It is true that whenever we hear the words “royal family,” we think of the UK and its monarch Queen Elizabeth the Second. There are many other royal families outside the UK, and Buckingham Palace is not the only royal property.
Royal Families around the world, true to their name, reside in one of the most expensive properties. They live like normal humans, but they also hold various political and private events in their grand houses. Most of these properties have a historical or religious background, making them some of the best tourist attraction points in the world.
Following is a list of some of the world’s largest royal properties:
1. Drottningholm Royal Palace, Sweden
Expanded over a massive area of 334,000 square meters, this Royal Palace is a residence for Sweden’s Royal Family. It has five museums and a palace theater that used its original machinery from ancient times. It is composed of about 600 rooms. Its construction started during the 16th century, and since then, it has gone through several renovations. In 1991, UNESCO recognized it as a World Heritage and the finest example of a royal residence.
2. Prince’s Palace of Monaco
This Royal Palace holds a dramatic history. Since its construction in 1191 as a Genoese Fortress, it had been attacked and besieged by many forces from the outside. Although the current Prince of Monaco lives there with his family, the grounds are open to the public. Thousands of tourists visit to experience these historic grounds.
Famous American actress Grace Kelly, who married Prince Rainier of Monaco, helped her husband renovate the palace in 1949 after his succession.
3. The Royal Palace of Madrid, Spain
It is the Spanish royal family’s official residence, but nowadays, it is only used for state ceremonies and events. Stretched across 135,000 square meters, it contains a staggering number of 3,418 rooms. It is the largest palace by floor area in Europe, which is open for public tours every year with different hours for summer and winters.
4. Dar al-Makhzen, The Royal Palace of Morocco
The palace was built in 1864 as a new structure replacing an old fortress. The palace’s vast grounds include private mosques, gardens, and offices. Since it is currently a private residence for King Mohammed VI, you can visit it only by invitation. The only noticeable visible part of the palace is its ornate bronze doors that date back to the 20th century.
5. Mysore Palace, India
India is said to be a heaven for palaces with each better than the previous one. But only the legendary Taj Mahal can compete with this gigantic historical beauty – Mysore Palace. It is located in the city of Mysore in the state of Karnataka. It was considered an official residence for the Wadiyar Dynasty during their reign from 1399 to 1950. Now the palace has been converted into a public museum that is visited by 6 million people every year.
6. The Imperial Palace, Japan
This park-like palace is located in the Chiyoda region of Tokyo. Formerly known as the Edo Castle, it consists of 1.15 square kilometers of gardens and administrative offices. As typical of Japan, the place is loaded with cherry blossom trees, which is a delight to watch in spring. The palace is open to the public for an inside tour twice a year, while the gardens to the East remain open throughout the year. It also has the once tallest castle tower of Japan that was built in 1638.
7. Prague Castle, Czech Republic
Built in the 9th century, this giant castle is an official seat for the Czech Republic president. The castle was home to many Holy Roman Emperors, Bohemian Kings, and presidents. It is said that invaluable jewels are hidden in a secret room in the castle somewhere (not that it will be easy to find them).
Moreover, this castle holds the Guinness World record of being the largest ancient castle in the world, standing at 753,474 square feet.
8. Christiansborg Palace, Denmark
A home for Denmark’s monarchs, this palace includes all three major bodies of the Danish government – legislative, executive, and judicial power. Its construction was completed in 1928. It occupies 51,660 square meters and has survived two major fires – the first one was in 1794, and the other in 1884.
9. Louvre Palace, France
It may come as a surprise for everyone since we have added it to this list, but the famous Louvre Museum is actually a palace. It became an official palace in the 14th century under Charles V. It is the largest art museum in the world, with over 30,000 art pieces up for display. The most famous of those art pieces is Mona Lisa’s original painting by Leonardo da Vinci. The mesmerizing Louvre spreads at a floor area of 210,000 square meters.
10. Winter Palace, Russia
This green and white elegant-looking palace was a house to Russian Monarchs from 1732 to 1917. Since 2021, it is a part of the Hermitage Museums. The palace sits in an area of 60,000 square meters with 1,500 rooms and 117 staircases.
The palace holds a rather disturbing history when the Imperial Guards shot unarmed demonstrators in 1905. The incident is known as the massacre of Bloody Sunday.
11. Windsor Castle, the UK
Famous for the British Royal weddings and ceremonies, we are all familiar with Windsor castle. It is the largest royal property that has been resided by the succeeding royal family.
A fine example of British architecture, Windsor Castle, stands on an area of 55,000 square meters. Queen Elizabeth II uses this castle as her weekend home and arranges many official ceremonies there.
12. Topkapi Palace, Turkey
It was built in the 15th century and was home to many Ottoman Sultans. Its construction was ordered by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror in 1459.
In the local language, Tokpaki means “a new palace.” It covers an estimated area of 70,000 square meters. Currently, it is a major public attraction in Istanbul. Since 1985, UNESCO has recognized it as a World Heritage Site.
13. Bagshot Park
Bagshot Park is located in the village of Bagshot near Windsor. It is stretched to almost 51 acres and was constructed in 1879 for Queen Victoria’s son Prince Arthur. The grand residence has massive 120 rooms in it. In 1998, the property was leased to Prince Edward for 150 years, and he got it renovated according to his likings. The final cost of that renovation was an astounding £2.98 million.
Originally, the estate was a gift from Indian princes who had installed a separate wing for billiard.
14. Quirinal Palace, Italy
This palace actively serves as a private residence for the president of Italy. It prides itself on serving 30 popes, four kings, and 12 presidents of Italy and is considered the eleventh largest palace in the world. Some people compare it by saying that it is twenty times the size of the White House, stretching to an area of 110,500 square meters.
15. Palace of Versailles, France
This palace’s fame is just behind the Louvre Museum and the Eiffel Tower. The never-ending gardens and huge palace structures are bound to attract many visitors every year. The palace was home to the Kingdom of France from 1682 to 1789. It occupies a floor area of 67,000 square meters.
Since 1979, this palace is under UNESCO’s world heritage.
Royal Properties – A Historical Affair
We have mentioned only a handful of the world’s largest royal properties. These jaw-dropping structures signify the power that their owners held throughout their reigns. They are nothing but a sight to behold because of the sheer beauty and enormity they possess.