What is the name of the royal palace in London. Plan: how many rooms are inside and their interiors. Official residence of the monarchs
Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the British monarchs in London. It is also famous for being the largest operating royal palace. It is now a residence the queen of England Elizabeth II.
The history of Buckingham Palace begins in the 18th century. It began to be built in 1703 as the home of the Duke of Buckingham. However, in 1762, it was bought by King George III, who wanted to make it his private residence, since St. James's Palace became too small for him and did not satisfy with the decoration. Over the next 75 years, 3 additional buildings were built around the central courtyard of Buckingham Palace, based on designs by architects John Nash and Edward Blore.
In 1837, Queen Victoria, having ascended the throne, officially declared Buckingham Palace as the main residence of the monarchs of Great Britain. During the years of her reign, new additions were made to the architecture of the palace: another building and a ballroom were completed, the main entrance was moved to the Oratory Corner in Hyde Park. These were the last major changes in the architecture of the royal residence. Currently, there is still a monument in front of the gate dedicated to Queen Victoria.
The interior of Buckingham Palace was made in the Georgian style. For the decoration used pink and blue lapis, as well as artificial marble. However, during the reign of King Edward VII, the palace was renovated. As a result, the style of decoration changed to the French Belle Époque, which was dominated by gold and cream shades. Some rooms and halls have been decorated and furnished in the Chinese style. Furniture from other royal palaces was also used.
Among other things, Buckingham Palace is famous for its gardens, which are the largest and most beautiful private-owned gardens in London. Their creator was Lancelot Brown, but later they underwent a redesign by John Nash and William Ailton. A large pond was dug and completed in 1828.
Modern Buckingham Palace is located on an area of 20 hectares, 3 of which are in the buildings themselves, and the rest of the space is occupied by a garden. The buildings have up to 600 rooms.
Now the palace houses a large gallery, where paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens and other famous artists are exhibited. In addition, items of antique French and English furniture, French Sevres porcelain are exhibited there.
The Queen of Great Britain spends 10 months a year in the palace, and only in late summer and early autumn leaves her residence for a short time. During her absence, the queen's chambers can be visited by tourists.
Any layman can determine whether the queen is in the palace or not; for this, it is enough just to glance at the flagpole above the building. If the queen is “at home,” her standard flies there.
The palace cost its owners very dearly, almost 700 thousand pounds. This price is due to the expensive materials that were used in the construction, for example, 500 marble blocks with veins from Carrara were used. At the same time, it had to be constantly repaired, as something was constantly breaking in such a large building. So, literally 3 years after Queen Victoria came to the throne, out of more than 1000 windows of the palace, only a few were opened.
In fact, Buckingham Palace is a city in miniature. There is a hospital, a police station, 2 post offices, 2 sports clubs, a bar, a disco and even a swimming pool and a cinema. The floors of the palace are paved with red carpets about 3 miles long. More than 300 hours are installed in the premises of the palace, which are serviced by 2 craftsmen. In total, about 700 people serve in the palace. These people are responsible for cleaning and maintaining the palace, as well as organizing various ceremonies such as receptions, banquets, awards, etc. In the summer alone, the palace welcomes 30,000 visitors and is one of the most interesting sights in London.
Address: Great Britain, London, located opposite Pall Mall
Foundation date: 1703 year
Royal residence: since 1837
Architect: William Wilde
Coordinates: 51 ° 30 "04.0" N 0 ° 08 "32.1" W
Buckingham Palace is undoubtedly one of the main attractions not only in London, but throughout the UK. It would even be more correct to say not a landmark, but a symbol of Foggy Albion.
A bird's eye view of the palace
Despite its relatively "young age", Buckingham Palace in London is considered the country's most important task. Indeed, this architectural masterpiece is considered the official residence of all British monarchs. Despite its importance, the luxurious interior, beautiful gardens, artificial ponds and shady alleys, Buckingham Palace is not one of the most visited attractions in the country. Only 30,000 people a year come to see how the modern monarch lives. This figure simply fades even before the London Eye, not to mention the Tower of London or Westminster Palace.
However, 30,000 is a constant number of visitors to Buckingham Palace, it never changes. The guests of the official residence of Queen Elizabeth II of Windsor are not getting any more and no less. Many tourists who have not yet had time to visit London and are just planning a trip to the capital of Great Britain to get acquainted with its sights and monuments of history and architecture, may ask a reasonable question: "Is Buckingham Palace not of interest to guests of such a great and rich country?" Any guide or even an ordinary person who knows about political structure England, will immediately give the answer: "It causes, also what!". And how can you not be of interest to the guests of London, a real city in the city. Buckingham Palace, something like the Vatican, it even has its own post office, swimming pool and a huge cinema!
View of the palace from the Mall street. Left, Queen Victoria Memorial
The point is simply that Buckingham Palace, as mentioned above, is the official main residence of the monarchs: it is in it that they work, receive distinguished guests and official delegations from other countries of the world. Naturally, no one and for any money will not let a tourist into the holy of holies of Great Britain. No one will risk their lives and peace of mind, even if only formal, but, nevertheless, the commander-in-chief of the country's military-armed forces. By the way, the Queen of England is also considered the secular head of the Church of England. 30,000 people - this is the number of lucky ones who manage to get into the monarch's residence in August and September. The thing is that the now ruling Queen of Great Britain has allowed tourists to visit her palace. True, there is a reservation in this permission, guests can enter the main residence of the monarchs only when the august persons are absent there.
The Queen officially leaves the palace in August and September. This does not mean at all that in the rest of the months the queen seems to be "tied" to her palace: she travels quite a lot, participates in various solemn ceremonies, and in the spring and June she visits her at Windsor Castle. But at any time she can return to Buckingham Palace: the queen's vacation lasts two months - August and September. During these months, Elizabeth II of Windsor and her family take a break from the luxury and splendor of Buckingham Palace. And the luxury there, one might even say, oppressive. ... It is certainly interesting to look at all this glitter, but living in a museum among precious pieces of furniture and priceless paintings is probably a test. However, the queen is used to it, and always behaves with dignity, although Her Majesty's work schedule is very, very busy.
View of the facade of the palace
Probably, even schoolchildren know what kind of power the Queen of Great Britain has. None, almost none. She is just a symbol of the country, her official representative, in the shadow of the queen, and makes the main decisions of the Prime Minister of Great Britain and submits them for approval to Parliament. However, no one in England, Scotland and Ireland would even dare to say that the monarchy should sink into the past. No, the queen, who lives with her huge family in the luxurious Buckingham Palace, must sit on her throne, and the British, despite the protests, will always pay tax on the maintenance of the monarch and his magnificent residence. By the way, the Queen of Great Britain has more than one residence, her favorite place is considered to be the castle in Windsor, but Buckingham Palace is considered the official home of the monarchs.
Buckingham Palace - construction and history
Initially, Buckingham Palace was not built for monarchs and their families. It begins its history in the 18th century. One building, called Buckingham House, was built for the Duke of Buckingham, who died almost immediately after the completion of his new home. It is worth noting that the Duke of Buckingham was not happy with his new home: he often told his wife and confidants that Buckingham House seemed to be saturated with the smell of rot and mold. Nobody except him smelled these smells. Probably, a representative of the legendary dynasty, according to modern researchers of the paranormal, felt the "smell" of approaching death. The duke's widow could not be in the premises where everything reminded her of her deceased wife. She even wanted to leave the luxurious building, but soon died of grief.
The main gate of the palace
The main heir was Charles Sheffield, who quickly sold the building in 1762 to King George III of England. The monarch at that time was in dire need of a new residence, in his opinion, the old palace no longer corresponded to his position and grandeur. After acquiring Buckingham House, the king decides to change its interior: a huge library is being built, and the walls of the house are decorated with portraits of famous Italian artists. In addition, the name of the building also changes, immediately after the purchase and a number of changes in architecture, former house Duke of Buckingham began to be called the "Queen's House". Why queens? Because, for the most part, the wife of George III lived in it with children.
George III, in addition to building a huge library in his new residence and collecting an invaluable collection of paintings, invited the best artists of Foggy Albion to depict on their canvases all the monarchs of England, including George III himself. In the next 80 years after the purchase of Buckingham House, two ingenious architects of that time managed to work on the "Queen's House": Edward Blore and John Nash. If someone is unfamiliar with these names, let us clarify that these two architects built the world-famous Vorontsov Palace in Alupka. Their plan was extremely simple: they decided to build three more buildings, the shape of which almost completely repeated the "Queen's House". The future main residence of the monarchs turned into a square palace with a huge courtyard.
Honor guard at the walls of the palace
The view that our contemporaries can enjoy, Buckingham Palace received during the reign of the legendary Queen Victoria. During the time when Victoria occupied the throne of Great Britain, a large-scale reconstruction took place at Buckingham Palace. The interiors have become even more luxurious, new gardens, artificial lakes and waterfalls have appeared. After the completion of all the work, Buckingham Palace was officially considered the main residence of the monarchs of the entire United Kingdom. The expansion of Buckingham Palace caused indignation among the prim British, they considered it unacceptable for the Queen to live in such luxury. And how could a native resident of England react to the restoration of the royal residence, which cost a gigantic sum of 700,000 pounds sterling for the 19th century, in difficult times for England ?! All unanimously argued that England is not France, and the palace of kings should stand out not with luxury, but, on the contrary, with simplicity.
The protests continued during the time of Edward VII, who was born in one of the rooms of Buckingham Palace, and who during his reign also made a number of changes to the interior decoration of the residence. For example, under Edward VII, the artificial marble was replaced with real marble. Some bedrooms began to surprise the guests of the palace with the so-called Chinese style. Apparently, the monarch, who lived in Buckingham Palace from 1841 to 1910, was interested in the culture and traditions of China: in addition to the bedrooms, even some reception rooms are permeated with the atmosphere characteristic of the Celestial Empire.
Guard of honor
Buckingham Palace - our time
All the vicissitudes and indignations have sunk into oblivion, Buckingham Palace today is considered a symbol of the constitutional parliamentary monarchy, however, like Westminster Palace, where the "Charter of Liberties" was signed at one time. A monument was even erected to Queen Victoria, who was condemned for huge embezzlement, which can be seen in front of the main gate to the palace.
As mentioned above, the majestic and luxurious Buckingham Palace is available for viewing only in August and September. And even then, only those lucky ones who signed up for the excursion in advance can visit it. You cannot go to one of the most magnificent palaces in the world, buy a ticket and wander through its halls. The number of guests on each "open day" is strictly limited. In fairness, it should be noted that even if the traveler was brought to London, and he was lucky enough to get on a tour of Buckingham Palace, he will not be allowed into all the premises. By the way, about the premises: there are 755 (!) Rooms in the residence of the monarchs of Great Britain. This number includes huge halls, 93 office spaces, 52 bedrooms for the queen and her family, and 78 rooms in which monarchs can take a bath.
Changing of the guard of honor
It will not be an exaggeration to say that the most important area of Buckingham Palace is ... a balcony. Yes, yes, the very balcony from which Elizabeth II of Windsor, her son Charles and two grandchildren greet their loyal subjects. Such an event, of course, you will not see every day, usually Her Majesty goes out onto the balcony only on the most important public holidays. By the way, at this moment around the palace you can meet a huge number of people dressed in the same costumes. These are representatives of the British security services, who guard the life of the Queen and her rather large family.
The first impression of a visitor to Buckingham Palace, if it is, of course, an ordinary tourist, and not a high-ranking official, is a dumb shock. A shock that does not go away during the entire excursion. No, there is nothing terrible and gloomy, as, for example, in the Tower of London, in the residence of the monarchs of Great Britain. The shock arises from the indescribable luxury that literally puts pressure on the mind. In front of the Throne Room, travelers can familiarize themselves with the so-called "Green Living Room". This living room contains the most valuable items from the Buckingham Palace collection, not counting, of course, the collection of paintings. Here you can find a collection of coins, and an aroma that belonged to the legendary Madame de Pompadour.
View of the palace from the courtyard
The originals of Rembrandt, Raphael, Van Gogh, Titian and even Leonardo da Vinci and other equally famous artists adorn the art gallery of Buckingham Palace. Only in the official residence of the Queen of Great Britain there are about 2,500 paintings that have no price. True, only the Queen, her family, high-ranking officials and presidents from other countries can see these masterpieces. In addition, guests invited to the Queen's official reception can also see the treasures of Buckingham Palace. True, in order to get to such an important reception, you need at least to have the prefix "sir" in front of your name. For example, like Alex Ferguson and Elton John. By the way, even for such important guests, not the entire collection is exhibited; the most amazing and valuable paintings remain in a special storage facility.
Many tourists may be outraged by the fact that guests are not allowed to familiarize themselves with all the premises of Buckingham Palace during the Queen's absence. However, the natives of London, despite all their stiffness and arrogance, are sympathetic to this state of affairs: after all, be that as it may, the monarchy is almost sacred for them. Suffice it to recall the pain with which the whole of Great Britain experienced the death of Princess Diana, the wife of Prince Charles, and how happy it was during the wedding of their son and Kate Middleton.
Southwest facade of the palace
Many guides on tours of London often explain to their groups that this attitude towards the monarchy has nothing to do with infringement of the rights of an ordinary guest of the country. If someone wants to see all the luxury in which the queen and her family live, he can go to Windsor Castle. It is he who is considered the Queen's favorite residence, and almost all of its premises are open to guests. Only the monarch's bedrooms and part of the rooms cannot be visited in it. And the collection of paintings there is available for public viewing.
You can also get a certain idea of the luxury of the royal residence in the area adjacent to it, by the way, the garden of Buckingham Palace is laid out on an area exceeding 17 (!) Hectares. “The garden of Buckingham Palace completely coincided with my idea of Eden. There are even pink flamingos that are not afraid of people. The only thing that constantly reminded me that I live in the 21st century is the incessant hum of helicopters that constantly fly around the residence of the monarchs of Great Britain, ”the enthusiastic tourist shares her impressions after visiting Buckingham Palace. The palace is guarded not only by helicopters: the royal guards are watching the tranquility of the monarchs. The changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace is the most interesting performance ever. Everyone who wishes can watch this event (otherwise you cannot name it). The most famous ceremony in the world takes place at 11-30 am every day from April to August. During the winter months, the solemn changing of the guard takes place every other day. This does not mean at all that in the cold the guards infantry and representatives of the cavalry regiment stand on guard for two days: just the change of the queen's loyal warriors is not so solemn.
Palace view at night
By the way, the entrance to the territory of the palace is paid, but the ticket price is symbolic - only 10.5 pounds sterling. It has remained unchanged since 1993, when Buckingham Palace, and to be more precise, part of its premises, became available to tourists. In 1993, Elizabeth II of Windsor signed a decree that during her absence from the residence, everyone can visit the main palace of Great Britain. Alas, there are too many people who want to, and you have to be really lucky to look at some of the premises in which Her Majesty lives. At the end of the material, I would like to clarify that it is quite simple to determine whether the queen is in Buckingham Palace or not in it: if the standard of the monarchs of the United Kingdom flutters over the residence, then the queen is in her house. In the house, which is also her workplace.
It is a real symbol of Foggy Albion and the official residence of the monarchs of Great Britain.
The Queen and her family spend here almost all their time, leaving it only for the duration of their holidays and royal visits to other countries and cities of Great Britain.
Buckingham Palace in London
The official leave of the monarchs falls in August-September, and it is then that Buckingham Palace opens its doors to visitors who want to touch the history and see firsthand how the monarchs live.
The palace attracts many people every year. Only during the summer receptions in the royal garden, it is attended by up to 30,000 people!
Of course, it is almost impossible for ordinary mortals to get there, and they have to be content with only two months to look at the riches and luxury of the royal palace at least from the corner of their eyes.
Buckingham Palace history
Buckingham Palace was built not so long ago - only in the 18th century, for the Duke of Buckingham, hence its name. 
However, the luxurious palace did not suit the taste of its owner. The duke argued that he could not live in it because of the smell of rot and mold that lingered in all the rooms. It is worth noting that no one else felt it.
Legend has it that the duke simply felt the approach of his own death, because he died just a few years after the completion of construction.
And after the death of the widowed Duchess, Charles Sheffield inherited Buckingham Palace and the surrounding lands. But he did not live in these luxurious apartments, but sold the estate to King George III of England in 1762.
The monarch did not want to "huddle" in the Palace of St. James - the official residence of the kingdom in the 18th century, believing that his family deserves the best. And Buckingham Palace was considered one of the finest houses in London.
George III immediately began to decorate the palace to his liking: the facade of the building was simplified, a huge library was built, and all the walls were decorated with magnificent paintings by famous artists. To paint the portraits of the royal family, the best English artists of the time were invited - Ramsay, West, Zoffney and Gainsborough.
Georg even changed the name of the new house, renaming it "Queen's House", because this is where Queen Charlotte and her children lived. 
Over the next years, Buckingham Palace and its territory have undergone constant changes and improvements. It was supervised by brilliant architects - John Nash and Edward Blore. They developed a project that required the construction of three more buildings, similar to Buckingham Palace, in order for the royal residence to form a square with a large courtyard.
But Buckingham Palace flourished during the Victorian era. Queen Victoria has carried out a global renovation, turning an already very beautiful house into a truly luxurious residence.
It was under Queen Victoria that Buckingham Palace received the status of the official residence of the British monarchy in 1837. Thanks to her efforts, new gardens with a lake and waterfalls, a chic ballroom in 1853, as well as additional wings and a new main entrance - the Marble Arch - appeared.
Monument to Queen Victoria in the evening
Of course, such a reconstruction could not but cause outrage among British citizens, who believed that the grandiose luxury apartments, which cost the crown £ 640,000, were not needed by the monarchy. "Let foreign countries do this, England has nothing to do" - said the British politician Joseph Hume.
King Edward VII also made changes to the decoration of the palace. Under him, the artificial marble was replaced with real marble, and some rooms were furnished in Chinese style.
The bronze statue stands on a white stone pedestal ...
Still, Queen Victoria was loved by her subjects. Many monuments have been erected to her and a huge number of great structures are dedicated. One of the monuments is located just in front of Buckingham Palace.
Buckingham Palace today
Today it is not just a house, it is a real small town with its own post office, police, hospital, sports clubs, swimming pool, cinema and even a disco! There are as many as 755 rooms in the main palace of the kingdom.
There are huge stately halls, 93 offices, 52 king bedrooms and 78 bathrooms. This "Gorodok" is home to the royal family, and is served by 700 workers involved in the maintenance of the palace, cooking and organizing banquets for receptions.
The square in front of Buckingham Palace is a very visited place, because it is held here every day, gathering crowds of people.
Gateway to Buckingham Palace Square
Until 1993, tourists were not allowed into the main residence of the monarchs, but then the palace opened its doors to visitors for two whole months - in August and September, when the queen was absent.
Explore Buckingham Palace Rooms
But it is worth remembering that only a few rooms are available for inspection: a guard room, a throne room, a green living room, a white living room, a grand dining room and several more halls. In total - 19.
Of course, this is not much, but these apartments are so luxurious that you can get an impression of the world in which the royal family lives.
Taking pictures inside is prohibited, because photos from inside the palace are presented by screenshots from a virtual tour from the official website - www.royal.gov.uk
In each room, you can see a large number of paintings by famous artists. There are paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Dyck.
A majestic and beautiful hall with the most expressive interior. All the attention of visitors is concentrated on the dais, where there are two thrones for the monarchs.
Green living room
The Green Living Room, upholstered in emerald silk, houses the most precious things of Buckingham Palace. In addition to the beautiful interior, you can see a collection of old coins and several important historical gizmos here. For example, the aroma of the legendary beauty Madame de Pompadour.
Blue living room
Blue living room.
This room got its name from the blue wallpaper on the walls.
This room is designed in white and gold tones with beautiful gold patterns.
An unforgettable impression is also left by the gorgeous garden, which stretches out at Buckingham Palace. On the territory of as much as 17 hectares there is a lake where pink flamingos live, many waterfalls, beautiful flower beds and lawns.
And many beautiful flowering trees.
Buckingham Palace ticket prices
* The ticket includes a visit to the State Halls, and the Royal Gallery.
Buy tickets to Buckingham Palace in advance.
Exclusive Guided Tour to Buckingham Palace from December 12 to February 1, 2015
In 2014-2015, there was a unique opportunity to visit Buckingham Palace with a qualified guide not in the summer, but in the winter months - from December 12, 2014 to February 1, 2015.
It turns out that Buckingham Palace is possible even in winter.
Tours were conducted four times a day (not daily, it is worth checking on the website) at specific times: 13:30, 14:00, 16:00, 16:30. The duration of the tour is 2-2.5 hours.
It cost £ 75.00 per person. Tickets had to be booked in advance or bought on the website (www.royalcollection.org.uk) because the number of seats is limited. There can be no more than 30 people in a group.
Royal gallery and palace box office.
Where is Buckingham Palace and how to get there?
It is simply impossible not to find Buckingham Palace. It is located in central London across from Pall Mall and very close to
Metro: Victoria, Green Park and Hyde Park Corner stations.
By bus: 11, 211, C1 and C10 (Buckingham Palace Road stop)
And you can take such a nice cab!
But to get on an excursion to Buckingham Palace, the traveler will have to go to the embassy entrance, which is located on Buckingham Palace Road on the way to the Royal Gallery.
And if you pass by the palace in London, do not forget to see if the royal standard is fluttering in the wind. Maybe you are very close to the Queen herself!
In the heart of London is one of Britain's most recognizable buildings. However, not everyone knows his story.
We will not just tell you in detail about Buckingham Palace, but also open all of it secrets which are essentially just Interesting Facts its creation ...
Buckingham Palace today is the official residence of local monarchs and the largest operating royal palace. The Queen lives and works here. For a couple of months (August and September) she leaves her residence, and at this time the chambers are open to visitors (not all of them, of course). This is the main attraction of London.
Thanks to the famous balcony, it is a place of national unity during the days of tragedies or folk celebrations. Designed for formal ceremonies, banquets and receptions, Buckingham Palace is a favorite tourist attraction.
Once upon a time, meadows were green on the site of this luxurious palace. As a royal residence, the palace is quite young. Its state rooms are no more than 200 years old. However, its story is much longer and more dramatic.
The objects that fill the halls of the palace reveal to us the characters of the kings and queens of the past. Here art and architecture come together to show Britain's global status. Many people think that the palace was built during the time when Britain was the most powerful empire on earth. But few people know that for the first kings it was a quiet nest. But everything changes ...
The wetland was in no way suitable for royal estates, until one king decided otherwise ... and now you will find out how the project of Buckingham Palace was "born":
King Henry XIII, who ascended the throne in 1509, was passionate about hunting. The swampy shores of this area were ideal for hunting. Once upon a time, the king changed up to 8 horses per day. So he decided to turn the lands north of Westminster into personal hunting grounds. Having kicked out several landowners from there, he surrounded his new possessions with a brick wall. In 1535, Henry XIII drained the land under what is now Buckingham Palace and laid out a large deer park there.
But later another king found another use for this park. Jacob I(Eng. James, Lat. Iacobus) loved rich clothes, especially the finest silks. And he realized that silk could bring him a lot of money. On the lands where the gardens of Buckingham Palace are now located, James I decided to establish an English silk production. In 1608, the king planted dozens of mulberry trees and released silkworms on them. But he was wrong with the tree. This is a black mulberry and the silkworms were simply not interested in it.
Only after 100 years, in 1708, a building was erected on the place where the palace now stands. Today, all that remains of it is the name of its owner. The Duke of Buckingham was not liked at court. He was even given the nickname "my lord the proud". But he was rich, so having bought the royal lands, he built a luxurious mansion on them. Although nowadays not a stone is left of it ...
By 1760, the house was up for sale. Young king George III decided it would be the best wedding present for his young wife. The aristocratic mansion became the home of the British monarchy. George III loved simple pleasures. He was modest and presented the palace to his wife as a quiet family refuge away from the maelstrom of court life.
Buckingham Palace was too pretentious for George III's taste. Therefore, he decided to remove the intricate gates, the fountain of Neptune and even the statues on the roof ... Outwardly, the house became boring, discreet, but decent.
However, the interior made it clear that a king lives here. George III covered the walls with paintings from the Royal Collection of Art.
Buckingham Palace was rebuilt son of King George IV after the death of his father. John Nash was chosen as the architect. George IV begged parliament to give him money to rebuild his childhood home. He was only able to get £ 150,000 for repairs and improvements. But the king had no intention of saving ...
George IV. and architect John Nash transformed the once quiet corner into the grand palace that everyone knows today as Buckingham Palace.
Buckingham Palace was officially declared the main residence of British monarchs when the young Queen Victoria came to the throne in 1837. But even at that time, the palace was not fully equipped and was poorly habitable (there were no carpets and there was very little furniture). However, the queen was delighted. During her reign ( end of XIX- the beginning of the 20th century), the last major additions were made, including the current appearance of Buckingham Palace: the construction of another wing and the relocation of the former main entrance, Marble Arch, to its current location near Oratory Corner in Hyde Park. By 1853 a ballroom was built. Later, the famous balcony appeared.
How many rooms are in Buckingham Palace
Currently, the palace covers an area of 20 hectares, of which 17 hectares is a garden.
Today it is not just a palace, it is a real small town with its own post office, police, hospital, sports clubs, swimming pool, cinema and even a disco! In the main palace of the kingdom as many as 755 rooms, of which:
- 72 bathrooms.
- 188 bedrooms designed not only for guests, but also for the staff, which numbers more than 700 people.
- 92 offices.
- 19 rooms of national importance.
- 52 bedrooms for members of the royal family.
Until 1993, tourists were not allowed into the main residence of the monarchs, but then the palace opened its doors to visitors for two whole months - in August and September.
The palace houses a huge art gallery with works by Rembrandt, Rubens and others. The collection also contains French porcelain, French and English furniture, but if you are interested in paintings, it is better to go straight to the National Gallery.
Opening hours: 09.30 to 18.00 (admission ends at 15.45)
Changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace and schedule
The procession of soldiers to the palace starts at 11.00 every day.
Changing of the guard at the palace takes place at 11.30 every day. Every day (from April to July) and every other day (in the rest of the months), a changing of the guard of the royal guards (on foot) is arranged on Buckingham Square.
Where is Buckingham Palace
Nearest metro stations: St. James "s Park, Victoria
SW1. Tel .: 7839-1377.www.royal.gov.uk
It is possible to visit the palace only with excursion groups during the departure of the queen (watch the flag on the palace building - its absence means that the visit is allowed).
We can help you buy tickets to Buckingham Palace. An audio guide in Russian is included in the ticket price.
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One of the few in modern world the current royal palaces is Buckingham Palace. This is the official residence of Her Majesty the Queen in London. The area of the palace with a garden is about 20 hectares, there is a police station, two post offices, a hospital, a swimming pool, a bar - in fact, this is a whole city. The palace itself has 775 rooms, including the Queen's official study.
The staff of the palace staff consists of about 700 people.
Initially, the palace was built for the Duke of Buckingham, in 1762 it was acquired by King George III, completed and upon accession to the throne of Queen Victoria in 1837 was declared the main residence of British monarchs. But the most spacious and richly decorated room - the ballroom - was completed only in 1853. After that, the interiors of the palace were changed several times, remaining invariably luxurious.
The changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace is one of the most recognizable ceremonies in the world - many tourists come to see this spectacle: the guards from the Court Division demonstrate impeccable training and absolute equanimity.
What to see
Not all the inhabitants of this palace were happy, but their way of life and habits have always attracted the interest of tourists. During August and September, when the Queen leaves Buckingham Palace, it becomes available to visitors. And there is something to see here! Luxurious clocks and candelabra, antique vases, skillfully made furniture, one of the world's finest collections of porcelain, magnificent collections of paintings belonging to the British queen - all this can be seen during an excursion to the palace. Of particular interest are the Royal Mews, which have been open to the public all year round since 2011, but they are still active. The Royal Mews take on the task of organizing all the travels of the Queen and members of the Royal Family. The exposition presents royal modes of transport, incl. a golden carriage for coronations and a transparent carriage for brides, not always, but in the stable you can find royal horses. Entrance 9 GBP, up to 5 years free. On the first visit, the ticket can be asked to be stamped, and then it will be valid for repeat visits for one year.
There is a shop in the palace that specializes in the sale of goods from the so-called "Royal Collection". These products are identical to those household items that are used in Everyday life palace: accessories, towels, kitchen utensils, various little things. It is not cheap, but it can be a wonderful souvenir from London.
Buckingham Palace
Changing of the Guard
And the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace is one of the most recognizable ceremonies in the world, taking place every day at 11:30 from April to August, and every other day the rest of the year. Many tourists come to watch this spectacle: the guardsmen from the Court Division demonstrate impeccable training and absolute equanimity, which turns the event into a real performance.
The schedule is posted on a large plaque outside the palace. Those wishing to take pictures of the ceremony without interference should take a seat at the palace fence in advance.
Queen's Gallery
Entrance: 7.20 GBP, concessionary (students and people over 60 years old): 6.60 GBP, for disabled people and people under 17 years old: 3.60 GBP, children under 5 years old: free.
Personal collection of Her Majesty: works by Michelangelo, Raphael, Rubens, Van Dyck, Vermeer, as well as Faberge eggs and a large collection of drawings by Leonardo.
Royal Day (State Rooms, Royal Stables and Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace): 39.5 GBP, concessionary (students and people over 60): 36.2 GBP, disabled and people under 17: 22 GBP, children under 5 years: free, family ticket (2 adults and 3 children under 17): 100 GBP.
State Rooms and Buckingham Palace: 18.20 GBP, concessionary (students and people over 60): 17 GBP, disabled and people under 17: 10.30 GBP, children under 5: free, family ticket (2 adults and 3 children under 17): 60 GBP.
State Rooms, Buckingham Palace and Gardens: 23 GBP, concessionary (students and people over 60): 20.70 GBP, disabled and people under 17: 14 GBP, children under 5: free, family ticket (2 adults and 3 children under 17): 60 GBP.
Prices on the page are for September 2018.
