Have you ever dawdled past imposing buildings and wanted to have a peek inside? Well, forget the peek,how about a real look, behind the scenes?
National Trust will be offering free exclusive, behind-the-scenes tours of the Danish, French and Portuguese embassies in London, as part of their Europe & Us programme.
The strictly limited openings, as part of Heritage Open days, will offer a unique glimpse into the inner sanctums of diplomacy. They will allow visitors insights into how these important government buildings are used to allow envoys to entertain while promoting their countries’ interests to the ‘Court of St James’. Visitors will get to explore these fascinating buildings on guided tours and view the furniture and decorative art that reflects each nation.
On show, for example, will be the principal rooms of the French Ambassador’s Residence in Kensington Palace Gardens (‘Billionaire’s Row’), Arne Jacobsen’s modernist 1970s Danish Embassy and Residence on Sloane Street and the palatial home of the Portuguese Ambassador in Belgrave Square.
National Trust Creative Director Ivo Dawnay comments, In this year when our relationship with Europe has been front and centre of our thoughts, the National Trust is running a programme, dubbed ‘Europe & Us’, that seeks to gain insights into our long relationship with the continent.
The weekend-long event is part of Heritage Open Days, England’s annual festival of history that involves 5,000 events and 40,000 volunteers in a long-weekend of access to special places of historical interest.
The tours, which are free, are strictly limited in number and will be ticketed on a first-come-first- served basis. For security reasons applicants will be asked to apply with their full names, addresses and contact details and will be admitted only with photo ID.
Tickets are available by application at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/embassy-openings.
French Embassy: 11 Kensington Palace Gardens, Kensington, W8 4QP Friday .
9th September – 14:30, 16:30. Saturday 10th September – 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 15 people per tour Duration. 50 minutes
Danish Embassy: 55 Sloane Street, SW1X 9SR
Saturday 10th September – 11:00, 13:30, 15:30. 30 people per tour . Duration – 1 hour 15 minutes
Portuguese Embassy: 12 Belgrave Square, Belgravia, SW1X 8PM
Friday 9th September – 10:00, 11:30, 13:30, 15:00 15 people per tour . Duration – 1 hour
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