Horse Guards Parade

Capacity: 15,000

Completion date: Pre-existing

Sports: Beach Volleyball

Events: 2

Latitude / Longitude: 51.504754 / -0.128054

Transport links: Tube - Charing Cross, Westminster; Rail - Charing Cross Station

Each year, Horse Guards Parade takes centre stage when it hosts the Trooping of the Colour to mark the Queen's official birthday. But for the London 2012 Olympics, the popular tourist site has been transformed into a sporting venue with 15,000 temporary seats to host the men's and women's beach volleyball competitions. As well as the main competition arena, there are also warm-up courts built on the site - which hosted sporting tournaments back in the time of Henry VIII. Horse Guards Parade is situated in the heart of London's political quarter and is close to Downing Street and the Houses of Parliament.