Hampton Court Palace

The place

Hampton Court Palace is a royal palace located in East Molesey, on the banks of the River Thames, about twenty kilometers southwest of central London. Its construction began in 1514 for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, the chief minister of Henry VIII, who made it one of the most extravagant residences in the kingdom. Falling out of favor, Wolsey ceded the palace to the king in 1529; Henry VIII greatly expanded it and resided there throughout his six marriages. By the end of the 17th century, sovereigns William III and Mary II commissioned architect Christopher Wren for a vast Baroque reconstruction intended to rival Versailles, which remained unfinished. The building thus juxtaposes two contrasting architectural styles, one Tudor in red brick, the other Baroque in Portland stone, and today is one of the major historical monuments open to the public in England. It is designated as a Grade I listed building in the UK.