The Buckingham Palace is the royal residence and office in London of the British Monarch. Aside from this, the Buckingham Palace is also one of London's major tourist attractions. There are countless tourists who wish to visit this palace and experience its royalty. The palace has also been the target of a number of rallies by British people.



Buckingham Palace Brief History

The palace is formerly known as the Buckingham House, being the townhouse of the Duke of Buckingham. The name was changed to ?The Queen's House? when George III acquired the house in 1761. The improvements and expansion of the palace was mostly administered by two of England's best architects, John Nash and Edward Blore. In 1837, the house officially became the royal palace of the British Monarch.

There are already changes in the original design but a number of the 19th century interiors remain. The palace's State Rooms are used for official meetings. These state rooms house the Royal Collection of art works from world famous artists like Rembrandt. The first monarch to stay in the Buckingham Palace is Queen Victoria.

The biggest room in the palace is the State Ballroom. The room is used for major royal ceremonies. Before, there was a strict dress code during ceremonies but this has gone a bit more relaxed nowadays. A lot of royalties are invited to major ceremonies held in the Buckingham Palace.

Buckingham Palace Today

Today, the Buckingham Palace has become one of London's most visited tourist attractions. There are tours operating in the palace. Tourists can have a look at the nineteen State Rooms and their exquisite artworks display. Tourists who wish to experience a bit of the palace's royalty should join one of the Buckingham Tours. Ask staffs from your London hostels for tour information or you can ask direct from London tourism centre.

The Buckingham Palace and its royal collection is owned by the nation, thus, it is open for the public. The Queen's Gallery is an excellent room to visit. It houses parts of the Royal Collection. The Queen's Gallery is open all year while the State Rooms are open only from August to September. So if you happen to be in London during these months, never miss the chance to visit the Buckingham Palace. The Buckingham Palace can be easily reached from most of London hostels. What makes Buckingham Palace a not to miss attraction in London is its symbolic value in the nation.