London: The first visitors to the British Museum's blockbuster Bayeux Tapestry exhibition spoke of their excitement at seeing the 1,000-year-old embroidery with their own eyes.
The sell-out display opened to the public on Thursday (September 10), and the masterpiece will be shown at the museum in central London for the next 10 months, having left France for the first time since the 11th century. It depicts the Norman invasion of England in 1066, the most famous date in the nation's history.
"I really enjoyed it. It's fantastic. The tapestry is beautifully displayed," a visitor who gave her name only as Serena said.
"The lighting's very good. You can get very close to it. You have to keep moving along, and they keep reminding you of that… I think it's really worth it, yes. I'm very pleased to have seen it."
The 70-metre-long tapestry is being displayed in a bespoke glass case, with ticket holders allotted 40 minutes to view it from above on a bridge, before heading down some stairs to view the colourful stitching up close.
Believed to have been sewn by English seamstresses before being taken to France, the embroidery tells the story of the events leading up to the Battle of Hastings and the subsequent Norman defeat of Anglo-Saxon King Harold II.
Last week, before the exhibition opened to the public, Britain's King Charles visited, celebrating the artwork, which features the conquest led by his distant ancestor William I. Charles was accompanied by French President Emmanuel Macron.
France has loaned Britain the medieval tapestry while its usual home in northern France is being refurbished. In return, French museums will display England's Sutton Hoo collection of helmets, shields and other metal artwork dating back to the seventh century.
The first batch of Bayeux exhibition tickets sold out within hours, generating sales of £2.5 million. Another lot will go on sale in October.
