The royal Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the England’s “Her Majesty”. It is the most renowned iconic landmark of the city and attracts millions of tourists, every year, from all over the world. The palace is situated in the area of Westminster and is well known for its magnificent history and charm. This legendary palace is also the busy headquarters of the monarchy’s regime. The palace has a great appeal and is one of the most recognizable buildings in the world. Buckingham Palace is the chief venue for the royal hospitality and state occasions. The place is also common for rallying at the times national crisis or celebrations. Almost all the royal ceremonies also take place at this palace.
This royal residence of Her Majesty is furnished and decorated with phenomenal work of art from all over the world. The original designs of the 19th century’s palace still survive and contribute to the beauty of the palace. The artifacts in this royal collection are also amongst the major art collections in the world. The interiors indeed are mesmerizing and imperial. The works displayed in the state rooms include the great works of several renowned artists such as Poussin, Rembrandt and Rubens. The palace has 775 rooms; this includes 19 state rooms, 188 staff rooms, 78 bathrooms and 52 guests’ bedrooms. Every year several esteemed guests are invited to this royal palace for various celebrations such as receptions, garden parties and lunches. The guests who are invited to the palace, the first step is to the grand hall and up the marble stairs of the grand stair case. You can also see the portraits on the walls as it was done by Queen Victoria.
The tourists can plan the visit any time from 26th July – 28th September 2009. During this period the Queen is on the tour to other parts of England. Several tours are also organized to visit this royal palace as it requires the guidance of experienced guides. These guides can offer the information of the history of the place and special insights. The tour lasts for around 2 hours and during the tour you can explore the state rooms, special exhibitions and the gardens. The special exhibitions organized during the summer’s displays various photographs, jewels, dresses and gifts that are presented to the queen by the people of the Commonwealth. Even the Garden of the palace is extremely beautiful and is described as a ‘walled oasis in the middle of London’. It is also the home to 350 diverse wild flowers and 30 different species of birds. The tour is generally ended with a walk along the south side of this spectacular garden. The lake at the palace is also extremely prominent.
Changing of guards is also a famous tradition of the palace. It can be observed by the visitors from the month of April – July. This renowned event takes place right in the front of the palace at 11:30 a.m. every day and is free of charge. This ceremony lasts for around 45 minutes and is a grand event for the tourists from over seas. During this event the new guard of the palace replaces the old guard of the palace and the duties are exchanged between them. The new guard is escorted by guard bands, lots of pomp and military music. The guard of the queen is dressed in a colourful bearskins and red jackets. If you want to get the best view of this ceremony, you should arrive early and stand near the railings of the Victoria Monument. After the ceremony the new guard leaves the detachment at Buckingham Palace and marches to St James’s Palace. Other then “Changing of Guards ceremony there are several other traditional ceremonies that take place at the Buckingham Palace, London such as State Opening of Parliament, Garter Day and Trooping the colour etc. All these traditions are symbolic and meaningful and they depict the cultural aspects of Britain.
You can also explore several other attractions after completing your tour at Buckingham Palace. Tourist’s attractions such as Westminster Abbey, Royal Mews, Apsley House and Big Benare located close to the Palace.
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