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Hampton Court Palace is located in Richmond upon Thames, around 19 km (12 mi) upstream from central London on the River Thames.
The original Tudor Hampton Court Palace was begun for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey in the early 16th century, a favorite of King Henry VIII (1491–1547). By 1529, however, the King had set his eyes on the building for himself.
The Hampton Court astronomical clock dates back to 1540, and adorns Anne Boleyn's Gate. Still functioning, the clock shows the time of day, the phases of the moon, the month, the quarter of the year, the date, and the sun and star sign. It also indicates high water at London Bridge.
Pictured: one of the Palace's sunken gardens. Created for Henry VIII as pond yards and transformed by Mary II into sunken gardens, they remain a highlight of the palace grounds. In the background is William III's Banqueting House of 1700.
The palace kitchens were built on the orders of King Henry VIII. They were easily capable of feeding his court of around 1,000 people. The luxury of the court was fresh meat, and courtiers were served a menu of dishes containing around 5,000 calories a day!
The Fountain Court was designed by Sir Christopher Wren, the architect responsible for the late 17th-century St Paul's Cathedral in London.
Built between 1532 and 1535, the Great Hall is the last medieval great hall built for the English monarchy. It's noted for its decorative, hammer-beam roof.
The palace houses many works of art and furnishings from the Royal Collection. The single most important work is the Italian Renaissance painter Mantegna's 'Triumphs of Caesar,' a series of nine large paintings housed in the Lower Orangery. This photograph shows the Picture Bearers, the first canvas in the series.
During King Henry VIII's reign, Hampton Court Palace numbered over 1,000 rooms. It required a staff of 500 to service them all.
Pictured is the opulent royal bedchamber. Entering the monarch's private apartments was like gaining access to another world.
The palatial architecture features beautiful examples of decorative Tudor brick chimneys.
The palace ceilings are highlights in their own right.
The palace's formal gardens and park are Grade I listed on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.
This long, graceful room was originally designed as a private greenhouse for King William III. The space features marble sculptures, wood paneling, and classic checkerboard floor tiles.
Wren's Grand Staircase dates from 1690 and is surrounded by Verrio's illusionistic paintings and trompe l'oeil colonnade.
On the walls of the Great Hall hang a series of tapestries depicting scenes from the life of Abraham from the Book of Genesis.
Pictured: wine storage in the kitchen basement. In Henry VIII's time, Claret or Bordeaux was usually referred to as "Gascon wine." It arrived young and in barrels. Claret, confusingly, was what the Tudors called rosé.
Ten statues of heraldic animals, called the King's Beasts, top the parapets on each side of the bridge over the moat leading to the great gatehouse. Pictured is the Royal Dragon.
Visit the palace after dark and you're greeted with a beautiful illuminated facade.
See also: Fascinating facts about Kensington Palace and its royal residents.
Jean Tijou's most notable work at the palace is the semi-circular screen composed of 12 wrought iron panels, which now bears his name, and can be seen, where it was installed in 1701, at the river end of the Privy Garden. Pictured is one of the panels.
The moat surrounding Hampton Court Place is usually dry. But on occasion it fills with enough rain water to lend the palace a somewhat defensive, castle-like appearance.
Characterizing the gardens is the Great Vine, one of the largest vine decorations in the world.
Hampton Court Palace is one of the most impressive royal palaces in Great Britain. Dating back to 1515, it eventually became the favorite residence of King Henry VIII, and his six wives! It served as a home for successive English monarchs, and is currently in the possession of Queen Elizabeth II. Today, this grand building is a major tourist destination and still awes visitors with its impressive architecture, beautiful grounds, and opulent interior. Fancy a peek inside?
Click through the following gallery for an armchair tour around this historic and palatial building.
King William III (1650–1702) and his wife, Mary II (1662–1694), transformed the palace during their tenure, a period known as the House of Stewart. The makeover included the introduction of luxury close stools, an early type of portable toilet.
English sculptor and wood carver Grinling Gibbons is responsible for the fine wood carvings found in the apartments of King William III. His work can also be admired in the palace chapel, where the alter features garlands carved from oak.
A well-known curiosity of the palace's grounds is Hampton Court Maze. It was planted in the 1690s and visitors have been getting lost in it ever since.
The balustrade to Sir Christopher Wren's magnificent King's Staircase was designed and made by the Huguenot ironsmith Jean Tijou. The Italian artist Antonio Verrio is responsible for painting the walls of the staircase.
The Privy Garden has existed since the time of King Henry VIII, but today's version is a restoration of King William III's baroque design from 1702.
Sitting at the very heart of the Tudor Palace, the Great Hall was designed to impress and to proclaim King Henry VIII's power and magnificence.
A breathtaking display of stained glass greets visitors to the Great Watching Chamber.
The chocolate kitchen was a small but specialized series of rooms used by royally-appointed chocolate makers to prepare this sweet and expensive delicacy for kings and queens.
A walk through Hampton Court Palace
Get to really know this royal palace on the River Thames
TRAVEL Palaces
Hampton Court Palace is one of the most impressive royal palaces in Great Britain. Dating back to 1515, it eventually became the favorite residence of King Henry VIII, and his six wives! It served as a home for successive English monarchs, and is currently in the possession of Queen Elizabeth II. Today, this grand building is a major tourist destination and still awes visitors with its impressive architecture, beautiful grounds, and opulent interior. Fancy a peek inside?
Click through the following gallery for an armchair tour around this historic and palatial building.