Royal court place. One of the criteria of Norbert Elias' concept of a court society is that it existed in space.. The German word "Hof", meaning an enclosed courtyard, can also apply to a rural farmstead with outbuildings and walls forming the perimeter. It has also been used for the palatial seat where the court was held. Thus "Hof" or "court" can become transferred to the building itself. For example, the grand residence Hampton Court Palace on the River Thames above London was where Thomas Wolsey held court as Catholic cardinal (built after the Italian ideal for a cardinal's palace) until his
Hampton Court Palace was videotaped. The palace was the venue for the Road Cycling Time Trial of the 2012 Summer Olympics and temporary structures for the event, including a set of thrones for time trialists in the medal positions, were installed in the grounds. In 2015 Hampton Court celebrated its 500th anniversary. The celebrations included daily dramatised historical scenes. Building at the palace began on 12 February 1515. On 9 February 2016 Vincent Nichols, the Catholic archbishop of Westminster, celebrated vespers in the Chapel Royal, the first Catholic service held at the palace for 450 years. The Palace is served by Hampton Court