Banqueting House, London

Historic Royal Palaces
(Visited as part of “Open House London”)
Banqueting House, Whitehall is one of the first English Palladian style buildings, designed by Inigo Jones for James I and finished in 1622. It was intended for masques, receptions and entertainments, but was less used after the ceiling paintings by Peter Paul Rubens were installed in 1630-4. The smoke from candles during evening receptions had begun to damage the paintings.
The building is probably most famous as the scene of the execution of Charles I. It’s ironic that one of the last things Charles did was to walk under paintings glorifying the divine right of kings.
Regularly open to public -charges apply.
Well worth a look.