The most beautiful palaces "Purple Forbidden City" in Beijing. Taiwan Presidential Palace

It is rather difficult to determine exactly which palace in the world is the largest, since representatives of different countries claim that they have the “most-most” palace. In different countries, palaces have different purposes: somewhere it is a building that is used as a royal residence, somewhere it is the official residence of the head of state, and sometimes it is the residence of the holy fathers. In this review, the most beautiful and famous palaces from around the world.

1. Royal Palace in Brussels

Situated in front of the Brussels Park in the center of the Belgian capital, the Royal Palace of Brussels is the official residence of the King and Queen of Belgium. Palace designed in neoclassical architectural style, has an area of ​​over 33,000 square meters.

2. Windsor Castle

Built back in the 11th century after the Norman invasion of England, Windsor Castle is the world's largest and oldest inhabited castle, and the longest used royal palace in Europe. The castle, which combines original Gothic elements and Victorian design, has an area of ​​55,000 sq. m.

3. Winter Palace

4. Palace in Caserta

5. Royal Palace in Stockholm

6. Palace of Versailles

7. Topkapi Palace

8. Prague Castle

9. Buckingham Palace

Located in the Westminster area of ​​central London, Buckingham Palace is the London residence and administrative headquarters of the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom. The palace has 775 rooms, big garden on 16 hectares, and its total area is 77,000 square meters. m.

10. Royal Palace of Madrid

Completed in 1755, the Royal Palace of Madrid is the official residence of the Spanish royal family, but is only used for state ceremonies. With its incredible number of rooms (3,418), this building is currently the largest functioning palace in Europe. Its area is 135,000 sq. m.

11. Forbidden City

12. Apostolic Palace

13. Istana Nurul Iman

14. Louvre

15. Palace of Parliament

It turns out that in order to be interesting, a place or building does not have to be famous and visited at all. There is in this world at least

The palace is associated with a simple layman with luxury and wealth that aristocratic or royal dynasties can afford. Sometimes palaces are residences where heads of state or high-ranking officials live or work. Sometimes the beauty and splendor of the interiors make one admire the refined taste of the owner, sometimes they surprise with their excessive magnificence. The ten largest palaces presented in our rating can easily be called examples of grace, style and an incredible flight of design ideas.

Pena Palace, Sintra, Portugal

Pena National Palace rises on a cliff right above the city and makes a fantastic impression on any person at first sight. The styles in which the building is made are a mix of pseudo-medieval, Moorish, eclectic and Manueline. The architect of the palace, a German, Baron Wilhelm Ludwig von Eschwege, put his soul into his brainchild, thanks to which the descendants of the first kings who lived in Pena received 270 hectares of a complex of indescribable beauty at their disposal. The palace ensemble includes the building itself, part of the mountain and the adjacent park, made in the style of romantic architecture of the 19th century. summer residence Prince Ferdinand II was built in 1838, while the cost of the work, even at that time, was considered simply huge. Previously, there was a monastery on this site, which was destroyed by an earthquake in 1755. The palace could be the perfect setting for a costume film about the kings and queens of the past. Today, Pena is an architectural monument and, at the same time, a museum.

Mysore Palace, Mysore, India

The second name is Amba Villas Palace, the object is located in the southern part of India, in the city of Mysore. The castle was once built as the official residence of the Wodeyar dynasty, who were local kings. In the city itself, the abundance of attractions is striking, and the locals call Mysore the "city of palaces", but the Amba Vilas citadel is the only one here. The modern version of the palace was built in the period from 1897 to 1912, today about 3 million people come here every year, who are allowed to inspect the building from the inside, since photography and filming are prohibited here. The architectural style of the palace is considered Indo-Saracenic, however, in addition to it, the interior contains details of Gothic, Islamic and indian elements. The building has three floors, the facade is made of gray granite, and the marble domes are cast in soft pink, the 44-meter tower looks very original. The author of the project is Henry Irwin.

Versailles, Paris, France

Versailles is one of the most attractive and picturesque palace and park ensembles of the Fifth Republic. Initially, this place was a small hunting lodge, built in 1624 at the direction of Louis XIII. The Palace of Versailles is made in a classical style with baroque details and is an example of true French architectural art of the 17th-18th centuries. The construction was supervised by Lee Levo, who personally thought through every detail that meets the canons of classicism: decor elements are arranged strictly symmetrically, the facade with a colonnade gives the building solidity, and mythical and ancient sculptures unobtrusively decorate the entrance portals. Versailles is not in vain considered one of the largest palaces in the world: inside the building there are more than 2 thousand rooms and other premises, about 2,100 windows, 1252 fireplaces and almost 70 flights of stairs.

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Schönbrunn, Vienna, Austria

Schönbrunn is known throughout the world as the summer residence of the Habsburgs. Today, the delightful and sophisticated palace is one of the most visited attractions. Austrian capital. The architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach immediately decided to create a building in the Baroque style. The palace turned out to be incredibly large - there are 1441 spacious rooms within its walls. The building was founded in 1638, construction continued from 1696 to 1712 under the close attention of Emperor Leopold I. After the Turks laid siege to Vienna and the city was partially destroyed, Schönbrunn also had to be restored. The following changes awaited the palace during the reign of Maria Theresa, who ordered part of the rooms to be decorated in the rococo style, so some rooms were decorated in snow-white color, and walls and ceilings began to be decorated with ornaments and patterns made of high-quality natural gold. The interior was completed with chandeliers made of world-famous Bohemian glass and stoves with original tiles.

Summer Imperial Palace, Beijing, China

The area of ​​the summer imperial residence of the Qin dynasty is 2.9 km2, the location of the architectural object is 15 km from the central part of Beijing. The garden and park ensemble includes more than 3 thousand buildings and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The name is translated from Chinese as "a garden in order to maintain harmony and health." In the Celestial Empire, this building is the largest imperial palace that has come down to us. It was first erected in 1750, but constant wars and clashes did not have the best effect on the safety of the citadel, which was repeatedly restored, the last time in the middle of the 19th century. The version that we see today was finally built in 1886, and has since been recognized as a masterpiece of landscape design. The palace complex includes about three thousand ancient structures created by skilled craftsmen. There are buildings on the territory, the area of ​​which exceeds 70,000 m2. Unique combination natural beauty, halls, pavilions, temples and bridges makes this architectural ensemble one of the largest in the world.

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Chambord, Loire, France

Chambord Castle was built at the direction of King Francis I for romantic dates with his favorite, Countess Turi. Construction lasted almost 30 years from 1519 to 1547 under the guidance of the architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart. Chambord is called a masterpiece of design ideas, one of the best buildings made in the style of the Renaissance. Every day, about 2,000 workers of various specialties worked here, and more than 220 thousand tons of stone were used for the foundation alone. For the greatest stability, carpenters drove piles into the ground to a depth of more than 12 meters, which was unbelievable for that time. During its history, the palace has changed many rulers - from the Dukes of Orleans, Louis XIII and Stanislav Leshchinsky to Napoleon Bonaparte and the Dukes of Parma. Chambord was bought by the state in 1930, and since 1952 it has become a full-fledged museum, which has more than 400 rooms, 282 fireplaces, 77 stairs and 800 capitals.

Buckingham Palace, London, UK

There are few people who do not know that Buckingham Palace is the official residence of British royalty. In 1705 the building was built by the Duke of Buckingham as a country house, but in 1761 the palace was bought for his wife by King George III. The next monarch, George IV, wished to expand the house and invited the architect John Nash to do this. Officially, the first who began to live here permanently was Queen Victoria, who also made some adjustments to its interior. During her lifetime, the East Wing was built, which is famous for incredible amount rooms and a 40-meter hall where balls were held. Most of the photographs popular all over the world depict the eastern part of the palace. For those wishing to admire a sample of true English architecture, the castle opens its doors in August and September each year.

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Alhambra, Granada, Spain

The Alhambra is an amazing architectural and park complex that stretches on the hills of southern Spain. Initially, a fortress was erected on this site in 889, and only four and a half centuries later, Sultan Yusuf turned the building into Royal Palace. Christian rulers also appreciated the favorable location of the citadel and its extraordinary beauty. After Emperor Charles V lived in Granada for several months, he ordered some changes to be made to the interior of the palace. Each subsequent owner of the house considered it his duty to equip it to his liking, change the design, decor elements, reconstruct individual rooms. Unfortunately, from the 18th to the end of the 19th century, the castle fell into disrepair, thieves and beggars lived here, and under Napoleon its luxurious rooms became barracks for soldiers. Only since 1870, the Alhambra was officially proclaimed as a national treasure, and since then tourists from all over the world come to see this pearl.

Potala Palace, Lhasa, Tibet

The Potala Royal Palace is located in the Tibetan Autonomy, on the picturesque hill of Marpo Ri. The uniqueness of the structure lies in the fact that this structure is located above all the most ancient world citadels - at an altitude of 3767 meters. The name of the complex is given by the name of the sacred Indian mountain, which is translated from Sanskrit as "Buddha of Mercy". The palace was the residence of the Dalai Lama, however, after the leader of the Buddhists was forced to flee to India, the ensemble became a museum that annually receives thousands of tourists from all over the world. The palace consists of two buildings - the Red one, which includes places of worship and White, who is administrative center.

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Forbidden City, Beijing, China

The largest palace complex ever built in the world - the structure is a rectangle with sides of 961 meters by 753 meters. In Chinese, the name sounds like Zijincheng and literally translates as "Purple Forbidden City". The majestic and luxurious architectural ensemble was built in the period from 1406 to 1420 AD. and was the residence of 24 emperors of two dynasties of Chinese rulers - Ming and Qing for 500 years. Inside the Forbidden City, 980 various structures and buildings were erected, and the total area of ​​​​the imperial palace exceeds 720 thousand m2!

The palace is a monumental building that has housed royal families or heads of state, high-ranking dignitaries and bishops. The word itself comes from "prince's court". Over time, the most important public buildings began to be called palaces.

The earliest known are the royal residences of the Egyptian pharaohs at Thebes (in Karnak). IN East Asia, in Thailand, Japan and China, the imperial chambers consisted of many low pavilions surrounded by a huge garden, in contrast to the single building of medieval Europe.

Palaces of Europe

In France there was a clear distinction between palaces and castles. The palace has always been located in the city, as the royal residence of the Palais de la Cite, or popes in Avignon. The castle, on the contrary, is in the countryside, and had fortifications. An exception can be called - the residence of the king of France outside the city, but on French this estate is called Château de Versailles, and the official residence was the Louvre, devoid of defensive architecture, as it was completely surrounded by the city. Bishops also had palaces in the city and castles in the provinces. The same division was in Italy, Spain, Austria. IN Germany the distinction was not always respected.

IN England, by tacit agreement, there were no restrictions on the use of the name from the location. However, not everyone could be so majestically named as the residence of the British monarchs. So, the Beaulieu Palace got its name when it was acquired by Henry VIII. Blenheim Palace was built on the site of an abandoned royal estate in Woodstock, thanks to which he inherited the honor of bearing such a name. Set in the countryside, it clearly demonstrated that the "palace" had no specific urban restrictions in England.

IN Italy any urban mansion built with pomp was called a palace. It was not at all necessary to be a nobleman, many ancient mansions in Venice belonged to the patrician class. In the Middle Ages, they were also used as warehouses, commercial establishments, or residences.

palaces Spain amaze with their splendor. One of them is the Royal House in Madrid. Its decor and design is definitely a must see when traveling in Spain. Architecture is unparalleled: it seems to have absorbed the talent of thousands of architects of all known styles. The Royal Apartments amaze not only with their beauty, but also with their size. It is the largest palace in Europe with nearly 3,000 rooms. Currently, it is open to tourists, and the royal family lives in the small estate of Zarzuela. Special attention deserve the Alcazar of Seville (an elegant mixture of Moorish and European styles), the Alhambra, royal residence Aranjuez.

palaces Ukraine appeared much later. The rulers built estates for themselves in the form of castles and estates, following the architectural traditions of Europe. A striking example is the estate of the Russian Emperor Alexander III in french style the time of Louis XIII. By order of Count Vorontsov, an English architect designed a mixture of Scottish and English Gothic with Moorish architecture. Razumovsky's estate - a large architectural and park complex - was built according to the project of Cameron. The Potocki Palace - one of the largest in Europe in the classical style - was designed by the French architect La Croix, interior decoration- Dutchman Merckx.

Palaces of Asia

IN China an excellent example of traditional architecture is the imperial residence in the center of Beijing, the largest residential complex in the world. Other examples are the Summer Residence, in the suburbs of Beijing, and Mukden, in Shenyang. The Presidential Palace in Nanjing displays European influence architecture. Unlike the massive buildings of Europe, the palaces and castles of China consist of many large and small buildings with parks and courtyards.

India became the birthplace of a large number of palaces and vast empires. The history of India has many dynasties that ruled in different parts of the country. Although most of the buildings from the ancient period have been destroyed, some medieval buildings have been restored. These magnificent buildings are an example of the great achievements of architects and engineers of that time. Floating flowers in huge fountains and magnificent pools, Doric columns, decorative brackets and stairs, pouring light in large windows - in India there are the most interesting ancient fortresses and palaces with truly royal grandeur, splendor and splendor. The Rajputs ("sons of the rajah") were known as brave soldiers who preferred to die rather than be captured. They were also great connoisseurs of art and brilliant builders.

Each of the powerful of this world, who lived on sinful earth, tried to perpetuate himself in history by building a magnificent palace. The residence, as a rule, had special requirements: the building had to be majestic, large-scale, make an incredible impression on others and have a luxurious interior. Such castles were repeatedly rebuilt and supplemented with new styles, but at the same time they always aroused admiration, both among contemporaries and descendants of royalty. We invite you to get acquainted with the top 10 most beautiful palaces, many of which can rightly be called wonders of architecture.

1. Chambord, France

The amazing and incredibly exquisite palace is located on the left bank of the Loire River and is surrounded on all sides by an old park with relic trees. Chambord was built for romantic meetings between King Francis I and his beloved Countess Turi. The construction began in 1519 and continued until 1547, and the chief project manager was the then-famous architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart. The palace is often called a masterpiece of design and one of the strongest and most reliable buildings. The style of the building dates back to the Renaissance and is therefore distinguished by its elegance and nobility. Every day, at least two thousand people of various specialties worked here, and 220 thousand tons of stone were laid in the foundation. For greater stability, carpenters drove huge piles into the ground to a depth of 12 meters. Throughout its history, the palace was owned by the Dukes of Orleans, Louis XIII, Stanislav Leshchinsky, Napoleon Bonaparte and the Dukes of Parma. Since 1930, Chambord became the property of the state, and in 1852 it was opened as a museum.

2. Alhambra, Spain

"Alhambra" is translated from Arabic as "Red Castle" and, in fact, is an ancient mosque, built in the form of a fortress in the Moorish style. The first owners of the palace are the rulers of the province of Granada, located in southern Spain. The castle rises on a cliff, on the southeastern border of the region. The poets of that time described the Alhambra as “a pearl immersed in emeralds”, which is due to the brightness and indescribable beauty of the palace, which stands out against the backdrop of a green forest as a bright spot. For many years the palace fell into decay, it was robbed more than once, restored in violation of all building codes and style, but even today the Alhambra can be called the best example of the Moorish style. During its history, the castle was owned by Islamic and Christian royalty, and now it houses a museum that is wildly popular both in Spain and abroad.

3. Potala, Tibet Autonomous Region, China

The history of the palace dates back to the 7th century, when the local king Srontszen Gampo ordered to build a fancy palace in the very heart of Lhasa, in the middle of the Red Mountain. Translated from Sanskrit, "Potala" means "mystical mountain", which is fully consistent with the palace itself. The fortress rises to 3700 meters NUM, and its height is 115 meters. The complex is divided into 13 tiers, and the total area of ​​the premises is more than 130 thousand m2. There is no exact information about how many rooms there are in the Potala, but those who were lucky enough to be here are told that there are about a thousand, so it is not possible to get around them all. The Potala is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is open to the public. Local residents say that even a few reincarnations are not enough to admire this splendor, and the monks maintain order and cleanliness in the palace. The ensemble consists of two parts - Red and White, each of which was built over more than a dozen years. During the construction, a huge amount of wood, stone was spent, and the interior decoration was decorated with gold and precious stones.

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4. Palace of Versailles, France

Given the history of this beautiful country and the number of kings ruling here, it is not surprising that another aristocratic and luxurious french palace also included in this list. The Palace of Versailles is located 20 km from the capital of the country, in a small village of the same name. The construction was started by order of King Louis XIV and today is one of the most visited palaces in the world. The idea of ​​building a complex was born by the monarch after he saw the residence of his finance minister and since then the idea of ​​building something more ambitious did not allow the king to live in peace. Louis ordered to hire the same team of craftsmen that built the palace of Vaux-le-Vicomte, the architect Louis Levo became the project manager, and the design was carried out under the close attention of the artist Charles Le Brun. The surrounding garden and its arrangement was designed by André Le Nôtre, famous landscape designer. Versailles can be called the apotheosis of the whim of the Sun King, who decided to surpass not only his predecessors, but also his followers. Inside, the atmosphere is so delightful that sometimes you are amazed at what a person’s fantasy is capable of. The historical significance of the palace has no value, and every traveler dreams of visiting it at least once in his life.

5. Summer Imperial Palace, China

It is considered the most beautiful garden and park ensemble in the entire Celestial Empire. The Summer Imperial Palace dates back to the 15th century, and over the course of several centuries it was rebuilt, filled with art objects, interior elements and details. Many times the palace was destroyed, but invariably rose from the ashes like a phoenix. In the 19th century, after large-scale destruction, the complex was restored under the leadership of Empress Cixi. modern palace differs with indescribable Asian originality, and everyone who gets here is completely delighted with the interior and exterior. There are many buildings in the park, each of which gives the impression of a miniature palace and is an auxiliary building in which servants once lived. The most unusual sights are Zhenshoidian - the emperor's dwelling place, the Foxiang Temple, where incense was smoked in honor of the Buddha, famous bridge with the exquisite name "Jade Belt".

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6. Schönbrunn, Austria

The architectural ensemble is located in the suburbs of Vienna, and served as the current residence of the Habsburg dynasty until 1918. The palace is an unsurpassed example of Austrian architecture, made in the Baroque style and to this day never ceases to amaze visitors. The title is translated from local language as "beautiful" and fully corresponds to this definition. The royal persons who lived here for centuries repeatedly made their own amendments to the design of the premises, while the palace did not lose its original charm and classical nobility. The construction of Schönbrunn began in 1569, when Emperor Maximilian decided to create in these picturesque places hunting grounds. Over time, a small hunting lodge for recreation was equipped here, and a little later, an imperial palace surrounded by a greenhouse, the idea of ​​​​which belonged to the wife of Emperor Ferdinand II, Eleanor Gonzaga, appeared on this site. Gradually, she begins the reconstruction and adds a number of buildings to the castle. Emperor Leopold decides on a larger building and invites for this purpose the Austrian architect Johan Fischer von Erlach, who supervises the construction from 1696 to 1712. The final version of the palace was intended for the son of Leopold, but due to hostilities and the death of a noble person, Schönbrunn was never completed. The next owner, Emperor Charles VI, did not particularly like this place and visited it only during hunting, and eventually presented it to Maria Theresa, his heiress, whose name is associated with the fate of Schönbrunn and the entire Austrian Empire.

7. Mysore, India

Mysore (Karnataka) was built in 1897 at a time when the city of the same name was the center of the kingdom. In the modern version, every Sunday the palace is illuminated by almost 100,000 light bulbs, and to create contrast, complete darkness reigns around the building. On the territory of Mysore there are several Vedic temples where you can buy local souvenirs. Tourists claim that passing through the numerous rooms of this wonderful building, one can feel the presence of the Higher Mind. The area around the palace is characterized by laconicism and, at the same time, incredible luxury. The surroundings are perfectly clean, and bright colors only add to the beauty of this magical building. Travelers can ride camels or peaceful elephants. The overall impression of the ensemble is simply fabulous due to the combination of gray granite and pink marble. The palace is the property of the Wodeyars, and the mix of styles is simply amazing - here you can see elements of Gothic, Hindu, Muslim and Rajput decor.

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8. Pena, Portugal

Pena is a delightful palace, located on the hills of Sintra and therefore hidden from human eyes by a veil of fog. UNESCO has recognized Pena as a World Heritage Site, and unofficially the fortress is considered one of the wonders of Portugal. Initially, the building was intended to accommodate a monastery and was erected by order of Emperor Manuel I. For several hundred years, the fortress existed as a small monastery, where a couple of dozen monks lived and improved spiritually. Once lightning struck the palace, and then the walls gave serious cracks due to tremors. King Ferdinand II bought this territory in 1838 and began to build his “crazy quirk” here, which looked like a fairy-tale castle and was not particularly practical. The construction lasted 12 years, and after the monarch, the palace changed many owners. Since 1930, the complex has become the property of the state and has become one of the most popular attractions in Portugal.

9. Forbidden City, China

The Forbidden City can hardly be called a palace, although it is exactly what it is intended to be. The complex of buildings is located right in the heart of the Middle Kingdom - in the capital of the country, Beijing. The amazing ensemble is located near Tiananmen Square and was built between 1368 and 1644. Powerful fortress walls and a moat make the building almost impregnable, and the name of the palace was lost, instead of it the “Forbidden City” appeared, the dimensions of which are 960 meters by 760. The location from north to south of absolutely all buildings is due to ancient Chinese traditions. To the north are the Forbidden Gates, majestic and inspiring respect for their massiveness and beauty. Also located on the territory: Hall of Supreme Harmony, Gate of Heavenly Purity, Palace of Heavenly Purity, Big hall connections. An ordinary person was forbidden to enter here until 1911, and only with the fall of the last imperial dynasty were they allowed to enter here. ordinary people. Since 1987, the Forbidden City has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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10 Buckingham Palace

It is the official current residence of His Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, and, concurrently, her place of work. The complex of buildings is made in the neoclassical style and belongs to the classical Georgian architecture. William Wilde supervised the construction, and the Duke of Buckingham became the founder of the family nest of English monarchs. The palace was founded in 1702, in 1762 the building was bought by King George III, and since 1837 it has been the official residence of the ruling dynasty. The ensemble is under the protection of the Court Division, and if the queen is in the building, a family standard flies over it. In the period from April to August, every day at 11.30, the changing of the guard takes place on the territory - this action is invariably in demand among tourists who come to admire the well-trained infantrymen. About 50,000 people from all over the world visit Buckingham Palace every year.

Palaces are large residences of royalty and representatives of the highest nobility.
They are intended primarily to demonstrate influence and their own greatness. The rich and powerful have the opportunity and means to perpetuate their individuality in architecture. The world today is simply dotted with spectacular grandiose palaces.

Forum-Grad presents the ten most luxurious palaces ever erected on earth.

10. Incomparable Palace

Henry VIII, a man who zealously revered his own power, could not reconcile himself to the idea that he was a less powerful monarch than his continental rivals. The palaces he inherited were connected to the dark deeds of his predecessors, so he decided to build one that would be in keeping with royal status.
This residence was created to be the jewel in the crown of Renaissance architecture. No building was like it in the whole world. Therefore, Henry decided to call his palace NonSuch (Incomparable).
The cost of it was absolutely stunning, and the results exceeded all expectations of the monarch. It was the greatest castle in Britain from 1538 to 1682. Today, almost nothing remains of it, except for fragments that were used to build other buildings.

9.Domus Aurea - Golden House of Nero

Domus Aurea is a palace complex with parks that belonged to the Roman emperor Nero. This is the largest residence of the monarch that has ever existed in Europe.

In overcrowded Rome ancient city on earth, there was little free space for the construction of magnificent palaces. However, after a devastating fire in 64 A.D. uh, who destroyed most aristocratic district on the Palatine Hill, the construction of the palace of the Golden House of Nero began. The word "palace" comes from the name "Palatina".

Nero's detractors, who, unfortunately for him, wrote history books, tell us that the monarch rejoiced at a time when the land around Rome burned. If this was true, it was only because he knew that the destruction of buildings would make it possible to claim enough land to build a palace worthy of himself.

Domus Aurea occupied a huge space, at least 400 thousand square meters. meters of the city, and included in the complex large swimming pool and farm estates to give the impression of a rural idyll that many Romans longed for.

The palace was dominated by rooms with exquisite frescoes, the entire residence was covered with gold, decorated with precious stones and ivory. On the shore man-made lake there was a 12-meter bronze statue of Nero. The territory was buried in gardens, and many miracles were created in the palace itself. For example, in one of the dining rooms a rotating ceiling was built, which made it possible to observe the movement of the stars without leaving the building.

When the monarch saw that the construction was completed, he exclaimed with his typical understatement: "Finally, I can live like a man!"

Golden Domus Aurea was called because of the gilded dome, which was first used in Rome, not only in the temple building. In addition, the walls and ceiling (vaults) were decorated with magnificent mosaics, which in the future will be widely used in the temples of Byzantium.

After his death, the residence was transferred to public use. The emperor's successors sought to wipe the palace off the face of the earth. The colossal statue of Nero was later removed from its site and melted down. The magnificent building is almost completely destroyed. On the site of the lake, an arena was built, which has come down to our time and is called the Colosseum.

Today, more than thirty underground halls have been restored and given to tourists.

“There is a danger of collapses, the Domus Aurea must be closed immediately!” Italian Minister for Cultural Values ​​Rocco Buttiglione recently announced. "Rome," he said, big museum under open sky. Italy must … deal with its vast cultural heritage.”

The Alhambra (which means "Red Castle" in Arabic Al Hamra) is located in Grenada and is one of the finest magnificent architectural structures in Spain.

This name, most likely, indicates the color of the brick from which the walls of the castle were laid. This ancient mosque and fortress, built by Moorish rulers to defend against Muslim invaders in the 14th century, served as the seat of government for several of the Sultans of Grenada. The architectural monument was made in a typical Moorish style and decorated with complex ornaments.

A notable feature of the castle is the use of indoor parks, gardens and fountains, which create a feeling of lightness throughout the complex - an innovation completely unknown to European architecture of the time. But main feature, which most impresses modern visitors, the skillful refinement in the most intricate details. The domed roof of the Hall of Abencerrages, for example, is decorated with over five thousand carvings.

Later, when the re-conquest of Spain by the Christians took place, the castle, having undergone some changes, was used by the Spanish royal family.

Winter in St. Petersburg was the official residence for the tsars and emperors of Russia. It was created by the great architect Rastrelli in 1762.

The palace has over 1,500 rooms, the largest of which could accommodate 10,000 people.

The most luxurious in terms of decoration can be called the Romanov Gallery with portraits of the reigning persons of the Romanov dynasty. St George's Hall It is notable for the fact that there is a golden throne with the imperial coat of arms in it, and it itself is decorated with magnificent beauty of chandeliers and marble columns. The winter garden of the palace was fragrant with many tropical plants that coexisted with local and northern trees.

The width of the facade is about 250 meters. The huge royal chambers have 1786 doors, 117 stairs and 1945 windows.

Under Nicholas I, the building was subjected to an unprecedented fire. The magnificent decoration of a high-ranking residence has perished. The fire took away an entire era from the history of Russia. A year and a half later, the revival began Winter Palace. The architect had to not only restore, but also expand it in a short time, emphasizing the highest power of the Russian Empire.

The Large and Small Throne Rooms, the Armorial Hall, the gallery of the Patriotic War of 1812, the Malachite Drawing Room, the interior of which has survived to this day, were restored.

During the revolution of 1917, Russian history changed dramatically forever - the entire royal family was shot. The Provisional Government was located in Zimny, and after the assault on the night of October 25-26, it was brutally looted. And only on October 30, 1917, the new government declared the Winter Museum a State Museum.

6. Blenheim Palace (Blenheim)

This is one of the largest palaces in the UK, which, in fact, has never been a royal house. It was built between 1705 and 1724 and was the family home of the Dukes of Marlborough. This is the largest palace and park complex England is located on the outskirts of Woodstock, Oxfordshire.

It was presented to the first duke who distinguished himself in the War of the Spanish Succession. One of the largest private estates in Britain, this was the home of Winston Churchill, a descendant of the duke who was born within its walls in 1874.

Today, the Marlborough heir and his family occupy the entire east wing of this luxurious estate.

Nowadays, tourists can visit the sights of the palace. As an added bonus, the duke who now lives there often wanders around the area and chats with visitors.

5. Potala Palace (Potala)

The history of this estate dates back to the 7th century, when the local ruler ordered to erect a magnificent royal house in the center of the city of Lhasa (in Tibet), on Red Mountain, which was also a Buddhist temple complex. The word "Potala" itself is translated from Sanskrit as "Mystical Mountain". This is the highest castle in the world - 115 meters, located at 3700 meters above sea level. The building is divided into 13 floors, occupying a total area of ​​over 130,000 square meters. meters. And the entire palace ensemble spread over 360 thousand square meters. meters.

No one knows the exact data on the number of halls and rooms available here. They say that their number is about more than a thousand, and very few people will be found who can get around them all. The Potala Palace has been included in the UN World Heritage Book. This place in Tibet is open to tourists. To fully examine its values ​​and relics, even a few lives will not be enough ...

Today it is a functioning museum, where the monks support the work of the entire historical ensemble. The majestic building is divided into the White and Red Palaces, which were built in different time. An incalculable amount of stone, gold, wood and precious stones. Some of the heritage presented in the Potala can be seen in these photographs.

The Tokyo Palace Complex is a private representation of the emperors of Japan after moving to the Japanese capital from Kyoto. Though it can perhaps be called the least visually impressive palace on this list as it only has two floors. Despite this, it is the most important attraction in the capital of Japan. Its cost is many times more than in the US the entire state of California. The area of ​​the castle, together with the gardens, is 7.41 square meters. kilometers.

During the Edo period, it was the residence of the shoguns. That is why it used to be called Edo Castle. It is surrounded by an old park, high fortress walls and moats filled with water. All this was intended to protect the castle of the emperor, who was considered the vicegerent of God on earth, from the hustle and bustle of the modern populous metropolis.

It is also interesting that the ensemble is built in several styles. Some of its buildings are made in European architectural style, while others are purely Japanese.

He once was summer house of the Habsburg emperors and is located on the western side of the capital Vienna. It was completed in its current form during the reign of Empress Maria Theresa, mother of Marie Antoinette. Mozart at the age of six played his compositions for the Empress in the Hall of Mirrors, and later asked her permission to marry Antoinette.

The palace has more than 1440 rooms, 40 of which are allowed for tourists, and a huge labyrinth of gardens one and a half kilometers long. The oldest zoo in the world, founded in 1752, is located on the territory. Despite the large number of rooms, there was no kitchen within the palace. All food preparation was done in another building, and servants carried food to the main building.

For 500 years, these buildings belonged to Chinese emperors. They are located in the center of Beijing and are the largest surviving palace ensembles in the world - more than twice the size of the Vatican. Its total area is 720 thousand square meters. kilometers. The complex was built in the traditional Chinese style and, according to legend, contains about 9999 rooms.

Life in the Forbidden City was highly regulated during the time of the emperors: for example, people of different strata had to eat from bowls of different colors. Golden (yellow) bowls were only allowed to the emperor and empress.

After the abdication of the last emperor in 1912, he was within the city until 1924. The magnificent Old Summer Palace was supposedly one of the wonders of the world that was destroyed by Europeans during the Second Opium War as punishment for torturing British negotiators.

1. Versailles (Versailles).

The Palace of Versailles, located near Paris, was originally hunting lodge for King Louis XIII in 1632. his successor Louis XIV decided in 1661 to expand it and turn it into a sparkling, magnificent royal castle. To do this, they drained 800 hectares of marshland, built a grandiose tower, planted gardens, alleys, flower beds, created fountains, lakes on 100 hectares of the territory surrounding the palace complex. Then Versailles became synonymous with luxury.

30,000 workers participated in the construction. A huge amount of money was spent, only 10,500 tons of silver. Modern experts translated this money into the current currency and came up with a figure equal to 259.56 billion euros, despite the fact that the construction was carried out in a austerity regime.

From 1666 the castle served as the residence of the kings of France until 1789. When, at the request of the Parisian intelligentsia and the nobility, the king moved to live in Paris, Versailles ceased to be the administrative center of the country. In 1801, it was declared a museum and opened to tourists. Versailles is also known as the place where the peace treaty was signed, which brought the First World War and the American Civil War to an end.

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