Queen's House, Greenwich
Designed by Inigo Jones for Anne of Denmark – wife of James I. Built between 1616 and 1635, situated in Greenwich, London. Jones had recently spent three years (1613-1615) in Italy where he studied Roman and Renaissance architecture. It was Jones’ first important commission and the first fully neo-classical building seen in England introducing Palladianism to England (although probably not directly influenced by a building designed by Palladio).
In April 1618 the work on the House stopped because Queen Anne became ill – she actually died the following year. In 1629 the building of the House restarted when James’ son Charles I gave Greenwich to his wife Henrietta Maria (daughter of Henry IV of France) – the Queen’s House was structurally completed in 1635. Jordaens, Orasio Gentileschi and other leading European painters were commissioned to provide decorative ceiling panels and other art works. The original use of the House was short – only seven years – until the Civil War broke out in 1642. After Charles' execution in 1649 and the declaration of a Commonwealth, the House became an official government residence. "Only three ceilings and some wall decorations survived in part during this time, but no interior remains in its original state" (Wikipedia).
After his restoration to the throne (1660) Charles II refitted the House for Henrietta Maria’s temporary use in 1662, before she moved to Somerset House. He added two upper ‘bridge’ rooms to east and west over the road – this gave the House a square-shape rather than the former H-shape. In the 18th century the House continued to be used for various Royal ‘grace-and-favour’ residential purposes. The House survived as an official building and became the Royal Naval Asylum, a charity caring for and educating the orphan children of seamen, from 1806. In 1933 the Royal Hospital School moved to Holbrook, Suffolk. Then the House was first restored to become the new National Maritime Museum, created by Act of Parliament in 1934 and opened in 1937. The House was further restored between 1986 and 1999, and is now largely used to display the Museum’s substantial collection of marine paintings and portraits.
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