Opening Times:
20 Julho- 31 Agosto 09h30 - 17h15
1 Setembro- 29 Setembro 09h30 - 16h15
Buckingham Palace is the official residence and principal place of business of the UK’s Monarch in London. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often the center of occasions of state and royal hospitality.
The palace was originally built in 1703 as Buckingham House, a house in London for the 3rd Earl of Mulgrave, John Sheffield. It became a royal residence when King George III bought it in 1761 as a comfortable family home for his wife, Queen Charlotte.
Seeing the outside of the palace already brings the excitement to your skin, at 10:30 you can see the Guardian Exchange which is a special spectacle and in summer (July to October) you can still visit the inner parts of Buckingham Palace . See all the details of times, tickets and how to visit Buckingham Palace.
The Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms, including 19 state rooms, 52 royal and guest rooms, 188 staff rooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. There are also 760 windows and 1,514 doors, a cinema and a swimming pool. He also has his own post office and police station. About 400 people work at the Palace, including domestic servants, chefs, minions, janitors, plumbers, gardeners, chauffers, electricians and two people who look after 300 watches.
Inside Buckingham Palace
It is possible to kmow in person the majestic galleries, stables, gardens and explore the magnificent State Rooms which are open to visitors for 10 weeks each summer (from the last week of July to the end of September) and on selected dates during the winter and spring. Check the official website of the Palace for updated dates and prices. There are 3 types of visits some only in summer and others it is possible to do at any time of the year. Buckingham Palace operates a scheduled admission system. Arrive 10 minutes before the scheduled time on your ticket. It is recommended that you wear comfortable shoes, as the visitor’s route includes a half-mile walk through the garden to the exit.
The State Rooms – £25.00
Visitation period: last week of July until the end of September
The ticket includes entrance to the 19 State Rooms, which includes the Hall of the Throne, a part of the royal garden, a special exhibition and a multimedia tour. We suggest you book two to two and a half hours for your visit, you can take photos in the Palace Gardens at the end of your visit, but not inside the State Rooms.
The Royal Mews – £12,00
Visitation period: February to November
The Royal Mews is responsible for all travel arrangements for the Royal Family. You will see a huge gold chariot commissioned by George III in 1762, used in all the coronations since 1821. Watch the horses used to pull the carriages: Windsor Grays and Cleveland Bays and learn about them. We suggest 45 minutes for the visit.
The Queen’s Gallery – £12.00
Visitation period: Practically all year round
Here you can see an excellent collection of the Queen, with paintings of old masters, rare furniture, decorative arts and a vast collection of photographs and annually a different exhibition. (know the current exhibition on the official website). We suggest approximately one hour for your visit, where you can take photos.
You can also opt for tour packages, a combined visit to the Queen’s Gallery and the Royal Mews £ 20.70 or in the summer the 3 tours (Royal Day Out) for £ 45.00.
The throne room
The majestic Buckingham Palace Throne Hall is one of the most beautiful places in the Palace. The dramatic arc and throne cover of the Throne Room was the work of the architect John Nash. In the center of the room are the pair of throne chairs which are known as Estate Chairs and were used for the coronation ceremony of the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh in 1953. There are also chairs made for the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1937, and a throne chair made for Queen Victoria in 1837. The chair embroidered with ‘ER’ was worn by the Queen at the beginning of the Coronation, to the point where it was crowned. After the coronation ceremony, she sat in the Chair of the Throne, which is on display in the Throne Room of the Garter at Castelo de Windsor.
The state rooms
The state rooms are a set of 19 public rooms in Buckingham Palace richly decorated mainly to the liking of George IV, where the monarch receives, rewards and entertains his subjects and visiting dignitaries. Several of these rooms were used for the royal wedding reception. When you do a tour inside the palace, it’s the State Rooms you’ll see. These rooms are filled with shimmering chandeliers, marble columns, carpets, wallpaper, exquisite furniture, sculptures and lots of artwork.
The White Drawing Room, perhaps the largest of all State Halls, serves as a royal reception room for the Queen and members of the Royal Family gather before official occasions.
The Great Staircase
The Grand Staircase of Buckingham Palace is one of the highlights of the tour. When you visit the Palace during the summer, you enter the Halls of State up the Grand Staircase. The magnificent bronze staircase was designed by architect John Nash as part of his commission to remodel the palace to King George IV from 1825 to 1830. The impressive double balustrade features an intricate pattern of acanthus, oak and bay leaves and represents some of the world’s best bronze casting work. The stairs are lit by a glass dome on the ceiling.
The Queens Gallery
Some great names are on display in the palace. On your tour you will find paintings by Van Dyck, Rubens, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Poussin, Canaletto and Claude, as well as Canova and Chantrey sculptures. The paintings in the state rooms also include some wonderful portraits of the Royal Family, past and present, including Queen Victoria, George III and Queen Charlotte, William IV and his wife, Queen Adelaide and of course the actual royal family.
The Hall of Festivals
The largest of the State Chambers, was completed in 1855, during the reign of Queen Victoria. It was originally known as the Ball and Concert Room and features a gallery of musicians complete with an organ. Today, the ballroom is used for official purposes, including state banquets. There are two thrones in the party hall which were made for the coronation ceremony of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in 1902.
The garden
The Buckingham Palace gardens boast impressive 39 acres (15.8 acres) and contain over 350 types of wildflowers, about 200 trees and a three-acre pond. The gardens are the place for the Queen’s annual parties. A real and beautiful oasis in central London. Highlights include the tennis courts where King George VI and Fred Perry played in the 1930s, the dazzling herbaceous, a summer house full of wisteria and the Rose Garden.
The history of Buckingham Palace
Originally built as Buckingham House for the 3rd Earl of Mulgrave, John Sheffield in 1703. It became the royal residence when King George III bought it in 1761 for his wife, Queen Charlotte.
Buckingham House underwent a palatial transformation in the 1820s when King George IV hired architect John Nash to give him a makeover and make it look regal. Queen Victoria was the first monarch to adopt Buckingham Palace as her official residence, moving there in 1837, a year after she became queen. She oversaw the last great building work in the palace, adding the front wing in the 1840s to give her extra room for the family. In total, the grounds of Buckingham Palace extend over 39 acres. In measurements, the building is 108 meters long at the front, 120 meters deep (including the central quadrilateral) and 24 meters high.
In 1883, electricity was installed in the ballroom, the largest room of the palace. Over the next four years, electricity was installed throughout the palace, which now uses more than 40,000 light bulbs.
Since then, the palace has served as the official residence of London of the sovereigns of Great Britain and today is the administrative seat of England. the monarch.
Every year, more than 50,000 people visit the palace each year as guests for banquets, lunches, dinners, receptions and Royal Garden parties. His Majesty also holds weekly hearings with the Prime Minister and receives newly appointed foreign ambassadors at Buckingham Palace.
The Queen is at home?
When the Queen is at home, you can see her royal flag flying from the flagstaff at the top of Buckingham Palace. This flag is called Royal Standard.
The flag is divided into four quadrants. The first and fourth quadrants represent England and contain three golden lions walking on a red field; the second quadrant representing Scotland contains a red lion standing on the left hind foot in a field of gold; the third quadrant represents Ireland and contains Ireland’s gold coat of arms on a blue field.
In the protocol of the flag, the real standard is supreme. It should only be placed in buildings where the Queen is present. It is above the flag of the British Union (Union Jack).
1851: Queen Victoria makes the first public appearance on the balcony
The balcony of Buckingham Palace is now iconic, having hosted several royal apparitions over the years but Queen Victoria made the first real appearance recorded on the balcony in 1851 when she greeted the audience during the commemorations of the opening of the Great Exhibition, an innovative showcase of international manufacture, planned by Prince Albert.
The Changing of the Guard
The Changing of the Queen’s Guard takes place every 2 days in the winter and practically every day in the summer in front of Buckingham Palace at 10:45 and lasts about 45 minutes. You must arrive early to get the best view. Soldiers gather at St. James’s Palace and Wellington Barracks at 10am and march to Buckingham Palace accompanied by music. Follow all the details of the Changing of the Guard, schedules, and best position to follow the ceremony in our post about the Changing of the Guard.
Curiosity:
Com mais de 350 relógios em todo o palácio, tem uma das maiores coleções de relógios de trabalho do mundo!
Two conservators relojoeiros in tempo integral are needed to keep and keeping all them.
Ao longo da Segunda Guerra Mundial, o Palácio de Buckingham sobreviveu a 9 ataques de bombas alemãs.
Viajar é conhecer lugares diferentes. Nossa proposta não é apenas viajar para os locais, é ir além. É passar um período maior, interagir com as pessoas da cidade e sentir a cultura e o dia a dia de cada local. Da lista de países que conheci, optei por morar em alguns lugares para vivenciar a experiência com mais profundidade e poder compartilhar com mais detalhes e exatidão além de descobrir os segredos de cada local, não se limitando aos pontos turísticos mais famosos.
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