Beautiful palaces of the world. The largest palace in the world

Visiting a real palace is a dream of every enthusiastic tourist. beautiful palaces of the world open their doors to us, allowing us to touch the history and feel the greatness of this or that country. many residences the mighty of the world this are limited for walking - the rulers sit in them today. Others have become museums, and here it is allowed to examine every pebble.

former residence French kings - Versailles- is a must-see for those who decide to visit in Paris. The first stone of the palace was laid in the 16th century, by order of King Louis XIV, who was given the nickname "Sun King". The palace remembers many historical events- the signing of international treaties, the adoption of laws, the negotiations of the rulers. Today, Versailles is a huge architectural and park complex, with alleys, promenades and even a canal system. Anyone can visit it, simply by purchasing an entrance ticket.

Versailles, Paris

Royal Palace in Bangkok (Grand Palace)- a symbol of the greatness of Thai rulers and a place of pilgrimage for numerous tourists. Significant state events are still taking place here, but the complex is also open for visits. The palace was built in the 18th century, during the reign of King Rama I. This is a real fabulous city, with gilded and painted buildings in oriental style. Here is the Temple of the Emerald Buddha - a Buddhist shrine and a delightful example of architecture.

Royal Palace, Bangkok

Tower of London- a cult place of the capital of Great Britain. The construction of the palace began during the time of William the Conqueror in the 10th century AD. and ended only in the 16th century. The majestic building has difficult story- the palace was not only the residence of kings, but also a mint, a zoo and even a prison. Today, tourists can get acquainted with the main premises of the Tower and even walk along the wall of the fortifications.

Tower of London

There is another one in London, no less majestic palace- Buckingham. You can’t get into the palace - the queen works here today. However, you can admire the changing of the guards, and the flowering park, which is located on the territory of Buckingham.

Buckingham Palace, London

Winter Palace in St. Petersburg- a well-known haven of Russian rulers. The magnificent creation of the architect Rastrelli was born in 1762. The facade of the palace is also unusually beautiful, as well as its interior decoration. Today in the Winter Palace there is a museum - the Small Hermitage.

Winter Palace, St. Petersburg

The Summer Palace of the Chinese Emperors is located in Beijing.. It is called "Summer" because it originally served as a place for the royal family to relax in the summer. The palace was built in 1750, during the reign of the Qing Dynasty. Legend has it that Empress Cixi used the money raised to develop the country's navy to build the beautiful palace.

Summer Palace, Beijing

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

At one time, when members of the royal family were born, they were allowed to "build" heaven on earth. With a huge amount of funds, they erected heaven on earth. You can see what came of it.

Chambord Castle (de Chambord)

Alhambra

Potala Palace
The history of the Potala dates back to the 7th century, when King Srontzen Gampo ordered the construction of a palace in the center of Lhasa, on Red Mountain. amo word "Potala" comes from Sanskrit, and means " Mystic Mountain". Potala is located at 3700 meters above sea level, its height is 115 meters, divided into 13 floors, total area which are more than 130,000 square meters. There is no exact data on how many rooms and halls are in the Potala. Their number is "somewhere over a thousand", and there are very few people who have been able to get around them all. The Potala Palace is included in the "Book world heritage UN". The Potala is open to tourists. A few incarnations are not enough to see all its relics and values ​​... Today, the Potala is a functioning palace-museum. Monks serve in it, who support the work of the entire complex. All the building is divided into the Red and White Palaces, and a myriad of stone, wood, gold and precious stones. Some of what is in the Potala can be seen in these photographs.

Palace of Versailles
Located 20 km southwest of Paris, the royal town of Versailles, better known as the Palace of Versailles, is a huge palace built by Louis XIV and has now become one of the most visited tourist spots in France.
The idea of ​​building a new castle arose from the king because of the envy he experienced when he saw the castle of his finance minister in Vaux-le-Vicomte. As a result, the king made a firm decision that his palace should, of course, surpass the palace of the minister in luxury. He hired the same team of craftsmen that built Vaux-le-Vicomte, the architect Louis Lévaux, the painter Charles Lebrun and the landscape architect André Le Nôtre, and ordered them to build something that would surpass the size of the palace of Vaux-le-Vicomte a hundred times. The Palace of Versailles has become the apotheosis of the indulgence of the whims of the French monarchs, and although you may not quite like the environment in which the extravagant and self-loving “Sun King” wished to live, the historical significance of this palace is enormous, the stories associated with it are truly fascinating, and the park around the palace is simply charming.

Summer Palace, China
One of the most famous parks in China is, of course, Yiheyuan Park, Summer Imperial Palace located near Beijing. The park itself dates back to the fifteenth century, over the centuries it was gradually filled with beautiful buildings, something disappeared, something reappeared, several times the Park was severely destroyed and rose again from the ashes. In particular, it was restored in the nineteenth century by Empress Cixi. Today, the Park has been beautifully restored and allows everyone who enters its territory to enjoy the beauty of Chinese nature and architecture.
There are an incredible number of buildings in the park, and all of them are worthy of attention. This is Zhenshuudian - a beautiful building where the emperor lived (there is a beautiful throne), and several other palaces, and many temples - for example, Fosyange Temple (temple of incense smoking to the glory of Buddha). By the way, it is the Foxiangge Temple that is often associated with Yiheyuan Park and is almost its symbol. There are also several pavilions for various purposes, and gates, and many gardens, and the Jade Belt Bridge ...

Schönbrunn Palace
Schönbrunn Palace, located in the nearest suburb of the capital of Austria, Vienna, until 1918 was summer residence monarchs from the Habsburg dynasty. The palace, as well as the garden around it, is an excellent example of Austrian Baroque architecture and still attracts the attention of a huge number of tourists. The very name of the place (Schönbrunn - beautiful, delightful) fully reflects the expectations that its royal owners put into it.
The history of imperial Schönbrunn begins in 1569, the year the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire Maximilian II of Habsburg bought part of the floodplain of the Vienna River between the villages of Meidling and Hietzing in order to turn this area into his hunting ground. Pheasants, ducks, wild boars and even deer were kept here, fish were bred in specially created ponds.
For almost a century, the estate was used as a place for unpretentious country recreation and hunting, and the small Catterburg Castle, which was left from the previous owners, was used as a house for accommodation.
Only by the time of Eleonora Gonzaga (wife of Emperor Ferdinand II) did the first significant reconstructions take place: in 1638-1643, in addition to the castle, and not Grand Palace, and a greenhouse appears in the park.
During the reign of the next emperor, Leopold, here, according to the project of the most famous Austrian architect of the Baroque era, Johan Fischer von Erlach, the construction of a much more grand and extensive building (1696-1712) began. It was intended, however, not for Leopold, but for his son Joseph. Due to well-known financial difficulties (there was a war for the Spanish Succession) and the death of Emperor Leopold, the palace was not completely finished. The next owner of Schönbrunn, Emperor Charles VI, visited here on short trips, and used this palace exclusively as hunting lodge. In the end, he gave it to his daughter Maria Theresa (later also the Empress), whose name is associated with the most brilliant era in the history of Schönbrunn.

mysore palace
The main palace of Mysore was erected in 1897. Then the city of Mysore was the center of the kingdom of Mysore (Mysore / Mysuru). Nowadays, the palace is illuminated in the evening (on Sundays) by 96,000 40-watt bulbs, and darkness reigns around it for contrast. :-) There are many (five or six) Vedic temples on the territory of the palace. I was in one of them (and even bought prasadam there), I really liked it. There is a sense of the presence of God. You can see a short puja... The whole territory of the Mysore palace is very beautiful. Clean and bright. For tourists there are elephant and camel rides. But me more interesting temples. :-) Well, architecture. In the depths of the palace territory there lives a herd of domestic elephants, they can be seen in the photographs. True, it was already dark, and I could not get close to them ...

Pena Palace
Lost in the hills of Sintra and often hidden in a veil of mist and haze, National Palace Pena (Palácio Nacional de Pena) is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and is one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal. The building of the palace was conceived as a monastery and built by order of King Manuel I. For several centuries it remained a small peaceful monastery, intended for spiritual exercises of no more than eighteen monks. After the building was struck by lightning, and in 1755 it was damaged by an earthquake, the monastery was destroyed and abandoned. In 1838, King Ferdinand II bought old monastery and all the nearby woods and grounds, and began building what is sometimes described as a crazy quirk and a fairy tale castle fit only for Disneyland and completely impractical. Construction began in 1842 and lasted twelve years. After the death of Ferdinand, the palace changed hands several times, until finally in 1910 the state bought it out to turn it into a museum. Today Pena Palace is one of the most visited attractions in Portugal, easily recognizable by its vibrant colors.

Forbidden City
Forbidden City is a complex of buildings in China. Located in the capital Beijing. It is located in the city center, very close to Tiananmen. This complex was built during the Ming government, which ruled China between 1368 - 1644 and into last time Chinese citizen of dynasties. Currently, the Forbidden City is called the Palace Museum. The city is surrounded by walls and a moat. Throughout the city are measured 960 meters long and 760 meters wide. All buildings of this complex are located on the north-south. To the north, the Forbidden City Lunch opens the gate, which is still on the high gate. Around the middle of the complex are followed by a group of ceremonial buildings - the Hall of the Supreme Harmony, which was built in 1627 and which hosted coronation rites, birthdays and New Year celebration of the emperor. In addition to the hall, in perfect harmony, in which the emperor prepared for the ceremony, the hall is the guard of harmony. In addition to the ceremonial part of the private imperial. It is separated from the Gate of Heavenly Purity, and also consists of 3 buildings - the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the residential palace of the Earth World, and is located between the Great Hall of Connection. In 1911 it was inaccessible to the Forbidden City. Only after the fall of the dynasty were available for ordinary people. Since 1987 it has been a Forbidden City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Buckingham Palace
The world-famous Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the Queen of England - Her Majesty Elizabeth II. But it's not easy main palace country, not only the place of work of the Queen, where for more than forty years she has been acting head of the British state and the Commonwealth of nations, supreme commander of the armed forces and secular head Anglican Church. First of all, it is the residence of the English queen and her family. Buckingham Palace

Among the most attractive tourist attractions in many countries are ancient castles and palaces. Once they were the residences of monarchs, many of them are to this day. We present a list of the most beautiful castles and palaces of the world, visiting which is worth the journey, which sometimes needs to be overcome, once in a particular country.

List of beautiful castles and palaces

1. Chambord, France
2. Ussay, France
3. Schönbrunn, Austria
4. Matsumoto, Japan
5. Ashford, Ireland
6. Fasilides, Ethiopia
7. Schwerin, Germany
8. Versailles, France
9. Grand Palace, Thailand
10. Peles, Romania
11. Neuschwanstein, Germany
12. Royal Palace, Cambodia
13. Buckingham Palace, England
14. Bran, Romania
15. Windsor Castle, England
16. Frontenac, Canada
17. Petrodvorets, Russia

Photos taken from Instagram accounts.

Chambord Castle, France

The largest, most beautiful and majestic château in the Loire Valley was commissioned by François I and plunges you into the heart of the Renaissance. Chambord is built in the heart of the largest closed forest park in Europe and has hardly ever been inhabited.

Most impressive is its appearance, reminiscent of fairytale castles, its square and the double staircase designed by Leonardo da Vinci. Chambord Castle was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1981.

Usse Castle, France

This castle overlooking the river Indre is also located in the Loire Valley. The main building in the form of a fortress was built in the 11th century. In 1442, on its ruins, Jean V de Buel (Lord of Usset and captain of King Charles VII) began the construction of the current castle, which is currently owned by the Blacas family. Today the building is open to the public, and to add to the charm of the place, a visitor's tour of the castle includes a viewing of the tale of Sleeping Beauty.

Schönbrunn Castle, Austria

In the middle of the 18th century, Maria Theresa (from the Habsburg family) ordered to restore this majestic building which served as her summer residence. The baroque décor was replaced by rococo, and the transformation resulted in large-scale rooms such as the large gallery, which is 40 meters long and 10 meters wide.

Schonbrunn impresses not only with its rich decoration, extensive baroque gardens, which are included in the World Heritage List. The territory of the park includes a giant labyrinth (built in 1720), a zoo (1752) and the world's longest greenhouse (dating back to the middle of the 18th century).

Matsumoto Castle, Japan

Matsumoto Castle is one of four castles designated as national cultural heritage Japan. Built around 1593-1594, Matsumoto differs from other buildings of its kind in that it stands on a flat surface of the soil, and not on a hill, as it seems at first glance. And it has not 5, but 6 floors.

Ashford Castle, Ireland

This castle was built in 1228 on the north bank of Lough Corrib, and throughout its existence it passed into the possession of different owners. In the 19th century, when the castle was in the possession of the Guinness family, it underwent significant changes under the influence of the Victorian style. In 1939, the building became the property of Noel Huggart, who turned it into a luxurious five-star hotel.

Fasilides Castle, Ethiopia

In 1636, the Ethiopian Emperor Fasilides settled in Gondar and made it his capital. He founded Fasil Gebbi, a fortified city that is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Its territory includes monasteries, public and private institutions, royal residences. imperial city has more than one medieval castle, but Fasilides is the main and most impressive one.

Schwerin Castle, Germany

In 1160, on the site of the recently burned down Slavic fortress, Heinrich the Lion built the fortified castle of Schwerin. Later, from 1843 to 1857, grandiose reconstruction works were carried out here, which laid the foundation for majestic castle standing today on the island of Schwerin. Since 1990 the castle has been the seat of parliament federal state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

Palace of Versailles, France

Excessive luxury, dizzying opulence, imperial chic... These are the words that best describe this embodiment of classic French art, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The former hunting lodge of Louis XIII was converted into a palace during the reign of Louis XIV.

Versailles is also famous for its gardens, which required forty years of work and the efforts of thousands of people. It is in these gardens that the palaces are located. Grand Trianon and Petit Trianon favorite place rest of Marie Antoinette.

Grand Palace, Thailand

Its construction began during the reign of Rama I in 1782, but it was later expanded by other rulers. The construction was completed in the second half of the 19th century. The body of this amazing palace covers about 218,000 m² and includes other buildings, including the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, which houses famous statue from jade. Today it hosts foreign leaders and dignitaries of the Buddhist clergy, invited by the ruler, who sits in the Chitralada Palace.

Peles Castle, Romania

This is one of the first castles in Europe to have electricity. Construction began in 1873 under the reign of Prince Carol I of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and continued for more than ten years. The 160 rooms of the castle show an eclecticism of different styles, including German baroque, rococo and Moorish style.

Among the most impressive halls are the arsenals, which contain about 400 weapons, including the executioner's sword, once used to behead the nobility, the oriental sword of the samurai, ivory and sapphire swords.

Castle of the Teutonic Order, Poland

It is one of the most important monuments erected by the Knights of the Teutonic Order, monks from the monastic state of Prussia who fought against the pagans. Construction of the castle began in 1270. Its brick hue is stunning when combined with bright green vegetation. The Teutonic Order Castle is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany

It is called the "Castle of the Fairy King" because it embodies exactly how we imagine castles and palaces from fairy tales and legends. The construction of the castle began in 1868 and continued for twenty years.

The construction of Neuschwanstein took place under the decree of Ludwig II, who was famous for his low sociability. For him, it was supposed to be a refuge that embodies the world of fantasy. The decor of the building reflects medieval legends, which inspired Wagner, and the paintings that adorn its walls are inspired by the operas of the composer, a close friend of the king.

Every year, about 1.3 million people come here to admire the dazzling beauty of this castle, which is today one of the most visited in Europe.

Royal Palace, Cambodia

The palace, built in 1866 during the reign of King Norodom, has an area of ​​183,135 m2, including grandiose buildings that have been built over the years. Among them there is a dazzling throne room with a 59 m high tower.

The palace is used for important ceremonies such as the coronation of monarchs or for royal weddings. The throne room serves as a meeting place for the current king of Cambodia with honored guests.

Buckingham Palace, England

At first it was a hotel, then it became a private mansion, turning into a palace at the beginning of the 19th century, during the reign of George IV. The king died before the work was completed, and Queen Victoria became the first monarch to settle here in 1837. Since then, Buckingham Palace has been one of the official residences of the British monarchy, enjoying its 775 rooms, including a sumptuous ballroom. Buckingham Palace is not private property: it belongs to England and is open to tourists for several weeks a year.

Peña National Palace, Portugal

The incredibly colorful palace could not go unnoticed with its combination of styles - Gothic, Egyptian and Moorish. Like the entire ensemble of Sintra, it is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Its construction began in the middle of the 19th century by order of Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, and ended in 1885. A few years later, in 1910, the palace became state property. Today it hosts music concerts and various exhibitions.

Bran Castle, Romania

Known around the world as "Dracula's castle", Bran attracts many tourists who want to get in touch with the legends surrounding this name. In reality, Vlad Tepes (the same Count Dracula) has never even been in this medieval castle. In 1377 King Louis I of Hungary built a fortress on top of Dietrich Rock, on the site of a former castle of the Teutonic Order. In 1920, the building passed into the possession of the Romanian royal family.

Windsor Castle, England

Windsor Castle is located in the suburbs of London, and unlike Buckingham Palace, which is open to visitors for a limited time, Windsor receives tourists regularly throughout the year. This is one of the residences of the royal family, which has owned the castle since the Middle Ages. The castle itself was built in the 13th century.

Frontenac Castle, Canada

Frontenac Castle is located in the Canadian province of Quebec, where it was built at the end of the 19th century under the direction of Canadian railway companies. Originally owned by Fairmont, this luxury hotel quickly became a symbol of Quebec.

Today Château Frontenac continues its work as a museum hotel where you can admire antiques, the most beautiful pictures, dazzling gilding on the walls and ceiling. This castle is named after Count Louis de Buade de Frontenac. They say there are even ghosts here.

Petrodvorets, Russia

There is Versailles French, Austrian, and there is also Russian. Petrodvorets is located 29 km from St. Petersburg, on the Gulf of Finland. As the name suggests, it was once the residence of the Russian Emperor Peter the Great, who ordered its construction after visiting Versailles in 1717.

The magnificent facade of the palace stretches for 260 meters, but the most impressive is, of course, the interior, which includes many dazzling halls, salons and galleries.

At all times, people strived for prosperity, and kings and emperors lived in special luxury. The mansions that they once occupied have now acquired the status of museums and annually receive millions of tourists. We present you the most great palaces in the world that have survived to our time.

Palace of the Sultan of Istana-Nurul-Iman in Brunei Darussalam

The building combines Islamic architecture and modern finishes. The palace has 1778 rooms and several throne rooms. All rooms are illuminated by 51,000 lamps, connected by 18 elevators and 44 stairs. The Sultan's palace is completely decorated with gold accessories and fittings: even the buttons on the air conditioners and brushes for the bathroom are made of precious metal. Any visitor can get into the palace, but, according to Muslim traditions, only at the end of the month of Ramadan.

Royal Palace in Stockholm

Stockholm Palace erected on the foundation medieval castle"Three Crowns" (Tre Kronor) of the middle of the XIII century, destroyed by fire in 1697. The new palace was built for 57 years, until 1754: at that time it was the largest building project in all of Europe. The royal chambers are made in different styles: from Rococo, Baroque and Gustavian neo-classicism to eclectic styles of the 19th century. The editors of the site also invite you to learn about the most expensive residential buildings in the world.

The Purple Forbidden City in Beijing

The “Forbidden City” got its name due to limited access to its territory during the time of the empire, and even in the 19th century, almost all foreigners were forbidden to enter there. Restrictions were lifted only in 1900, when the Boxer, or Yihetuan, uprising was suppressed in Beijing against foreign interference in the economy, domestic politics and religious life of China in 1898-1901. At first, the uprising enjoyed the support of the Chinese authorities, but then Empress Cixi went over to the side of the Eight Powers Alliance, which crushed the uprising.

Documentary about the Forbidden Purple City

The Forbidden City had unique characteristics for its time: huge complex there were no chimneys. Initially, it was heated using a heating system located under the floor of buildings. They also heated with braziers with charcoal, which, when burned, did not emit smoke and smell.

Royal Palace in Amsterdam

For the construction of the castle, about 14 thousand wooden piles were laid in the foundation, while the walls were erected from yellow sandstone brought from Germany. Three floors are decorated with a dome with a weather vane, which is made in the form of a sea vessel. Inside the palace is decorated with marble. The central hall impresses with its size: the height of the ceilings there is 27.5 meters, and on the floor you can see images of the earth's hemispheres.

Now numerous galleries and halls exhibit paintings by Dutch artists: Govert Flinck, Rembrandt, Jacob Jordaens, Ferdinand Bol, Jan Lievens. By the way, it was for this palace that Rembrandt made his largest canvas, The Conspiracy of Julius Civilis, but it was not accepted and replaced by the unfinished painting by Govert Flink.

Grand Royal Palace in Bangkok

The building is divided into two parts, one for prayers and religious ceremonies, and the other for receptions. By order of Rama I, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the so-called personal royal temple, was built here. The statue of Buddha Izmazad - the mascot of the dynasty of kings of Thailand - was made by them whole piece stone and three special golden robes. Three times a year the king changes his mantle at the statue.

One of the most beautiful palaces in the world, the Grand Palace was completed in 1783. At the same time, the palace was erected in a record short time - in a year. Since that time, Rama I and subsequent rulers lived and worked in the Great Royal Palace. The castle has an area of ​​more than 218 square meters and is surrounded by a wall of 1900 meters.

Winter Palace in St. Petersburg

Hundreds of thousands of tourists come to St. Petersburg every year

Winter Palace and Palace Square form a stunning beauty architectural ensemble modern city and are one of the main objects of domestic and international tourism.
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