In 1783 the Prince of Wales visited Brighton with his Catholic paramour, Maria Fitzherbert, and fell in love with the place. He commissioned Henry Holland to build him a royal pavilion and officially set his stamp of approval on the town and an explosion of Georgian elegance began.
After becoming Prince Regent in 1812, George commissioned John Nash to extend and embellish the Royal Pavilion, who added Oriental flourishes in the form of domes & minarets, to create a building as eccentric and extravagant, as its patron.
With industrialisation came the train, and by the mid 19th century Brighton had become a popular destination for London day-trippers and getaway weekends. It was during this period that most of Brighton's significant buildings and large crescents were built and the city's reputation was cemented as a destination for the wealthy as well. The best examples of these are Brunswick Terrace and Square in Hove and Lewes Crescent in Kemp Town. As well as the Pavilion, the West Pier and Grand Hotel both date from this period of expansion.
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