The
Buckingham Palace was built way back in 1702 and the palace also served as the residence of Queen Charlotte.
Ever since its inception, the palace has undergone renovations a number of times but the original architectural grandeur has remained intact.
Today, Buckingham Palace is the residential abode of the Queen and The Duke of Edinburg. Not only this, the palace also serves as the administrative headquarters of the British monarchy.
The palace which also houses the State Apartments serves as the venue where Her Majesty meets and entertains guests.
As far as art and paintings are concerned, the
Buckingham Palace London has one of the world's richest collections of artwork. The artworks are displayed in the State Rooms and great works of art from legends like Rubens, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Poussin and Claude can be seen at the palace.
The palace doubles up as a venue for Royal Ceremonies like State visits and Investitures and every year more than 50,000 people visit the palace as guests to banquets, lunch and dinner receptions.
The original edifice did not have a spacious room for entertainment. It was due to the pioneering efforts of Queen Victoria that an exclusive ballroom, which was all of 36.6 m long, 18 m wide and 13.5 m high, was built in the year 1853. Today it serves as the venue where State Banquets and Diplomatic Receptions are held.
The grandiose State Dining Room located to the west of the palace is a room worth visiting where many distinguished persons have dined in the past with Her Majesty.
There is also the Music Room where guests are introduced to the Queen and The Duke of Edinburg. The Music Room has been the place where The Prince of Wales, The Princess Royal, The Duke of York and Prince William were christened.
The regal and grandiose Drawing Room and the marvelous Bow Room are worth visiting. The Bow Room was built for King George IV to serve as a library but it never materialized.
Hotels near Buckingham Palace
- Crowne Plaza London St James 4-star hotel
45-51 Buckingham Gate, City of Westminster, SW1E 6AF London
- Park Plaza Victoria London 4-star hotel
239 Vauxhall Bridge Road, Pimlico, SW1V 1EQ London
- Rubens At The Palace 4-star hotel
39 Buckingham Palace Road, City of Westminster, SW1W 0PS London
- Le Meridien Piccadilly 5-star hotel
21 Piccadilly, W1J 0BH London
- Hilton London Green Park 4-star hotel
Half Moon Street, Mayfair, W1J 7BN London
