Perhaps you’ve seen the staircase of the Queen’s House in Greenwich already. If you’re on instagram, and you’re interested in exploring the hidden gems of London, it’s highly likely. Because this spiral staircase with its wrought-iron blue tulip bannister, known as the Tulip Stairs, is a true beauty. And not only is this royal house an absolute stunner, but it’s also completely free to visit.
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The Story of the Queen’s House
I’m telling you now, this place has got strong Bridgerton vibes. But it was actually built long before the Regency era, when Bridgerton is set.
The royal residence was commissioned by Queen Anne of Denmark in 1616. (In case you’re curious about the ‘Denmark’ part, Queen Anne came from Denmark to marry the Scottish King James VI- who was crowned James I of England after Elizabeth I died. Hence the big move to England.)
The palace was an absolute modern extravaganza when it was first built; nothing like it had been seen in England before. The architect, Inigo Jones, was known for his theatricality, and he had a reputation for designing huge elaborate stage sets and settings for royal performances. Built outside London (at least, back in those days, it was outside London), within the grounds of Greenwich Palace, the Queen’s House was designed to have the main road from London to Dover running right through it. Thank goodness that in those days, traffic was a little lighter than now.
Queen Anne actually died tuberculosis before the house was finished, although years later the new Queen Henrietta Maria got old Inigo Jones back to finish the project. Once completed, it was only used as a royal residence for a few years, until the monarchy was overthrown and Queen Henrietta escaped to France. What an absolute drama.
During the late 1600s, after the monarchy had been restored, the Queen’s House was used both as a place to stay for royal visitors- normally visitors who were setting sail or returning by sea- and to house royal artists and their studios; like the father-and-son Van de Velde duo who were hugely influential maritime artists from Denmark.
The maritime theme continued over the years at the Queen’s House, and throughout history it became an orphanage for children of naval crew, and later the Royal Naval Asylum (as it was called), was joined together with the Royal Hospital School for the sons of seamen.
Nowadays, the Queen’s House in Greenwich is home to a whole load of maritime artwork- both historical and contemporary. Stormy seas, marine battles and scenes from nautical journeys across the world, are all depicted on the walls of this little gem, but visitors come as much to admire the architecture as for the art.
Related: The Story of the Parminter Sisters and Their Octagonal Home
Is the Queen’s House free to visit?
The Queen’s House Greenwich is completely free to visit! Which is undoubtedly an absolute bargain. Entry to beautiful Greenwich Park is also free; make sure you head up the hill towards the Royal Observatory to get a good view of Queen’s House with the skyline of Canary Wharf and The City behind it.
You can pre-book your visit here to guarantee entry, and check opening times.
How long does it take to visit the Queen’s House Greenwich?
A visit to the Queen’s House will normally take around 45 minutes, depending on your style of gazing-at-artwork.
How to get to the Queen’s House
The closest stations to Queen’s House are either the London Overground Greenwich Station (connected to Cannon Street and London Bridge stations)or the Cutty Sark DLR station. From each of these it’s about a ten minute walk to Queen’s House.
What else to see in Greenwich
Greenwich is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful and underrated parts of London. Greenwich Park is a wonderful- and wonderfully huge- green space which gets nowhere near as crowded as London’s more central parks.
There’s also a high concentration of interesting museums in Greenwich, the most well-known being the Cutty Sark ship which sits right next to the river, the National Maritime Museum- which is right next to Queen’s House- and the Royal Observatory right in the centre of the park. (Check tickets and opening hours here.) And for something completely different, and a little more off-the-beaten-path, check out the nearby Fan Museum.
The genteel Greenwich area is super pretty- don’t forget to take a look round Greenwich Market– or take a walk to the other side of Greenwich Park towards Blackheath. The Heath is famous for its ties to the Great Plague of London, which thankfully is long gone; the village atmosphere of this area with its bakeries and bookshops overlooking the green, make it a lovely spot of London to have a quiet stroll through.
