Secret escapes
Famous landmarks around the world are usually crawling with tourists – but not many are privy to their hidden chambers...
There are plenty of Members of Parliament who must wish they had known about this over the decades... a secret doorway in and out of the House of Commons.
The 17th century walkway was rediscovered during the ongoing renovations at the Palace of Westminster. Research revealed it was built for the coronation of Charles II in 1660, allowing guests to reach the king’s celebration banquet.
The entrance is also believed to have been used by diarist Samuel Pepys and politician Robert Walpole, regarded as Britain’s first prime minister. Historians believed the passageway had been filled in during reconstruction work after bombing during the Second World War.
It was rediscovered during recent investigative work by the architecture and heritage teams undertaking
Westminster’s £4billion restoration project. parliament.uk/visiting
Buckingham Palace also has a secret passage in the grand White Drawing Room, which is where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding photos were taken.
The room is filled with some of the finest English and French furniture in the world – and one of a pair of elaborate cabinets hides a concealed door in the corner of the room. It has a passage that leads to the Queen’s private state apartments. rct.uk
The Eiffel Tower also has a private apartment at the top of the structure that engineer Gustave Eiffel designed for himself. The 1,076 sq ft space had a living room with a piano, a kitchen and a bathroom – but no bedroom. However, it did have some quite spectacular views. toureiffel.paris
The Statue of Liberty in New York was the first sight millions of immigrants to America saw, but few know there is a hidden room inside the famous torch.
It has not been open to visitors since 1916 after it was damaged when German spiets set off an explosion at a nearby munitions depot during the First World War. nps.gov
The Great Pyramid in Cairo has been shrouded in mystery for millennia, but in 2017 scientists discovered a secret space while carrying out imaging scans.
The pyramid at Giza was the tallest man-made structure in the world for around 3,800 years and the hidden 100ft-long space lies in the centre of the tomb. egypt.travel
Mount Rushmore in South Dakota features the carved heads of American presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt
Discover the best of the British Isles and more on a trio of 10 and 11-night spring and summer 2021 itineraries with Cruise & Maritime Voyages.
In May next year, passengers can join Marco Polo in Hull or Magellan in Newcastle, while new flagship Amy Johnson will sail from Tilbury, Essex, in July. Destinations the trio will explore include Dundee, Orkney, ShetIand, Invergordon, Lewis, Mull, Belfast, Cork, the Isles of Scilly, Portsmouth, Guernsey and Honfleur in Normandy.
Prices start at £844pp, based on two and Abraham Lincoln – and behind Lincoln’s sculpture is a hidden room. Artist Gutzon Borglum spent 14 years working on the sculptures and planned a Hall of Records behind Lincoln’s face.
Gutzon’s dream came true almost 50 years after his death when historical documents were placed in the stone space and sealed with a 1,200lb granite slab. nps.gov
Visitors to the Empire State Building in New York can admire the city views from the 102nd floor, but there is also a higher 103rd level off limits to the public.
It’s surrounded by a short ledge with a low railing and VIPs such as Amir Khan, Taylor Swift, Michael Caine, Richard Branson and Ed Sheeran have been photographed there. esbnyc.com
cancelled because of coronavirus. The Fincantieri yard in Monfalcone, Italy, where she is being built is still closed and Princess Cruises says a new delivery date is yet to be confirmed.
All her inaugural Mediterranean voyages up to July 31 have been cancelled.
Princess has also abandoned most of its summer season from the Pacific Northwest to Alaska, as has Holland America.