Page 99 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - London

PIC C ADILL Y , M A Y F AIR AND ST JA MES ’ S  97

e The Mall royal family. From 1863 until England. George III married
he became Edward VII in 1901, his queen, Charlotte of
SW1. Map 13 A4. 1 Charing Cross, it was the home of the Prince Mecklenburg­Strelitz (who
Green Park, Piccadilly Circus.
and Princess of Wales and the gave him 15 children), here in
This broad triumphal approach social centre of London. An 1761. The interior, with its
to Buckingham Palace was Art Nouveau memorial in the glorious 17th­century fittings –
created by Aston Webb when Marlborough Road wall of both Grinling Gibbons and
he redesigned the front of the the house commemorates Wren contributed to the
palace and the Victoria Mon­ Edward’s queen, Alexandra. decoration – is wonderful. It is
ument in 1911. It follows the The building now houses the only open for Sunday services
course of the old path at the Commonwealth Secretariat. in spring and summer.
edge of St James’s Park, laid
out in the reign of Charles II, y Green Park
when it became London’s most
fashionable promenade. Down SW1. Map 12 E4. Tel 0300 061 2350.
both sides of The Mall national 1 Green Park, Hyde Park Corner.
flags of foreign heads of state ∑ royalparks.org.uk
fly during official visits.
The annual London Marathon Once part of Henry VIII’s hunting
(see p60) finishes on The Mall, grounds, this was, like St James’s
amid a mass of cheering crowds. Park, adapted for public use
by Charles II in the 1660s and is
a natural, undulating landscape
r Marlborough of grass and trees (with a fine
House Queen’s Chapel, built as a private place of spring show of daffodils). It was a
worship for Charles I’s Catholic queen favourite site for duels during the
Pall Mall SW1. Map 13 A4. Tel 020 18th century: in 1771 the poet
7747 6491. 1 St James’s Park, Green t Queen’s Chapel Alfieri was wounded here by his
Park. Open only for group tours (min mistress’s husband, Viscount
15 people) by prior arrangement. Marlborough Rd SW1. Map 13 A4. Ligonier, but then rushed back to
∑ thecommonwealth.org/ 1 Green Park. Open for services only. the Haymarket Theatre in time to
marlborough-house 5 Easter–Jul: 8:30am & 11:15am Sun.
∑ royal.gov.uk catch the last act of a play. Today
Marlborough House was the park is popular with joggers.
designed by Christopher Wren This exquisite work of the archi ­
(see p51) for the Duchess of tect Inigo Jones was built for
Marlborough and completed Charles I’s French wife, Henrietta u Buckingham
in 1711. It was substantially Maria, in 1627.Originally intended Palace
enlarged in the 19th century to be part of St James’s Palace, it
and used by members of the was the first Classical church in See pp98–9.

The impressive former royal residence, Marlborough House

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