BUCKINGHAM PALACE, London, England.—The above palace, being now the Queen's residence and occupying the site of Buckingham House, was erected in 1703 by the Duke of Buckingham, and purchased by George III. His successor remodeled it in 1825, but it remained vacant until 1837, when it was occupied by Queen Victoria, whose residence it has since continued to be. The palace now forms a quadrangle, and is three hundred and sixty feet long. It contains a sculpture-gallery, a library, green drawing-room, throne-room, grand saloon, state ball-room, picture-gallery and private apartments.
ROTTEN ROW, London, England.—Rotten Row is the finest portion of Hyde Park, irrespectively of the magnificent groups of trees and expanses of grass for which English parks stand pre-eminent. The Park is surrounded by a handsome and lofty iron railing, and provided with nine carriage entrances. In the spring and summer the fashionable world rides, drives or walks through the Row; and in the drives are seen unbroken files of elegant equipages and high-bred horses in handsome trappings moving continually, presided over by sleek coachmen and powdered lackeys, and occupied by some of the most beautiful and exquisitely dressed women in the world.
ALBERT MEMORIAL, London, England.—This magnificent monument to Albert, the late Prince Consort, was erected by the English nation at a cost of $600,000. On a spacious platform, to which granite steps ascend on each side, rises a basement adorned with reliefs in marble, representing artists of every period, poets. musicians, painters and sculptors. In the centre of the basement sits the colossal bronze-gilt figure of Prince Albert. The canopy terminates at the top in a Gothic spire, rising in three stages and surmounted by a cross. The monument is one hundred and seventy-five feet high, and gorgeously embellished with bronze and marble statues, gildings, colored stones and mosaic.
ANTWERP, Belgium.—Antwerp, the capital of a province of its own name, stands on the right bank of the Scheldt. It is strongly fortified; its walls and other defenses completely encompass the city on the land sides, having more than twelve miles of massive ramparts. The appearance of Antwerp is exceedingly picturesque, an effect produced by its numerous churches, convents, magnificent public buildings, its elaborate and extensive fortifications, the profusion of beautiful trees, and by the stately antique-looking houses which line its older thoroughfares. Of the docks, dock-yards and basins, constructed by Bonaparte at an expense of $10,000,000, the last only remains. Its harbor is one of the finest in the world.
PANORAMIC VIEW OF BRUSSELS, Belgium.—Brussels, the capitol of Belgium and the residence of the royal family, is situated nearly in the centre of the Kingdom. The above picture presents a general view of the city, the tile roofs of the houses, with the Palace of Justice looming up in the background. This stately edifice, completed in 1883, was erected at an expense of over $10,000,000. This high tower of marble forcibly suggests the mighty structures of ancient Egypt or Assyria, and the vast amount of energy spent in their erection.
PALACE OF THE KING, Brussels, Belgium.—The above edifice originally consisted of two buildings, which were erected during the last century. These were connected by an intervening structure, and adorned in 1827 with a Corinthian colonnade. It is one of the principal and notable buildings of the City of Brussels. The interior contains a number of apartments handsomely fitted up, and a great variety of ancient and modern pictures. A flag hoisted on the palace announces the presence of the King.
BOURSE, Brussels, Belgium.—In the central portion of the City of Brussels on the Boulevard Anspach, rises the Bourse or New Exchange, an imposing pile in Louis XIV. style. Its vast proportions and almost excessive richness of ornamentation combine to make the building worthy of being the commercial centre of an important metropolis; but it has been sadly disfigured by the application of a coat of paint, necessitated by the foible nature of the stone. The principal façade is embellished with a Corinthian colonnade, to which there is an ascent of twenty steps.
CITY HALL, Brussels, Belgium.—This is by far the most interesting edifice in the city, and one of the noblest and most beautiful buildings of the kind in Belgium. It is of irregular, quadrangular form, one hundred and ninety-eight feet in length, and one hundred and sixty-five feet in depth, and encloses a court. The principal façade is of Gothic style, and the graceful tower, which, however, for some unexplained reason does not rise from the centre of the structure, is three hundred and seventy feet in height. The entire building dates back to the fourteenth century, and is still occupied by municipal offices.
CATHEDRAL OF STE. GUDULE.—In the central part of the City of Brussels, overlooking its lower section, is the above edifice, one of the most imposing and most ancient Gothic churches in Belgium. It consists of a nave and aisle, having a retro-choir, and deep bays, resembling chapels. It was built in 1220, and has been in constant use for 670 years. While the elements of time are crumbling its outside surface, leaving an abundance of disintegrated matter at the base of its walls, its interior is adorned with fine paintings and kept in apparently good order.
THE FORBIDDEN BOOK (By Ooms), Academy of Fine Arts, Brussels, Belgium—This striking painting by that celebrated artist, is a pleasing commingling of many colors, which, of course, are lost in the photograph. The picture represents a private library, the father and daughter eagerly devouring the contents of the Bible. Unexpected foot-steps are heard; hence the frightened look of both, for, in those days, reading the Bible was punished by death. The painting is a subject study for the earnest Bible-reader.