Architecture

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The Orangery, Kensington Palace

A thirteen-bay greenhouse of 1704 that Queen Anne used for parties, now the only part of the palace you can walk into without a ticket.

You can go insideFree

Built in 1704 and given by Historic England to Wren, in red and amber brick: a single storey of thirteen bays, symmetrical, with the three centre bays brought forward under a split segmental pediment. The whole thing was made to over-winter orange trees and to be a room Queen Anne could entertain in, which is why a garden building got a front like this.

Historic England's verdict on what is behind it is two words - fine interior - and the room is the reason to bother: one long white-panelled volume under a high ceiling, with the light coming in down the whole south side.

It is a restaurant now, which is the only way in and is also what keeps it open: you can walk in off Kensington Gardens for breakfast, lunch or tea without a palace ticket.

Where
Kensington Gardens, W8 4PX
Nearest station
Queensway · 5 min walk

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