Originally known as Buckingham House, the building which forms the core of today's palace was a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1705. It was subsequently acquired by George III in 1761 as a private residence for Queen Charlotte, and known as "The Queen's House". During the 19th century it was enlarged, forming three wings around a central courtyard. Buckingham Palace finally became the official royal palace of the British monarch on the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837. The last major structural additions were made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including the East front which contains the well-known balcony on which the Royal Family traditionally congregate to greet crowds outside. The state rooms, used for official and state entertaining, are open to the public each year for most of August and September, as part of the Palace's Summer Opening. The Palace measures 354.3 feet(108 meters) by 393.7 feet(120 meters), is 78.74 feet(24 meters) high and contains over 830,000 sq feet (77,000 meters2) of floor space. Some info from Wikipedia. May 1995 photo scanned. Zoom works well for details. Thanks for stopping by my gallery, taking a look and for all your previous favs and comments. They are very much appreciated. Dana