About this experience
Espionage and shootings, betrayal and torture, gruesome public executions... 'Gunpowder Plot' has everything to make this story a blockbuster of the 21st century. Are you ready to travel back to 1605 and experience the events with Guy Fawkes, King James I, and other historical figures? We will reveal the motives of the conspirators, track the preparation, find out who was the mastermind behind it, and more!
What to expect
You will have to understand...
- The problems faced by the Stuart dynasty kings due to the policies of their predecessors
- How the personal ambitions of Henry VIII and his heirs affected the life of the common people
- How many conspirators there were and who was the leader and initiator of the plot (spoiler: not Guy Fawkes!)
- Why the conspirators decided to blow up the Parliament building and why the explosion was set for November 5, 1605
- How they managed to smuggle in 36 barrels of gunpowder into the cellars and where they got so much gunpowder
- Whether King James Stuart was a hero or a villain, and what one still cannot do to the monarch of Britain
- Who warned King James of the intentions to blow up Parliament and helped prevent the explosion
- What happened to the conspirators and Guy Fawkes and who is John Johnson
- What role the River Thames played in the Gunpowder Plot
- What would have happened if the plan had succeeded and the building had actually been blown up
A few more details
Guy Fawkes - this name has become a symbol of protest. To understand what motivated the man found in the cellars of the House of Lords on the night of November 5, we will try to recreate the atmosphere of 17th century London - a city where your success and place in society depended on your religion. The relief of the British Supreme Court building will remind us of how difficult the religio us change was for England and how Henry VIII's decision to break away from the Catholic Church paved the way for the activities of spies, traitors, and conspirators...
During the tour, we will discuss how these events are remembered within the walls of the Palace of Westminster and what traditions related to the Gunpowder Plot are strictly observed on the night before the ceremonial opening of Parliament. Why and how do the residents of Britain celebrate the unsuccessful attempt to blow up Parliament?
Of course, little remains of London at the time of the Gunpowder Plot; even the Parliament building that the conspirators planned to blow up looks very different today. During the walk, we will see the Jewel Tower - a surviving part of Westminster Palace from Guy Fawkes' time.
Who is this tour for
The program will be interesting and useful for children interested in history. It is designed for ages 8 and up. The tour is interactive: I constantly interact with the participants, ask guiding questions, and thus help them better understand the material.
Organizational details
- The tour starts and ends at Parliament Square
- Depending on the day and time, we will try to visit Westminster Hall (free entry) - the oldest part of Parliament built in the 11th century. This is where the conspirators were tried.
