Hampton Court Palace is a royal palace in the borough of Richmond upon Thames, London. It is one of only two surviving palaces out of the many owned by King Henry VIII. Today, the palace is open to the public and is a major tourist attraction.
Its Great Hall dates from Henry VIII’s time and it’s where Elizabeth I learned of the defeat of the Spanish Armada. Other interesting features include the Clock Court with its fascinating astronomical clock dating from 1540, the State Apartments with their Haunted Gallery, the Chapel, the King’s Apartments and the Tudor tennis court.
Apart from the Palace itself its gardens are also worth visiting- especially in mid-May when in full bloom – and include the Privy Garden, the Pond Garden, the Elizabethan Knot Garden, the Broad Walk, an area known as the Wilderness and, of course, the palace’s famous Maze. In addition the palace continues to display a large number of works of art from the Royal Collection. Other point of interest for visitors include the huge grape vine, the largest in the world as of 2005.
