The following is a list of palaces by country.

Afghanistan

Albania

Algeria

Armenia

Urartu and Satrapy of Armenia

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Erebuni Palace

Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)

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Summer Palace of Khosrovidukht

Bagratid Armenia

Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia

Armenian Melikdoms

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The Palace of Armenian Melik Haykazyan

Iranian Armenia

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Hall of mirrors in Sardars Palace of Yerevan
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Melik-Aghamalyan's Palace in Kond

Armenia

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Presidential Palace in Yerevan

Australia

Austria

Azerbaijan

Bangladesh

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Ahsan Manzil in Dhaka

Belarus

Belgium

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The Royal Palace of Brussels

Brussels

Elsewhere

Benin

Bhutan

Bolivia

Brazil

Brunei

Bulgaria

Varna and Black Sea coast

  • Euxinograd – former royal summer residence located on the Black Sea coast, in the outskirts of Varna. The palace is currently a governmental and presidential retreat hosting cabinet meetings in the summer and offering access for tourists to several villas and hotels as well as the gardens.
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Euxinograd Palace, Varna.

Ruse

Sofia

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Battenberg Palace, Ruse.

Other Historic Palaces

The following are historic strongholds throughout the years in the different capitals of Bulgaria. They often housed the royal and patriarchal palaces and are enclosed in defensive walls around their perimeter.

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Royal Palace of Sofia, now houses the National Art Gallery.

Other Royal Palaces

These are mostly hunting lodges and retreats for the Bulgarian Royal Family, located in the Rila Mountain range.

Burundi

Cambodia

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Royal Palace of Cambodia: Throne Hall (left) and the Khemarin Palace (right)

Canada

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Rideau Hall.

Residences of provincial Lieutenant-Governors:

Chile

China

The English word "palace" is used to translated the Chinese word 宮 (pronounced "gōng" in Mandarin). This character represents two rooms connected (呂), under a roof (宀). Originally the character applied to any residence or mansion, but starting with the Qin dynasty (3rd century BC) it was used only for the residence of the emperor and members of the imperial family. Chinese palaces are different from post-Renaissance European palaces in the sense that they are not made up of one building only (however big and convoluted the building may be), but are in fact huge spaces surrounded by a wall and containing large separated halls (殿 diàn) for ceremonies and official business, as well as smaller buildings, galleries, courtyards, gardens, and outbuildings, more like the Roman or Carolingian palatium.

The world's largest palace to have ever existed,[12] the Weiyang Palace, was built in the Han dynasty. The world's largest palace currently still in existence,[13][14][15] the Forbidden City, was constructed in the Ming dynasty.

List of Chinese imperial palaces, in chronological order

This is an incomplete list of Chinese palaces.

  • Xianyang Palace (咸陽宮), in (Qin) Xianyang (咸陽), now 15 km/9 miles east of modern Xianyang, Shaanxi province: this was the royal palace of the state of Qin before the Chinese unification, and then the palace of the First Emperor when China was unified.
  • Epang Palace (阿房宮 – probable meaning: "The Palace on the Hill"), 20 km/12 miles south of (Qin) Xianyang (咸陽), now 15 km/9 miles west of Xi'an (西安), Shaanxi province: the fabulous imperial palace built by the First Emperor in replacement of Xianyang Palace.
  • Weiyang Palace (未央宮 – "The Endless Palace"), in (Han) Chang'an (長安), now 7 km/4 miles northeast of downtown Xi'an (西安), Shaanxi province: imperial palace of the prestigious Western Han dynasty for two centuries. This is the largest palace ever built on Earth,[12] covering 4.8 km2 (1,200 acres), which is 6.7 times the size of the Forbidden City, or 11 times the size of the Vatican City.
  • Southern Palace (南宮) and Northern Palace (北宮), in Luoyang (洛陽), Henan province: imperial palaces of the Eastern Han Dynasty for two centuries, the Southern Palace being used for court hearings and audiences, Northern Palace being the private residence of the emperor and his concubines.
  • Taiji Palace (太極宮 – "Palace of the Supreme Ultimate"), also known as the Western Apartments (西内), in (Tang) Chang'an (長安), now downtown Xi'an (西安), Shaanxi province: imperial palace during the Sui dynasty (who called it Daxing Palace – 大興宮, "Palace of Great Prosperity") and in the beginning of the Tang dynasty (until A.D. 663). Area: 4.2 km2 (1,040 acres), imperial section proper: 1.92 km2 (474 acres).
  • Daming Palace (大明宮 – "Palace of Great Brightness"), also known as the Eastern Apartments (東内), in (Tang) Chang'an (長安), now downtown Xi'an (西安), Shaanxi province: imperial palace of the Tang dynasty after A.D. 663 (it was briefly named Penglai Palace (蓬萊宮) between 663 and 705), but the prestigious Taiji Palace remained used for major state ceremonies such as coronations. Area: 3.11 km2 (768 acres), almost 4.5 times the size of the Forbidden City.
  • Kaifeng Imperial Palace (東京大内皇宮), in Dongjing (東京), now called Kaifeng (開封), Henan province: imperial palace of the Northern Song dynasty.
  • Hangzhou Imperial Palace (臨安大内禁宮), in Lin'an (臨安), now called Hangzhou (杭州), Zhejiang province: imperial palace of the Southern Song dynasty.
  • Karakorum (哈拉和林), site of the imperial palace of the Mongol Empire.
  • Shangdu (元上都) and Khanbaliq (元大都), locations of the imperial palaces of the Yuan dynasty.
  • Ming Imperial Palace (明故宮), in Nanjing (南京), Jiangsu province: imperial palace of the Ming dynasty until 1421.
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Hall of Supreme Harmony, Forbidden City, Beijing
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Xinhua Gate, formal entrance to the Zhongnanhai compound.
  • Forbidden City (紫禁城), now known in China as Beijing's Old Palace (北京故宫), in Jingshi (京師), now called Beijing (北京): imperial palace of the Ming dynasty and Qing dynasty from 1421 until 1924. Area: 720,000 m2 (178 acres). The Forbidden City is the world's largest palace currently in existence.[13][14][15]

Apart from the main imperial palace, Chinese dynasties also had several other imperial palaces in the capital city where the empress, crown prince, or other members of the imperial family dwelled. There also existed palaces outside of the capital city called "away palaces" (離宮) where the emperors resided when traveling. The habit also developed of building garden estates in the countryside surrounding the capital city, where the emperors retired at times to get away from the rigid etiquette of the imperial palace, or simply to escape from the summer heat inside their capital. This practice reached a zenith with the Qing dynasty, whose emperors built the fabulous Imperial Gardens (御園), now known in China as the Gardens of Perfect Brightness (圓明園), and better known in English as the Old Summer Palace. The emperors of the Qing Dynasty resided and worked in the Imperial Gardens, 8 km/5 miles outside of the walls of Beijing, the Forbidden City inside Beijing being used only for formal ceremonies.

These gardens were made up of three gardens: the Garden of Perfect Brightness proper, the Garden of Eternal Spring (長春園), and the Elegant Spring Garden (綺春園); they covered a huge area of 3.5 km2 (865 acres), almost 5 times the size of the Forbidden City, and 8 times the size of the Vatican City. comprising hundreds of halls, pavilions, temples, galleries, gardens, lakes, etc. Several famous landscapes of southern China had been reproduced in the Imperial Gardens, hundreds of invaluable Chinese art masterpieces and antiquities were stored in the halls, making the Imperial Gardens one of the largest museum in the world. Some unique copies of literary work and compilations were also stored inside the Imperial Gardens. In 1860, during the Second Opium War, the British and French expeditionary forces looted the Old Summer Palace. Then on October 18, 1860, in order to "punish" the imperial court, which had refused to allow Western embassies inside Beijing, the British general Lord Elgin – with protestations from the French – purposely ordered to set fire to the huge complex which burned to the ground. It took 3500 British troops to set the entire place ablaze and took three whole days to burn. The burning of the Gardens of Perfect Brightness is still a very sensitive issue in China today.

Following this cultural catastrophe, the imperial court was forced to relocate to the old and austere Forbidden City where it stayed until 1924, when the Last Emperor was expelled by a republican army. Empress dowager Cixi (慈禧太后) built the Summer Palace (頤和園 – "The Garden of Nurtured Harmony") near the Old Summer Palace, but on a much smaller scale than the Old Summer Palace. There are currently some projects in China to rebuild the Imperial Gardens, but this appears as a colossal undertaking, and no rebuilding has started yet.

Other palaces

Some other palaces include:

Colombia

Croatia

Czech Republic

Prague

Elsewhere

Denmark

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Amalienborg Palace

Egypt

Pharaonic

Ptolemaic

Roman

  • 100 AD Roman palace at El Haiz area in the Bahariya Oasis, western desert.

Arab-Islamic

Modern Egypt

Estonia

Ethiopia

  • Jubilee Palace (National Palace) – seat of the president, former imperial palace

Finland

France

Georgia

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Dadiani Palace Zugdidi, Georgia

Germany

Ghana

  • The Manhyia Palace (Asantehene's Palace) – seat of the Asantehene of Ashanti, Kumasi
  • The Flagstaff House (Presidential Palace) – seat of government until the late 1970s, Accra
  • The Christianborg (Osu Castle) – former seat of the government till December 2008, Accra
  • The Golden Jubilee Palace (Presidential Palace) formerly known as the "Flagstaff House" – seat of Government since December 2008, Accra

The Abampredease Palace. Palace of Dormaahene

Greece

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The Old Royal Palace today

Haiti

Hungary

India

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Khas Mahal, Agra Fort, Agra
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British Residency in Asramam, Kollam city
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Lake Palace in Udaipur
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Kohra Palace
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Hazarduari Palace was the residence of the Nawabs of Bengal and is now a museum.
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Red Fort in Delhi.
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Cooch Behar Palace

Indonesia

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Istana Merdeka, the President Official Residence in Jakarta.
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Istana Bogor, the Presidential Palace in Bogor.
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Istana Maimun or Maimun Palace, seat of Sultanate of Deli in Medan.
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Puri Agung Klungkung or Klungkung Palace, seat of Kingdom of Klungkung in Klungkung Regency, Bali.
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Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat or Yogyakarta Royal Palace, seat of Sultanate of Yogyakarta in Yogyakarta.
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Kraton Surakarta Hadiningrat or Surakarta Royal Palace, seat of Sunanate of Surakarta in Surakarta.

Presidential palaces

Royal palaces

Iran

Palaces and pavilions

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The ruins of Apadana palace in Persepolis (built 2500 years ago during the reign of the Achaemenid Empire)
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The ruins of Tachara palace in Persepolis (exclusive palace of Darius the Great, one of the interior palaces in Persepolis)
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Falak-ol-Aflak Castle, Khorramabad
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Ali Qapu in Isfahan
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Tabriz Municipality Palace

Castles and citadels

Iraq

Italy

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View of the gardens of Caserta
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Ca' Rezzonico, Venice

Rome

Florence

Venice

Elsewhere

Japan

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View on Seimon Ishibashi and moat of Imperial Palace, Tokyo

Jordan

Raghadan Palace, Amman. Royal Residence of the Hussein Family

Korea

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Gyeongbok Palace, Seoul
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Gyeongbok Palace and the Blue House, Seoul
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Deoksu Palace, Seoul

Kuwait

  • Seif Palace – the official residence of the head of state
  • Bayan Palace
  • Al Salam Palace – Currently a Museum
  • Kuwait Red Palace – Currently a Museum
  • Dasman Palace – Established in 1904, Sheikh Ahmed Al-Sabah, the tenth ruler of Kuwait in 1930 made it his official residence, It is currently one of Kuwait's historic palaces.
  • Mishref Palace – Located in Mishref and was Built by Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah in 1900, it was restored in the early 1940s.
  • Naif Palace – built In 1919, during the reign of Sheikh Salem Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. It is currently the Building of Al Asimah Governorate.

Laos

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  • Haw Kham (Presidential Palace) – former residence of President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Vientiane
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Latvia

Lebanon

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The Grand Serail in Beirut in the late 1800s
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Panoramic view of the Beiteddine Palace

Lithuania

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Presidential Palace in Vilnius

Luxembourg

Malaysia

Mexico

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National Palace of Mexico
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Mexico City's Palace of Fine Arts

Monaco

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The Princely Palace of Monaco

Mongolia

Morocco

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The gates of the Royal Palace in Fez
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Restored salon in the Dar Jamai in Meknes

Myanmar

Nepal

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Narayanhiti Palace

The Netherlands

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Soestdijk Palace
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Het Loo Palace

New Zealand

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Mahinarangi meeting house

Apart from the large complex at Tūrangawaewae Marae located in the town of Ngāruawāhia, the previous Māori Monarch Te Atairangikaahu had a home at Waahi Marae in Huntly where she lived for most of her 40-year reign with her consort Whatumoana Paki. The Māori King or Queen are required to attend 33 Poukai annually conducted at Marae loyal to the Kingitangi movement. Many of these Marae maintain residences for the Māori King or Queen for them to use during such visits.

Nigeria

Norway

Oman

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Al Alam Palace

Pakistan

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Mohatta Palace in Karachi, Pakistan.
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Noor Mahal in Bahawalpur, Pakistan.

Paraguay

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Lopez Presidential Palace in Asunción, Paraguay

Peru

Philippines

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The Mansion, Baguio.
  • Coconut Palace
  • Malacañang Palace – the official residence of the president of the Philippines, Manila
  • Malacañang sa Sugbo – the presidential residence in Cebu City
  • The Mansion, Baguio – the presidential residence in Baguio
  • Palacio del Gobernador – historical official residence of former Governor Generals, now used as a government building
  • Ayuntamiento de Manila – former official residence and office of the Mayor of Manila, now houses the Bureau of Treasury.
  • Archbishop's Palace – historical residence of the Arzobispo de Manila in Intramuros
  • Archbishop's Palace – current residence of the Arzobispo de Manila in Villa San Miguel, Mandaluyong.
  • Archbishop's Palace – temporary residence of the Archbishop of Manila in the past, located in San Fernando, Pampanga
  • The Astana Putih or The Sultan's Palace – original residence of the Sultan of Sulu located in Maimbung, Sulu.
  • Torogan – Classical period residences for maranao Sultan.

Poland

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Royal Palace, Warsaw
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Palace on the Water in Warsaw
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Branicki Palace in Białystok
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Krasiński Palace, Warsaw
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Rogalin Palace
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Sobański Palace
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Żyrowa Palace

Warsaw

Portugal

Qatar

  • Al Rayyan Palace
  • Al Wukair Palace
  • Markhiya Palace
  • Barzan Palace
  • Amiri Diwan Palace
  • Umm Salal Palace
  • Al Wajbah Palace
  • Al Gharrafa Palace
  • Al Jassasiya Palace
  • Al Mirgab Palace
  • Al Waab Palace

Romania

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Patriarchal Palace, Bucharest

Bucharest

Russia

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Terem Palace
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Winter Palace
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Peterhof Palace
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Catherine Palace
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Gatchina Palace
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Massandra Palace

Gatchina

Kaliningrad

Moscow

Oranienbaum

Pavlovsk

Pella

Peterhof

Pushkin

Ramon

Saint Petersburg

Strelna

Taganrog

Tver

Rwanda

Saudi Arabia

Serbia

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Royal Palace of the Obrenović dynasty of Serbia, presently housing the City Assembly of Belgrade

Singapore

Slovakia

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Grassalkovich Palace, Bratislava

South Africa

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Palace of Justice, Pretoria

Spain

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Palacio Real, Madrid
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Olite palace
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Palau Reial Major
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Palacio de San Telmo
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La Granja Palace

Sri Lanka

Sweden

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The Royal Palace in Stockholm
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Drottningholm Palace

Skåne

The province of Skåne (Scania) in southernmost Sweden is well known for its many castles.

Syria

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Facade of the Azm Palace of Damascus

Taiwan

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Presidential Office Building, Taipei
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Taipei Guest House, Taipei
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Shilin Official Residence

Thailand

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Grand Palace, Bangkok
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Sanamchan Palace, Nakhon Pathom
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Bang Pa-In Royal Palace, Ayutthaya Province
  • Ancient Grand Palace (พระราชวังโบราณ) – Former Main Palace of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, Ayutthaya
  • Baan Puen Palace (พระรามราชนิเวศน์) – Phetchaburi
  • Bang Pa-In Royal Palace (พระราชวังบางปะอิน) – Summer Palace, Ayutthaya
  • Bang Khun Phrom Palace (วังบางขุนพรหม) – currently, as the Bank of Thailand, Bangkok
  • Bhuban Palace (พระตำหนักภูพานราชนิเวศน์) – royal residence, Sakon Nakhon Province
  • Bhubing Palace (พระตำหนักภูพิงราชนิเวศน์) – royal residence, Chiang Mai
  • Burapha Phirom Palace (วังบูรพาภิรมย์) – currently, as a market, Bangkok
  • Chakrabongse Palace (วังจักรพงษ์) – currently, as a private resort, Bangkok
  • Chakri Bongkot Palace (พระตำหนักจักรีบงกช) – Private residence of the Thai royal family, Bangkok
  • Chankasem Palace (วังจันทรเกษม)
  • Derm Palace (พระราชวังเดิม) or Thon Buri Palace – It was the palace of King Taksin, now used as HQ of Royal Thai Navy
  • Doi Tung Palace (พระตำหนักดอยตุง) – royal residence, Chiang Rai
  • Dusit Palace (พระราชวังดุสิต) – Private residence of the Thai royal family, Bangkok
    • Chitralada Palace (พระตำหนักจิตรลดารโหฐาน) (New Palace) – Private residence of the Thai royal family, Bangkok
    • Vimanmek Palace (พระที่นั่งวิมานเมฆ) (Vimanmek Mansion) – former royal residence, Bangkok
  • Front Palace (พระราชวังบวรสถานมงคล) – currently, as Bangkok National Museum, Bangkok
  • Grand Palace, Bangkok (พระบรมมหาราชวัง) – official residence of the King of Thailand, Bangkok
  • Kham Yat Palace - (พระตำหนักคำหยาด) residence of King Boromakot of Ayutthaya (r. 1733-1758)
  • King Narai's Palace (พระนารายณ์ราชนิเวศน์) – Lopburi
  • Klai Kangwon Palace (วังไกลกังวล) – royal residence, King Rama IX likes there, Hua Hin
  • Le Dix Palace (พระตำหนักเลอดิศ) – Private residence of the Thai royal family, Bangkok
  • Marukatayawan Summer Palace (พระราชนิเวศน์มฤคทายวัน) – Phetchaburi
  • Nakorn Luang Palace (ปราสาทนครหลวง) – Nakorn Luang, Ayutthaya
  • Nonthaburi Palace (พระตำหนักนนทบุรี) – former private residence of the Thai royal family, Bangkok
  • Phanakornkiri Palace (พระราชวังพระนครคีรี) – Phetchaburi
  • Phetchabun Palace (วังเพ็ชรบูรณ์) – currently, as CentralWorld, Bangkok
  • Phya Thai Palace (พระราชวังพญาไท) – Bangkok
  • Rear Palace (พระราชวังบวรสถานพิมุข) – It is now a part of Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok
  • Sanamchan Palace (พระราชวังสนามจันทร์) – King Rama VI's Palace, Nakhon Pathom
  • Saranrom Palace (พระราชวังสราญรมย์) – currently, as a Saranrom Park, Bangkok
  • Siriyalai Palace (พระตำหนักสิริยาลัย) – private residence of the Thai royal family, Ayutthaya
  • Sa Pathum Palace (วังสระปทุม) – private residence of the Thai royal family, Bangkok
  • Suan Pakard Palace (วังสวนผักกาด) – currently, as a museum, Bangkok
  • Sukhothai Palace (วังศุโขทัย) – Private residence of the Thai royal family, Bangkok
  • Taksin Palace (พระตำหนักทักษิณราชนิเวศน์) – royal residence, Narathiwat Province
  • Thapra Palace (วังท่าพระ) – currently, as a university, Bangkok
  • Tuk Palace – Ayutthaya Palace, Ayutthaya
  • Waradit Palace (วังวรดิศ) – currently, as a museum, Bangkok

Tonga

  • Royal Palace, Tonga-Royal Palace of the Kingdom of Tonga is located in the northwest of the capital, Nukuʻalofa, close to the Pacific Ocean.

Tunisia

Turkey

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Dolmabahçe Palace, Istanbul
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Beylerbeyi Palace, İstanbul

In Turkish, a palace is a Saray.

Turkmenistan

Ukraine

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Potocki Palace, Lviv
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Livadia Palace

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom

United States

Colorado

District of Columbia

Florida

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Government House, 2011

Guam

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Plaza de España, Almacen Entrance
  • Plaza de España - the site of the palace of the Spanish Governors of Guam. The palace itself was largely destroyed during the liberation of Guam however many outlying structures still stand and there are plans to possibly reconstruct the palace in the future.[74]

Hawaiʻi

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ʻIolani Palace, Honolulu

New Jersey

  • Proprietary House – Home of both the Proprietary Governors of New Jersey from 1766 to 1773 and the Royal Governor of New Jersey, William Franklin from 1774 to 1776.

New Mexico

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Palace of the Governors, Santa Fe

North Carolina

Pennsylvania

  • Pennsbury Manor – Home of William Penn as Proprietor of Pennsylvania from 1683 to 1701.

Puerto Rico

Texas

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Bishop's Palace, Galveston circa 1970
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Inside of Spanish Governor's Palace in San Antonio, Texas

Virginia

Vatican City

Venezuela

Vietnam

List of non-residential palaces

Some large impressive buildings which were not meant to be residences, but are nonetheless called palaces, include:

Note, too, the French use of the word palais in such constructions as palais des congrès (convention centre) and palais de justice (courthouse).

See also

References

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