Address Buckingham Palace Westminster, London SW1A 1AA, UK

Built from the former manor of Ebury, Buckingham Palace has seen several owners since its emergence.

It has also undergone a great number of modifications and extensions to finally welcome the crowned heads in the first half of the 19th century. The finest materials, such as Bath stone and Racaccione marble, were used to achieve the final result.

After all, the palace alone had to symbolize the greatness of the British monarchy and, at the same time, its power throughout the Commonwealth and the world at large. If it is said that it was once a place of debauchery, long before the arrival of Queen Victoria, the presence of crowned heads within its walls encouraged some serious adjustments.

Targeted during the Second World War, the palace stood its ground, posing with each assault a little more as the allegory of British resistance to oppression. The greatest musicians have performed there over the years, while others such as Mick Jagger and Elton John have been honored by the Queen.

Ceremonies were held in a sumptuous setting with paintings by masters such as Rembrandt and Vermeer and precious artifacts such as the famous Fabergé eggs.

From Mendelssohn to the Beatles, everyone had the privilege of entering this sanctuary, which was nonetheless increasingly open to the outside world thanks to a lightening of protocol.

Today, one can visit it and admire the art galleries and the royal apartments. A true showcase of the monarchy, it is a must-see.

It is also the scene of the famous changing of the guard, every day between May and July and every other day the rest of the year. The grandiloquent expression of British power.