Chiswick House and Gardens is one of the most glorious examples of 18th-century British architecture and landscaped gardens, with over 300 years of discovery, inspiration and delight.
When the Earl of Burlington designed Chiswick House, he did not intend for it to be a home, instead he wanted to pay homage to the neo-Palladian style of architecture he had become infatuated with during his travels through Italy. Completed in 1729, both the gardens and the interior were equally lavish, therefore the building was frequently used for opulent celebrations. Over the years that ensued bits of the house were demolished while others were added, but in the 1950s Middlesex Council set about restoring it to its original incarnation, or at least as close to this as possible.
Today English Heritage are in charge, and its rooms are as extravagantly decorated now as when the house was first conceived. There are rooms with walls entirely covered in velvet, an imposing sphinx dominates another room, and gilded tables look fit for a king’s palace. To visit the house, entry is £5.70 for an adult, however the gardens are accessible for free.
