Banqueting House
Banqueting House
4.5
Historic SitesArchitectural BuildingsArt Museums
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Admire the epic Rubens' ceiling and discover the site of Charles I's execution at Banqueting House, Whitehall - a magnificent survivor of the lost royal Palace of Whitehall. Once the principle setting for the passions, intrigues and ceremonies of the Tudor, and later, the Stuart monarchies, Charles I was executed on a specially built scaffold outside the Banqueting House on 30 January 1649.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Westminster
If you only had an afternoon to experience London on a grand scale, Westminster would be a wise place to start. The ornate Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey sit adjacent at a corner of Parliament Square, and a short stroll along The Mall leads to Buckingham Palace. Trafalgar Square and Nelson's Column are just up the road as well. As captivating as the architecture is, the wonders of Mother Nature are highlights of the area too. St James's Park (arguably London's loveliest), the expansive Green Park, and pedestrian friendly tree lined paths along the river showcase the exquisite manicure provided by English gardeners. Just beyond the landmarks and the gorgeous outdoor spaces, quiet residential squares and age old local pubs offer a more subdued take on this global seat of power in the heart of London.
How to get there
  • Charing Cross • 5 min walk
  • Embankment • 6 min walk
Reach out directly
See what travellers are saying
  • DannyParlourLondonBlueBadgeTouristGuide
    London, United Kingdom5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Spectacularly spooky halloween themed private tour of the Banqueting House. Bravo!
    I visited last night with a friend for special Halloween guided tour and it was spectacular. The actors made it all so atmospheric and spooky (whilst not scary which I was really pleased about) and Welcome Hosts Eleanor and James each provided fantastic commentary. They provided fabulous tours, tying in the history of the palace with lots of interesting character information too. The lighting and music really added to the experience too. It would be great to see events such as these taking place regularly every year.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 1 November 2023
  • Mrs M
    Hertfordshire, United Kingdom17 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fanstastic Halloween Talk!
    My family and I visited the Banqueting house for a Halloween talk. We had a brilliant time, we learned so much about the history of the palace and its residents from the 1600s! The Banqueting House itself beautiful and is seeped in originality. The guides Eleonor and James were so informative and made it very creepy with actors lurking added to the ambiance. We will definitely be going back next year!!
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 1 November 2023
  • speerbuz
    Brisbane, Australia54 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Creepy stories in the Banqueting House.
    We took a special Halloween tour of the Banqueting House, which was themed with creepy stories from the (former) palace's history (including the execution of Charles I). The tour guides were in costume and had obviously researched their material well. The building itself is impressive, especially the upper level with the marvellous painted Rubens ceiling. Highly recommended, as tours are only conducted on certain occasions.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 19 November 2023
  • John A
    Brentwood, United Kingdom416 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing paintings and great staff
    We went on an open day for those with membership of royal historic palaces. It was very popular but there was plenty of space to move around once we got inside and the talk downstairs was easily audible. All the staff were very good with lots of knowledge and patiently answering questions (even from the lady who kept interrupting with her questions whilst the previous person's answer was still being given!)
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 20 January 2024
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles647 reviews
Excellent
298
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Average
80
Poor
15
Terrible
8

John A
Brentwood, UK416 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Couples
We went on an open day for those with membership of royal historic palaces. It was very popular but there was plenty of space to move around once we got inside and the talk downstairs was easily audible. All the staff were very good with lots of knowledge and patiently answering questions (even from the lady who kept interrupting with her questions whilst the previous person's answer was still being given!)
Written 20 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

speerbuz
Brisbane, Australia54 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
We took a special Halloween tour of the Banqueting House, which was themed with creepy stories from the (former) palace's history (including the execution of Charles I). The tour guides were in costume and had obviously researched their material well. The building itself is impressive, especially the upper level with the marvellous painted Rubens ceiling. Highly recommended, as tours are only conducted on certain occasions.
Written 20 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mrs M
Hertfordshire, UK17 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Family
My family and I visited the Banqueting house for a Halloween talk. We had a brilliant time, we learned so much about the history of the palace and its residents from the 1600s! The Banqueting House itself beautiful and is seeped in originality. The guides Eleonor and James were so informative and made it very creepy with actors lurking added to the ambiance. We will definitely be going back next year!!
Written 1 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Solo
I visited last night with a friend for special Halloween guided tour and it was spectacular. The actors made it all so atmospheric and spooky (whilst not scary which I was really pleased about) and Welcome Hosts Eleanor and James each provided fantastic commentary. They provided fabulous tours, tying in the history of the palace with lots of interesting character information too. The lighting and music really added to the experience too. It would be great to see events such as these taking place regularly every year.
Written 1 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

HINA W
Islamabad, Pakistan6,566 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022 • Family
This is a white building located at the corner of the Horse Guards Avenue and Whitehall. I felt that it is steeped in history. Banqueting House is the only part of the Palace of Whitehall, that has survived. It was designed in Renaissance Style by Inigo Jones. It is a well preserved building that is 400 years old. Do not be deceived by its simple facade, grab the opportunity of free entrance and go in. You will be flabbergasted by the out of this world masterpiece ceiling painted by Ruben. Many historic events have taken place inside this building. The most significant of these was the execution of a King. Charles 1 was convicted of treason unfairly by Oliver Cromwell’s Parliamentarians. In 1649 he was led to step out of one of the windows of Banqueting House, onto the scaffold of his execution. I just stood outside this building and kept looking up in awe.
Written 15 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

John D
Bedford, UK33 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023 • Couples
Our favourite part was the knowledge and enthusiasm of the guides on our guided tour. James, Lilly and Sophia were excellent at bringing history to life. The only warning for other visitors was the large number of stairs to negotiate.
Written 9 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Emily
London, UK395 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2022
Not a huge amount to see but some very impressive artwork.
A small leaflet & introductory video were provided for background.
Written 25 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

jenniealee
Mesa, AZ2,459 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2020
The ceiling is lovely and this place is steaming with history. We completed our tour in less than an hour. We stopped in on a rainy day in July 2019 and we are glad we did BUT it is not worth paying for.
Written 26 March 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Master Jonjon
London, UK344 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
WHAT IT IS. ☞ Charles I’s palladian ceremonial hall originally standing awkwardly in the midst of Tudorian houses.

ARTISTIC VALUE. ☞ The ceiling is a foreign commission, made by the one and only, Peter Paul Rubens.

HISTORIC VALUE. ☞ The last house standing from the Whitehall Palace - the fire of 1698 destroyed the entire palace except this.

Charles I was executed right outside the house.

WHAT TO DO. ☞ G/F: Watch an educational video in the chamber here.

1/F: You’ll find these tablets mounted in the middle of the hall, and there you can find all the information you need. The screen keeps returning to the homepage. Which is annoying. Move the cursor constantly to avoid it.

FUN FACT. ☞ Turn left as you enter the main hall and you’ll see the problem of oval frames: a character’s head is cut off due to mismeasurement. The figure happens to be Ignorance and in the scene he’s being overcome by Minerva.
Written 12 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

bsandrs
Portsmouth, UK23,078 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
Spending a couple of days in London, we decided to visit the Banqueting House on Saturday morning, after a gap of many years since we last enjoyed the building. Spectacular architecture by Inigo Jones and an awe inspiring ceiling by Rubens. Make sure you use the excellent free audio guide which brings the whole history of the building to life. Enjoy viewing the ceiling either via the handily placed mirror for the less able or for the more agile by lying back on the flexible bean bag style seating. Looking across Whitehall to the crowds jostling for the perfect selfie with the Horse Guards, all in the wind and rain, it seemed a shame that more were not enjoying this great building which has played such a big part in British history. The staff were very welcoming and helpful.
Written 1 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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BANQUETING HOUSE: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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