During her record time on the throne, Queen II. Elizabeth inaugurated several buildings. As Britain celebrates the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, we look through some of the buildings she has opened since her coronation in 1952.
Architectural styles changed dramatically during Elizabeth's unending 70-year reign. The Queen has officially cut the ribbons of breathtaking buildings, including five museums, two airports, a cathedral, an opera house, and at least four parliaments. Here are some:
Commonwealth Institute, London, England, RMJM (1962): The Commonwealth Institute building was designed by RMJM to hold a permanent exhibition that informs the British public about life in the rest of the Commonwealth. Set under a copper-covered, hyperbolic paraboloid roof, the modernist concrete building was converted into the Design Museum in 2016.
Coventry Cathedral, Coventry, England, Basil Spence (1962): Designed by Scottish architect Basil Spence, this cathedral is a prime example of post-World War II modernism, home to Jacob Epstein's statue of Archangel Michael victorious over Satan and a tapestry by Graham Sutherland believed at the time to be the largest in the world.
Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia, Jørn Utzon (1973): One million people attended the Sydney Opera House's official opening in 1973, and the Queen described the landmark building as "a splendid achievement of engineering and architecture". Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon and engineer Ove Arup, this iconic building was completed in 14 years.
Tate Modern, London, England, Herzog & de Meuron (2000)
In 2000, the Queen opened Tate Modern, designed by Swiss architecture studio Herzog & de Meuron, on the south bank of the River Thames in London. The art gallery was designed to replace the Giles Gilbert Scott-designed Bankside Power Station, which the Queen opened 37 years earlier in 1963. Today, Tate Modern is among the most important contemporary art galleries in the world and shapes global art.
