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Buckingham Palace
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- Name
- Buckingham Palace
- Continent
- EUROPE
- Alt Name:
- -
- Country:
- United Kingdom
- Period:
- Early Modern (1500AD-1800AD)
- Sub-Region:
- -
- Date:
- 1700AD - 1799AD
- City/Town:
- London
- Figure:
- -
- Resorts:
- London,
Watford,
Epsom,
- Related:
- Windsor Castle,
about Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace has been the official residence of Britain's monarchs since 1837, at the start of the reign of Queen Victoria.
With its 775 rooms, Buckingham Palace was originally built for the Dukes of Buckingham at the beginning of the eighteenth century.
In 1761, Buckingham Palace, then known as Buckingham House, was acquired by George III who rechristened it “The Queen's Residence" and had it remodeled by Sir William Chambers. When the building passed to George IV, he continued the renovations, and, from 1826 under the remit of architect John Nash, began transforming Buckingham Palace into the building with which we are familiar today. These changes took around 75 years to implement. The first monarch to actually live there was Queen Victoria.
Today, Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of Queen Elizabeth II, although it is also an administrative centre and a place in which the monarch hosts official receptions and events. Buckingham Palace also houses the offices of the Queen's and the Duke of Edinburgh's staff.
In August and September, the nineteen State Rooms and some other sections of Buckingham Palace are open to the general public and to tourists. Here, visitors can see the Royal Collections, which include an incredible array of artwork as well as some of the finest English and French furniture. Audio guides are included in the ticket price and a visit usually lasts around two hours.
One of the major attractions at Buckingham Palace is the ceremony of Changing the Guard. This takes place on a daily basis during the summer at 11:30am on the forecourt of the palace and on alternate days in winter. This ceremony lasts for 45 minutes.
Just as empires rise and fall so do entry fees and opening hours! While we work as hard as we can to ensure the information provided here about Buckingham Palace is as accurate as possible, the changing nature of certain elements mean we can't absolutely guarantee that these details won't become a thing of the past. If you know of any information on this page that needs updating you can add a comment above or now.
contact details
Address: 5 Buckingham Gate, London, SW1E 6JP
Phone: +44(0)20 7766 7300
useful information
Directions:
The nearest tube stations are Victoria Station (Circle, District and Victoria lines & National Rail), Green Park (Jubilee, Piccadilly and Victoria lines) and Hyde Park Corner (Piccadilly line). Bus routes 11, 211, C1 and C10 stop nearby on Buckingham Palace Road.
Ticket Information:
Buckingham Palace is open from 1 August to 28 September. Admission costs £17 for adults, £15.50 for students and visitors over 60 (with valid ID) and £9.75 for under 17s. Children under 5 go free. A joint ticket to Buckingham Palace and Windsor Palace costs £31 for adults, £28 for students and visitors over 60 (with valid ID) and £17.95 for under 17s. To buy a ticket, call +44(0)20 7766 7300.
Local Amenities:
There is a shop and a cafe. Buckingham Palace is also very centrally located and there are numerous cafes/shops nearby. Parking is very restricted and it is within London's Congestion Charge zone.
Links:
http://www.royal.gov.uk/TheRoyalResidences/BuckinghamPalace/BuckinghamPalace.aspx
http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/visit/buckinghampalace
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USER COMMENTS
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06 Nov, 2012
An iconic building which is well worth visiting.