You are invited to tour the finest royal stately homes in Europe. Many European sovereigns were outstanding builders. Palaces and royal residences have now opened their doors to savour their history.
Ansicht der Gartenseite über das Bassin © SPSG / Foto: Hans Bach
The Great Parterre lying like a colourful carpet in front of the garden façade of the palace © Julius Silver, Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebges.m.b.H.
©M.Vanhulst
Wiew of the Palace © Patrimonio Nacional
© christian-Milet
North facade © Domaine national de Chambord
© Gödöllői Királyi Kastély
Facade of the Castle © Direzione Regionale per i beni Culturali e Paesaggistici del Piemonte (foto A.Longo)
Main facade © Soprintendenza BAPSAE
Facade of the palace © Stichting Paleis Het Loo Nationaal Museum, Apeldoorn
Gate © Zbigniew Reszka
Front Gardens showing the Baroque facade of the Queen s State Apartments designed by Sir Christopher Wren for Queen Mary II. © Historic Royal Palaces/newsteam.co.uk
The Royal palace © The Royal Collections
Catherine Block © Peterhof Museum
Facade © H. Ruas
© NES – Serviços de imagens e documentação aérea
The exhibition "Flower Palace Het Loo" gives an impression of the role of fragrant flowers and plants at court, their signification and history. Visitors can discover paintings but also decorative art objects as potpourri dishes, flower vases and precious perfume bottles. The summer planting in gardens has been specially selected for the occasion.
Royal residence only fifteen minutes away from Lisbon, the National Palace of Queluz is a major reference in the Portuguese architecture and landscaping, from Baroque, through Rococo, to Neoclassicism, reflecting royal taste of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Hanging Garden and Robillion Pavilion © DGPC/Carlos Pombo
The National Palace of Sintra is located in the historic town centre, 30 km from Lisbon, in the Cultural Landscape of Sintra, a World Heritage Site since 1995. As a residence of the Moorish governors (walis), the palace, as well as the Castle on top of the mountain, is mentioned for the first time in the 10th century, by the Arab geographer Al-Bacr.
National Palace of Sintra © Emigus
On top of the mountain of Sintra, the Palace of Pena is the result of the creative genius of Ferdinand II of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, King consort and husband of Queen Maria II. It is the greatest example of 19th century Romanticism in Portugal and the most important element in the Cultural Landscape of Sintra, a World Heritage Site.
National Palace of Pena © Nuno Cardal
On December 23rd, 2012, the ResMusica website has released an article written by Frédéric Muñoz on the six organs of the National Palace of Mafra’s basilica.
To read the article (in French):
http://www.resmusica.com/2012/12/23/les-six-orgues-du-palais-royal-de-mafra-au-portugal/
