Wallace Collection in London

This photo of the view of The Wallace Collection in London is part of one of the panoramic images found on the PanoramicEarth.com Tour of London. There are over 100 images taken from around London linked to an interactive map.

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The Wallace Collection started life as a private collection built up during the 18^th and 19^th centuries by the Marquesses of Hertford. The final collector was Sir Richard Wallace, the son of the 4^th Marquess. Upon his death his widow, Lady Wallace, donated the entire collection to the nation in 1897. Hertford House, the former London residence of the Wallaces, was converted into a museum and the collection was opened to the public in 1900.

Among the more famous pieces is The Laughing Cavalier by Hals, and works by Titian and Rembrandt. The Wallace Collection also contains a large number of 18^th Century French wokrs including paintings, porcelain, furniture and gold boxes. Together this is reputed to be one of the largest collections of French works outside of France. However, the Wallaces did not stop there and you will also find British arms and armour as well as other European and Oriental objects.

Thankfully, entrance to the Wallace Collection is still free, and the central courtyard to the house was given a glass roof a few years ago so visitors will not be caught out in the weather. Unfortunately, the same can not be said for Manchester Square, on which the Wallace Collection is located just off Oxford Street, which is kept under lock and key for the use of the surrounding residences only.

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The nearest Tube stations the Wallace Collection are Bond Street and Marble Arch on Oxford Street, though Baker Street is not too far away.

The full panoramic image showing the front of Hertford House and Manchester Square can be found on the London tour by PanoramicEarth.com. An enlargement of this photo can be found on Flickr. You can also find a marker for the Wallace Collection on Tagzania.

For more articles on London see the London Index or select one of the labels at the bottom.

Barbican Centre - London

This photo of the Barbican Arts Centre in London is part of one of the panoramic images found on the PanoramicEarth.com Tour of London. There are over 100 images taken from around London linked to an interactive map.

Plan your visit to London by taking advatage of these London Hotel Specials or Thomson City Breaks.

“The Barbican is Europe's largest multi-arts and conference venue presenting a year-round programme of art, music, film and theatre.” – So says the blurb on the Barbican Website.

And this may well be true for under one roof here you can find a concert hall, two theatres, three cinemas, two art galleries, conservatory and public library, three restaurants, private function rooms, conference suites, two exhibition halls and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. It is open 363 days a year and offers a vast array of visual and performing arts. It would almost be quicker to list the types of material that is not shown at the Barbican Centre than to list what is.

In spite or all this glory, the Barbican Centre has also the dubious honour of being voted "London's ugliest building" in a poll run by the BBC in September 2003. This is compounded by an exceedingly complex and confusing layout both inside and out, which, while revolutionary at the time, has evermore left visitors often perplexed as to how to get around. Outside are some lovely terraces with fountains.

The area in which the Barbican Centre now sits was heavily bombed in WWII, yet it took quite some time for the redevelopment to happen. It was opened in 1982, being mostly funded by the City of London as a gift to the nation to the tune of £161 million (about £450 million today).

The Barbican is the home of the London Symphony Orchestra and was, until recently, the home of the Royal Shakespeare Company. The nearst tube is the Barbican, and the Museum of London and St. Paul's Cathedral are also nearby.

The full panoramic image showing the outside of the Barbican Centre and the fountain terraces can be found on the London tour by PanoramicEarth.com. An enlargement of this photo can be found on Flickr.

For more articles on London see the London Index or select one of the labels at the bottom.

Palazzo Colonna and Galeria Colonna

This photo of the front of the Palazzo Colonna is part of one of the panoramic images found on the PanoramicEarth.com Tour of Rome. There are over 100 images taken from around Rome linked to an interactive map.

The Galleria Colonna is contained within the Palazzo Colonna, a palace that has been in the Colonna family for over 20 generations. This rise to glory started in the Middle Ages when the Colonna family was the most powerful feudal force in Rome. In 1424 the family managed to elect their own pope, which resulted in huge benefits and triggered the building of a huge new family compound, the Palazzo Colonna.

In the 1700s the building was rebuilt and the family had moved on from nominating popes to collecting art. Consequently there is now quite a collection of late Renaissance and Baroque paintings stored and displayed here. Six of the rooms are open to the public, and though the paintings are not labeled a key to them is available.

The first room contains a number of family portraits and the Temptation of St. Anthony. After thisis the Great Hall with a gilded ceiling and a painting of Mary about the clobber the Devil who is trying to steal a baby. The third room, Hall of the Desks, is named after two superb ancient desks contained in it. The fourth room features Martin V, the Colonna member to become pope, and the fithe Throne Room contains a chair turned to the wall for use by the pope should he choose to drop by. The last room is named after Maria Mancini, nice of Cardinal Mazarin who ran France for much of the late 1600’s.

From the Gallery you can also see into the private garden and the rouns of the Temple of Cerapis with 20m high marble columns. This area is not open to the public.

In the Piazzo Colonna on which the Palazzo Colonna is built, stands the 30m high Column of Marcus Aurelius, built in the time of Emperor Aurelius. Made of about 27 hollow 3.7m wide blocks the hollow column contains a spiral staircase leading to the top. The Intricate relief depicts the Danubian or Marcomannic wars of Marcus Aurelius, waged by him from 166 to his death.

A full panoramic image showing the square around Palazzo Colonna is found on the Rome tour by PanoramicEarth.com. An enlargement of this photo can be found on Flickr.

For more articles on Rome see the Rome Index or select one of the labels at the bottom.