Buckingham Palace United Kingdom

Legendary

The home and headquarters for the monarch of the United Kingdom.

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Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms, including 78 bathrooms and 188 bedrooms just for staff. It's less like one building and more like its own small town, with a post office and a doctor's office inside.

The palace didn't start out as a palace at all. In 1703, a rich Englishman called the Duke of Buckingham built a large townhouse on the spot. It was simply called Buckingham House.

In 1761, King George III bought the house as a home for his wife, Queen Charlotte. For decades, it was known as "The Queen's House," a quiet family home rather than a royal palace.

Everything changed under King George IV. He hired an architect named John Nash to make the house much bigger and grander. Nash added new wings and turned it into the palace we know today.

In 1837, 18-year-old Queen Victoria became the first king or queen to actually live at Buckingham Palace. She moved in just weeks after becoming queen, and it's been the royal family's London home ever since.

The palace kept changing even after Victoria moved in. Builders added a new wing in 1849 to make room for her growing family. They also built the famous balcony for her big celebration day.

During World War II, London faced heavy bombing. Buckingham Palace was hit nine times. The king and queen at the time refused to leave the city, staying at the palace to support the British people.

Watch the Changing of the Guard outside the palace gates, a tradition that happens every day. Tour the State Rooms during the summer, when the public can walk through some of the palace's grandest spaces. Look up at the balcony, where royals have waved to crowds during major celebrations for nearly 200 years.