BANQUETING HOUSE

Description

Essentials about the Banqueting House in brief

The Banqueting House is the only remaining building of the former Whitehall Palace, which was the main residence of the British monarchs in London from 1530 and was destroyed by a major fire in 1698 (with the exception of the Banqueting House). The Banqueting House was built in the years 1619 to 1622 for the Stuart King James I. The building that can be seen today is, by the way, the third construction. The first hall was demolished under James I, the second was destroyed by fire.

The architecture of the Banqueting House

The Banqueting House was an architectural milestone at the time, as it was the first classical building in London. The showpiece of Banqueting House is the Banqueting Hall, which occupies the entire floor space of the house and extends over two floors. The ceiling paintings, executed by the world-famous Peter Paul Rubens and his workshop, give the hall a special splendor. They show homage to the rulers of the Stuart dynasty, especially, of course, to the then builder James I.

The history of the Banqueting House

In the course of its history, the Banqueting House served various purposes. At the beginning it was the place of royal dancing, music and other events. After the fire of the palace it was transformed into a royal chapel. At the beginning of the 19th century, the Banqueting House was converted into a military chapel. Finally, in 1895, Queen Victoria decreed its use as a museum, which was used for the exhibition of militaria of all kinds. Today, the Banqueting House is used as a venue for special events and is open to visitors as a place of interest.