Kensington Palace has been one of the homes of the British monarchy for more than 300 years. Even today, certain apartments within the Palace are used as a residence by the present British monarchs. Kensington Palace was the residence of the late Princess Diana. This royal Palace was the birthplace of Queen Victoria and she grew up at Kensington Palace.

Today, not only does the British royalty use this magnificent palace as a place of residence, but being a working palace, it accommodates some very important offices of the British monarchy.

Among the attractions of the palace are the apartments of the king and queen, which have been preserved splendidly. The king’s apartments are grandiose regal rooms, which are decorated with unique wall paintings and the royal architecture is indeed splendid. If the king’s apartment exudes the lavish and opulent side of British royalty, the queen’s apartments echo with the sensitive and aesthetic side of palace life. The queen’s apartments have most of the original furniture which was used by Queen Mary II.

Apart from the royal apartments, you will be mesmerized by the splendor of the graceful Victorian rooms. It is believed that Princess Victoria along with her mother, the Duchess of Kent, lived in the Victorian rooms, which are still preserved impeccably with many of the original items which were then used by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. By far the best way to appreciate the stunning beauty of Kensington Palace is by walking on the landscaped gardens of the palace. You will come across the bronze statues of William III who was the first resident of Kensington Palace and Queen Victoria who was the last queen to reside here.

Kensington Palace Map

Facts about Kensington Palace

• In recent times, Princess Diana was a resident of Kensington Palace. She lived in the North Western part of the palace.
• Although, the general public are not allowed inside her residence, some of her designer dresses are on display at the Royal Ceremonial dress collection.
• Apart from Princess Diana’s dress collection, you can also see royal ceremonial dresses dating back to the 18th century.

Where is Kensington Palace?

Kensington Palace is located in Kensington, London. It is easily accessible through the London Underground. The Tube stations at Queensway, Notting Hill Gate or even the High Street Kensington stations are all located in close proximity to Kensington Palace.

Best time to visit Kensington Palace

Kensington Palace is open everyday. Do remember that Kensington Palace is open from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm (November to February) and 10:00 am – 6:00 pm (March to October).

More on Kensington Palace

Nearby Attractions :  Albert Memorial, Royal College of Art, Royal Geographical Society, Holland Park

England major attractions:  Stonehenge, British Museum, Big Ben London, Buckingham Palace, The London Eye, Millennium Bridge, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, London Zoo, Trafalgar Square, Palace of Westminster, Kensington Palace, Lost Gardens of Heligan, Nelson’s Column, Wellington Arch.

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Photo By Green Lane (Own work) [GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Cleopatra’s Needle in London is a granite obelisk, which is all of 68 feet and weighs 180 tons. This obelisk originally dates back to 1500 B.C. and was built for Tuthmose III. The Hieroglyphics praising Tuthmose and honoring his third Sed festival can be found on the obelisk along with engraved inscriptions by Ramesses II which was added much later to commemorate his hard earned victories.

This mammoth granite obelisk was presented to the people of Great Britain in the year 1819 as an acknowledgement of Nelson’s victory over the marauding French armada, at the infamous battle of Nile in 1798. Apart from the obelisk, a portrait of Queen Victoria and other Victorian era artifacts are also found.

However, it took almost 60 long years to actually bring this mammoth obelisk to Britain. No British government was gallant enough to overcome the obstacles of shipment of this obelisk from far away Egypt to Britain. Not only was the shipment of the obelisk a daunting task, it also involved enormous expenses. Had it not been for the generosity of Mr. Erasmus Wilson, who dished out a staggering £10,000 to bear the expenses of shipment, this marvelous granite obelisk would have probably remained buried in the sands of Alexandria until the end of time.

During World War I, Cleopatra’s needle suffered a minor damage, courtesy the air raids. A portion of the plinth and one of the sphinxes, which bore the brunt of the attack, is clearly visible.

Today, Cleopatra’s Needle is an integral part of London’s tourist landmarks.

Cleopatra's Needle Map

Facts about Cleopatra's Needle

• In recent times, Princess Diana was a resident of Kensington Palace. She lived in the North Western part of the palace.
• Although, the general public are not allowed inside her residence, some of her designer dresses are on display at the Royal Ceremonial dress collection.
• Apart from Princess Diana’s dress collection, you can also see royal ceremonial dresses dating back to the 18th century.

Where is Cleopatra's Needle?

Kensington Palace is located in Kensington, London. It is easily accessible through the London Underground. The Tube stations at Queensway, Notting Hill Gate or even the High Street Kensington stations are all located in close proximity to Kensington Palace.

Best time to visit Cleopatra's Needle

Kensington Palace is open everyday. Do remember that Kensington Palace is open from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm (November to February) and 10:00 am – 6:00 pm (March to October).

More on Cleopatra's Needle

Nearby Attractions :  Albert Memorial, Royal College of Art, Royal Geographical Society, Holland Park

Cleopatra's Needle Map

Facts about Cleopatra's Needle

• Cleopatra’s Needle, London is one of three obelisks re-erected in New York, London and Paris.
• Cleopatra’s Needle is flanked on both sides by Egyptian bronze sphinxes.

Where is Cleopatra's Needle?

Cleopatra’s Needle is located in Victoria Embankment in London. The Embankment Underground Station and Charring Cross Underground Station are only a short walk away.

Best time to visit Cleopatra's Needle

London is best visited during the summer months. Cleopatra’s Needle has no particular visiting hours or visiting charges.

More on Cleopatra's Needle

Nearby Attractions : The London Eye, Cenotaph, the Fourth Plinth

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Picture By Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK  [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

England major attractions:  Stonehenge, British Museum, Big Ben London, Buckingham Palace, The London Eye, Millennium Bridge, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, London Zoo, Trafalgar Square, Palace of Westminster, Kensington Palace, Lost Gardens of Heligan, Nelson’s Column, Wellington Arch.

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