Hampton Court Palace is a royal palace in the Borough of Richmond upon Thames; it has not been inhabited by the British royal family since the 18th century. The palace is located 11.7 miles (18.8 km) south west of Charing Cross and upstream of Central London on the River Thames. It was originally built for Cardinal Wolsey, a favourite of King Henry VIII, circa 1514; in 1529, as Wolsey fell from favour, the palace was passed to the King, who enlarged it.
Main Entrance:
Henry VIII courtyard:
Henry VIII's first building project at Hampton Court created vast kitchens capable of feeding his court of 1000 people:
The king’s staircase:
Henry VIII main eating hall:
Anne Boleyn's Gate: The Tudor gatehouse and astrological clock, made for Henry VIII in 1540:
The following century, William III’s massive rebuilding and expansion project intended to rival Versailles was begun. Work halted in 1694, leaving the palace in two distinct contrasting architectural styles, domestic Tudor and Baroque. While the palace's styles are an accident of fate, a unity exists due to the use of pink bricks and a symmetrical, albeit vague, balancing of successive low wings.
The Georgian wing:
Christopher Wren’s south front built for William and Mary viewed from the Privy Garden:
The Fountain Court designed by Sir Christopher Wren:
Royal tennis courts:
Today, the palace is open to the public, and a major tourist attraction. It is cared for by an independent charity, Historic Royal Palaces which receives no funding from the Government or the Crown.
Hampton court maze:
Main gardens with the mushroom trees:
The dark Knight:
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