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Banqueting House Whitehall London SW1A 2ER Phone:+44 0844 482 7788

London is full of interesting and unique places to see and its has five historic palaces to keep any tourist occupied.They are the Tower of London,Hampton Court Palace,Banqueting House,Kensington Palace and Kew Palace. All of the five palaces which are in the care of a charity called ‘Historic Royal Palaces’  are highly regarded because they depict a historical journey spanning over hundreds of years culminating in their preservation as the nation’s heritage today.

These architectural masterpieces- all of which I have seen have witnessed peace,prosperity and considerable growth as well as war,civil unrest,revolution and political unrest. If you decide to embark on a historic tour and wish to visit the palaces then its worthwhile getting a membership to the charity because you can get unlimited visits to the palaces,have access to member only special events and ten percent discount on any purchases in the palaces gift shops and catering out-lets.

Only recently I visited Banqueting House and was amazed by this extension which used to be a part of the great palace of Whitehall. Designed by Inigo Jones in 1622,its claim to fame is the real life drama: the excution of Charles 1 which took place here in 1649. The building it self is an architectural masterpiece unsurpassed by anything I have ever seen in the United Kingdom. Inigo Jones was greatly influenced by the Italian Renaissance Palladian style and used this theme extensively making it the  first well-known classical building to be completed in England for that year. The whole structure is true to the design-representing perfect proportions of the main hall with its large windows and soaring columns calculated precisely in accordance with the Roman idea of perfection.

The most ironical part of visiting this palace is that Charles 1 -the only English king ever to be executed actually passed under Rubens magnificent painting on the ceiling of Banqueting House which he had commissioned to glorify the monarchy during his reign. Known as Ruben’s ceiling and something that you could not fail to admire is the fact that painted canvas has survived floods,fire and war.  Every-one  would enjoy looking at the painting in  its original form and setting. Peter Paul Rubens was actually paid a mere three thousand pounds for this-in today’s term that’s  actually paying some-one two hundred and fifty thousand pounds (250,000.00) to paint the ceiling.

During the tour make it a point to explore the Undercroft,originally designed by James 1 as drinking retreat where he could escape from the rigours of palace life and indulge in a glass of wine from his extensive cellars and enjoy some solitude and private moments with his favourite courtiers.

The palace does hold concerts from time to time featuring many classical musicians of our time .For a programme why not visit http://www.hrp.org.uk.

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