15 MOST Stunning Palaces in the World

hey everyone did you know for many thousands of years palaces have been built as lavish homes for heads of state or members of royal families the ward actually originated from one of the original Seven Hills of Rome the Palantine Hill where Imperial buildings for the leaders of the city were built and they're often the greatest examples of grand architectural design so it's time to travel around the globe to see some of the largest oldest and most opulent residences of all time as we explore the top 15 most stunning palaces in the world let's begin number 15. Potala Palace Lhasa Tibet built on rimapori or Red Mountain in the city of Lhasa in Tibet the Potala Palace is an incredible piece of Zhong architecture that was between the year 1649 and 1959 The Winter Palace of The Dalai Lama's and has been a national museum for the past 60 years it's named after Mount portalaka which is a mythical place of great significance in Buddhism and construction first began in 1645 under the direction of the fifth Dalai Lama possibly on top of a fortress that had been built there a thousand years earlier it's made mainly from Stone but with copper that was poured into the foundations to help its resilience against Earthquakes and measures 1300 feet or 400 meters from east to west and 1150 feet or 350 meters from north to south the sloping stone walls vary in thickness from almost 10 feet or 3 meters at the top and 16 feet or 5 meters at the base and amazingly the external structure was completed within just three years the interior however took a further 45 years to finish which is perhaps no surprise considering it has across 13 stories more than a thousand rooms 10 000 shrines and at least 200 000 statues almost looking more like a fortress than a palace there are further spaces and Gardens that's surrounded by walls and Gates and large staircases that lead up the hillside inside there are countless ancient historic artworks sculptures Engravings and ornaments making it a fascinating insight into the historical culture of that region number 14. Hawa Mahal Jaipur India Hawa Mahal is a five-story pyramid-shaped palace in the Indian city of Jaipur that was originally constructed in 1799. in line with the other monuments in the city its exterior was crafted from red and pink Sandstone which gives it its incredible color its exterior was based on a honeycomb and is made up of 953 Windows which are known as jahrokas and are each decorated with intricate lattice work the main reason for this was to allow the Royal women to observe the streets from outside without showing their faces but the feature also allowed cool air to flow through the palace so a comfortable temperature is maintained throughout the year reaching the height of 50 feet or about 15 meters the first two floors have patios in front of them while the top three are just the width of a single room furthermore the top two floors are only accessible by ramps and in the palace's Heyday would have only been for the most important members of the royal family it was built for the Maharaja sawai Pratap Singh who was inspired by ornamental structures he had seen elsewhere and the Hawa Mahal is one of the finest examples of a fusion of both Hindu rajput and Islamic Mughal architectures featuring The rajput style domed canopies fluted pillars and Flora motifs in every direction you look as well as traditional Islamic arches and stone inlay filigree designs there's no wonder it's one of the most famous buildings in India number 13 Pena National Palace sintra Portugal stood on a hill in the Sentra mountains above the town of Centra Portugal the Pena National Palace was originally a monastery with a chapel built between the 15th and 18th centuries but after it was all but destroyed by the great Lisbon earthquake of 1755. it was abandoned and lay in ruins in 1838 after being fascinated by the site for many years King consort Ferdinand II acquired the land and began a project to build a Summer Palace for the Portuguese royal family built between 1842 and 1854 the result was this unusual romantic style Palace that borrows architectural techniques from a number of different cultures and has been a museum after being the place where the last queen of Portugal Queen Amelia spent her final night before fleeing into Exile during the Republican revolution of 1910. almost looking exactly as it did when it was completed although with colors that have faded it reflects a mixture of neo-gothic Neo Islamic and neo-renaissance styles and the interior is equally as impressive with countless frescoes paintings sculptures and tapestries adorning all of the rooms also surrounded by beautiful gardens perhaps the most interesting feature is the Sundial cannon that by magnifying the sun's Rays would have automatically lit the fuse and fired exactly at midday every day number 12. the Grand Palace Bangkok Thailand found in the center of Bangkok Thailand the aptly named Grand Palace was the official residence of the kings of Siam and Thailand between 1782 and 1925 and is now one of the most popular tourist sites in the country as well as the venue for official events like Royal ceremonies and state functions virtually rectangular and shape the four walls contain an area of 2.3 million square feet with just over 218 000 square meters on rattanakosan island along the banks of the ciao praya River unlike most others this Palace isn't just one main structure but instead a number of different buildings halls and Pavilions that are set around Courtyards and Gardens every King that has ever lived there made their own additions which makes the palace a living representation of Thailand's Royal history and one that's a mixture of many different styles it's roughly separated into various areas such as the Temple of the emerald Buddha which is the most sacred temple in Thailand along with the outer court with a number of public buildings the middle court with royal and government buildings and the inner Court where the private Royal residences are as such a place of beauty this Palace was heavily defended with a thick exterior wall with 12 gates and 17 small forts along it and inside this perimeter there was a maze-like series of inner walls with a further 22 Gates needless to say despite the numerous attempts to break in only those who were welcome would ever make it all the way inside number 11. Alhambra Granada Spain located in the hills of Granada in Spain Alhambra is generally regarded as one of the greatest and best preserved Islamic palaces anywhere in the world it was originally built in 1238 by Muhammad bin al-amar who was the first ruler of the Emirate of Granada which was the last independent Muslim state in Western Europe over the following centuries each successive leader would make their own additions and alterations and after the Christian Reconquista in 1492 it became the official Royal Court of Ferdinand and Isabella and was where Christopher Columbus received Royal endorsement for his Expeditions this too saw a period of Redevelopment that added Spanish Renaissance architecture to the palace and after being abandoned and restored it's now a UNESCO world heritage site and a popular tourist attraction covering an area of around one and a half million square feet and was built from locally sourced red Earth which gave it its name which translates to mean the red one adorned with mosaics carvings patterns inscriptions and featuring a number of Courtyards and fountains when it was lived in by the original rulers of the area it truly would have felt like paradise and his inspired countless works of art over the centuries it's an incredibly important historical monument and there's no surprise that it's considered one of the 12 Treasures of Spain number 10 Topkapi Palace Istanbul Turkey with a name that translates to mean Cannon gate Palace construction of the Topkapi Palace which is an Istanbul Turkey began in 1459 under the orders of Sultan mehmed the Conqueror originally beginning as a relatively small building it was continually expanded and renovated over the following centuries and now covers an area of around seven and a half million square feet or seven hundred thousand square meters made up of four main Courtyards that are surrounded by a number of smaller structures it's not a single monolithic structure like you'd normally expect from a palace most of the buildings are interconnected by Galleries and passages and a few of them are taller than two stories and the benefit of Designing it this way was that the palace could accommodate a large number of people while restricting who could access the most important areas by large Gates the first Courtyard for example functioned as the entrance and outer Precinct while the second contained hospitals Stables a bakery and kitchens as well as the treasury and the Imperial Council buildings the third Courtyard housed further treasury buildings and the main mosque while the fourth Courtyard and the Harem which were in the inner sanctuaries were where the Royal residents were located as well as a circumcision room and various ceremonial halls and private spaces for the Royals number nine himeji Castle himeji Japan seen as one of the greatest surviving examples of feudal Japanese architecture in Meiji Castle which is in the city of himeji was first built in 1333 it's undergone significant enhancements since then and while technically a castle because of its armaments it has long been a residence for the ruling class in the region too covering an area of 576 acres and surrounded by three moats the complex is made up of 83 buildings such as storehouses Gates and turrets the stunning main keep which Rises at the center of the complex is split into six floors along with the basement and was Advanced for its time by including amenities like lavatories and indoor kitchens it's constructed almost entirely from wood and stone and features a 5900 square foot or 500 square meter first floor which is known as the Thousand mat room because of the 330 tatami mats that are all laid out there and equally large rooms on the other floors that were used for ceremonial activities lavish dinners and as a place to store a huge Trove of weapons in case the castle was attacked as the largest and most visited Castle in Japan it's one of the most photographed structures in the country and it's been an important part of local beliefs for centuries and is mentioned in countless legends from Japanese folklore number eight Winter Palace St Petersburg Russia the incredible Winter Palace in St Petersburg Russia was first built in the 1730s and became the official residence of the Russian Emperor between 1732 and 1917. designed in what's known as the Elizabethan Baroque style as its exterior looks like it did after Renovations that took place during the reign of Russia's Queen Elizabeth in the late 18th century Russian Emperors ensured their palaces were huge and opulent like this to show off the power of Imperial Russia after all it was from here that they ruled an Empire that at its peak covered more than a sixth of the planet's land mass and had more than 125 million subjects by the end of the 1800s it's such a large structure that no one knows for sure precisely what's inside but the most up-to-date estimates place around 1500 rooms 117 staircases and almost 2 000 Windows the rooms in the Northern and Eastern wings of the palace were used by the state while the the Western Wing is where the private rooms of the royal family were and to many the layout seems quite confusing at first with drawing rooms being separated by smaller bedrooms but this was because of a large number of Royal members who would live there at any one time amazingly though some of the state rooms were able to accommodate as many as 10 000 standing people while the main dining table could seat a thousand guests making this Palace the place to be during what many see as Russia's days of Glory number seven Neuschwanstein Bavaria Germany the countryside of Germany is notorious for its huge palatial buildings but arguably the most impressive of all is Neuschwanstein which is in Bavaria commissioned by King Ludwig II work began on it in 1869 with the intent for it to become his main residence but it was never finished before his death in 1886. fairly soon after he died the palace was opened up to visitors and since then it's believed as many as 61 million people have been inside designed in the castle Romanticism style and taking inspiration from Wagner's operas which were a favorite of the king it combines Romanesque Gothic Byzantine and early Art Nouveau ideas into something that's seen as one of the last big Palace building projects that took place in Europe only 14 of the hundreds of interior rooms were finished before the King's death and remain undecorated to this day but those that were completed such as the throne room The Grotto the singers Hall and wig's private suite are as ornate and lavish as you'd expect if you're ever able to visit Bavaria this Palace is a must-see place and instantly transports you back to the Romantic ideals of late 19th century Germany number six Stockholm Royal Palace Stockholm Sweden built onman which is an island in the center of Stockholm Sweden Stockholm Palace began being built in 1697 and was only completed more than six decades later in 1760. measuring about 750 feet long and about 410 feet wide and has been the residents of the Swedish royal family ever since it opened made of brick and sandstone a number of architectural techniques can be seen on the exterior like the Baroque style arches and niches and the layout in four rows that are named after the cardinal directions inside there are more than 1430 rooms with around 660 of them having windows with the basement being mainly used for storage and historically the dungeons while the royal family stays on the first floor and the guest apartments on the second the palace is still the main residence for King Gustav and queen Sylvia but is also one of the most visited museums in the country too hosting a huge collection of artifacts and artworks from the nation's past it's also become a popular a place for Ghost Hunters because with such a storied history there are believed to be as many as five regular specters that all roam the Halls number five the palace Mysore India located in Mysore India this Palace is also known as Amba Villas Palace the largest and grandest of the seven palaces in the city the first palatial structure on site was built in the 14th century when it became the official residence of the wadiyar Dynasty and the seed of power in the Kingdom of Mysore what you see today though is very different from how it used to be and that's because the traditional Indian structures were mainly made from wood and were particularly vulnerable to outbreaks of fire in the hot arid climate since the 14th century it is completely burned down and been rebuilt a number of times with the most recent event taking place during a wedding in 1896. this leveled the palace to the ground and the maharasha at the time commissioned an English architect to design the building that stands today which was constructed between 1897 and 1912. now it's one of the most famous tourist attractions in India second only to the Taj Mahal approximately 6 million people visit Mysore Palace each year to see its ornate decorations and its a tribute to classical Indian architectural styles number four Buckingham Palace London UK as the principal residents of the British royal family and soon to be main home of King Charles III Buckingham Palace is probably the most famous Palace in the world and sits on 39 Acres of prime Central London real estate which includes the largest private Garden in the city Palace became its current size in several stages first being a large townhouse that was built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703 and then bought by the royal family and expanded in the 19th century with the addition of three Wings Around the central Courtyard and it was after this that it became the Royal residence with Queen Victoria becoming the first Monarch to live there now the palace has more than 830 thousand square feet or 77 000 square meters of floor space and has 775 rooms these include various rooms drawing rooms music rooms guard rooms and the throne room of course as well as 188 staff bedroom 92 offices 19 State rooms and 52 principal bedrooms in addition there's also a cinema a post office a doctor's surgery and even a jewelry workshop and of course every single part of the palace is decorated with prestigious artworks and decorative objects which makes this one of the most valuable properties on the planet number 3. shunbrun Palace Vienna Austria located in the heightsing district of Vienna Austria the schoenbrunn palace was the summer residence of the ruling House of Habsburg and has served as a major tourist attraction and historical monument since the fall of the Austrian monarchy at the end of the first world war in 1918 a classic example of Baroque architecture that was built in the 17th century the palace has 1400 rooms as it was continually expanded for three centuries giving a fascinating insight into the changing priorities habits and interests of the monarchy over that time many ways the gardens are just as much of a draw as the palace itself complete with a stunning 18th century orangery a Palm House a botanical garden with enclosures that once held rare animals from around the world and add to that Roman ruins from the 16th century and regular orchestral performances and it's no wonder that it's such a popular place to visit by locals and visitors alike number two the Forbidden City Beijing China built between 1406 and 1420 the Forbidden City in Beijing China is an incredible Palace complex that became the home of the Chinese emperor from the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty in 1420 to the end of the Qing Dynasty in 1924 covers an area of around 178 Acres it's a huge complex made up of 980 different buildings throughout which are 8 86 rooms while there are larger Royal residences in China the Forbidden City is easily the most special and is described by UNESCO as being the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world as the country no longer has a royal family that lives in the palace it's been taken care of by The Palace Museum since 1925 which is responsible for looking after the vast collection of artworks and artifacts from more than 600 years of Chinese history and welcomes as many as 20 million visitors each year every element of the palace is designed to the smallest tale was meticulously planned such as the use of yellow as the color of the emperor to the courts being arranged in threes to represent the qian trigram of Heaven and the entire layout being done in line with the book of Rights it's a truly spectacular place and one anyone interested in Chinese culture and history should visit number one Palace of Versailles Paris France found around 12 miles to the west of Paris is the commune of Versailles and it's here that King Louis XIV decided to build the most opulent Palace in the world and one that to this day is one of the planet's most popular attractions with more than 15 million visitors each year construction began in the 17th century and was almost complete by the time of the King's death in 1715. entire structure having a U-shaped design it's an impressive building from the outside but the Palace of Versailles truly becomes mind-blowing when you walk between the various rooms within even though it was stripped bare after the French Revolution it's largely been restored to its original vision and features incredibly ornate rooms such as the Hall of Mirrors the Royal Chapel the Royal Opera and countless salons dedicated to Roman gods and goddesses each with their own curated designs and artwork the palace and the manicured grounds around it were designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 1979 because of its importance at the center of France's artistic and scientific developments in the 17th and 18th centuries this is undoubtedly the most ornate and overly elaborate building you can visit in the world and one that probably explains why the French people decided that a monarchy 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Channel: Top Fives

Views: 30,161

Keywords: Most Stunning Palaces in the World, Palaces

Id: 2BIJQMtS9rw

Length: 21min 16sec (1276 seconds)

Published: Fri Oct 07 2022