once home two kings and queens palaces were built not only to act as royal residences but to project power and prestige as such monarchs and emperors vied with one another commissioning lavish summer homes and assembling exquisite art collections with which to fill their endless halls and royal chambers besides the Magnificent artworks the former royal residences also boast gorgeous grounds and gardens with plenty of fabulous fountains and flowerbeds on display due to their significant artistic cultural and historical value these beautiful palaces now make for some of the most popular tourist attractions around [Music] number twelve Grand Palace lying on the banks of the Chao Phraya River the grand palace can be found right in the heart of Bangkok built in 1782 the sprawling complex and its extensive gardens were once home to the Thai kings now partially open to the public the palace boasts lots of beautiful buildings regal courtyards and pretty pavilions with a wealth of lovely traditional Thai architecture the undoubted highlight however is the temple of the emerald buddha which is the most revered buddhist site in the whole of thailand [Music] [Music] you [Music] [Music] [Music] number eleven palace of the popes both a formidable looking fort and elegant palace the palace of the popes in Avignon is where the heads of the Catholic Church used to reside in the 1300s due to its influential occupants the palace had to project both power and prestige in its heyday it was one of the largest gothic buildings in Europe its thick walls and sturdy towers protect charming chapels decked in frescoes and murals after the papal residents returned to Rome in 1378 the palace slowly fell into disrepair before later being used by Napoleon’s troops as a barracks and prison [Music] number ten Buckingham Palace one of the most famous and photographed buildings on earth Buckingham Palace in London has long been the residence of the British monarchs originally built in 1703 to be a large townhouse over the years it was slowly enlarged and redesigned with its famous facade added in 1911 in total the palace boasts 775 rooms with many of them replete with fabulous furnishings exquisite paintings and age-old statues of these the most impressive are the state rooms which are open to the public each August and September [Music] [Music] number nine shunran palace lying on the outskirts of Vienna shunran palace is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Austria painted a warm yellow color the gorgeous Rococo Palace was once the summer residence of the hapsburgs with Emperor Franz Josef the first born there while only 40 of its 1441 rooms are open to the public these are extravagantly decorated with beautiful ballrooms alongside resplendent and refined artworks tapestries and sculptures it’s endless Gardens are just as delightful to explore a marvelous botanical garden and Roger II can be found alongside the world’s oldest zoo which was once the Imperial menagerie [Music] number eight potala palace set in an absolutely epic location atop of a hill in the centre of the Lhasa Valley potala palace has long been one of the most important monuments in Tibet one of the winter residences of the Dalai Lama’s the striking red and white palace was erected in 1649 although earlier versions have stood in the same spot since at least the seventh century the colossal edifice contains over 10,000 shrines with more than 200,000 statues thought to be dotted around its hallowed halls and ceremonial chambers with towering mountains rising all around it potala palace makes for an awe-inspiring sight and is an enduring symbol of Tibetan Buddhism number seven chateau de chambord nestled away in the Loire Valley chateau de chambord is undoubtedly one of the pinnacles of French Renaissance architecture commissioned by frost is the first to be a hunting lodge its elaborate and enchanting design proudly showcased the Monarchs fabulous wealth and power although much of its fantastic furnishings were stripped and removed following the French Revolution visitors can still enjoy wandering around its elegant halls and chambers all-in-all the chateaus turrets and towers make for a spectacular sight particularly when contrasted with the lush lawns and reflective moat that lie around it [Music] number six hawa Mahal famed for its elaborate and ornate facade hawa mahal delightfully translates to the palace of the winds in english completed in 1799 it’s pretty pillars attractive arches and dignified domes are mostly fashioned out of the wonderful red and pink sandstone that Jaipur is so renowned for while the palace has some lovely buildings and courtyards it is the honeycomb-like exterior that attracts the most attention set over five floors the beautiful bays with their coloured glass windows and intricate lattice work look incredible and are the highlight of any visit to the palace [Music] number-5 topkapi palace set in a beautiful spot on the banks of the Bosphorus it is from topkapi palace that the Sultan’s used to roll over the Ottoman Empire built in 1459 at the command of Mehmed the Conqueror the palace boasts plenty of ornamented and ostentatious rooms which features some wonderful Islamic art besides it’s breathtaking halls and courtyards there are also the glittering gems and jewels of the imperial treasury for visitors to check out as well as the endless and extravagant apartments of the Imperial harem now a magnificent museum topkapi palace is one of istanbul most popular tourist attractions [Music] number four Palace of Versailles although Versailles started out as a simple hunting lodge it was turned into one of the greatest and grandest palaces ever seen under Louie the fourteenth the Sun King embellished and enlarged it before eventually turning it into his royal residence and the seat of his government while many of its most precious artworks and treasures were removed and placed in the Louvre following the French Revolution extensive renovations and restorations have seen the palace returned to its former glory each year millions of people come to see its sumptuous royal apartments as well as the glittering Hall of Mirrors and Royal Opera [Music] [Music] number three alhambra perched atop a plateau overlooking granada the alhambra has long been one of the most renowned palaces on earth built by the Nasrid Sultan’s in the 13th century the large complex proudly exhibits exquisite Andalusian architecture with intricate designs and motifs wherever you look wandering around its beautiful gardens sturdy fortifications and colonnade lined courtyards is a delight among the many highlights are the magnificently carved columns of the court of the Lions and the lovingly cared for flowers and fountains of the general life with the majestic Sierra Nevada mountains lying in the background and verdant trees rising around its beige walls the Alhambra certainly makes for a memorable sight [Music] number two Winter Palace once the residents of the Russian Czars the Winter Palace now houses the world-famous Hermitage Museum built in a Baroque style it’s seemingly never-ending green and white walls are said to house over 1500 rooms with each of them or neatly designed and decorated the size and scale of the palace not to mention the beautiful art and architecture perfectly showcases the power and might of Imperial Russia the monarchy and Empire came crashing down however in 1917 when the Winter Palace was stormed in one of the deciding events of the Russian Revolution nowadays the palace and museum are one of the highlights of any visit to st. Petersburg [Music] number one Forbidden City ever since it was built in 1406 the Forbidden City has dominated and defined the center of Beijing the imperial home of Emperor’s from both the Ming and Qing dynasties it was from here that they ruled over their extensive empire set over a considerable area protected by a high wall and wide moat the palace complex encompasses some 980 different buildings these showcase lots of impressive Chinese architecture with the Hall of supreme harmony and palace of heavenly purity just two of its must-see sites since the abdication of the last emperor in 1925 the Forbidden City has become one of the most important sites in the whole of China [Music] [Music] Video source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwPQQ6I7LE4
