Visiting the home of royalty is always a great way to spend a vacation and to soak up some fascinating history--if only history classes could've been this hands on.
Château de Chambord. Photo: diogene.chiendesinope
Summer Palace in China
The Summer Palace was built during the Jin Dynasty during the control of feudal emperors. Located approximately nine miles from central Beijing, the palace contains over 3,000 structures and can be divided into four main parts: the court area, the front-hill area, the front-lake area, and the rear-hill and back-lake area. The crown jewel of the Summer Palace is its traditional Chinese garden, considered to be of the most renowned gardens in the world.
Château de Chambord in France
Château de Chambord is located in the gorgeous Loire Valley in France, which is incidentally is home to many visit-worthy châteaux. Originally built in 1519 so that François I could hunt in the forests, Château de Chambord has since become revered for its French-Renaissance architecture. It is best known for its double-helix staircase, two open-spiral staircases that never meet, that leads up to the ornately decorated rooftop terrace. Many have speculated that the staircase was designed by Leonardo da Vinci.
Mysore Palace. Photo: antkriz
Alhambra in Spain
The Alhambra in Granada is a beautifully preserved Islamic palace complex. Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Alhambra consists of a compound of buildings that include palaces and gardens. Some places not to miss when visiting include Alcazaba, a fortress in the oldest part of Alhambra; the Palace of Lions, which centers around a patio surrounded by many halls showcasing art; and the Garden of the Ramparts, which has the most stunning views of Granada.
Mysore Palace
Mysore Palace is located in the city of Mysore in southern India. With over 97,000 light bulbs illuminating the palace, darkness only makes the view of Mysore Palace more enchanting. It has been rebuilt four times since it was originally built as part of a wooden fortress in the fourteenth century. The fourth incarnation built by Henry Irwin is considered to be one of the finest examples of Indo-Saracenic architecture ever created. Tour the 12 palace temples and enjoy the fine paintings and photographs.
What are some of your favorite palaces that you've visited throughout the world?
Shridhar
says:
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One of my most memorable palace visits was to Buckingham Palace, London. I was about 15 years old and was invited as one ten Ranger Guides from Scotland to help out at the Queen's Garden Party. This was before Buckingham Palace was open to the public, so it was very exciting. As well as being shown around some of the rooms and learning about how they applied the gold leaf trim, that seemed to be everywhere, we also had tea in the servant quarters. I don't think many people get to see behind the scenes as well as front of house! Alas, I did not meet the Queen; merely saw her hat bobbling about in the distance out on the lawn.
In 2010, the State Rooms are open to the public between Aug. 1 and Sep. 28, for more details check here http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/default.asp?action=article&ID=30