The Queen’s House in Greenwich is one of those buildings that I walked past dozens of times each year and never once entered, despite being a member in the Maritime Museum and despite the entry being free in any case. There is so much to see in Greenwich that the Queen’s House always ended up bypassed. I finally went in two weeks ago – to see the so-called Armada portrait of Queen Elizabeth I that the museum had recently acquired and which was about to disappear into a conservator’s workshop for the near future. The building is so stunning I can’t believe I ignored it for years – don’t miss it if you ever visit Greenwich!
![The Armada Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I (The Drake Version) [public domain] via Wikipedia](https://waterbloggedbooks.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/800px-elizabeth_i_armada_portrait_british_school.jpg?w=300&h=275)
Designed in 1616 by Inigo Jones and completed in 1636, the Queen’s House is famous in architecture because it’s the first classical building in England. Jones was influenced by architectural styles he saw in Italy, especially by Palladio.
I took the occasion to take pictures for Norm 2.0’s photo challenge. Enjoy this brief tour of the Queen’s House:
…if you look on every exit as being an entrance somewhere else.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard
As you perhaps realised from these photos, the Queen’s House has much more to it than its doors (and archways)… So see you here on Monday, when, free from Norm’s challenge restrictions, I’ll share some other parts of the building – which, believe me, are more spectacular!
Waterblogged 
The amount of detailed work in those interior mouldings and trimwork is just astounding. Nobody does work like that anymore. Great post 🙂
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Norm, I’m glad you liked it; those door photos were taken exactly with your challenge in mind! 🙂
I tried to show some of the surrounding or setting of the doors but there are limits on what one can do with that (or, at least there are limits on what I can do). If you can be bothered to come back on Monday, I really think some of other parts of the building – in particular I’ve got the staircase in mind – are even more spectacular to look at. Queen’s House was recently renovated by the way, so that accounts for the details being in such a good shape.If you ever come to Greenwich, don’t miss the Queen’s House (I can’t believe it took me more than a decade to get round to it!).
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These are all wonderful shots but the second one is so cool! Every time I see that portrait (or similar ones of the time), I’m SO thankful for what women now wear. 🙂
janet
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I know what you mean… the whole outfit is so stiff! The collar seeems particularly irksome. 🙂
As for the building itself, if you liked these pictures, you might also like the rest: Under Italian Influence: The Queen’s House in Greenwich.
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