Category Archives: Beautiful London

The Queen’s House, Greenwich

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Distant view of the Queen's House, Greenwich

Distant view of the Queen’s House

The Queen’s House was built by Inigo Jones, principally between 1629-40.   It  now houses the National Gallery of Naval Art, previously housed in the Painted Hall in the Royal Naval College, and admission is free.

One of the paintings on exhibit is of the Somerset House Conference, which brought about the end of the Anglo-Spanish War of 1585-1604.

Painting of Beard-off at Somerset House

Beard-off at Somerset House

Facade of the Queen's House

Facade of the Queen’s House

Interior of the Queen's House, looking up

Interior of the Queen’s House, looking up from downstairs

The Tulip Stairs

The so-called Tulip Stairs

Interior of the Queen's House, looking down

Interior of the Queen’s House, looking down from upstairs

Open House II …and a nod to Kilburn’s finest

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Open House II … and a nod to Kilburn’s finest
Today (22nd September 2013) I went to the Apothecaries’ Hall, St Bartholomew’s Hospital Great Hall (and Hogarth Staircase) and Middle Temple Hall.
I especially enjoyed Middle Temple Hall, which was completely wonderful in almost every way.  It was, though, way too crowded for comfort – it felt as if everyone in London who wasn’t egging Wiggo on in the Tour of Britain was there!
I have posted a small selection of my photographs below (and separately on my Facebook page, in an album entitled “Open House II”).
Hogarth’s staircase, St Barts
The Apothecaries’ Hall
List of Benefactors, St Bartholomew’s Hospital Great Hall
Middle Temple
Related links

Open House London http://www.londonopenhouse.org/

Open House London

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This is Open House London weekend (21st-22nd September 2013), meaning that many buildings or parts of buildings of architectural or historical merit that aren’t ordinarily  open to the public are, and for free.

Today I went on tours  of the triforium gallery in St Paul’s cathedral, and of the church of St Helen Bishopsgate.

I had to queue up for an hour-and-a-half to book a place on the tour of the triforium gallery in St Paul’s, and then wait another three hours until it started.

Some salvaged  bits of old St Paul’s

But it  was totally worth it, and utterly magnificent.

The Geometric Staircase (this is as close to the edge as I could go with my acrophobia)

The Wren Library  there is now officially  one of my very favourite places of all.  The atmosphere inside is as rich, dark and deep as a cup of coffee from the “Giddy Up” stall in Guildhall Yard – the best anywhere, by the way!

The Wren Library

Link to Open House London :  http://www.londonopenhouse.org/