Let your imagination run wild and discover the 10 Most Beautiful Palaces in the World you can imagine. How many do you already know?
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| Top 10 Most Beautiful Palaces in the World |
Exotic, majestic or stately, all of them are beautiful testimonies of the history of humanity and exemplary works of the most daring architecture. Still can't figure it out? We are talking about the most beautiful palaces in the world.
1. Chambord, France
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| Top 10 Most Beautiful Palaces in the World |
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 the romantic meetings of 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
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| Top 10 Most Beautiful Palaces in the World |
"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 were 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 like a bright spot against the backdrop of a green forest. 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, as in Spain.
3. Potala, Tibet Autonomous Region, China
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| Top 10 Most Beautiful Palaces in the World |
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 3700 meters above sea level, 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 square meters. m. There is no exact information about how many rooms there are in the Potala, but those who were lucky enough to be here say 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.
4. Palace of Versailles, France
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| Top 10 Most Beautiful Palaces in the World |
Considering the history of this beautiful country and the number of kings ruling here, it is not surprising that another aristocratic and luxurious French palace is 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 larger has not allowed the king to live in peace.
Louis ordered to hire the same team of craftsmen that built the palace of Vaux-le-Viscount, the architect Louis Levo became the project manager, and the design was carried out under the close attention of the artist Charles Lebrun. The surrounding garden and its arrangement was designed by André Le Nôtre, a renowned 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
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| Top 10 Most Beautiful Palaces in the World |
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. The modern palace is distinguished by an indescribable Asian identity, 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, Foxiange Temple.
6. Schönbrunn, Austria
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| Top 10 Most Beautiful Palaces in the World |
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 name is translated from the 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 hunting grounds in these picturesque places. Over time, a small hunting lodge for recreation was equipped here, and a little later, an imperial palace surrounded by a greenhouse appeared on this site, the idea of which belonged to the wife of Emperor Ferdinand II - Eleanor Gonzaga. Gradually, she begins 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. 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.
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. 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. 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
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| Top 10 Most Beautiful Palaces in the World |
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, almost 100,000 light bulbs illuminate the palace every Sunday, and complete darkness reigns around the building to create contrast. 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.
8. Pena, Portugal
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| Top 10 Most Beautiful Palaces in the World |
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 house 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 very practical. Construction lasted 12 years, and after the monarch, the palace changed many owners.
9. Forbidden City, China
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| Top 10 Most Beautiful Palaces in the World |
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. Adjacent to the amazing ensemble is 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. On the territory are also located: the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Gate of Heavenly Purity, the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Great Hall of Connection. An ordinary person was forbidden to enter here until 1911, and only with the fall of the last imperial dynasty were ordinary people admitted here. Since 1987, the Forbidden City has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
10. Buckingham Palace
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| Top 10 Most Beautiful Palaces in the World |
It is the official current residence of Her 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 a change of guard takes place on the territory - this action is invariably in demand among tourists who come to admire the well-trained infantrymen.