Hampton Court Palace

Hampton Court Palace is a grand royal palace in Richmond upon Thames. It was once lived in by the kings and queens of England including Henry VIII, William, Mary and James. Much of the building was designed by the architect Sir Christopher Wren. The palace is most notable for its famous maze, the annual Hampton Court Palace Festival and Hampton Court Palace Flower Show.

The palace was originally built at the start of the sixteenth century by Cardinal Wolsey and along with St. James's Palace, it is one of only two surviving palaces out of the many owned by Henry VIII. There are many interesting and historical attractions at Hampton Court Palace:

•    Henry VIII's Great Hall  - The Great Hall is England’s greatest medieval hall and one of Britain’s oldest theatres. William Shakespeare’s company performed there in 1603-4.
•    Young Henry VIII exhibition - Meet the 'pin-up' prince, before he became fat old Henry VIII, at our Young Henry VIII exhibition (included in your admission ticket). The exhibition includes paintings and interactive displays.
•    The world famous Maze - Test yourself and get enjoyably lost in 'the most famous Maze in the history of the world'. Entry is included in your ‘All Palace and Gardens’ admission ticket. A 'Maze only' entry is also available.
•    Tudor kitchens and live Tudor cookery - Built to feed the Court of Henry VIII, the kitchens were expected to provide meals for 600 people twice a day. See the kitchens today and experience the sights and smells of a real Tudor kitchen!
•    Beautiful gardens - Wander through over 60 acres of beautifully maintained and internationally celebrated gardens at Hampton Court Palace. Entry is included in your ‘All Palace and Gardens’ admission ticket.
•    A living Tudor world - Join Henry for his wedding celebrations and see surprising portraits and personal objects of his wives.
•    Kids' ghost trail - How much do you really know about the spooky palace past? Collect our ghost family trail from the Information Centre and start investigating.

Opening times:

Monday-Sunday 10:00 – 18:00 Last admission 17:00, Last admission to the maze 17:15.

Tickets can be booked online at the official Hampton Court Palace website alternatively book by telephone on 0844 482 7799 (from UK) or +44 (0)20 3166 6000 (from outside the UK) Monday-Friday: 09:00-17:00 Weekends and Bank Holidays: 10:00-17:00. Tickets can also be purchased on the day or in advance in person from the ticket office.

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