Most beautiful palaces in the world

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Palaces, the residences of royalty and nobility, have been built around the world for as long as human civilization exists. Palaces are always built in such a way to display the wealth and taste of the people who built it, and old palaces can always give you an insight into the mentality of its former owners. There are as many types of palaces as countries, even regions, and the best preserved, most majestic palaces today are great tourist attractions. Furnished or not, with towers, pavilions, gardens, palaces come in all shapes and sizes, what they have common is that they are great places to while away a few hours of your holiday. 

Forbidden City, Beijing,  China

Built in the 15th century, the Forbidden City was an imperial palace complex built by the Ming Dynasty. No visit to Beijing is complete without a visit to the castle, which now is the Palace Museum (and is not forbidden at all, if you pay the entrance fee). The city is made up of 980 buildings and it sprawls on 72 hectares, so expect a long walk on the premises. The complex is surrounded by a rectangular wall, with four intricate corner towers. The largest hall within the complex is the Hall of Supreme Harmony, but the other structures are just as interesting.

Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, India

This palace is one of the largest private residences in the world, so huge that it could probably house a moderately sized village, not only one family. In fact, the palace is divided into a luxury hotel, the home of the palace’s owners (the Maharajah of Jodhpur) and a museum, which is open to visitors. Designed by a British and Indian architect, the building is a pleasing combination of western and eastern elements. Interesting fact: a train line was specially build during the construction of the palace to transport the large carved stones that the palace is made of!

Oranienbaum, Russia

Located in the Gulf of Finland, not far from St. Petersburg, this palace looks like something out of a fairytale. The castle is surrounded by pavilions and two gardens resplendent with fountains and sculptures. The most of the  palaces int eh complex  is built in the rococo styles, and everything from the exterior, interior and outer pavilions is full of small, intricate details.

Quinta da Regaleira, Sintra, Portugal

Another World Heritage Site, this palace is one of the main tourist attractions of Sintra. The palace facade is a perfect example of Gothic architecture, with gargoyles, capitals and octagonal towers. The rooms of the palace are lavshly decorated, and even the servants’ quarters look better than some modern-day hotels. The palace chapel has some beautiful frescoes and stained glass windows.

Changdeokgung, Seoul, South Korea

One of the Five Grand Palaces built by the the Joseon Dynasty, Changdeokgung, the Palace of Prospering Virtue, is perhaps the most beautiful of them all. The architects of the complex guided themselves after the principles of Feng Shui, so everything was built in harmony with the natural surroundings. The  most interesting building in the complex are the exquisite throne room, Daejojeon Hall, the queen’s quarters and the oldest bridge in Seoul, dating from 1411.

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sally wrote on July 24, 2013:

I just love these photos!

 

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