home Visa When is Buckingham Palace open in the year? Buckingham Palace

When is Buckingham Palace open in the year? Buckingham Palace

It is not surprising that today Buckingham Palace, photos of which can be viewed online, is considered the main pearl of the centuries-old historical heritage England. The beauty of the structure makes all other attractions located in London fade away. Today, the palace, erected opposite Pall Mall, is the official residence of the royal family, that is, Queen Elizabeth II and previous monarchs. For many decades, the central headquarters of the monarchy has served as the venue for fateful events for the state, as well as receptions for high-ranking officials from all over the world.

The Queen stays on the palace grounds all year round. The exception is August and September. For two months, the royal family leaves their monastery so that tourists from different parts of the world can explore the castle. Before you understand where Buckingham Palace is located, you should understand that the opportunity to get inside did not always exist. Until 1992, entry into the castle territory was closed to outsiders. However, one day there was a strong fire that almost completely destroyed Vidzor Castle. The royal family found a way to raise enough funds needed for its restoration. Excursions around Buckingham Palace were organized, paid for with a symbolic amount of 10.5 pounds. The idea paid off; a year later, renovation work began. In just two months, about 50,000 travelers from different parts of the world manage to visit the residence annually.

Queen Elizabeth allowed the tour to take place only during the absence of her family from the residence, that is, from August to September. Determining this fact is quite simple. When the monarch is inside the castle, the royal standard flies proudly above him.

In addition, not a complete list of attractions was open for tourist viewing. Only nine rooms and ten halls were publicly available. Among them was an art gallery, banquet, throne, and ballrooms. You can also see the rest of the interior of Buckingham Palace in the photos presented on the Internet.

East wing under construction - 1913.

Initially, the castle was not built for royal nobility. The Duke of Buckingham, being the owner of the palace, could not even imagine that his house would become the abode of monarchs. The history of the building begins in the early eighteenth century, when the Duke of Buckingham received a gift of land from Queen Anne on the corner of Green Park and St. James's. Without delay, the decision was made to build a mansion. Construction work began almost immediately and was quickly completed. As the story goes, the new house was not to the liking of its owner. He alone could smell the smell of mold and rot inside the walls of the house. A few years after the completion of construction, the Duke died, so he did not have time to decide the further fate of the castle. Soon his wife died.

The palace came into the possession of Charles Sheffield, as there were no direct heirs left. In the mid-eighteenth century, the castle was sold to King George III for 28 thousand pounds sterling. So Buckingham Palace became the new residence instead of St. James's Palace. George III, like his son George IV, spent a lot of money on improving the acquired structure. About 150 thousand pounds were spent on the construction of three additional structures near the central building. The overall composition formed a closed courtyard. As the history of Buckingham Palace says, the new owners refurbished the huge library, and the walls were decorated with paintings by Italian painters, who are today known throughout the world. In 1828, the garden was decorated with an artificial pond, which is fed by the Serpentine River.

Queen Elizabeth II - Coronation Day June 2, 1953.

The most significant changes to the structure date back to 1837, when the reign of Queen Victoria began, who declared the castle the official residence of the monarchs of England. A huge amount of money, equal to 700 thousand pounds, was spent on transforming the palace, which was supposed to look in accordance with its new status. This item of expenditure became a reason for discontent and criticism among the British, who did not like the structure itself. It, according to citizens, looked too luxurious, even tasteless:

The interior decoration of the residence was full of purple, crimson and gold tones.
The main entrance was moved to the new location.
The Queen considered it necessary to complete another wing of the castle, where the ballroom was located, the length of which is 36 meters, the height is 15 meters, and the width is 18 meters.
The area of Buckingham Palace was also landscaped, which was decorated with luxurious gardens, where fountains were located, as well as artificial ponds with waterfalls.

However, this was not the final stage of reconstruction, which was continued by Queen Victoria's eldest son named Edward VII. During his reign, artificial marble was replaced with real marble. The style of decoration of some bedrooms and rooms, which he redecorated in Chinese style, also changed. This fact is surprising, since prim Englishmen, as a rule, are adherents of the classics.

Throughout the world, the security of Buckingham Palace is one of the most reliable systems that protects the monarch of the empire. All members are under 24/7 supervision royal family, surrounded by specially trained agents. In addition, several helicopters are circling over the headquarters non-stop, monitoring the situation in the area. The palace guard, called the Household Division, includes the Royal Horse Guards as well as the Royal Infantry. Once it has become known who is guarding Buckingham Palace, it is necessary to find out exactly how this process takes place. Tourists pay special attention to the changing of the guard, the procedure of which has remained unchanged for many centuries. It is interesting to observe the complete equanimity and impeccable training of the guards during the ceremony. Near the palace there is a special table indicating exactly when the changing of the guard will occur. All year round, except August and September, this procedure occurs every other day, and in the remaining two months - daily at 11:30 am. It is generally accepted that it is impossible to enter a protected area unnoticed, so the royal family is always safe.

The Queen's Hallway.

Description

Opposite the main entrance in the center of the Royal Garden there is a monument to Queen Victoria, which is twenty-five meters high. The figure of the queen sits on a throne with her back to the entrance to the palace. Behind her is the Angel of Mercy, facing the residence. The views of two other Angels of Justice and Truth, located on the southern and northern sides, are directed in different directions of the monument. As it says short description Buckingham Palace, at the top of the sculpture is the Angel of Victory, who looks in the same direction with the queen. Right next to it is also Constancy and Courage.

White marble was used to make the queen's statue. All of the listed angels are recreated from bronze, and Victory is revealed with gilding.

The total area of the monarchs' headquarters, including the palace itself, auxiliary buildings and gardens, today equals twenty hectares. On the territory of the residence there are two post offices, a police station, a hospital, a cinema, a stable, a bar, as well as other infrastructure facilities. The Royal Garden is equipped with magnificent fountains and ponds with waterfalls. There are also magnificent pink flamingos that are not afraid of people. The five-story palace consists of 775 rooms, of which:

72 bathrooms.
188 bedrooms intended for guests, as well as staff, which numbers more than 700 people.
92 offices.
19 rooms of national importance.
52 bedrooms for members of the royal family.

Lobby.

If you re-read interesting facts about Buckingham Palace, it is worth noting that what attracts the most attention is the balcony, from which the queen herself and her family public holidays greets his subjects. The Queen spends August and September in Scotland, so tourists are allowed to see nineteen state rooms, which can be called the heart of the castle. Here you can get acquainted with the main riches of the royal empire. Despite the small number of rooms allowed for visiting, tourists claim that they were able to get acquainted with a huge number of attractions. These include paintings by outstanding world artists, including Titian, Leonardo da Vinci, Rubens and others, luxury watches, antique vases different eras, sculptures, porcelain collection and antique furniture. The exhibits change periodically, so it makes sense to visit the residence several times.

Throne room.

The red carpets cannot be ignored either. If you look at interesting facts about Buckingham Palace, you will find out that the total length of these paths is approximately five kilometers. The walls of some rooms are covered with natural silk fabric, for example, red material was used to decorate the front door, gold material was used for the living room, and so on. The tour ends with a walk along the southern side of the garden, from where you can better see the western façade of the castle, as well as the famous royal lake. Today the building has become a real symbol of London.

"London is the capital of Great Britain“Every person knows this phrase from school. And as befits the capital of a state, London is rich in a variety of attractions - cathedrals, gardens, palaces, galleries and museums, street objects and art. It’s just that the English people walking along the streets of London are themselves a living attraction. As in any big and famous city world, a tourist in London has a program of must-see places. In the UK this includes Tower of London, Stonehenge, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and, of course, Buckingham Palace. The current residence of the queen - we cannot help but tell you more about this. Interesting Facts, photo, description of Buckingham Palace - today we will talk about this.

Data

IN modern world Buckingham Palace serves as the main residence of the monarchs of Great Britain and is located in London, opposite Pall Mall. The year of foundation is considered to be 1703, and the architect in history is William Wild. But Buckingham Palace did not immediately become the residence of queens and kings, but only since 1837. The complex is considered one of the main attractions not only of the capital, but of the entire country. We can say that Buckingham Palace has become a symbol of Foggy Albion. And few people dare to argue with this fact.

A young palace, but mature in importance

In the photo of Buckingham Palace from the inside you can see the luxurious royal decoration of the rooms and interior. The palace is considered relatively young compared to other famous historical buildings in Great Britain, but is nevertheless of paramount importance for the country. However, Buckingham Palace as the residence of monarchs, despite all its significance and rich decoration, is not one of the most visited tourist sites in Foggy Albion. If you make a ranking based on the number of tourists who visit must-see sites each year, Buckingham Palace will modestly give up first place to the London Eye or the Tower. However, for every Briton it is the most important object of the country's capital.

Stable 30,000 people

This is exactly the number of people who visit Buckingham Palace in London every year. This number does not change from year to year. The royal residence delights almost every tourist, because, in fact, Buckingham Palace is like the Vatican: it has its own post office, swimming pool and even a large cinema. The palace hosts receptions for distinguished persons and official delegations from all over the world. One of the conditions under which a visit to the residence of monarchs is possible is the absence of royals and their guests. If the flag at the palace is lowered, it means that the Queen is not in Buckingham Palace.

Construction and history

There are several historical facts. Buckingham Palace was originally built not for kings and queens, but only for the Duke of Buckingham (hence the name). He met his death almost immediately, as soon as the construction was completed. The new house did not bring joy to the owner - he often told those around him that here he smelled a constant rotten and moldy smell. The most amazing thing is that, besides him, no one else felt these “aromas”. After the Duke's death, his widow did not live long in the palace. Everything there reminded her of her beloved husband. She wanted to leave home, but died from nervous worries.

New owner

In 1762, the building was purchased by King George III of England. He believed that he urgently needed a new residence, since the old one did not correspond to the status and royal grandeur. After Buckingham Palace came into the possession of the king, he subjected its interior to major changes. He built a large library, and portraits by famous artists began to appear on the walls of the house. Over time, the palace acquired a new name - “Queen’s House”, because most At that time, the wife of George III lived there with their children. For 80 years after the king bought Buckingham Palace, the most brilliant architects of that era, Edward Blore and John Nash, worked on it.

The reign of the legend - Queen Victoria

Buckingham Palace acquired its familiar appearance during the reign of Queen Victoria. At one time, the residence of the monarchs underwent reconstruction on a huge scale. The interior was given even more luxury, a large number of new gardens were laid out, and artificial lakes and waterfalls were constructed. After all the work was completed, the palace became the official residence of all British royalty. At first, the transformation of Buckingham Palace caused outrage among the prim British, as they believed that the queen could not live in luxury. Another reason for the indignation was the considerable amount of money spent on reconstruction for that time. Public opinion was that the palace of kings and queens should not stand out for its luxury, as was the case in France, but, on the contrary, for its simplicity. The protests did not stop during the reign, which also had a hand in changes in the palace. He ordered that some of the faux marble be replaced with real marble, and some of the bedrooms remodeled in styles unusual for the time, such as Chinese.

Returning to modern times, it must be said that all the disturbances and disputes are a thing of the past, and today Buckingham Palace is a symbol of the monarchy. The space in front of the main palace gates is now decorated with a monument to Queen Victoria. The royal residence is only accessible to visitors in August and September. At the same time, you need to sign up for the excursion in advance; without this, access to the palace is closed. The standard scheme “bought a ticket - came in - walked around and looked - left” does not work here. The number of visitors who can visit the palace per day is also limited. Also, keep in mind that even if you are lucky enough to get on the tour, you will not get access to all the rooms. Fact: Buckingham Palace has 755 rooms. On the territory adjacent to the palace there is a garden of 17 hectares. One of the highlights and most memorable moments when visiting the complex is the changing of the guard. It takes place every day at 11:30 am between April and August.

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One of the few operating royal palaces in the modern world is Buckingham Palace. It is the official residence of Her Majesty the Queen in London. The area of the palace with its garden is about 20 hectares, it has its own police station, two post offices, a hospital, a swimming pool, a bar - in fact, it is a whole city. The palace itself has 775 rooms, including the queen's official study.

The palace staff consists of about 700 people.

The palace was originally built for the Duke of Buckingham; in 1762 it was acquired by King George III, completed, and upon Queen Victoria’s accession to the throne in 1837, it was declared the main residence of British monarchs. But the most spacious and richly decorated room - the ballroom - was completed only in 1853. After this, 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 gather to watch 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 life and habits always aroused interest among tourists. During August and September, when the Queen leaves Buckingham Palace, it is open to visitors. And there is something to see here! Luxurious watches and candelabra, antique vases, skillfully made furniture, one of the best porcelain collections in the world, magnificent collections of paintings belonging to the British Queen - all this can be seen during a tour of the palace. Of particular interest are the Royal Mews, which since 2011 have been open to visitors all year round, but are still operational. The Royal Mews are responsible for organizing all travel arrangements for the Queen and members of the Royal Family. The exhibition presents royal modes of transport, incl. a golden carriage for coronations and a transparent carriage for brides, not always, but you can find royal horses in the stables. Entry 9 GBP, under 5 years free. On your first visit, you can ask for your ticket to be stamped, and it will then be valid for repeat visits for one year.

There is a store in the palace that specializes in selling goods from the so-called “Royal Collection”. These goods are identical to those household items that are used in Everyday life palace: accessories, towels, kitchen utensils, various small items. It's 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, it takes place every day at 11.30 from April to August, and every other day the rest of the year. Many tourists gather to watch this spectacle: the guards 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 sign near the palace. Those wishing to photograph the ceremony without interference should take a place near the palace fence in advance.

Queen's Gallery

Admission: 7.20 GBP, reduced (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.

Her Majesty's personal collection: 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 Mews and Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace): 39.5 GBP, reduced (students and people over 60): 36.2 GBP, disabled and under 17: 22 GBP, children under 5 years: free, family ticket (2 adults and 3 children under 17 years): 100 GBP.

State Rooms and Buckingham Palace: GBP 18.20, Concession (students and people over 60): GBP 17, Disabled and under 17: GBP 10.30, Children under 5: free, Family ticket (2 adults and 3 children under 17 years old): 60 GBP.

State Rooms, Buckingham Palace and Gardens: GBP 23, Concession (students and over 60s): GBP 20.70, Disabled and under 17s: GBP 14, Children under 5: Free, Family ticket (2 adults and 3 children under 17 years old): 60 GBP.

Prices on the page are as of September 2018.

Buckingham Palace (in English - Buckingham palace) is one of the most important symbols of London and one of its most famous attractions. It is the official residence of the British monarchs and is currently home to the current Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, as well as Prince Philip, Andrew, Duke of York, and the Earl and Countess of Wessex. In addition, official receptions and ceremonies and banquets are held here, and the number of palace guests during the summer reaches 50,000.

Despite the fact that the palace is located in the center of London, in Westminster, no more than 30,000 tourists visit it every year. Of course, it's not a lack of interest, but the fact that visiting the palace is only allowed in August and September, when the Queen leaves here. Therefore, not all London guests manage to visit Buckingham Palace. The working royal stables are open to the public all year round.

Changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace

Tourists who are unable to see the palace from the inside come here to admire another exciting spectacle - the changing of the guard ceremony, perhaps main symbol Buckingham Palace, because this is a whole show accompanied by an orchestra playing not only marches, but also songs of modern British performers.

IN warm time(from April to August) the changing of the guard ceremony takes place every day at 11:30 local time, and in winter - every other day at the same time. Different stages ceremonies can be watched from different points. For example, at about 11 o'clock on the Cavalry parade ground, the formation of military personnel with horses begins. Then, at about 11:15, they leave the parade ground, accompanied by an orchestra, along the Mall towards the palace, and the ceremony itself begins another 15 minutes later.

On weekends and holidays, the guard moves more slowly and is accompanied by more musicians.

Palace outside

Opinions about the appearance of the palace are very mixed. For example, The Guardian magazine named it one of the ugliest buildings in the world. Some of the royal family members living here considered the palace huge and very uncomfortable.

The building is 24 meters high, 108 meters long and 120 meters wide (including the courtyard).

In plan, the palace forms a rectangle with a large internal territory. At different times, the palace was built by architects Edward Blore and John Nash (the architects who created the Vorontsov Palace). Prevailing architectural style buildings - neoclassicism, which consists in the use large quantity columns, antique pediments and forms.

By looking at the palace closely, you can find out whether the queen is in the palace. If in this moment She is in her residence, then a flag is raised above the building - the royal standard.

One of the remarkable parts of the palace is the balcony. From here, during ceremonies and holidays, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and the entire royal family greet their subjects.

Description of rooms

According to the official website of Buckingham Palace, there are 775 rooms. This number includes 19 state rooms, 52 bedrooms for the royal family and their guests, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms.

The palace amazes with its luxury, unprecedented for most visitors. Its interior is stylized according to the Belle Epoque (Belle Epoque), a French architectural style consisting of a combination of different styles, rich decoration and unusual use of materials, as well as the use of beige and gold colors. Also, many reception rooms are decorated in Chinese style.

The Belgian Apartments are considered one of the most striking rooms of Buckingham Palace. They are located on the ground floor next to the marble ministerial staircase. In the hall there is an unusual astronomical clock with a complex mechanism. Initially, these rooms were prepared for the reception of King Leopold I of Belgium. Nowadays, politicians live in these chambers during their visits.

Garden

From the ground floor of Buckingham Palace there is access to the garden, where some ceremonies, royal tea parties and parliamentary meetings take place. This is London's largest private garden with an area of 17 hectares. It was also created by architects William Ayton and John Nash.

On the stairs leading from the palace to the garden there is summer cafe, where you can drink tea or coffee, as well as buy cake, ice cream and other types of light snacks. At the far end of the garden you can admire an artificial lake with a cascade of waterfalls. A network of canals was specially created to feed them. The pond was created back in 1828. Other attractions of the garden include an ancient Napoleon vase, a sculpture of Queen Victoria and beautiful gazebos.

The most vivid impression for many visitors to the garden is meeting live pink flamingos. They live in the garden and are almost not afraid of people, so if you see them, you can approach the birds and even take a photo.

Tickets to Buckingham Palace

It is worth remembering that the number of visitors per day is strictly limited, so you should not delay purchasing them. You can purchase them both online and in the palace itself.

However, when purchasing tickets on the website, you may encounter information that everything is sold out, so it would be safer to purchase a ticket at a physical box office. It is also better to come for a ticket during the day, when there are not many people wanting to visit the palace. It is also possible to buy a ticket for the next day. The ticket price depends on the age and status of the visitor. There are discounts for representatives of preferential categories.

Full ticket price per adult will be £23.00
Over 60s and students (providing relevant documentation) will need to pay £21.00
Tickets for children aged 5 to 17 cost £13.00
For children under 5 years old admission is free

There are also various complex tickets, along which you can visit several parts of the palace territory at once (for example, the palace itself and the garden).

History of Buckingham Palace

The building of Buckingham Palace itself was built back in 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham and was then considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the city. Since then, the building has retained the name "Buck House" or "Buckingham House". 58 years later, in 1762, the house was bought by King George III.

George III planned to turn the building into the residence of monarchs, since St. James's Palace seemed to him not large or beautiful enough. Since the purchase of the house, the queen and her children began to live there. The king created a library at Buck House, and also collected a large collection of paintings there, which are still kept in the palace gallery.

In 1837, the palace was almost completed (three more identical structures were added to the main building) and officially began to be considered the residence of monarchs. This happened at the coronation of Queen Victoria. During her reign in appearance Many details were added to Buckingham Palace that remain to this day.

How to get there

The residence of the British monarchs is located in the center of London: in Westminster, opposite Green Park and Mall streets. His the exact address- London SW1A 1AA.

If you decide to visit the palace during your walk around London, you can walk here from Big Ben in 15 minutes, and from Trafalgar Square in 20.

You can get to Buckingham Palace by tube. The closest stations are Green Park (Victoria, Piccadilly and Jubilee lines), Victoria (Victoria, Circle and District lines), as well as St. James Park (Circle and District lines).

The bus route numbers going to the palace are 13, 16, 38, 52, 390, N16, N38. They all go to the Victoria stop, where you will need to get off and walk to the palace.

The most comfortable way to get to Buckingham Palace is by taxi. You can use both the famous London cabs and Uber services, etc.

Buckingham Palace on video:

Buckingham Palace on Google Maps:

Buckingham Palace has been the official residence of the Queen of England for many years. However, he is known throughout the world not only for this. This place is the central headquarters of the Kingdom's monarchy. Of course, the sights of London are diverse, but it is Buckingham Palace that is the main palace of the country, under whose arches numerous receptions and events of national importance are held.

The palace is larger than the home of the Queen of England

After ascending the throne, Queen Victoria had no doubt that this particular palace should become her official residence. She was not afraid of the smell of mold hovering in all the rooms, and the fact that she would have to work hard before this place would shine again and again become the pearl of the capital. Great Britain has collected a lot of attractions throughout its history, but there are some places that are unaffected by time and its destructive power.

Serious restoration work had to be carried out, after which the palace came to life again. Back in 1837, Buckingham Palace was named the main royal residence. Even though after the death of her husband the queen moved to Windsor Castle, this place remained the main residence of the monarchs of England.

Sights of England: what Buckingham Palace has in store for tourists

The traveler will be truly delighted by the furnishings and decoration of the interior chambers of the palace. Furniture and priceless works of art from the time of George IV have been preserved here to this day. The green living room has prepared for visitors an interesting exhibit of Sevres porcelain, which belonged to Napoleon. The art gallery has longer length, comparable to two tennis courts. Paintings by Rubens and Rembrandt, Canaletto and other great artists are exhibited here.

The formal dining room is presented in extravagant red, and the White Living Room is in gold tones. It is very difficult to find the secret royal door in this room. Even today, the famous Golden Throne Room is used for formal photo shoots. However, there is not much space in the palace for mass entertainment, which is why a huge Ballroom was built. Today it is also used for numerous events.

Among the official royal complexes, it is worth visiting the Tower of London, which is also one of the oldest buildings in the entire country.