Palace of Whitehall

The Palace of Whitehall began its life as a private residence called York Place, owned by the powerful Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. When Wolsey fell out of favor with Henry the Eighth in 1530, the King seized the property and transformed it into his principal seat of power. It eventually grew into the largest palace in all of Europe, sprawling over twenty-three acres with more than fifteen hundred rooms. This massive complex functioned more like a royal suburb than a single building, housing everything from tennis courts and bowling greens to a cockfighting ring.