14 MOST BREATHTAKING PALACE OF THE WORLD

                                                              MYSORE PALACE

     This palace, also known as the ‘ Amba Vilas Palace,' is the residence of the erstwhile royal family
     of Mysore, the Wodeyars. The palace is well maintained and architecturally stunning. The grounds      are home to Mysore's golf course.

                                                            JAISALMER PALACE

   Also known as 'Rajmahal,' this erstwhile royal residence in Jaisalmer was constructed around 1500.    With well-kept grounds and fully renovated sections the palace draws a steady stream of visitors.

                                                            LUXEMBOURG PALACE

  The Luxembourg palace was built as a royal residence for Marie de Médicis, mother of King Louis     XIII of France and is located in the heart of the 6th arrondissement in Paris. The palace has the           second largest park in city and is a popular spot for people looking to escape the hustle and bustle of   Paris.

                                                                     LAXMI VILAS

 Lakshmi Vilas Palace, an extravagant building of the Indo-Saracenic school, was built by Maharaja  Sayajirao Gaekwad III in 1890.The palace is the chief private residence built till date and is four  times the size of Buckingham Palace. At the time of construction it boasted the most contemporary  facilities such as elevators and the interior is reminiscent of a large European country house. It  remains the residence of the Royal Family, who continues to be held in high esteem by the residents  of Baroda.

                                                            GRAND PALACE

 This grand palace was built in the mid-17th century during the reign of Louis XIV to showcase the  absolute power of the French monarchy, which was then at the zenith of its glory. Its size and decor  reflects the Louis XIV's taste for extravagant luxury.

                                                                            

                                                      LAKE GARDEN PALACE

 Built on an island in the Lake Pichola in Udaipur, this is also known as the 'Lake Garden Palace.'  The palace's construction is credited to the Sisodia Rajput dynasty of Mewar. The erstwhile royal  family used the palace as a summer retreat.

                                                    PENA NATIONAL PALACE

 Built in 1842 by King Ferdinand II, the Pena National Palace in Portugal is the oldest European  castle of the Romantic era. The palace was built on the ruins of a monastery severely damaged in the  Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755. Today, with it's unique red and yellow facade restored, it's one of  Portugal’s most visited monuments.

                                                               CHANDRA MAHAL

 This palace in Jaipur includes the Chandra Mahal and Mubarak Mahal Palaces amongst other  historical structures within its grounds.

                                                     DOLMABAHCE PALACE, TURKEY

 This palace, built in 19th century, was the administrative centre of the Ottoman Empire and served as  the residence for the last Sultan. Popular Turkish leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk used the palace as a  residence.

 

                                     NATIONAL PALACE OF QUELUZ, PORTUGAL

 Located between Lisbon and Sintra, the National palace of Queluz is one of the leading examples of  the rococo and neoclassical architectural styles from the second half of the 18th century in Portugal.  The palace was initially designed as a summer house and was the preferred place for the royal  family’s leisure and entertainment.

                                                  POTALA PALACE, LHASA

 The glorious Potala Palace, once the seat of the Tibetan government, and the winter abode of the  Dalai Lamas, was once Lhasa's prime landmark.The palace has a spectacular architecture consisting  of 13 storeys from the 130 metre-high Marpo Ri (Red Hill) and has more than a thousand rooms.  Closer to home, the Thiksey Monastery in Leh, India, bears more than a striking resemblance to the  palace becasue of which it's known as 'mini-Potala.'

                                        MASSANDRA PALACE, CRIMEA, UKRAINE

 A hunting lodge built to resemble a French vineyard, this turreted palace was completed by Tsar  Alexander III in 1889. The restored palace contains paintings and antique furniture.

                                                   SUMMER PALACE, BEIJING

 The Summer Palace is in fact a conglomeration of lakes, gardens and palaces in Beijing, China.  Dominated by Longevity Hill and the Kunming Lake, the palace's grounds cover almost three square  kilomtres, two-thirds of which are taken by water bodies. The palace was a former playground for  emperors fleeing the suffocating summer torpor of the old imperial city. It is only a short drive (15  km) from central Beijing.