Buckingham Palace - Букингемский Дворец
Buckingham Palace is located in the heart of London. It is the place where the Queen lives. It also serves as a place for administrative work and official receptions. When the Queen is at home, Londoners and visitors to the capital can see the Royal standard flying over Buckingham Palace. British monarchs have lived in Buckingham Palace since 1837 when Queen Victoria moved there.
The interior of the Palace contains more than seven hundred rooms. It has the Queen"s Gallery, a cinema, a swimming pool, a post office and a police station.
About four hundred people work in Buckingham Palace. They are chefs, cleaners, drivers and gardeners. There is special staff that looks after the three hundred clocks, expensive pictures and statues in the palace.
Buckingham Palace"s garden covers 40 acres. There is a helicopter landing area, a lake, and a tennis court in the garden. It is home to 30 different species of birds and more than 350 different wild flowers, some of which are extremely rare.
The palace is guarded by four divisions of Foot Guards wearing a special uniform of red jackets and black hats. The morning ceremony of Changing of the Guard is still very popular with tourists. They enjoy watching the guards marching in front of Buckingham Palace.
Until 1992, the public could only watch the magnificent palace from outside and wonder what was within. Today some of the rooms can be visited during the Queen"s annual trip to Scotland in August and September.
Questions:
1. People of which professions work in Buckingham Palace?
2. When can tourists visit some rooms in Buckingham Palace?
3. How can people learn if the Queen is in London or not?
Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of the UK’s sovereigns since 1837 and today is the administrative headquarters of the Monarch. Despite being the place where many official events are held, the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace are also open to visitors every summer.
The Queen and the Royal Family stay at the Palace on weekdays. They have rooms on the first floor of the north wing. When the Queen is staying the Royal Standard flag is flown above the central balcony. The Queen has an office where she usually works. Prince Charles has his own office and library there.
However before becoming the administrative headquarters of the Monarch Buckingham House was bought by George III in 1761 for his wife. It was used as a family house and almost all George III’s children were born there. The court functions at that time were held in St.James Palace that was situated close to Buckingham House.
George IV, the son of George III, decided to reconstruct the House and transform it into a palace. John Nash selected as an architect retained the main block but added a new suite of rooms. Those rooms are now known as State and semi-State Rooms and they remain unchanged since Nash’s time.
Today Bukingham Palace is a working building where official meetings, royal events and different ceremonies take place. Each year the Palace is visited by more than 50.000 people who come to the State bacnquets, lunches and dinners.
Перевод:
Букингемский Дворец является официальной резиденцией правительства Объединенного Королевства с 1837 года, а сегодня это еще и административный орган управления монарха. Несмотря на то, что во Дворце проводятся многие официальные мероприятия, залы для приемов и церемоний Букингемского Дворца открыты для посетителей каждое лето.
Королева и Королевская семья проводят во Дворце будние дни. Их комнаты расположены на первом этаже северного крыла здания. Когда королева находится в Букингемском Дворце, над центральным балконом развевается флаг монарха Великобритании. У королевы есть свой кабинет, где она обычно работает. У принца Чарльза также есть там свой кабинет и библиотека.
Однако, прежде чем стать административным органом управления монарха, Бакингем-хаус был куплен Георгом III в 1761 году для жены. Он использовался как дом для семьи правителя, там родились почти все его дети. Правление в то время осуществлялось во дворце Сэнт-Джэймс, который находился рядом с Букингемским Дворцом.
Георг IV, сын Георга III, решил переделать дом и превратить его во дворец. Джон Нэш, выбранный архитектором, сохранил основную часть здания, но добавил ряд новых комнат, которые сегодня известны как парадные и полу парадные комнаты. Они остались неизменны со времен Нэша.
На сегодняшний день Букингемский Дворец – действующее здание, где проходят официальные встречи, королевские мероприятия и церемонии. Каждый год Дворец посещает более 50.000 людей, которые приходят на государственные банкеты, ланчи и ужины.
Выражения и фразы
Продолжаем знакомить вас с достопримечательностями британской столицы. Резиденция Королевы Великобритании Елизаветы II — это одно из тех мест, которые обязательно нужно посетить. Это, как говорят англичане, «a must —see », особенно для тех, кто впервые посещает столицу страны.
Сам дворец находится в глубине парка, внешне он довольно скромный. По словам одного из зодчих, участвовавших в проектировании здании, «корона Англии не требует такого великолепия. Зарубежные страны могут заниматься украшениями, но Англия должна гордиться своей простотой».
Вообще, дворец - это маленькое автономное государство, в котором есть отделение полиции, почта, больница и многие другие учреждения, обеспечивающие жизнедеятельность дворца и королевской семьи.
Вот лишь несколько впечатляющих цифр:
во дворце 755 комнат, включая 52 королевские спальни, 188 спален для гостей и сотрудников, 92 офиса и 78 ванных комнат. Два сотрудника работаю полный день, чтобы следить за 300 часами резиденции.
Одной из важных архитектурных деталей здания является знаменитый балкон. Именно отсюда Ее Величество Королева Елизавета II и члены королевской семьи приветствуют своих подданных в дни торжеств.
Туристам, приезжающим в Лондон, повезло. Часть дворца открыта для посещений в августе и сентябре, когда Ее Величество покидает апартаменты. Что показывают туристам? Залы для приемов и церемоний (State Rooms ), картинную галерею Королевы (The Queen ’s Gallery ) и королевские конюшни (The Royal Mews ).
Картинная галерея — самое длинное помещение дворца (50 метров). Здесь представлены экспонаты многовековой истории Королевской семьи. Конечно, здесь выставлена только часть произведения из Королевского собрания, но экспозиция постоянно меняется. Возможно, вам повезет увидеть полотна Рубенса, Ван Дейка, Тициана.
Королевские Конюшни Букингемского дворца — это примерно то же, что кремлевский гараж в Москве. Только в отличии от гаража посетители и туристы могут посмотреть на интерьер и транспортные средства Королевской семьи и, конечно, увидеть великолепных скакунов.
Дворец охраняет Придворный Дивизион. Каждый день в 11.30 проходит знаменитая церемония смены караула (the Changing of the Guard ) – яркое и запоминающееся зрелище.
После экскурсии можно подкрепиться в снек-баре и купить сувениры в магазине подарков. А мы будем ждать ваших комментариев и рассказов. До встречи!
With its architecturally defined profile, this is one of London"s most popular historical buildings. Buckingham Palace was built in 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham. Later restored by Nash, the present facade was planned by Sir Aston Webb in 1913. Buckingham Palace is the London residence of the Sovereign.
When the Queen is here, the royal standard flutters over the palace. The Royal Mews, in Buckingham Palace Road, house the coaches and horses used on all state occasions and are open to the public on Wednesday and Thursday. The Queen"s Gallery, also in Buckingham Palace Road; has especial exhibitions from the Royal collection and may be visited every day except Monday. In its entirety, the Palace and the beautiful gardens which surround it occupy an area of approximately 40 acres. Altogether this is one of the most interesting places in London for the tourist.
The ceremony of the Changing of the Guard that takes place daily at eleven o"clock in the morning. Every day a large crowd of people gather to see this famous and traditional ceremony. It is an event that, in spite of its regularity, appears to be a solemn classical ritual, of purely British flavour.
Buckingham Palace is not only the royal residence: it"s a small city under one roof. It has a cinema, a post-office, some caffees and a restaurant, a hospital and even a night club. More than 700 people work here every day.
Букингемский дворец
Это одно из самых популярных исторических зданий Лондона с его архитектурно определенным профилем. Букингемский дворец был построен в 1703 году для герцога Букингемского. Позже восстановлен Нэшем, нынешний фасад был запланирован сэром Эстоном Уэббом в 1913 году. Букингемский дворец- лондонская резиденция королевы.
Когда королева здесь, королевский штандарт развевается над дворцом. Ройал Мьюс (Королевские конюшни) на Buckingham Palace Road- место работы тренеров и лошадей используются на всех торжественных случаях и открыты для общественности в среду и четверг. Галерея Королевы, также на Buckingham Palace Road, проводит выставки из собраний Королевы и может быть посещена каждый день кроме понедельника. В целом дворец и красивые сады, которые окружают его, занимают площадь около 40 гектаров. В общей сложности это одно из самых интересных мест в Лондоне для туристов.
Церемония Смены караула происходит каждый день в 11:00 утра. Каждый день большое скопление людей собирается вместе, чтобы увидеть знаменитую и традиционную церемонию. Это событие, несмотря на свою регулярность, является торжественным классическим ритуалом чисто британского вкуса.
Букингемский дворец является не только королевской резиденцией, это небольшой город под одной крышей. Он имеет кинотеатр, почтовое отделение, несколько кафе, ресторан, больницу и даже ночной клуб. Более 700 человек работают здесь каждый день.
Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the British monarch in London, England. The Palace is a setting for state occasions and royal entertaining, a base for many officially visiting Heads of State, and a major tourist attraction. It has been a rallying point for the British people at times of national rejoicing, crisis or grief. "Buckingham Palace", "Buck House" or simply "The Palace" commonly refers to the source of press statements issued by the offices of the Royal Household.
Originally known as Buckingham House, the building forming the core of today"s palace was a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703 and acquired by King George III in 1762 as a private residence. It was enlarged over the next 75 years, principally by architects John Nash and Edward Blore, forming three wings around a central courtyard. Buckingham Palace finally became the official royal palace of the British monarch on the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837. The last major structural additions were made in the late 19th and early 20th century, when the large east wing facing The Mall was added, and the former State entrance, Marble Arch, was removed to its present position near Speakers" Corner in Hyde Park. The east front was refaced in Portland stone in 1913 as a backdrop to the Victoria Memorial, creating the present-day public face of Buckingham Palace, including the famous balcony.
The Palace contains 77,000 squared meters of floorspace (828,818 squared feet). The principal rooms of the Palace are contained on the piano nobile behind the west-facing garden facade at the rear of the Palace. The centre of this ornate suite of State Rooms is the Music Room, its large bow the dominant feature of the facade. Flanking the Music Room are the Blue and the White Drawing rooms. At the centre of the suite, serving as a corridor to link the state rooms, is the Picture Gallery, which is top lit and 55 yards (50 m) long. The Gallery is hung with works by Rembrandt, van Dyck, Rubens, and Vermeer, among many others. Other rooms leading from the Picture Gallery are the famous Throne Room and the Green Drawing Room. The Green Drawing room serves as a huge anteroom to the Throne Room, and is part of the ceremonial route to the Throne from the Guard Room at the top of the Grand Staircase. The Guard Room contains a white marble statue of Prince Albert, in Roman costume set in a tribune lined with tapestries. These very formal rooms are used only for ceremonial and official entertaining. Directly underneath the State Apartments is a suite of slightly less grand rooms known as the semi-state apartments. Opening from the marble hall, these rooms are used for less-formal entertaining, such as luncheon parties and private audiences. Some of the rooms are named and decorated for particular visitors, such as the "1844 Room", which was decorated in that year for the State visit of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia. At the centre of this suite is the Bow Room, through which thousands of guests pass annually to the Queen"s Garden Parties in the Gardens beyond. The Queen uses privately a smaller suite of rooms in the North wing.
At the back of the Palace, large and park-like, is the Garden. Here the Queen hosts her annual garden parties each summer, but since June 2002, she has invited the public into the Garden on numerous occasions. For example, for Queen"s Golden Jubilee (2002) and her 80th birthday (2006). More than 50,000 people visit the palace each year as guests to banquets, lunches, dinners, receptions and the royal garden parties.
The State Ballroom is the largest room at Buckingham Palace. It was added by Queen Victoria and is used for ceremonies such as state banquets. During the current reign court ceremony has undergone a radical change, and entry to the palace is no longer the prerogative of just the upper class. There has been a progressive relaxation of the dress code governing formal court uniform and dress. In previous reigns, men not wearing military uniform wore knee breeches of an 18th-century design. Women"s evening dress included obligatory trains and tiaras and/or feathers in their hair. After World War I, when Queen Mary wished to follow fashion by raising her skirts a few inches from the ground, she requested a Lady-in-Waiting to shorten her own skirt first to gauge the King"s reaction. King George V was horrified and Queen Mary"s hemline remained unfashionably low. And King George VI and Queen Elizabeth allowed daytime skirts to rise. Today there is no official dress code. Most men invited to Buckingham Palace in the daytime choose to wear service uniform or morning coats, and in the evening, depending on the formality of the occasion, black tie or white tie. If the occasion is "white tie" then women, if they possess one, wear a tiara. Security Guards march out of Buckingham Palace at the end of the daily.
The famous armed sentries on guard on the Palace forecourt are commonly thought to be ceremonial, but they have always had a security role. The Palace also contains its own police station, and the Royal Family have their own protection officers at all times. The Foot Guards battalion at Wellington Barracks is only 300 yards (275 m) away. The units at Chelsea Barracks (Foot Guards) and Hyde Park Barracks (Household Cavalry) are both three-quarters of a mile away (1.2km).The sights around Crowds walk down the Mall towards the Palace and the Victoria Memorial. The flags interspersed with the Union Flag indicate a Norwegian State Visit in progress. Adjacent to the Palace is the Royal Mews, also designed by Nash, where the royal carriages, including the Gold State Coach, are housed. Also housed in the Mews are the carriage horses used in royal ceremonial processions. The Mall, a ceremonial approach route to the Palace, was designed by Sir Aston Webb and completed in 1911 as part of a grand memorial to Queen Victoria. It extends from Admiralty Arch, up around the Victoria Memorial to the Palace forecourt. The reddish colour of the Mall"s tarmac recalls the red carpet of former times. This route is used by the cavalcades and motorcades of all visiting heads of state, and by the Royal Family on state occasions such as the annual State Opening of Parliament as well as Trooping the Colour each year.