O Buckingham Palace, located in London, is the residence of the King and Queen consort of the British monarchy. In addition to being a royal residence, the palace also serves as an administrative center, with some state organs inside. Annually, the site also hosts important events and receives foreign delegations.
This structure was built in 1703, being acquired as an asset from the British monarchy in 1761. In 1837, during the reign of Queen Victoria, it was converted into a royal residence, undergoing numerous transformations. It is usually open for visitation during the summer, January, December and during Easter.
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Topics of this article
- 1 - Summary about Buckingham Palace
- 2 - Features of Buckingham Palace
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3 - History of Buckingham Palace
- Buckingham Palace as a royal residence
- 4 - Facts about Buckingham Palace
Overview of Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace is the residence of the King and Queen of the United Kingdom.
It was built in 1703 and converted into a royal residence in 1837.
It is located in London, having been acquired as a possession of the British monarchy in 1761.
It was bombed nine times during World War II.
It is estimated to have 77 thousand square meters.
Features of Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace is known as the official residence of the monarch of the United Kingdom, located in London. So the King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla reside there. The palace is also the administrative center of the United Kingdom, hosting a number of important events for the administration of the United Kingdom.
Inside the palace there are rooms dedicated to the residence of the king and queen consort, but many rooms are dedicated to bodies of the British state. Buckingham Palace has been the official residence of English monarchs since 1837, when Queen Victoria decided to move there.
In all, Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms, of which 19 are dedicated to state affairs, 52 are dedicated to the royal family itself and its visitors, 188 are used by staff working on site, plus there are 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. In addition, there is an outdoor garden which is the largest private garden in London.
The palace, in addition to being the residence of the royal family and the seat of state affairs, is also a place that brings together foreign delegations for diplomatic events. It is quite common to hold events to receive and entertain heads of state who are on an official visit to the United Kingdom. The events held by the royal family at the palace bring together thousands of people every year.
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O place also welcomes tourists, although the British royal family limits summer visitation in England and also allows some tours inside the palace are carried out during the months of December, January and during the Easter.
The palace was built in the early 18th century by a British aristocrat, and was acquired by the British monarchy in the same century. Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, Buckingham Palace underwent some extensive renovations.
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Buckingham Palace History
During the Middle Ages, the local in whichand this palace was a manor which lay on the banks of a stream called Tyburn. The stream was channeled and runs in underground tunnels in the current city of London (even the course of the river passes under the palace). This place housed several personalities, such as King Edward the Confessor.
In the 16th century, the property passed into the hands of King Henry VIII., and a number of English aristocrats resided there. Decades later, King James VI sold it, but retained ownership over a specific area of the locality that makes up the current Buckingham Palace. At the end of the 17th century, Sir Hugh Audley took charge of the palace.
Throughout the 17th century, the property belonged to several people until it was acquired by John Sheffield in 1698. Sheffield was an English politician and poet who decided, in 1703, to build a large residence on the site, naming it Buckingham House. It took its name because Sheffield was the first Duke of Buckingham and Normandy.
O palace was acquired by the British royal family in 1761, when King George III purchased the residence for around £21,000. King George III did so with the intention of using it as a private retreat for his wife, Queen Consort Charlotte. The first modifications to the palace began to be carried out soon after.
Buckingham Palace as a royal residence
During the reign of George IV, a major renovation startedThe for the site to be officially converted into a palace. The work was completed during the reign of William IV. In 1837, the Queen Victoria took the British throne, and with her coronation the palace was converted into a royal residence. She was therefore the first monarch to reside there.
Queen Victoria's move to the palace was accompanied by a series of changes to the property, because it was considered not very luxurious to house the queen and still had some structural problems serious. In 1840, the Queen married Prince Albert, and he was given responsibility for reorganizing the site.
In 1847, the palace was expanded by order of Queen Victoria, and in 1861, the Queen abandoned the site after her husband died. On that occasion, Queen Victoria moved into Windsor Castle, another important property of the British royal family. Public pressure caused the queen to return to the palace some time later.
During the reigns of Edward VII and George V, the site also underwent structural reforms. During the First World War, some items were taken to Windsor Castle, but the palace was not damaged in any way. During World War II, the story was different, and Theproperty was bombedThe nine times during that conflict.
The most significant damage the palace suffered during World War II was the destruction of its chapel in 1940. The site was rebuilt during the reign of Elizabeth II and transformed into the Queen's Gallery, an environment that exposes the collection of objects and works of art of the English Crown to the population.
Facts about Buckingham Palace
Since 1914, at least 12 people have managed to enter Buckingham Palace without a permit.
The changing of the guard that takes place in front of the site is an event that attracts thousands of tourists every year.
In all, the complex that surrounds the palace has about 77000 m².
Buckingham Palace is 108 meters long and 24 meters high.
Different surveys have sought to estimate the value of the structure, and data indicate that it could be worth anywhere from 1.5 billion to 7 billion pounds sterling.
King George IV even suggested that Parliament be transferred to the palace dependencies, but the proposal was rejected.
Queen Victoria was the first monarch to leave there for go to Westminster Abbey be crowned.
image credits
[1] HVRIS / Shutterstock
By Daniel Neves Silva
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