The largest palace in Europe. Schönbrunn Castle, Austria. Potala, Tibet Autonomous Region, China

Nansach Palace (Incomparable)

The great monarch Henry VIII could not bear the thought of considering himself a less powerful monarch than his continental rivals. And so, he decided to build a palace that would be equal to him in status.

To date, nothing remains of the palace, except for fragments invested in other buildings (it stood from 1538 to 1682).

Ninth place in the list of the most famous palaces in the world is Nero's Golden House - a palace and park complex that belonged to the Roman emperor Nero. This is one of the largest urban residences of monarchs ever built in Europe.

Alhambra

The Alhambra Palace is a famous architectural and park ensemble located in the city of Granada in Southern Spain, served as a residence for the Muslim Nasrid dynasty. The palace was built in typical Moorish style and decorated with intricate stonework.

Winter Palace located in the city of St. Petersburg, was the official winter residence of Russian emperors. The palace has 1084 rooms, 1945 windows, 117 stairs (including secret ones). The height of the Winter Palace is 23.5 meters. It is interesting that in the basements and premises of the State Hermitage about 50 cats are officially serving.

Blenheim Palace is the family estate of the Dukes of Marlborough, built in 1705-1724. It is one of the largest palace and park ensembles in England. Located on the outskirts of Woodstock in Oxfordshire. In the walls of the palace in 1874, a descendant of the duke, Winston Churchill, was born. Today, the 11th Duke of Marlborough and his family occupy the eastern wing of the palace complex.

Potala

Potala Palace - royal palace and Buddhist temple complex, located in the city of Lhasa in Tibet, was the traditional residence of the Dalai Lama. Considered the tallest palace in the world. The total area of ​​the palace complex is 360 thousand square meters. At present, the Potala is a "synthesis" of two palaces built in different time. Today the palace is the most popular tourist place in Tibet.

In fourth place in the ranking of the most famous and incredible palaces world is the Imperial Palace, which is the main and official residence of the Japanese emperors. The total area of ​​this castle, together with the gardens, is 7.41 square meters. km. Although it is perhaps the least impressive palace on this list, which only has two floors, it is worth more than the cost of the entire state of California in the US.

Schönbrunn Palace is located in the western part of the city of Vienna, Austria. The palace has 1441 rooms, of which only 40 are open to tourists. On the territory there are gardens with labyrinths more than one and a half kilometers long, as well as the oldest zoo in the world.

When Mozart was six years old, he played for the Empress Maria Theresa in the "Hall of Mirrors" of this castle.

For five hundred years forbidden city served as a residence for many Chinese emperors. It is located in the heart of Beijing and is the largest surviving palace complex in the world - 720 thousand sq. m. (almost twice the size of the Vatican). In the Forbidden City, there are 8707 rooms (according to legend - 9999).

Versailles

Versailles is considered the most famous palace in the world. This palace and park ensemble located just a short drive from Paris, France. The famous palace was originally built as hunting lodge for King Louis XIII. But since 1661, the "sun king" wanted to expand the palace in order to use it as his permanent residence. The palace survived the French Revolution and today is one of the most popular attractions in the country.

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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 the 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. majestic building It 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 blooming park located in 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 spent beautiful palace money raised to develop the country's navy.

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 largest and oldest inhabited castle in the world, and also the longest in use. 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

Determining the world's largest palace is quite difficult, since many countries use different standards by which they consider their palaces to be the largest. In fact, even the very definition of a palace is quite ambiguous.

Some sources claim that the palace was supposed to serve as a royal residence at least once, while another commonly used definition states that the palace is the official residence of a ruler, head of state (monarch or president), archbishop or bishop.

However, despite these disagreements, there is a generally accepted classification of the largest palaces in the world, and you can familiarize yourself with it in this post.

From the Royal Palace in Brussels to the Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest, here are the 25 largest palaces in the world!

25. Royal Palace of Brussels, Belgium

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

24. Mafra National Palace, Mafra, Portugal


Mafra National Palace is a monumental baroque and Italianized neoclassical palace-monastery located in the Portuguese city of Mafra. In 1910 announced national monument The palace covers an area of ​​almost 40,000 sq. m.

23. Grand Serail, Beirut, Lebanon


Also known as the Government Palace, the Grand Palace is the headquarters of the Lebanese Prime Minister. Built in 1853, it is an important historical building and a stunning example of Ottoman architecture. The palace has an area of ​​40,000 sq. m.

22. Hampton Court Palace, Richmond Upon Thames, UK


One of the most significant palaces in the UK, Hampton Court is 1000 rooms, 60 acres (almost 24 hectares) of English gardens and 750 acres (about 303.5 hectares) royal park. Originally built as a royal palace, it is now open to the general public. Hampton Court has an area of ​​47.330 sq. m.

21. Christiansborg Palace, Copenhagen, Denmark


Seat of the Danish Parliament, Prime Minister's Office and Supreme Court, Christiansborg Palace has over 800 years of center history state power as a royal palace and parliament. Completed in 1928, it covers an area of ​​51.660 sq. m.

20. Windsor Castle, Windsor, UK


Built in the 11th century after Norman conquest England, Windsor Castle is the world's largest and oldest inhabited castle, as well as the longest-occupied royal palace in Europe. Being interesting combination original gothic elements with Victorian architecture design, the castle covers an area of ​​55.000 sq. m.

19. Winter Palace, St. Petersburg, Russia


Located between Palace Embankment and Palace Square in the central part of St. Petersburg, the Winter Palace was the official residence of Russian emperors from 1732 to 1917. Built on a monumental scale to reflect the might of Tsarist Russia, the palace covers an area of ​​60,000 sq. m.

18. Royal Palace of Caserta (Palace of Caserta), Caserta, Italy


Located in Caserta, in southern Italy, the Royal Palace was built for the Bourbons in the second half of the 18th century. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, the Royal Palace of Caserta is the largest royal palace in the world in terms of volume (2,000,000 cubic meters) and 18th in area (61,000 square meters).

17. Stockholm Royal Palace (Royal Palace of Stockholm), Stockholm, Sweden


Located on the island of Stadholmen (Stockholm), Stockholm Palace is the official residence and main royal palace of the Swedish monarchy. The palace has 1430 rooms and has an area of ​​61.210 square meters. m.

16. Palace of Versailles, Versailles, France


Located 20 kilometers southwest of the central part of the French capital, the Palace of Versailles was the seat of French political power from 1682 to 1789 (until the royal family was forced to return to the capital after the outbreak of the French Revolution). Known as a symbol of the system of absolute monarchy, the palace covers an area of ​​67,000 sq. m.

15. Topkapi Palace, Istanbul, Turkey


Built in the 15th century, Topkapı Palace was one of the main residences of the Turkish sultans for almost 400 years. At its peak, the palace was home to 4,000 people. Today it serves as a museum and a major tourist attraction in Turkey. The palace has an area of ​​70,000 sq. m.

14. Prague Castle, Prague, Czech Republic


Dating back to the 9th century, Prague Castle is one of the oldest and largest royal palaces in the world. It was the seat of government for the kings of Bohemia, the Holy Roman Emperors and the presidents of Czechoslovakia and Czech Republic. Attracting 1.8 million tourists annually, the palace covers an area of ​​70,000 sq. m.

13. Buckingham Palace, London, UK


Located in Westminster in Central London, Buckingham Palace is the London seat and administrative headquarters of the ruling monarchy of the United Kingdom. The palace has 775 rooms, a large garden of 40 acres (almost 16 hectares) and has an area of ​​77,000 square meters. m.

12. Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad, India


Translated meaning "like the sky" or "mirror of the sky", Falaknuma is large palace located in Hyderabad, the capital of the Indian state of Telangana. Completed in 1893, the palace is now used as a hotel. It covers an area of ​​94.000 sq. m.

11. Quirinal Palace, Rome, Italy


Situated on the Quirinal Hill, the highest of the seven hills of Rome, the Quirinal Palace was once papal palace and is now the official residence of the President of Italy. It was home to 30 popes, 4 kings of Italy and 12 presidents of Italy. With an area of ​​110.500 sq. m, it is 20 times larger than the White House in Washington.

10. Royal Palace of Madrid (Royal Palace of Madrid), Madrid, Spain


Completed in 1755, the Royal Palace of Madrid is the official residence of the Spanish royal family, but is used only for state ceremonies. Having incredible amount rooms - 3148 - currently it is the largest in Europe functioning palace. Its area is 135.000 sq. m.

9. Castle in Malbork (Malbork Castle), Poland


Originally erected as a fortress by the Teutonic Knights, the German spiritual and knightly order of the Crusaders, Malbork Castle served as one of several Polish castles. royal residences. Today, the castle hosts exhibitions and houses a museum. With an area of ​​143.000 sq. m, it is the 9th largest palace in the world.

8. Forbidden City, Beijing, China


The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty (1420 to 1912). Located in the center of Beijing, it served as a home for the emperors and their household, as well as a ceremonial and political center the Chinese government. It consists of 980 individual buildings and has total area 150.000 sq. m.

7. Apostolic Palace, Vatican


Located in the Vatican, the Apostolic Palace is the official residence of the Pope. The building houses the Pontifical Apartments, various institutions of the Roman Catholic Church, private and public chapels, the Vatican Museums and the Vatican Library. The total area of ​​the palace is 162,000 sq. m.

6. Istana Nurul Iman, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei


Completed in 1984, the $1.5 billion palace is the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei and the seat of the government of Brunei. After its completion, Istana Nurul Iman became the world's largest residential palace ever built. It has an area of ​​200.000 sq. m.

5. Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi, India


Formerly known as the residence of the Viceroy, Rashtrapati Bhavan is the official home of the President of India. Located at the western end of the ceremonial Rajpath Avenue in New Delhi, the palace has a total area of ​​200,000 sq. m, making it the 5th largest palace in the world.

4. Aksaray, Ankara, Turkey


Located in Ankara, Aksaray is presidential palace Turkey. It has at least 1150 rooms, there are additional guest houses, Botanical Garden, a park, a convention center, an operational headquarters with satellite and military communications systems, as well as bunkers capable of withstanding the use of biological, nuclear and chemical weapons. The palace has an area of ​​200.000 sq. m.

3. Louvre Palace, Paris, France


Originally a fortress built during the medieval period, the Louvre became a royal palace in the 14th century under Charles V, and was occasionally used by the kings of France as their main Parisian residence. Today, most of the building is used as a museum. The palace covers an area of ​​210,000 sq. m.

2. Hofburg Palace, Vienna, Austria


Built in the 13th century and greatly expanded since then, the Hofburg is a former imperial palace that has housed some of the most powerful people in European and Austrian history, including the Habsburg monarchs and the rulers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The palace has 2600 rooms and has an area of ​​240,000 sq. m.

1. Palace of the Parliament, Bucharest, Romania


Located in the central part of Bucharest, the Palace of the Parliament is the seat of the Romanian Parliament. As the largest palace in the world, it is also the heaviest building in the world, the second largest administrative building in the world, and the fourth largest building in the world. The palace has an area of ​​330.000 sq. m.
photos: wikipedia.org