People looking for London attractions integral to the capital's history should add the Banqueting House - one of the capital's hidden gems - to their itinerary.

The building offers a mixture of fascinating history, pioneering architecture and artistic gems, with one particular highlight for culture vultures being Ruben's ceiling - the only surviving in-situ painting by the world-renowned painter.

Three huge canvasses depict the Union of the Crowns, the Apotheosis of James I and the Peaceful Reign of James I.

This magnificent ceiling was one of Charles I's last sights before he was executed on a scaffold outside in the year 1649 after the monarch lost the Civil War.

On the day of the execution he said goodbye to his children before being escorted to the Banqueting House, wearing a second  shirt in order not to shiver from the cold and look afraid.

The Banqueting House also showcases the pioneering architecture of Inigo Jones - being one of the first examples of the principles of Palladianism being applied to an English building.

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Posted by Michael Edwards