The most luxurious palaces in the world petrified wood. The largest palaces in the world

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 in 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 in 1981 listed world heritage UNESCO.

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 the restoration of 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. 160 rooms of the castle show eclecticism different styles, including German baroque, rococo and Moorish style.

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

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.

There are many real masterpieces of architecture in the world that amaze everyone with their beauty. No wonder travelers come from different corners planets in order to see with your own eyes these architectural monuments, among which palaces occupy an important place. We propose to talk about the most beautiful palaces in the world today.

Versailles in France

Without a doubt, Versailles is not only a symbol of France, but also one of the most beautiful and famous palaces in the world. Many writers have repeatedly described this architectural monument in their works, which once again proves its importance.

The Palace of Versailles was built in the 17th century, during the reign of King Louis XIV. Initially, he was assigned the role of a building in which important state meetings and receptions were to be held, as well as problems in the political life of the country were to be solved. That is why the building of the creator is an example of classical architecture.

Today, Versailles, together with a huge park complex, is one of the main attractions of France. Every year, millions of tourists from all over the world come here to see this palace with their own eyes.

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace occupies special place in the list of places of interest in the UK. It is still the current residence of Queen Elizabeth II of England. Not only is her office located here, but the entire royal family lives here. In addition to the residence of the Queen of England, Buckingham Palace is a museum, as it houses a huge collection of works by world-famous painters from different eras. In addition, the exposition of the museum contains many art objects.

Buckingham Palace was built in 1703. Since then he has been real pride London, and all of England. The palace is surrounded by 3 parks, where a wide variety of flowers bloom all year round. Since 1993, the palace has been open for free visits by tourists and residents of the city. And the changing of the guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace has long been national tradition England, which attracts millions of curious visitors every year.

Royal Palace in Bangkok

Grand Palace ( Royal Palace) is a symbol of the power and greatness of the rulers of Thailand. Despite the fact that this attraction has been attracting millions of tourists for many years, the most significant events of the country still take place in the palace.

The royal palace was built in the 18th century, during the reign of Rama I. The complex was built in an oriental style, and its painted structures and gilded elements make it look like a real fairy-tale palace. Here, tourists can see the shrine of Buddhists - the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

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. The 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 all times palaces, which were the residences of the most powerful people of their time, were examples of majesty, luxury and magnificence. There are hundreds of such buildings in the world, most of which, even in our time, do not cease to amaze the imagination with their beauty, power, history and perfection.

Some of these majestic buildings still fulfill their historical purpose, being the official residences of monarchs or heads of state, while some have become uninhabited, turning into museums, exhibition galleries or places where very wealthy and influential people prefer to hold banquets and all kinds of events.

Palaces with their unique architecture and numerous ceremonial halls, decorated with royal and princely monograms, still retain the spirit of their era. For the construction of their apartments, the monarchs spared neither money, nor time, nor even the lives of their subjects. And, probably, the expression "beauty requires sacrifice" can be safely applied to any of the palaces built for the monarchs of the Middle Ages.

Besides that fairytale palaces kings, emperors and sultans were buried in luxury, they were still built according to the most advanced technologies of their time. Plumbing, sewerage, steam heating, elevators and other, common now, but fantastic in those days, the benefits of civilization, for the most part, first appeared in the palaces of monarchs or their nobles.

In today's issue, we have prepared for you a selection of 10 of the most majestic and luxurious palaces peace. See photos and descriptions for them.

Palace "Gugong"

"Gugong" or "Purple forbidden city» in Beijing, perhaps, can be called one of the most ancient palace complexes. It was built from 1406 to 1420. as the residence of Chinese emperors, covers an area of ​​730 thousand square meters. meters and has 8707 rooms. More than 1 million builders, stone carvers, artists and other specialists were involved in its construction. The Gugun Palace is the first building in the world that did not use stove heating. Heat was supplied to the palace through special pipes from an autonomous boiler room. However, despite the majesty of the palace complex, the forces and means spent on it, the emperors of the Celestial Empire did not really like this residence, preferring to live and work in other palaces. Currently, "Gugong" is national museum China.

Potala Palace

Castle Potala in Tibet. History of this majestic building goes back to 637 AD, when the Tibetan ruler Songtsen Gampo built his first residence here. In the course of time, the old wooden palace burned down more than once, it was destroyed by the invaders, and, in the end, it completely collapsed. In its place, in 1645, the construction of a new palace complex began, which later became the residence of the Tibetan Dalai Lamas. The construction of the palace continued for 50 years. The total area of ​​this gigantic structure is 360 thousand square meters. m. Currently, the Potala Palace is both a museum and a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists from all over the world.

The largest and one of the most famous museums in the world - Parisian was once the residence French kings. Initially, in 1190, a fortress was built on the site of the palace, which was completed and modified. In 1317, King Charles V decided to make his residence here. With time old palace began to collapse and the next French monarch - King Francis I from 1528 to 1546 had to rebuild the Louvre and turn it into a magnificent royal residence. Work continued until 1594, when the already new monarch, Henry IV, decided to combine the Louvre with the neighboring Tuileries Palace, creating a majestic palace complex. But on Henry IV, the reconstruction of the palace did not end - the monarchs following him, including Napoleon Bonaparte, also had a hand in turning the Louvre into one of the most beautiful palaces th complexes in the world. The total area of ​​the Louvre is more than 106 thousand square meters. m.

Versailles

Palace- park complex Versailles- one of the most beautiful buildings not only in Europe. The construction of the palace was begun in 1661 by King Louis XIV, known as the "Sun King", and continued until 1710. Versailles was the royal residence until 1789 and was rightfully considered a model of architectural elegance and luxury. The royal palace itself, like its interior decoration, were made by famous sculptors, artists and architects of the "Great Age". Versailles is also famous for its magnificent parks and fountains. The cost of building the palace complex is considered one of the largest in world history. The recalculation of expenses for modern money still baffles both historians and financiers. The amount ranges from 3 billion to 260 billion euros! The total area of ​​the palace complex of Versailles is also impressive - it is more than 100 hectares.

Doge's Palace

Doge's Palace in Venice - majestic monument Italian gothic architecture. It was built between 1309 and 1424. and was not only the residence of the Doge (elected rulers) of the Venetian Republic, but also the office, as they say now, of law enforcement agencies. Here were located Supreme Court, Grand Council with the Senate, the secret police and other influential departments. Gilded staircases, huge halls with elegant stucco, wall paintings and paintings by famous masters amaze with their magnificence and power. The Doge's Palace, together with St. Mark's Cathedral and other buildings, forms the main architectural ensemble Venice and is one of its main attractions.

Since 1837 it has been the official residence of the British monarchs. Prior to this, the building belonged to the Duke of Buckingham, who built it in 1703. In 1762, the palace was purchased by King George III for his private residence and underwent a series of dramatic changes. Officially, the palace became royal in 1837 with the accession to the British throne of Queen Victoria. The queen, after whom an entire era in art is named, naturally could not help but make her own changes to the architecture and interior decoration of the palace. During the years of her reign, additional structures were added to the main building and even the Marble Arch, the main entrance to the royal residence, was moved. Today, the hostess of Buckingham Palace is the current Queen of Great Britain, Elizabeth II, who has been on the British throne for over 60 years. The territory of the royal estates, where Buckingham Palace is located, is 20 hectares, 17 of which are occupied by gardens. The palace has 775 rooms. Two months a year (August-September) Buckingham Palace is open to tourists.

Peterhof

Palace and park complex Peterhof according to the plan of Peter I, it was supposed to become the most luxurious royal summer residence, comparable to the magnificent palaces of European monarchs. Its construction began in 1714 under the personal guidance of the king and partly according to his sketches. Already in 1723, the grand opening of Peterhof took place, but for many years the palace complex was completed and rebuilt, new fountains and parks were erected, the Sea Canal was dug and new palaces Monplaisir and Marly were built. What Peter I started was brilliantly completed by his descendants. Peterhof is one of the most beautiful palace complexes not only in Russia but also in Europe. Unfortunately, during the Great Patriotic War Peterhof was plundered by the Nazi invaders and partially destroyed. Thanks to the efforts of Soviet and later Russian historians, architects and artists, the palace and park complex was restored and is now a museum-reserve. For majesty, elegance and luxury, Peterhof is often called the Russian Versailles.

Prague Castle

Or, as it is also called, Prague Castle can rightfully be considered one of the world's largest official presidential residences. Previously, the castle was the residence of the Czech monarchs, but now here workplace Czech President. The emergence of the fortress is associated with the foundation of Prague. The castle is located on a high hill, which made it impregnable for enemies. The construction of the Prague Castle began in 1135 by Prince Sobeslav I with the erection of the first stone princely palace. Then, over the centuries, the castle grew, eventually turning into a majestic residence of Czech monarchs and some emperors of the Holy Roman Empire, which at one time included the territory of the Czech Republic. Prague Castle underwent significant changes and reconstruction during the reign of Emperors Charles IV and Ferdinand I. Until the very end of the 20th century, the castle area was closed to the public, but with the coming to power in 1989 of Czech President Vaclav Havel, the doors of the palace halls and parks were opened to the public. Prague Castle is considered a unique building of Gothic architecture and a treasury of artistic and historical treasures of the Czech Republic.

Dolmabahce Palace

Castle Dolmabahce, located on the European side of the Bosphorus River in Istanbul, used to be the official residence of the Ottoman sultans, but now this majestic building houses the residence of the Prime Minister of Turkey. The palace was built from 1842 to 1853. for Sultan Abdulmecid I, who wished to have a baroque palace, not inferior in luxury and sophistication to the residences of European monarchs of the 18th century. Dolmabahce, which in Turkish means "mound garden", has changed more than once. Each new sultan contributed to its improvement, expansion, exterior decoration and rich interiors. For several decades, the palace complex has grown so much that its total area was 45 thousand square meters. meters. It is known that the decoration of the interiors and the Crystal Staircase of the palace took about 14 tons of gold, and the total cost of construction amounted to more than 5 million gold pounds - at that time this was a huge amount. Among the main attractions of Dolmabahce are a 5-ton Bohemian glass chandelier donated by the British Queen Victoria, as well as a collection of paintings by the great Russian painter Ivan Aivazovsky, made by him specially by order of the Sultan. After the fall of the monarchy, the first president of the Turkish Republic and the leader of the nation, Ataturk, lived and worked in the palace. After his death, Dolmabahce became a museum. In 2007, the Turkish Parliament returned the palace complex to a political function, making it the official residence of the Prime Minister in Istanbul.

Istana Palace Nurul Iman

cannot be bypassed and modern palaces and the residences of the rulers, built in our time and shining with no less luxury and splendor than their medieval "brothers". Among the modern palace complexes, the residence stands out Sultan of Brunei Hassanala Bolkiah - Istana Nurul Iman(in translation - "Palace of Light"), which today is one of the most luxurious and majestic residences of modern rulers. The palace complex is located in the capital of Brunei - the city of Bandar Seri Begawan and serves as the official residence of the head of state. The palace also houses the apartments of the Sultan himself and his family members. In addition, there are government offices and a mosque that can accommodate 1.5 thousand people. As the world's largest residential residence for a sitting head of state, the Istana Nurul Iman Palace is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. The total area of ​​the building is more than 200 thousand square meters. meters. It has 1788 rooms, 5 swimming pools, a banquet hall for 4 thousand people, 18 elevators, an underground garage for 153 cars and stables for 200 horses. The palace also houses a collection of paintings by famous painters, including a Renoir painting purchased by the Sultan in 1980 for $70 million.

In the next issue, we will introduce you to other no less majestic, luxurious and famous palaces and residences of rulers of different eras.