ART HOUSE RESOLUTELY ROYAL These heavenly homes bring a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘an Englishman’s home is his castle’. Windsor Castle (pictured below, p. 42) has to be one of the finest fortresses in the UK, so little wonder it’s rumoured to be one of Queen Elizabeth II’s favourite residences. With the spectacular Semi-State Rooms open to the public, this winter is a fantastic time to visit the castle, which is an hour by train from <strong>London</strong>. The lavish interiors, created in the 19th century for King George IV, are decorated in deep reds and glittering golds, and are brimful of fine objects. A superb collection of 18th-century English and French artworks adorn the walls, and the rooms are still used by the current monarch for official entertaining. Another royal favourite, Kensington Palace (p. 28) has been an important regal address since becoming the home of William III and Mary II in 1689. Originally known as Nottingham House, the Jacobean mansion was a leafy retreat from the grime of bustling Whitehall, providing relief for the King’s asthma. The mansion took on a splendid aspect after renovations by architect Sir Christopher Wren, whose addition of pavilions and a Great Court elevated the mansion to the grandeur we see today. Each year HM The Queen throws open the doors of her <strong>London</strong> residence, Buckingham Palace (p.26), for exclusive tours of its State Rooms. Priceless works of art and furnishings from the Royal Collection add to the sense of drama and occasion, and tours end with a glass of champagne served in the Grand Entrance. Baroque composer George Frideric Handel, of musical masterpiece Messiah fame, made his home in Mayfair in the 1700s and lived at the same address for 36 years. Faithfully restored to its former glory, the typical Georgian townhouse is now the Handel House Museum (pictured above left, p. 56), dedicated to the composer and his work. Inside, the décor is as close as possible to the original, including Handel’s bedroom, which features a recreation of his canopied bed, dressed in crimson harateen fabric. As well as containing musical instruments from Handel’s time, such as a double manual harp commissioned to replicate the one Handel owned, and a beautiful ornate piano, the house is also filled with live music courtesy of changing composers-in-residence. It hosts regular classical music recitals and concerts and its current exhibition, Charles Jennens: The Man Behind Messiah (until 14 Apr), throws light on the man who collaborated with Handel on his lyrics. For admirers of amazing interiors Sir John Soane’s Museum (pictured above, p. 58) is a feast for the eyes. Intricately decorated with artworks and artefacts, the former home of the celebrated neo-classical architect is a maze of rooms and passages full of quirks. There are cleverly-placed mirrors to create optical illusions, a spiralling straircase, a room filled with Ancient Greek Corinthian columns, a narrow candle-lit crypt containing an Egyptian sarcophagus and even a mock gothic parlour created for a fictional monk. SIR JOHN SOANE’S MUSEUM IMAGE © DERRY MOORE; WINDSOR CASTLE IMAGE © THINKSTOCK; HANDEL HOUSE IMAGE COURTESY OF HANDEL HOUSE MUSEUM 18 | visitlondon.com|LONDON PLANNER|January 2013
THE STATE ROOMS BUCKINGHAM PALACE Enjoy an exclusive guided tour of the magnificent State Rooms at Buckingham Palace