The act of determining the world´s largest palaces is difficult as many countries use different standards to claim their palaces are the largest. In fact, even the definition of palace itself is quite ambiguous. Some sources claim a palace must have once been intended for use as a royal residence, while another frequently used definition says a palace is the official residence of a sovereign, chief of state (as a monarch or a president), archbishop or bishop. However, despite these controversies, there is a commonly accepted rank of the world´s largest palaces and you can check it out in this post. From the Royal Palace of Brussels to the Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest, here are top Largest Palaces In The World.
Royal Palace of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Completed in 1755, the Royal Palace of Madrid is the official residence of the Spanish Royal Family but is only used for state ceremonies. With an incredible 3,418 rooms, it is currently the largest functioning palace in Europe. It has a floor space of 135,000 sq m (1,453,000 sq ft).
Malbork Castle, Malbork, Poland
Originally built as a fortress by the Teutonic Knights, a German Roman Catholic religious order of crusaders, the Malbork Castle served as one of several Polish royal residences. Nowadays, the castle hosts exhibitions and a museum. With its floor area of 143,000 sq m (1,540,000 sq ft), it is the ninth largest palace in the world.
Forbidden City, Beijing, China
The Forbidden City was a Chinese imperial palace from the Ming dynasty to the Qing dynasty (1420 to 1912). Located in the centre of Beijing, it served as the home of emperors and their households as well as the ceremonial and political centre of Chinese government. It consists of 980 buildings and boasts a floor space of 150,000 sq m (1,615,000 sq ft).
Apostolic Palace, Vatican City, Vatican
Located in the Vatican City, the Apostolic Palace is the official residence of the Pope. The building contains the Papal Apartments, various offices of the Catholic Church and the Holy See, private and public chapels, Vatican Museums, and the Vatican Library. The total area of the palace is 162,000 sq m (1,744,000 sq ft).
Istana Nurul Iman, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
Completed in 1984 at the cost of US$ 1.5 billion, Istana Nurul Iman is the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei and the seat of the Brunei government. Upon its completion, it was the largest residential palace in the world and the largest single-family residence ever built. It has a floor area of 200,000 sq m (2,153,000 sq ft).
Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi, India
Formerly known as the Viceroy’s House, Rashtrapati Bhavan is the official home of the President of India. Located at the Western end of Rajpath in New Delhi, the palace has a total floor area of 200,000 sq m (2,153,000 sq ft), which makes it the fifth largest palace in the world.
Ak Saray, Ankara, Turkey
Located in Ankara, Ak Saray is the presidential palace of Turkey. It has at least 1,150 rooms, additional guesthouses, botanical garden, situation room with satellite and military communications systems, bunkers able to withstand biological, nuclear and chemical weapons attack, park and congress center. It has a floor area of 200,000 sq m (2,153,000 sq ft).
Louvre Palace, Paris, France
Originally a fortress built in the medieval period, the Louvre Palace became a royal palace in the 14th century under Charles V and was used from time to time by the kings of France as their main Paris residence. These days, most of the building is used as a museum. The palace occupies an area of 210,000 sq m (2,260,000 sq ft).
Hofburg Palace, Vienna, Austria
Built in the 13th century and expanded since then, the Hofburg Palace is a former imperial palace that housed some of the most powerful people in European and Austrian history, including monarchs of the Habsburg dynasty, rulers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The palace has 2,600 rooms and a total floor area of 240,000 sq m (2,583,000 sq ft).
Palace of the Parliament, Bucharest, Romania
Located in Central Bucharest, the Palace of the Parliament is the seat of the Parliament of Romania. Apart from being the world´s largest palace, it is the heaviest building in the world, the second largest administrative building in the world and the fourth biggest building in the world. The palace has a floor space of 330,000 sq m (3,552,000 sq ft). |
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