Buckingham Palace is the monarch’s present London home，facing St. James’park. It as built for the Duke of Buckingham and Normandy John Sheffield in 1703. Buckingham House was bought by George III for his wife at the price of 28，000 pounds in 1761 and the royal family moved there from St. James’Palace. It was enlarged in the Palladian （帕拉弟奧的）style by John Nash in the reign Of George IV and then the building became known as Buckingham Palace. When Victoria came to the throne，she made it the royal palace. In the palace can be found the Marble Hall， Sculpture Gallery，the Picture Gallery，the Throne Room， the Drawing Room，the Library，the Royal Stamp-Collecting Room，the Grand Staircase （樓梯）and Vestibule （門廊），over 600 rooms and halls in all. The grounds cover 40 acres and there are collections of famous paintings and of furniture，most of which are works dating from George IV’s time. Since 1993，Buckingham Palace has been open to the public during the summer months only.
