St James's Palace

St. Martin's Palace Jakub is a 16th-century residence in the Tudor style, which is part of the complex of royal buildings located in the City of Westminster. The offices of the court offices are here, and official receptions are also organized here. The residence is the official London seat of the princesses Anna and Aleksandra. For this reason, it is not open to the public.

The palace was built on the orders of Henry XVIII in a place where a leper hospital was located. His patron was St. Jakub, who also became the patron of the royal residence. From its inception, it was the focal point of the royal administration, with a break for the reign of Oliver Cromwell, who transformed the palace into a barracks. When at the beginning of the 19th century some rooms, including royal apartments, were destroyed by fire, the monarchs moved to Buckingham Palace. In 1837, the building officially ceased to be the main royal seat, and began to play a primarily ceremonial role.