Banquet House in the UK, London Resort
Rating: 8,3/10 (611 votes)  The Banquet Hall of Whitehall Palace in London, built in the 17th century according to the plan of the architect Inigo Jones, is a monument of great artistic importance. The building is boldly ranked among the golden fund of English architecture. As an example of the classic Palladian style, the Banquet Hall has influenced several generations of English architects.
The original mansion that housed the Banquet Hall was owned by Cardinal Wolsey. After he fell into disgrace, his possessions fell to King Henry VIII. Soon, the luxurious city house, which belonged to the archbishop, became known as Whitehall Palace. In the 16th century, it was even considered the main royal palace. At the moment, the Banquet Hall is the only surviving building of the palace destroyed by fire.
The Banquet House built by Jones became a new page in the development of the country's architecture. It was a bold turn of architecture towards the Renaissance style. The Banquet House is a 3-storey mansion with an emphasized restrained architecture. As the name suggests, it involves holding banquets and receptions, and is not intended for living.
The building is 34 meters long, 17 meters wide and high. The center of the palace is distinguished by eight columns, which on the lower floor are underlined by the Ionic order, and on the upper - by the Corinthian order. There are large windows on the facade. The upper floor windows are decorated with a frieze depicting a garland carved in stone. A balustrade and a flat roof complete the composition.
An excursion to the Banquet House can be called a “step into the feast house”. Its main attraction is the interior decoration, decorated with nine works by Rubens. In 1635 Rubens and his students visited the Banquet Hall. He designed the plafonds, decorating them with plots called"The Apotheosis of King James I." The interior of the Banquet House inspires admiration for its perfect proportions. By the way, after the completion of the painting, Charles I awarded Rubens the title of knight.
In 1893, the Banquet House was transferred by Queen Victoria to the Royal Defense Advisory Institute. The institute was going to remake the interior spaces of the monument for its own needs. However, the artistic community intervened in this process, and the redevelopment was limited to cladding with white limestone. Until 1962, the Banquet House housed the museum of this institute. Now the old building is a historical and architectural landmark of London.
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