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About|residencesA palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary , such as a bishop or archbishop .cite book |title=American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language |edition=4th |publisher=Houghton Mifflin Company |location=Boston |isbn=0-618-08230-1 The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palatium , for Palatine Hill , one of the seven hills in Rome . In many parts of Europe , the term is also applied to ambitious private mansion s of the aristocracy . Many historic palaces are now put to other uses such as parliament s, museum s, hotel s or office building s. The word is also sometimes used to describe a lavishly ornate building used for public entertainment or exhibitions.
Etymology
The word "palace" comes from Old French palais (imperial residence), from Latin Palatine Hill|Palatium , the name of one of the seven hills of Rome . The original "palaces" on the Palatine Hill were the seat of the imperial power while the "capitol" on the Capitoline Hill was the religious nucleus of Rome. Long after the city grew to the seven hills the Palatine remained a desirable residential area . Roman Emperor|Emperor Caesar Augustus lived there in a purposely modest house only set apart from his neighbors by the two laurel trees planted to flank the front door as a sign of Roman triumph|triumph granted by the Senate . His descendants, especially Nero , with his " Domus Aurea|Golden House " enlarged the house and grounds over and over until it took up the hill top. The word Palatium came to mean the residence of the emperor rather than the neighbourhood on top of the hill.
"Palace" meaning "government" can be recognized in a remark of Paul the Deacon , writing ca 790 and describing events of the 660s: "When Grimuald set out for Beneventum, he entrusted his palace to Lupus" ( Historia Langobardorum , V.xvii). At the same time Charlemagne was consciously reviving the Roman expression in his " Palace of Aachen|palace " at Aachen , of which only his chapel remains. In the 9th century the "palace" indicated the housing of the government too, and the constantly-travelling Charlemagne built fourteen. In the early Middle Ages, the Palas remained the seat of government in some Germany|German cities. In the Holy Roman Empire the powerful independent Prince-elector|Electors came to be housed in palaces ( Paläste ). This has been used as evidence that power was widely distributed in the Empire, as in more centralized monarchy|monarchies , only the monarch's residence would be a palace .
In modern times, the term has been applied by archaeologists and historians to large structures that housed combined ruler, court and bureaucracy in "palace culturtes". In informal usage, a "palace" can be extended to a grand residence of any kind.
Palaces
The earliest known palaces were the royal residences of the Egypt ian Pharaoh s at Thebes, Egypt|Thebes , featuring an outer wall enclosing labyrinthine buildings and courtyards.cite book |title=Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Encyclopedia |publisher=Merriam-Webster |location=Springfield, Mass. |year=2000 |isbn=0-87779-017-5 Other ancient palaces include the Assyria n palaces at Nimrud and Nineveh , the Minoan palace at Knossos , and the Persian Empire|Persian palaces at Persepolis and Susa . Palaces in East Asia , such as the imperial palaces of Korea , Thailand , Vietnam , Japan and China 's Forbidden City , consist of many low pavilions surrounded by vast, walled gardens, in contrast to the single building palaces of Middle Ages|Medieval Western Europe .
Americas
Brazil
The Brazilian new capital, Brasília , hosts modern palaces, most designed by the city's architect Oscar Niemeyer . The Palácio da Alvorada|Alvorada Palace is the official residence of the President of Brazil|Brazil's president . The Palácio do Planalto|Planalto Palace is the official workplace. The Palácio do Jaburu|Jaburu Palace is the official residence of Brazil's vice-president .
Mexico
The capital of Mexico , Mexico City , is traditionally nicknamed the "City of Palaces" ; It was dubbed so by Alexander von Humboldt , after he visited it in the late 18th century and early 19th century.
In Central Mexico, the Aztec Emperors built many palaces in the capital of their empire, Tenochtitlan (modern day Mexico City), some of which may still be seen. On observing the great city Hernán Cortés wrote, "There are, in all districts of this great city, many temples or palaces,... They are all very beautiful buildings. Amongst these temples there is one, the principal one, whose great size and magnificence no human tongue could describe,... All round inside this wall there are very elegant quarters with very large rooms and corridors. There are as many as forty towers, all of which are so high that in the case of the largest there are fifty steps leading up to the main part of it and the most important of these towers is higher than that of the cathedral of Seville..." http://www.mexicocity.com.mx/anc_city.html Mexico-Tenochtitlan: Ancient City
The National Palace (Mexico)|National Palace , or Palacio Nacional , located in Mexico City's main square, the Plaza de la Constitución (El Zócalo), first built in 1563, is in the heart of the Mexican capital. In 1821, the palace was given its current name and the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government were housed in the palace; the latter two branches would eventually reside elsewhere. During the Second Mexican Empire , its name was changed, for a time, to the Imperial Palace . The National Palace continues to be the official seat of the executive authority, although it is no longer the official residence of the President.
Also in Mexico City is the Castillo de Chapultepec , or Chapultepec Castle , located in the middle of Chapultepec Park which currently houses the Mexican Museo Nacional de Historia|National Museum of History . It is the only castle, or palace, in North America that was occupied by sovereigns - Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico , a member of the House of Habsburg and his consort, Empress Charlotte of Belgium|Carlota of Mexico , daughter of Leopold I of Belgium . The palace features many ''objets d'art'' ranging from gifts of Napoleon III of France|Napoleon III 's to paintings by Franz Xaver Winterhalter and Mexican painter Santiago Rebull.
Uruguay
The Palacio Legislativo (Uruguay)|Palacio Legislativo (Legislative Palace), is the house of the General Assembly of Uruguay|Uruguayan Parliament .
Asia
Cambodia
Royal Palace, Phnom Penh|Royal Palace
Khemarin Palace
China
The finest example of Chinese Palaces|Chinese palace is the Forbidden City , the imperial palace of Chinese empire from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty . It is largest palace complex in the world and located in the middle of Beijing , People's Republic of China|China . The palace complex exemplifies traditional Chinese architecture|Chinese palatial architecture .cite web|url= http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/439|title=UNESCO World Heritage List: Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang|publisher=UNESCO|accessdate=2007-05-04 Another example is Summer Palace located in the northern suburb of Beijing and Mukden Palace in Shenyang. The Presidential Palace (Nanjing)|Presidential Palace in Nanjing displays European architecture influences.
The Chinese palace is designed in regular square grids and arranged in formal layout, consisted of main buildings and numbers of pavilion s enclosed within walls. Unlike massive single structured European palace or castle, Chinese palace is a multitude of complexes contains several large and smaller structures with parks and courtyards.
Iran
Niavaran Palace Complex is a historical complex situated in the northern part of Tehran, Iran. It consists of several buildings and a museum. The Sahebqraniyeh Palace, from the time of Naser al-Din Shah of Qajar dynasty, is also inside this complex. The main Niavaran Palace, completed in 1968, was the primary residence of the last Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and the Imperial family until the Iranian Revolution. The main palace was designed by the Iranian architect Mohsen Foroughi.
List of castles in Iran
Brunei
Istana Nurul Iman is the currently the World's largest palace and is the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei , Hassanal Bolkiah , and the seat of the Brunei government. The palace is located on a leafy, riverside sprawl of hills on the banks of the Brunei River , a few kilometers south of Bandar Seri Begawan , Brunei's capital.
India
POV|date=December 2011 India is home to a large number of palaces and vast empires. The history of India is full of numerous dynasties that have ruled over various parts of the country. While most monuments of the ancient period have been destroyed or lie in ruins, some medieval buildings have been maintained well or restored to good condition. Several medieval forts and palaces still stand proud all over India. These magnificent buildings are examples of the great achievements of the architects and engineers of that age. The palaces of India offer an insight into the life of the royalty of the country. While some royal palaces have been maintained as museums or hotels over the last decades, some palaces are still home for the members of the erstwhile royal families. These forts and palaces are the largest illustrations and legacy of the princely states of India. Floats of flowers in grand fountains, shimmering blue water of magnificent baths and private pools, doric pillars, ornamental brackets, decorative staircases, light streaming in through large windows, India possesses some of the most fascinating forts and palaces, a true royal retreat. It is not just a romantic longing for a royal experience, but also the search for the truly authentic Indian experience that brings thousands of heritage lovers to India's palaces.
Rajasthan has a large number of forts and palaces that are major tourist destinations in North India. The Rajputs (collective term for the rulers of the region) were known as brave soldiers who preferred to die than be taken prisoners. They were also great connoisseurs of art and brilliant builders. The most famous forts and palaces in Rajasthan are located in Chittor, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Udaipur, Saphieree, Amber and Nahargarh. Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces manage some of the most iconic palaces of the region, Lake Palace , Udaipur; Umaid Bhawan Palace , Jodhpur; Fort Madhogarh , Jaipur and Rambagh Palace , Jaipur; and offer authentic royal retreats to the guests in all its grandeur, splendor and magnificence.
Indonesia
In Indonesia the palaces are known as Istana ( Malay language|Malay and Indonesian language|Indonesian ), or Kraton (Indonesia)|Kraton ( Javanese language|Javanese and Sundanese language|Sundanese ). In Bali the royal palace compound is called Puri . The palaces reflects the long Indonesian history|history and diverse Culture of Indonesia|culture of Indonesian archipelago.
Although Indonesia is now a republic, some parts and provinces in Indonesia still retain and preserve their traditional royal heritage, for example Sultanate of Yogyakarta Sultanate|Yogyakarta , Surakarta Sunanate|Surakarta , Mangkunegaran princedom, Keraton Kasepuhan|Kasepuhan palace in Cirebon Sultanate|Cirebon , and Kutai in East Kalimantan . The remnant of palaces and royal houses still can be found in Banten , Medan , Ternate , Bali and Bima .
The layout of traditional Balinese and Javanese kratons is similar to Chinese concept; a walled compounds of royal pavilions, squares and gardens. Most of these kratons took forms of wooden pavilions called pendopo . While the istana of Sumatra is usually consist of single large structure. The example of typical Minangkabau people|Minangkabau vernacular architecture can be found in Pagarruyung palace, West Sumatra . The example of Malay Indonesian|Malay palace is Istana Maimun in Medan .
During Dutch East India Company|VOC and colonial era of Dutch East Indies , the colonial government built several European stately palaces as the residence of the Governor General. Most of these European palaces is now become the state palace of the Republic of Indonesia. Indonesian state palaces are the neoclassical architecture|neoclassic Merdeka Palace and Bogor Palace .
Japan
Tokyo Imperial Palace
Kyoto Imperial Palace
Heian Palace
Korea
Gyeongbokgung
Changdeokgung
Deoksugung
Changgyeonggung
Gyeonghuigung
Malaysia
Istana Alam Shah
Istana Besar
Istana Melawati
Istana Negara, Kuala Lumpur
Istana Seri Menanti
Philippines
During Pre-Hispanic times in the Philippines, the ancient Filipinos built large wooden structures where the Rajah s, Datu s and Lakan s resided, called Torogan (''king's house ). During the Spanish colonization, the Spanish built a palace where the highest officials lived. In Manila , specially in Intramuros they built several palaces from the 16th - 19th century, one of these is the Malacańang Palace which is the official residence of the President and first families, during the 20th century, in the time of Ferdinand Marcos he built the Coconut Palace that was once named Tahanang Pilipino , a palace for the Vice President .
Malacańang Palace
Coconut Palace (a.k.a. Tahanang Pilipino )
Palacio del Gobernador
Palace of Cebu
Thailand
Main|????????????????????????????????? | List of Thai royal residences
King Narai's Palace
Ayutthaya Historical Park
Grand Palace
Front Palace
Chitralada Palace
Bang Pa-In Royal Palace
Sanam Chandra Palace
Phaya Thai Palace
Vimanmek Palace
Mrigadayavan Palace
Phra Nakhon Khiri historical park
Suan Pakkad Palace
Varadis Palace
Windsor Palace (Thailand)
Turkey
In Turkey, the main term of these architectures is "saray" which comes from Persian language|Persian (???? sarai). However small types of them, name "kasir" in Turkish but in english, all these buildings call as palace ( Küçüksu Palace , Turkish language|Turkish : Küçüksu Kasri).
Beylerbeyi Palace in Asian part of Istanbul
Kubadabad Palace , Sultanate of Rum|Seljuk palace
Europe
France
In France there has been a clear distinction between a château and a palais . The palace has always been urban, like the Conciergerie|Palais de la Cité in Paris , which was the royal palace of France and is now the supreme court of justice of France, or the palace of the Pope s at Avignon .
The château, by contrast, has always been in rural settings, supported by its demesne , even when it was no longer actually fortified. Speakers of English think of the " Palace of Versailles " because it was the residence of the king of France, and the king was the source of power, though the building has always remained the Château de Versailles for the French, and the seat of government under the Ancien Régime remained the Palais du Louvre . The Louvre had begun as a fortified Château du Louvre on the edge of Paris, but as the seat of government and shorn of its fortified architecture and then completely surrounded by the city, it developed into the Palais du Louvre .
The hôtel particulier remains the term for an urban residence sited entre cour et jardin , behind a forecourt and opening onto a garden; when fronting directly on streets, they are maisons , "houses". Bishops always had a palais in the town of their diocese, an hôtel in other towns, though they might possess chateaux .
The usage is essentially the same in Italy, Spain and Portugal, as well as the former Austrian Empire . In Vienna , Austria , all large mansions belonging to aristocratic or very wealthy families were traditionally called palais , but this never applied to imperial palaces themselves which were called Burg within the city and Schloss when outside it. In Germany, the wider term was a relatively recent importation, and was used rather more restrictively.
Greece
The best examples of the Bronze Age Greece palace are seen in the excavations at Mycenae , Tiryns and Pylos . That these were administrative centers is shown by the records found there. From an architectural point of view, they were the heirs of the Minoan palaces and also of other palaces built earlier on the Greek mainland. They were ranged around a group of courtyards each opening upon several rooms of different dimensions, such as storerooms and workshops, as well as reception halls and living quarters. The heart of the palace was the megaron . This was the throne room, laid out around a circular hearth surrounded by four columns, the throne generally being found on the right-hand side upon entering the room. The staircases found in the palace of Pylos indicate palaces had two stories. Located on the top floor were probably the private quarters of the royal family and some storerooms. These palaces have yielded a wealth of artifacts and fragmentary frescoes.
Italy
In Italy, any urban building built as a grand residence is a palazzo ; these are often no larger than a Victorian townhouse . It was not necessary to be a nobleman to have your house considered a palazzo ; the hundreds of palaces in Venice nearly all belonged to the Patrician (ancient Rome)|patrician class of the city. In the Middle Ages these also functioned as warehouse s and places of business, as well as homes. Each family's palazzo was a hive that contained all the family members, though it might not always show a grand architectural public front. In the 20th century palazzo in Italian came to apply by extension to any large fine apartment building, as so many old palaces were converted to this use.
Bishop's townhouses were always palaces, and the seat of a localized regime would also be so called. Many former capital display a Ducal Palace|Palazzo Ducale , the seat of the local duke or lord. In Florence and other strong Medieval commune|communal governments , the seat of government was the Palazzo Vecchio|Palazzo della Signoria until in Florence the Medici were made Grand Dukes of Tuscany. Then, when the power center shifted to their residence in Palazzo Pitti , the old center of power began to be called the Palazzo Vecchio .
Portugal
Portugal is a nation with long History of Portugal|history , culture and tradition. The north, with lush green mountains lined with vineyards, the center, with its rolling hills and plains lined with its many villages, as well as is south, with its Mediterranean plains and whitewashed villages nestled atop the promontories overlooking the great Atlantic are characteristically dotted with palaces like few other nations. From the Douro in the north to the Algarve region of the south, these palatial estates run rampant. The homes of royalty is the example of the culture of Portugal. The example of Portugal palaces are Mafra National Palace , Pena National Palace , Belém Palace , Ajuda National Palace , Palácio das Necessidades , Mateus Palace , Palace Hotel of Bussaco , Palácio da Regaleira , and Palácio da Brejoeira .
Russia
The first palaces were built in Russia for about a thousand years ago for the Grand Dukes of Kiev. They were destroyed by the Mongols, and currently they are not preserved. First palaces in European style were built during the reign of tsar Peter I of Russia|Peter the Great and his successors. The example of Russian palaces are, the Palace of Facets (1487–91) in Moscow Kremlin , Tsarevich Dmitry Ivanovich Palace (1489) in Uglich , the Kolomenskoye|Kolomensky Wooden Palace (1528—1532) in Kolomenskoye , the Terem Palace (1635–1636) in Moscow Kremlin , the Menshikov Palace (1710—1727) in Saint Petersburg , the Oranienbaum Palace (1710) in Lomonosov, Russia|Lomonosov , Kikin Hall (1714) in Saint Petersburg , and the Peterhof Palace (1709—1755) in Petergof .
Romania
Palace of the Parliament (Casa Poporului) in Bucharest, Romania, is the largest, most luxurious palace in the world.
Serbia
The two dynasties of post-ottoman Serbia, Karadordevic and Obrenovic built numerous residences throughout their domain. The most prominent and official palaces are the Stari Dvor and the Novi Dvor (Old and New Court, respectively) in the center of Belgrade and the Royal Compound which includes the Beli Dvor and Kraljevski Dvor (Royal Palace) in the Belgrade suburb, Dedinje .
Spain
With over a thousand years of monarchic history, Spain has many palaces of its own that were build for different monarchs or nobles. Among these palaces are the Royal Palace of Madrid , also referred to as the Palacio Real. The palace is the largest palace in Europe with over 2,800 rooms but at the current time is of use for only governmental business while the royal family resides in the smaller Palacio de la Zarzuela.
In addition to the Royal Palace of Madrid, Alcázar of Seville (which mixes, with the delicate Moorish filigree, European Christian architectural styles), the Alhambra , the El Escorial|Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial and the Royal Palace of Aranjuez , fine baroque palace is surrounded by gardens. Currently, the royal family and Prime Minister live in the more modest Palace of Zarzuela and Palace of Moncloa respectively.
Turkey
image:Dolmabahçe Palace 2007.jpg|220px|right|thumb| Dolmabahçe Palace Palaces which are located in Europe land of Turkey, are below. Most of them are from Ottoman period.
Çiragan Palace
Dolmabahçe Palace
Palace of the Porphyrogenitus ( Turkish language|Turkish : Tekfur Sarayi), Byzantine palace
Topkapi Palace
Yildiz Palace
United Kingdom
Main|List of British royal residences In the United Kingdom, by tacit agreement, there have been no "palaces" other than those used as official residences by Royal family|royalty and bishop s, regardless of whether located in town or country. However, not all palaces use the term in their name - see Holyrood Palace . Thus the Palace of Beaulieu gained its name precisely when Thomas Boleyn sold it to Henry VIII of England|Henry VIII in 1517; previously it had been known as Walkfares. But like several other palaces, the name stuck even once the royal connection ended. Blenheim Palace was built, on a different site, in the grounds of the disused royal Woodstock Palace|Palace of Woodstock , and the name was also part of the extraordinary honour when the house was given by a grateful nation to a great general. (Along with several royal and bishop|episcopal palaces in the countryside, Blenheim does demonstrate that "palace" has no specific urban connotations in English.). On the use of the term palace in the UK it is notable that Buckingham Palace was known as Buckingham House before it was acquired by the monarchy.
Other
There are buildings or mansion s in the United States, not quite called "palaces", that have the grandeur of a typical palace, and which have been used as residences. Hearst Castle , the Biltmore Estate , and the White House are examples. Also, the ?Iolani Palace is the former home of the Hawaiian monarchy in Honolulu .
On the Continental Europe|continent of Europe, these royal and episcopal palaces were not merely residences; the clerks who administered the realm or the diocese labored there as well. (To this day many bishops' palaces house both their family apartments and their official offices.) However, unlike the "Palais du Justice" which is often encountered in the French-speaking world, modern British public administration buildings are never called "palaces"; although the formal name for the "Houses of Parliament " is the Palace of Westminster , this reflects Westminster's former role as a royal residence and centre of administration.
In more recent years, the word has been used in a more informal sense for other large, impressive buildings, such as The Crystal Palace of 1851 (an immensely large, glazed hall erected for The Great Exhibition ) and modern arenas-convention centers like Alexandra Palace .
The largest in the world is Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest , Romania Citation needed|date=April 2008. Built during the socialist regime, no effort or expense was spared to raise this colossal neo-classic building.
