Buildings of Chelsea and Kensington

Perhaps like me you are off to Chelsea this summer, then you might be looking for something new to do and see. Well if so, stay tuned. I have scanned the internet to bring you three great places to visit before you leave.

For all of you culture vultures out there you may find that a trip away to a beach leaves you lacking information and a respect for the place in which you have stayed. Chelsea will be right up your street. With so much choice and things to do there will be many options grabbing your attention, but if you only have a selected amount of time, I suggest the following.

Start off with Kensington Palace. You don't have to be a fan of the royals to really appreciate the overwhelming design of this building. It was commissioned by William the third to Christopher Wren to extend the property and has seen several improvements by royals over the centuries. Queen Anne altered the gardens and added an Orangey in 1704, George the first added 3 grand state rooms and queen Caroline added a broad walk around the pond. This is a stunning house that has evolved along side our culture and provided a stunning home for royals or many generations.

Second stop on the tour should be Leighton House. Once home to Lord Frederic Leighton (1830-1896) this great classic painter and president of the Royal Academy loved this home. Built between 1864 and 1879 this stunning building is located at the edge of Holland Park and is considered by many to be one of the most exquisite buildings of the nineteenth century. This was a man who knew what he liked and allowed his art to spill into his private life. Every corner of the building shows great attention to detail and each room leads seamlessly in to another increasing you curiosity into what might be in store next.

No visit to Chelsea would be complete without a visit to the Albert Memorial. Located in the Kensington Gardens opposite the Royal Albert Hall this building represents a great take on ornate Gothic architecture. The building was designed by George Gilbert Scott and erected in 1872 as a tribute to Prince Albert, the German husband of Queen Victoria after his death.

This should provide you with a simple over view of why you should be stopping in on Chelsea to make more of it's culture and to absorb its heritage.