Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the British monarchy in London and one of the most emblematic and recognized buildings in the United Kingdom, therefore the star protagonist of all the events and splendors that take place there. The next one will be the coronation of Charles and Camilla before 2,000 guests from all over the world.
History of Buckingham Palace
The site where the Palace stands was originally owned by the Dukes of Buckingham in the 18th century. King George III purchased the property in 1761 as a private residence for Queen Charlotte. It was purchased by George IV in 1820 as a residence for the Prince Regent and his wife, Princess Caroline. In 1837, the property passed into the hands of Queen Victoria, who decided to make the palace the official residence of the monarchy.
Buckingham Palace was originally built in 1703 as a country house for the Duke of Buckingham. It was enlarged in the 18th century by the architect John Nash, who transformed the country house into a palace, and remodeled by Edward Blore in the 1830s, who designed the palace’s official façade in the late 19th century. Buckingham Palace has been extended several times since it was built and has undergone many alterations including a major renovation in the 1910s after a fire. The last significant renovation work was a 2008 improvement project that cost $400 million.
The palace is an example of neoclassical architecture and the main façade is inspired by Italian Renaissance palaces. It is 108 meters long, 120 meters deep and 24 meters high, almost 70,000 m2. It has three main floors and an attic, and has more than 775 rooms, including 19 state rooms, 52 royal rooms and 188 staff rooms; It has 760 windows and 1,500 doors. The palace has an impressive central courtyard and a façade decorated with pillars and arches. Huge gardens and an artificial lake surround the palace, which are open to the public on Fridays during the summer.
Buckingham Palace is an architectural marvel, carefully decorated in a formal style. Many of the interior rooms have been decorated with wallpapers, furniture and paintings by famous artists. The decorative style of the rooms is generally neoclassical, although some rooms, such as the Painting Gallery Room, are inspired by Italian Renaissance styles. The most important rooms in the palace are the state rooms, which are used for official ceremonies and receptions.
These rooms include the Throne Room, the Ballroom, and the Gallery of Paintings. There are also many private rooms used by the royal family, such as the White Room and the Music Room.
Buckingham Palace, although it is a royal palace, is not the private property of the king, it belongs to Crown Estates, a unique corporation that manages and administers all the public assets of the sovereign in turn.
It is estimated that its price on the market today could be of $1 billion due to its history, architecture and location in central London. Also, the cost of maintaining and renovating the palace is very high due to its size and age.
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