Tour to Hampton Court

A tour of Hampton Court will take us back to the Tudor and Stuart era (15th-17th centuries). It was during this period that incredible events took place that radically changed the further development and life of England. From a small feudal state in the early 15th century, England transformed into the so-called "first modern society" by the late 17th century, and then became the richest and most powerful nation in the world.

We will begin from the beginning, with the well-known English King Henry VIII, the second of the Tudor dynasty. Many books have been written about him, many TV series and films have been staged. Six wives: two executed, two divorced, one died, one survived the king. He left an heir, who ascended to the throne, but soon died, and two daughters who ruled the country one by one. The last Elizabeth I ends the Tudor dynasty, replaced by the Stuarts.

During the tour we will meet all the Tudors. They walked through the courtyards and galleries of the palace, feasted, danced, had fun, arranged theatrical performances, went hunting, received idle guests and important diplomats. We will walk through the same alleys, look into the royal kitchen and the royal chapel, where little has changed since then.

At the end of the 17th century, many of the old halls of the palace had to be demolished, as the project was the construction of a new, modern, more grandiose and cozy royal palace in the Baroque style, whose architect was Christopher Wren. How the new owners of the palace lived, how happy they were here and how their fates developed, we will discuss passing through the halls of Stuart and Hanover.

Then there is the magnificent royal park, with original varieties of plants planted in a stunning symmetrical pattern and repeating the original design of the 17th century garden. We look into the hidden gardens, which originally kept fish for the royal court, and now grow beautiful flowers and medicinal herbs. We will see the largest vine in the world, planted in 1768 and still yielding crops.

Before we head home, of course, we will be lost in the winding paths of the world’s oldest maze, slowly stacking the information we receive, thinking about the past, present, and possible future.

See you soon!

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