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Feature: Ancient British royal palace celebrating 500th birthday

Xinhua, June 4, 2015 Adjust font size:

Hampton Court Palace, one of the most famous royal palaces in Britain, is now 500 years old. A variety of celebratory events being hosted through this year are expecting to attract more visitors to experience its unique history.

Located in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, southwestern Greater London, the historic palace was first leased in 1514 by Thomas Wolsey, cardinal and advisor of King Henry VIII, and the building work was commenced in 1515. In 1528, Wolsey gifted the palace to Henry VIII, and he later enlarged the palace.

Hampton Court Palace was a very important royal palace in the history as many monarchs including Henry VIII, Queen Mary I, James I, Charles I, Charles II, William III and Mary II, and George II associated with the palace.

It was not opened to the public until Queen Victoria ordered to throw open its door in 1838. It said about 7,000 pounds (10,659 U.S. dollars) a year had been spent on its restoration of the Tudor-Baroque combined architecture between 1838 and 1851.

To celebrate the 500th birthday of this remarkable building, a special cake celebration event for Hampton Court Palace in February was just the beginning of the entire year's celebration there.

Earlier on the Eastern holiday, Hampton Court Palace also held a dazzling projection, which took visitors on a kaleidoscopic journey through Hampton Court's half millennium history with live music and splendid fireworks.

Jo Neill, manager of Hampton Court 500 Project Manager, introduced some daily highlights of the celebratory events, such as the exhibition of replica royal carriages in different eras. Visitors could be invited to have a free glass of wine in the afternoon to propose a toast to the next 500 years of Hampton Court Palace.

One of the most exciting things is that historic characters preformed by actors would play a series of micro plays everyday from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. local time around the palace, bringing the rich history of Hampton Court to life.

Tourists visit Hampton Court from now to the end of August will easily find Shakespeare's King's Men are rehearsing a new play for James I in the Great Hall, while Elizabeth I enjoys a duel of words with Mary Queen of Scots' envoy in a corridor. Maybe visitors will encounter Anne Boleyn, a new love of Henry VIII, is flirting with poet Thomas Wyatt in a hidden corner.

As one of the best-loved historic buildings in Britain, the Hampton Court Palace attracts over half a million visitors every year.

Neill said about 60 to 70 percent were international visitors. She added that Hampton Court Palace provides different tour guides in different languages, while in this year, as Hampton Court was once a center for the European history and had close connection with Europe, more European visitors are expected to visit the court.

One of those actors made great efforts to learn to speak Danish for a short play, she said. Endit