BUCKINGHAM PALACE (0)

BUCKINGHAM PALACE
Buckingham palace is the official residence of the British monarch. The Palace is located in the city of Westminster . It is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a rallying point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and crisis . The Buckingham palace is originally known as the Buckingham House. The building which forms the core of today 's palace was a large townhouse. It was built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703 on a site which had been in private ownership for at least 150 years . It was subsequently acquired by George the third in 1761 as a private residence for Queen Charlotte and known as The Queen's House. During the 19th century it was enlarged, principally by architects John Nash and Edward Blore, forming three wings around a central courtyard. Buckingham Palace finally became the official royal palace of the British monarch on the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837 . The last major structural additions were made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries .Buckingham Palace is 108 metres long across the front , 120 metres deep ( including the quadrangle) and 24 metres high. The total floor area of the Palace, from basement to roof, covers over 77,000 square metres.Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms . These include 19 State rooms, 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. There are 1,514 doors and 760 windows in Buckingham Palace. All windows are cleaned every six weeks to keep them clean .Today over 800 members of staff are based at Buckingham Palace. Their jobs range from housekeeping to horticulture, catering to correspondence. Some of the more unusual jobs include fendersmith, clockmaker and flagman.Buckingham Palace has its own chapel , post office, swimming pool, staff cafeteria , doctor's surgery and cinema .The largest room in the Palace is the Ballroom, where Investitures and State banquets take place today. It is 36.6m long, 18m wide and 13.5m high. It was opened in 1856 with a ball to celebrate the end of the Crimean War.More than 50,000 people visit the Palace each year as The Queen's guests at banquets, lunches, dinners, receptions and garden parties. The Buckingham Palace kitchen is able to serve a sit-down meal to as many as 600 people at a time. Since 1993, the State Rooms of the Palace have also been open to members of the public to visit during August and September, while The Queen is not in residence.
Martin Kristerson & Kristi Peets
> The archways (1) lead through to a central courtyard.
> The balcony (2) where the Royal family gathers to wave to the crowds on big occasions, was added in 1913 when this side of the building was redesigned and clad in the grey Portland stone .
> Red tarmac on the forecourt (3) and along the Mall is used here to suggest red carpeting.
> The North - centre gate (4) is the everyday entrance to Buckingham Palace, while the larger centre gates (5) are for ceremonial use.
> When the Queen is at home, the yellow and crimson Royal Standard will be flying ; the Union flag (6) flies when she is not.
> The 40 minute ceremony of the changing of the Guard that takes place on the palace forecourt can be difficult to see through the palace railings and the tourist crowds