Buckingham Palace

Supreme among the symbols of London, indeed of Britain generally and of the Royal Family, Buckingham Palace tops many must-see lists - although the building itself is no masterpiece and has housed the monarch only since Victoria (1819-1901) moved here from Kensington Palace at her accession in 1837. Its great grey bulk sums up the imperious splendour of so much of the city: stately, magnificent, and ponderous.

When Victoria moved in, the place was a mess. George IV, at his accession in 1820, had fancied the idea of moving to Buckingham House, his parents' former home, and had employed John Nash, as usual, to remodel it. The government authorised only "repair and improvement"; Nash, that tireless spendthrift, overspent his budget by about half a million pounds. George died, Nash was dismissed, and Edward Blore finished the building, adding the now familiar east front (facing the Mall). Victoria arrived to faulty drains and sticky doors and windows, but they did not mar her affection for the place, nor that of her son, Edward VII.

The Portland stone facade dates only from 1913 and the interior was renovated and redecorated only after it sustained World War II bomb damage. The palace contains some 600 rooms, including the State Ballroom and, of course, the Throne Room. The royal apartments are in the north wing; when the Queen is in, the royal standard is raised.

Until fairly recently, all the quarters were off-limits to the public, but a 1992 fire at Windsor Castle created an urgent need for cash. And so the state rooms are now on show from August to early October. The state rooms are graced with some of Her Majesty's most famous Old Master paintings, but other artworks are sometimes on view in special temporary exhibitions held at the Queen's Gallery, near the south side of the palace.

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