Banqueting House, Renaissance banqueting house in City of Westminster, England
Banqueting House is a Renaissance building in the City of Westminster, London, designed in Palladian style. The main hall rises to a double height with regularly spaced columns along the walls and a vaulted basement beneath.
Inigo Jones designed the building between 1619 and 1622 as part of the royal Palace of Whitehall. Charles I walked through the hall to an outdoor scaffold for his execution in 1649, stepping from one of the central windows.
The ceiling paintings by the Flemish master were commissioned by Charles I and consist of nine large compositions celebrating monarchy. Visitors today see the hall in much its original state, with the canvases mounted directly into the ceiling framework.
The building remains closed for renovation until 2025, after which tickets will need to be booked in advance through the official website. Visitors planning to explore the hall should allow time to take in the ceiling and the proportions of the main room.
This building is the sole surviving part of the Palace of Whitehall, which served as the main London residence for English monarchs until 1698. A fire destroyed the rest of the sprawling complex along the Thames at that time.
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