What is there to see at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton?
Once the pleasure palace for the extravagant George IV, the Royal Pavilion in Brighton offers visitors a chance to explore the opulent rooms of the palace. You’ll also be able to marvel at the collected treasures of bygone royalty.
Royal elegance at its finest
The extravagant lifestyle of the Prince George twinned with his love of architecture and fine arts soon meant he had outgrown this dwelling and he looked to the architect Henry Holland to make the transformation to a modest villa known as the Marine Pavilion.
Witness his fascination with the mythical orient during your visit and admire the magnificent displays of Chinese export furniture, objects and hand-painted wallpapers.
A Palace by the sea
The lavish lifestyle of George, Prince of Wales (who later became George IV) outgrew the building a second time, and in 1815 John Nash, famous architect of Buckingham Palace and Regent Street, was commissioned to oversee the redesign of the architectural masterpiece that you can visit today.
Explore the iconic rooftop minarets, domes and impressive rooms, galleries and corridors designed by Nash.
Banquets, opera and music
Visit the Banqueting Room where banquets of up to 70 different dishes were served and look up at the impressive 30 feet high, 1-ton chandelier.
Step inside the Great Kitchen which, completed in 1818 as part of the reconstruction overseen by John Nash, was considered to be innovative and modern for its time.
The musical passion of George IV also awaits you in the Music Room where the Italian composer Rossini performed in 1823 and the King’s own band entertained guests with Italian opera and pieces by Handel surrounded by 9 magnificent chandeliers.
The Pavilion during the First World War
Learn about a different side to the royal grandeur of the Royal Pavilion and discover how, between 1914 and 1916, it was used as a hospital for Indian soldiers wounded on the Western Front fighting for the British Army.
The Regency gardens
Marvel at the botanical beauty of the Regency Gardens with trees and shrubs chosen from lists supplied to George IV. The gardens were then landscaped over a five year period, from 1815 to 1820, whilst the building was being transformed by John Nash.