Sports	Beach Volleyball
Capacity	15,000

Nearly 500 years after Henry VIII hosted jousting tournaments at Horseguards Parade, beach volleyball will come to Whitehall for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The Parade is built on the former tiltyard where those tournaments took place itself, at an historic venue which was once the headquarters of the British Army.

During much of the last century the site has been a car park for senior civil servants, a practise ended by a mortar attack from the Provisional IRA on Downing Street using a car parked in Horse Guards Parade.

The venue lies in the heart of Whitehall, the political centre of the UK.


Horse Guards Parade takes its name from the soldiers who have provided protection for the monarch since the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, and it hosts the trooping of the colour on the Queen's birthday every year.

In 2009 the venue hosted the first London Polo Championships, and temporary seating will be installed for the London 2012 Games.

A two tier stand will enable 15,000 fans to watch beach volleyball, which promises to be one of the most popular sports at the Olympic Games.

Two practise courts are located adjacent to the main court, whilst a further six are available at St. James's Park.