Top 10 Largest palaces in the world 

1. Palace of Versailles, France

Once the primary residence of the French kings (from Louis XIV to Louis XVI), the Palace of Versailles is the epitome of royal opulence and architectural grandeur. Originating from humble beginnings, the palace started out as a hunting lodge, constructed by Louis XIII in 1624. Louis XIV extended the site and moved his entire court from the French capital to Versailles in 1682. 

2. Alhambra, Spain

Claiming the title of Spain’s most visited attraction, the Alhambra is part palace, part fortress and part manicured gardens, set among the rolling hills of Granada on Spain’s Costa del Sol. It’s regarded as an iconic example of Islamic architecture and dates back to the 13th century, although much of its history remains shrouded in mystery and some historians believe it may be built upon existing ancient Roman ruins.

3. Palacio Real, Spain

Another Hispanic palace, the Palacio Real stands proud in the centre of Madrid. A neat jewel-box of a building, it’s now only used for royal ceremonies, although it did serve as the designated residence of the royal family until 1975. 

4. Pena Palace, Portugal

Emerging out of a forest-clad hillside in the Sintra Mountains, the Romanticist-style Pena Palace wouldn’t look out of place within the pages of a fairy-tale. Originally a medieval chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Pena, the palace features bright, Crayola-coloured red and yellow buildings, trimmed with refined white battlements and layered with detailed blue mosaics.

5. Royal Palace of Rabat, Morocco

One of four royal palaces in Morocco, Dar al-Makhzen (Royal Palace of Rabat) is the primary dwelling of the king (the others are located in Casablanca, Fez and Marrakesh). As an active residence, you’ll unfortunately have to admire the eye-catching architecture from outside its seven striking front gates.

6. Mysore Palace, India

Nicknamed the ‘City of Palaces’, any of Mysore’s seven could have been included on our list of the most beautiful palaces in India. The Mysore Palace is undoubtedly the Indian city’s most famous, dating back to 1912 and previously the abode of the Wadiyar dynasty. Also referred to as Amba Vilas Palace, Mysore is instantly identifiable, with its grand archways flanked by rectangular pale-pink buildings and crowned with maroon-hued orbs.

7. The Grand Palace, Thailand

Thailand’s Grand Palace, located in the heart of Bangkok, is more accurately described as a sprawling complex of courts, temples and throne halls. Construction began in 1782 and it became the royal family’s official home until 1925. Additional edifices were gradually added over time, numbering as many as 100, most of which are designed in Ratanakosin (old-Bangkok) style.

8. Buckingham Palace, London

One of the most well-known names on our list of the most beautiful palaces in the world, Buckingham Palace remains the residence of the British royal family. Dating back to 1703, the 775-room palace replaced St James’ as the monarch’s official home in 1837. Today, the King’s presence is denoted by the red, blue and yellow Royal Standard flag, while the Union Flag is flown to mark her absence.

9. Topkapi Palace, Turkey

Following his conquest of Constantinople in 1459, Sultan Mehmed II commissioned the construction of Topkapi Palace on the banks of the Bosphorus and it became the home of future sultans until the 18th century. The impressive edifice was once home to 5,000 residents and there’s no doubt that the palace possesses a storied and salacious history.

10. Palazzo Pitti, Italy

Situated on the southern side of Florence’s River Arno, Palazzo Pitti was commissioned by (and named after) Florentine banker Luca Pitti in 1458. It was subsequently bought by the Medici family and came to represent their power over the region of Tuscany, before housing the Courts of both the Habsburg-Lorraine and Savoy dynasties (until 1919, when it was donated to the state).