The Royal Pavilion in Brighton – An Odd “Chinese-Looking” Thing

Brighton’s most iconic landmark, the Royal Pavilion, is an exotic, palace-like residence built as King George IV’s seaside pleasure retreat in the early 19th century. Not everyone admired it. Queen Victoria famously remarked: “The Pavilion is a strange, odd Chinese-looking thing, both inside and outside; most rooms low, and I only see a little morsel of the sea from one of my sitting-room windows.”
In reality, the exterior is Indo-Saracenic, loosely inspired by the Taj Mahal, while the interiors are decorated in a Chinese style. I found some of the supposedly Chinese figures odd-looking indeed: Western imaginings of what “Chinese” meant at the time. The result is an imposing building that blends fantasy, eccentricity and royal extravagance.
The Pavilion later served as a military hospital during the First World War, treating wounded Indian soldiers. Today, it stands as a beautifully restored museum and a vivid reminder of Britain’s Regency era.