This is an unscaled sketch plan for reference only. Proportions of some rooms may slightly differ in reality.

The Palace contains 77,000 squared meters of floorspace (828,818 squared feet).[7] The principal rooms of the Palace are contained on the piano nobile behind the west-facing garden facade at the rear of the Palace. The centre of this ornate suite of State Rooms is the Music Room, its large bow the dominant feature of the facade. Flanking the Music Room are the Blue and the White Drawing rooms. At the centre of the suite, serving as a corridor to link the state rooms, is the Picture Gallery, which is top lit and 55 yards (50 m) long. The Gallery is hung with works by Rembrandt, van Dyck, Rubens, and Vermeer, among many others. Other rooms leading from the Picture Gallery are the Throne Room and the Green Drawing Room. The Green Drawing room serves as a huge anteroom to the Throne Room, and is part of the ceremonial route to the Throne from the Guard Room at the top of the Grand Staircase. The Guard Room contains a white marble statue of Prince Albert, in Roman costume set in a tribune lined with tapestries. These very formal rooms are used only for ceremonial and official entertaining.

Directly underneath the State Apartments is a suite of slightly less grand rooms known as the semi-state apartments. Opening from the marble hall, these rooms are used for less-formal entertaining, such as luncheon parties and private audiences. Some of the rooms are named and decorated for particular visitors, such as the '1844 Room', which was decorated in that year for the State visit of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia. At the centre of this suite is the Bow Room, through which thousands of guests pass annually to the Queen's Garden Parties in the Gardens beyond. The Queen uses privately a smaller suite of rooms in the North wing.

Between 1847 and 1850, when Blore was building the new east wing, the Brighton Pavilion was once again plundered of its fittings. As a result many of the rooms in the new wing have a distinctly oriental atmosphere. The red and blue Chinese Luncheon Room is made up from parts of the Brighton banqueting and music rooms, but has a chimney piece, also from Brighton, in design more Indian than Chinese. The Yellow Drawing Room has 18th century wall paper, which was supplied in 1817 for the Brighton Saloon, and the chimney piece in this room is a European vision of what the Chinese equivalent would look like, complete with nodding mandarins in niches and fearsome winged dragons.

Prince Albert's music room, one of the smaller less formal rooms at the palace, in 1887.
Prince Albert's music room, one of the smaller less formal rooms at the palace, in 1887.

At the centre of this wing is the famous balcony, with behind its glass doors the Centre Room. This is a Chinese-style saloon enhanced by Queen Mary in the late 1920s, although the lacquer doors were brought from Brighton in 1873. Running the length of the piano nobile of the east wing is an immense gallery, modestly known as the Principal Corridor. It has mirrored doors, and mirrored cross walls reflecting porcelain pagodas and other oriental furniture from Brighton. The Chinese Luncheon Room and Yellow Drawing Room are situated at each end of this gallery, with the Centre Room obviously placed in the centre.

Visiting heads of state today, when staying at the palace, occupy a suite of rooms known as the Belgian suite, which is on the ground floor of the North-facing garden front. These rooms, with corridors enhanced by saucer domes, were first decorated for Prince Albert's uncle Léopold I, first King of the Belgians. King Edward VIII lived in these rooms during his short reign.

Court ceremonies

The State Ballroom is the largest room at Buckingham Palace. It was added by Queen Victoria and is used for ceremonies such as investitures and state banquets. This picture dates from 1856. The polychrome colour scheme has been replaced by mainly white decoration with gold details and red upholstery.
The State Ballroom is the largest room at Buckingham Palace. It was added by Queen Victoria and is used for ceremonies such as investitures and state banquets. This picture dates from 1856. The polychrome colour scheme has been replaced by mainly white decoration with gold details and red upholstery.

During the current reign court ceremony has undergone a radical change, and entry to the palace is no longer the prerogative of just the upper class.

There has been a progressive relaxation of the dress code governing formal court uniform and dress. In previous reigns, men not wearing military uniform wore knee breeches of an 18th-century design. Women's evening dress included obligatory trains and tiaras and/or feathers in their hair. After World War I, when Queen Mary wished to follow fashion by raising her skirts a few inches from the ground, she requested a Lady-in-Waiting to shorten her own skirt first to gauge the King's reaction. King George V was horrified and Queen Mary's hemline remained unfashionably low. Subsequently, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth allowed daytime skirts to rise.

In 1924 Labour Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald was the first man to be received by a monarch inside the palace wearing a lounge suit; however, this was a one-off concession. Prescribed evening court dress remained obligatory until World War II.

Today there is no official dress code. Most men invited to Buckingham Palace in the daytime choose to wear service uniform or morning coats, and in the evening, depending on the formality of the occasion, black tie or white tie. If the occasion is 'white tie' then women, if they possess one, wear a tiara.

One of the first major changes was in 1958 when the Queen abolished the presentation parties for debutantes. These court presentations of aristocratic girls to the monarch took place in the Throne Room. Debutantes wore full court dress, with three tall ostrich feathers in their hair. They entered, curtsied, performed a choreographed backwards walk and a further curtsey, while manoeuvring a dress train of prescribed length. The ceremony corresponded to the "court drawing rooms" of earlier reigns, and Queen Elizabeth II replaced the presentations with large and frequent palace garden parties for an invited cross-section of British society. The late Princess Margaret is reputed to have remarked of the debutante presentations: "We had to put a stop to it, every tart in London was getting in" [8]. Today, the Throne Room is used for the reception of formal addresses such as those given to the Queen on her Jubilees. It is here on the throne dais that royal wedding portraits and family photographs are taken.

Investitures, which include the conferring of knighthoods by dubbing with a sword, and other awards take place in the palace's Victorian Ballroom, built in 1854. At 123 ft by 60 ft (37 m by 20 m), this is the largest room in the palace. It has replaced the Throne Room in importance and use. During investitures the Queen stands on the throne dais beneath a giant, domed velvet canopy, known as a shamiana or a baldachin, used at the coronation Durbar in Delhi in 1911. A military band plays in the musicians' gallery, as the recipients of awards approach the Queen and receive their honours, watched by their families and friends. The Beatles were among the first non-establishment artists to be awarded honours at the palace.

This 1870 drawing shows guests ascending the Grand Staircase.
This 1870 drawing shows guests ascending the Grand Staircase.

State banquets also take place in the Ballroom. These formal dinners take place on the first evening of a state visit by a visiting Head of State. On these occasions, often over 150 guests in formal "white tie and decorations" including tiaras for women, dine off gold plate. The largest and most formal reception at Buckingham Palace takes place every November, when the Queen entertains members of the foreign diplomatic corps resident in London. On this occasion all the state rooms are in use, as the entire Royal Family proceed through them, beginning their procession through the great north doors of the Picture Gallery. As Nash had envisaged, all the large, double-mirrored doors stand open, reflecting the numerous crystal chandeliers and sconces, causing a deliberate optical illusion of space and light.

Smaller ceremonies such as the reception of new ambassadors take place in the '1844 Room'. Here too the Queen holds small lunch parties, and often meetings of the Privy Council. Larger lunch parties often take place in the curved and domed Music Room, or the State Dining Room. On all formal occasions the ceremonies are attended by the Yeomen of the Guard in their anachronistic uniforms, and other officers of the court such as the Lord Chamberlain.

Since the bombing of the palace chapel in World War II, royal christenings have sometimes taken place in the Music Room. The Queen's first three children were all baptised here, in a special gold font. Prince William was christened in the Music Room; however, his brother, Prince Harry, was christened at St George's Chapel, Windsor.

The largest functions of the year are the Queen's Garden Parties for up to 8,000 invitees, taking tea and sandwiches in marquees erected in the Garden. As a military band plays the National Anthem, the Queen emerges from the Bow Room and slowly walks through the assembled guests towards her private tea tent, greeting those previously selected for the honour. Those guests who do not actually have the opportunity to meet the Queen at least have the consolation of being able to admire the Garden.

Modern history

Buckingham Palace panorama, 1909
Buckingham Palace panorama, 1909
The east front of Buckingham Palace was completed in 1850. Seen here in 1910, it was remodelled to its present form in 1913
The east front of Buckingham Palace was completed in 1850. Seen here in 1910, it was remodelled to its present form in 1913
Victoria Memorial at sunset, 2006
Victoria Memorial at sunset, 2006

In 1901 the accession of Edward VII saw new life breathed into the palace. The new King and his wife Queen Alexandra had always been at the forefront of London high society, and their friends, known as "the Marlborough House Set", were considered to be the most eminent and fashionable of the age. Buckingham Palace—the Ballroom, Grand Entrance, Marble Hall, Grand Staircase, vestibules and galleries redecorated in the Belle epoque cream and gold colour scheme they retain today—once again became the focal point of the British Empire and a setting for entertaining on a majestic scale. Many people feel King Edward's heavy redecoration of the palace does not complement Nash's original work.[9] However, it has been allowed to remain for one hundred years.

The last major building work took place during the reign of King George V when, in 1913, Sir Aston Webb redesigned Blore's 1850 East Front to resemble in part Giacomo Leoni's Lyme Park in Cheshire. This new, refaced principal facade (of Portland stone) was designed to be the backdrop to the Victoria Memorial, a large memorial statue of Queen Victoria, placed outside the main gates. George V, who had succeeded Edward VII in 1910, had a more serious personality than his father; greater emphasis was now placed on official entertaining and royal duties than on lavish parties. George V's wife Queen Mary was a connoisseur of the arts, and took a keen interest in the Royal collection of furniture and art, both restoring and adding to it. Queen Mary also had many new fixtures and fittings installed, such as the pair of marble Empire-style chimneypieces by Benjamin Vulliamy, dating from 1810, which the Queen had installed in the ground floor Bow Room, the huge low room at the centre of the garden facade. Queen Mary was also responsible for the decoration of the Blue Drawing Room. This room, 69 feet (21 m) long, previously known as the South Drawing Room, has one of Nash's finest ceilings, coffered with huge gilt console brackets, and is referred to by the author and historian Olwen Hedley in her book Buckingham Palace as the most beautiful in the palace, grander and more lavish than either the Throne Room or the Ballroom, which was built to take over the Blue Drawing Room's original function.

Victoria Memorial was created by the sculptor Sir Thomas Brock in 1911 and erected in front of the main gates at Buckingham Palace on a surround was constructed by the architect Sir Aston Webb.
Victoria Memorial was created by the sculptor Sir Thomas Brock in 1911 and erected in front of the main gates at Buckingham Palace on a surround was constructed by the architect Sir Aston Webb.

In 1999 it was stated [10] that the palace contained 19 state rooms, 52 principal bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices, and 78 bathrooms. While this may seem large, it is small when compared to the Tsar's palaces in St. Petersburg and at Tsarskoe Selo, the Papal Palace in Rome, the Royal Palace of Madrid, or indeed the former Palace of Whitehall, and tiny compared to the Forbidden City and Potala Palace. The relative smallness of the palace may be best appreciated from within, looking out over the inner quadrangle. A minor extension was made in 1938, in which the north-west pavilion, designed by Nash, was converted into a swimming pool.

During World War I the Palace, then the home of King George V and Queen Mary, escaped unscathed. Its more valuable contents were evacuated to Windsor but the Royal family remained in situ. The largest change to court life at this time was that the Government persuaded the King to ostentatiously and publicly lock the wine cellars and refrain from alcohol for the duration of the war, to set a good example to the supposedly inebriated lower classes. The lower classes continued to imbibe and the King was left reputedly furious at his enforced abstinence. Edward VIII later told a biographer that his father had a furtive glass of port each evening, while the Queen secretly laced her fruit cup with champagne. The King's children were photographed at this time serving tea to wounded officers in the adjacent Royal Mews.

During World War II the Palace fared worse: it was bombed no less than seven times, and was a deliberate target, as it was thought by the Nazis that the destruction of Buckingham Palace would demoralise the nation. One bomb fell in the palace quadrangle while King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were in residence, but while many windows were blown in, no serious damage was reported. However, war time coverage of such incidents was severely restricted. The most serious and publicised bombing was the destruction of the Palace chapel in 1940: coverage of this event was played in cinemas all over England to show the common suffering of rich and poor. The King and Queen were filmed inspecting their bombed home, the smiling Queen immaculate in a hat and matching coat. It was at this time the Queen famously declared: "I'm glad we have been bombed. Now I can look the East End in the face". The Royal family were seen as sharing their subjects' hardship, as The Sunday Graphic reported:-

The Royal Family, and Winston Churchill, on the balcony of the Palace on VE Day.
The Royal Family, and Winston Churchill, on the balcony of the Palace on VE Day.
By the Editor: The King and Queen have endured the ordeal which has come to their subjects. For the second time a German bomber has tried to bring death and destruction to the home of Their Majesties……..When this war is over the common danger which King George and Queen Elizabeth have shared with their people will be a cherished memory and an inspiration through the years".

On September 15, 1940 an RAF pilot, Ray Holmes, rammed a German plane attempting to bomb the palace. Holmes had run out of ammunition and made the quick choice to ram it. Both planes crashed and their pilots survived. This incident was captured on film. The plane's engine was later exhibited at the Imperial War Museum in London. Following the war the British pilot became a King's Messenger. He died at the age of 90 in 2005.

On VE Day (May 8, 1945), the Palace was the centre of British celebrations, with the King, Queen and the Princess Elizabeth, the future Queen, and Princess Margaret appearing on the balcony, with the palace's blacked-out windows behind them, to the cheers from a vast crowd in the Mall.

Security

Guards march out of Buckingham Palace at the end of the daily Changing of the Guard ceremony.
Guards march out of Buckingham Palace at the end of the daily Changing of the Guard ceremony.

The famous armed sentries on guard on the Palace forecourt are commonly thought to be ceremonial, but they have always had a security role. The Palace also contains its own police station, and the Royal Family have their own protection officers at all times. The Foot Guards battalion at Wellington Barracks is only 300 yards (275 m) away. The units at Chelsea Barracks (Foot Guards) and Hyde Park Barracks (Household Cavalry) are both three-quarters of a mile away (1.2 km).

A notorious incident occurred in 1982, when Michael Fagan gained access to the Queen's bedroom while she was asleep. In 2003 a reporter for the Daily Mirror, Ryan Parry, spent two months working as a footman inside Buckingham Palace. One of the references he supplied was fake, and it appears this was not checked properly. The incident coincided with a visit to the UK by George W. Bush, who stayed at the Palace, and the Mirror published clandestine photographs of Bush's bedroom, along with the Queen's breakfast table and the Duke of York's room. [11] The Palace took the Mirror to court for invasion of privacy, and the newspaper handed over its materials, and paid some of the Queen's costs in an out-of-court settlement in November 2003.

Most lapses of security have been outside the Palace: In 1974, Ian Ball attempted to kidnap the Princess Royal at gunpoint in the Mall while she was returning to the palace, wounding several people in the process. In 1981, three German tourists camped in the gardens of the palace, after climbing over the heavily barbwired wall, purportedly believing the area to be Hyde Park. In 1993, anti-nuclear protestors also scaled the palace walls and held a sit down protest on the palace lawn. Most notably, in 1994, a naked paraglider landed on the roof of the building. In 1995 a student, John Gillard, was able to deliberately ram the gates of the Palace, knocking one of the great wrought iron gates weighing 3,300 pounds (1.5 tonnes) off its hinges. In 1997, an absconded mentally ill patient was found wandering the Palace grounds, which ordered another security review.

During 2004, a protester advocating the legal rights of single fathers, received wide press coverage when he climbed onto a ledge near the ceremonial balcony on the East front dressed as Batman. Simultaneously, a second protester, dressed as Robin, was apprehended before he managed to climb onto the building; he returned the following November dressed as Father Christmas to chain himself to a lamp on one of the main gateposts.

Probably the most incredible of past lapses occurred in 1837. A 12-year-old boy known to history as The boy Cotton managed to live for a year undetected inside the palace. Hiding in chimneys and blackening the beds he slept in, he was finally apprehended in December 1838, causing questions on royal security to be asked in Parliament. [12] Of the eight assassination attempts made on Queen Victoria, at least three occurred near the Palace gates. During the early 20th century the front of the Palace became a favoured venue for suffragettes, who would chain themselves to the gilt-topped iron railings. Over the years numerous intruders have been apprehended in the Palace grounds, including one who wished to propose marriage to Princess Anne, and who was subsequently declared insane.

The Palace in the 21st century: Royal Use and Public Access

The Royal Family on the balcony
The Royal Family on the balcony

Today, Buckingham Palace is not only the weekday home of the Queen and Prince Philip but also the London residence of the Duke of York and the Earl and Countess of Wessex. The Palace also houses the offices of the Royal Household and is the workplace of 450 people.

Every year some 50,000 invited guests are entertained at Garden Parties, receptions, audiences, and banquets. The Garden Parties, usually three, are held in the summer, usually in July. The Forecourt of Buckingham Palace is used for Changing of the Guard, a major ceremony and tourist attraction (daily during the summer months; every other day during the winter).

The Palace is not the monarch's private property; both Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace and their art collections belong to the nation. The furnishings, paintings, fittings and other artefacts, many by Fabergé, from Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle are known collectively as the Royal Collection; owned by the nation, they can be viewed by the public. The Queen's Gallery near the Royal Mews is open all year and displays a changing selection of items from the collection. The rooms containing the Queen's Gallery are on the site of the former chapel, which was damaged by one of the seven bombs to fall on the Palace during World War II.

Buckingham Palace with the Union Flag projected onto it for Christmas Eve 2003
Buckingham Palace with the Union Flag projected onto it for Christmas Eve 2003

The Summer Opening of the Palace State Rooms to the public was a huge change to tradition in the 1990s. The money raised in entry fees was originally put towards the rebuilding of Windsor Castle following the fire in 1992 that destroyed many of its State Rooms. Each Summer, during August and September, the West Wing of the Palace is opened to the public. A seasonal staff of about 200 is employed to run the Opening.

Graphic reconstructions of Buckingham Palace history

As part of the Queen's 80th birthday celebrations, the Big Royal Dig carried out by the Time Team of archaeologists (see Buckingham Palace Gardens for full findings) from 25th-28th August 2006 produced some spectacular graphic reconstructions of Buckingham Palace history.

Graphic Reconstruction 1 shows the familiar East Front of Buckingham Palace removed (in the background of the picture). The processional arch designed by architect John Nash, which was resited at Marble Arch in London, has been digitally replaced in its original site. (There is no truth in the frequently heard claim that it was removed as being too small for Queen Victoria's carriage: the Gold State Coach can pass through the arch, as was seen in the coronation procession of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.)

Graphic Reconstruction 2 combines architect John Nash's Palace building with the original Buckingham House wing. (The more familiar East Front of the Palace is out of frame on the right of shot.)

Unfortunately, the Big Royal Dig did not succeed in unearthing traces of three prior residences erected on the Palace site, namely Buckingham House (1703), Arlington House (1674) and Goring House (1633).

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The topography of the site and its ownership are dealt with in Wright, chapters 1-4
  2. ^ Wright, pp. 76-8
  3. ^ Audley and Davies were key figures in the development of Ebury Manor and also the Grosvenor Estate (see Dukes of Westminster), which still exists today. (They are remembered in North Audley Street, South Audley Street, and Davies Street, all in Mayfair.)
  4. ^ Wright, p.83
  5. ^ Wright, p. 96.
  6. ^ Nash, p. 18, although the purchase price is given by Wright p. 142 as £28,000
  7. ^ See reference on official British monarchy website [1]
  8. ^ *Blaikie, Thomas (2002). You look awfully like the Queen: Wit and Wisdom from the House of Windsor. London: Harper Collins. ISBN 0-00-714874-7
  9. ^ Robinson (Page 9) asserts that the decorations, including plaster swags and other decorative motifs, are "finicky" and "at odds with Nash's original detailing".
  10. ^ Robinson. Page 11
  11. ^ In themselves the photographs revealed nothing more interesting than that the Queen's two younger sons had a conventional, almost bourgeois, taste in bedroom furnishings, and that the Queen kept her breakfast muesli in a tupperware container.
  12. ^ The Mudlark, a 1949 novel by American writer Theodore Bonnet, was loosely based on his story. In 1950 a romanticised film, starring Irene Dunne, Alec Guinness and Anthony Steel, was made of the novel.

References

  • Blaikie, Thomas (2002). You look awfully like the Queen: Wit and Wisdom from the House of Windsor. London: Harper Collins. ISBN 0-00-714874-7.
  • Harris, John; de Bellaigue, Geoffrey; & Miller, Oliver (1968). Buckingham Palace. London:Nelson. ISBN 0-17-141011-4
  • Hedley, Olwen (1971) The Pictorial History of Buckingham Palace. Pitkin, ISBN 0-85372-086-X
  • Nash, Roy (1980). Buckingham Palace: The Place and the People. London: Macdonald Futura. ISBN 0-354-04529-6
  • Robinson, John Martin (1999). Buckingham Palace. Published by The Royal Collection, St. James's Palace, London ISBN 1-902163-36-2.
  • Williams, Neville (1971). Royal Homes. Lutterworth Press. ISBN 0-7188-0803-7.
  • Woodham-Smith, Cecil (1973). Queen Victoria (vol 1) Hamish Hamilton Ltd.
  • Wright, Patricia (1999; first published 1996). The Strange History of Buckingham Palace. Stroud, Gloucs.: Sutton Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-7509-1283-9

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