Hampton Court Palace is one of the best known royal palaces in England.
It is located near Charing Cross station, on the banks of the Thames and owes its undeniable charm to the history behind it.
Initially owned by the Order of the Knights Hospitallers, it changed hands in 1514 when Henry VIII, a sovereign known for his cruelty and unruly life, made it his official residence and spent most of his life there.
Hampton thus became one of the most luxurious and impressive palaces in all of England.
From an architectural point of view, the plan of the building seems to have been studied on geometric Renaissance designs.
Furthermore, not to be forgotten is the garden created by Jean Tijou following a project that represents the twelve different parts of the reign of William III of England. Inside the same garden there is also a labyrinth, commissioned by William III himself.
Today Hampton Court also houses an art collection of considerable value with works by Mantegna (Triumphs of Caesar in Gaul), Caravaggio (Vocation of Saints Peter and Andrew), Correggio (Holy Family with Saint Jerome), Titian ((Boy with flute ) and Parmigianino (Portrait of a Young Man, Minerva).
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