Castles & Palaces

[Smokey]

Hi Guys

I've got a major interest in History and absolutely LOVE visiting Castles and Palaces

so far i've been to Hampton Court, Hever Castle, Windsor Castle, Tower Of London, Guildford Castle ( local to me but unfortunately is mainly ruins now), Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace and Warwick Castle and this weekend i'm so very excited as i'm going to the Palace of Versailles

Does anyone else enjoy visiting these sorts of places? And if so which one's your favorite?

For me it would have to be a three way tie between Windsor, Hever & Hampton Court, Windsor- because of how old it is ( over 900 years) and the fact that pretty all kings and queens since william the conqueror have lived there, it's history is just so rich.

and Hever because i am very interested in the Tudor period ( especially the story of Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth 1) and i just love how it's a small intimate castle with a mote around it, and a drawbridge ( plus a pretty cool maze)

and Hampton Court again i love the Tudor Period, the stories there, the design the gardens etc..

James

[count tiszula]

In my youth no excursion was really complete without a castle [or palace].

My favourite is still Hampton Court [though it is indeed difficult to beat Windsor]; I actually prefer it to Versailles [though I suspect it has been much improved since I visited]. Of course the Louvre is a palace, and a sadly negected one in Paris is the Conciergerie. Fontainebleau is fab, and of the chateaux near Paris, Chantilly is perhaps the top.

Where else to go on? It's funny how some people still prefer a romantic ruin to a a fabulously beautiful country house. Blenheim, of course, Arundel, Bodiam, Castle Hedingham, Rochester. and the Welsh ones are worth a week; Harlech, Caernarfon, Caerffili [a castle made entirely of cheese] and so on.

I am His Highness' dog at Kew

Pray tell me , sir, whose dog are you?

[tma]

I'm a total history geek, and Love the Tudor period in particular. I would absolutely adore to go castle and art/architechure geeking in Europe, but alas between living on the wrong side of the Pond and finishing up my studies at the moment- looking at pictures, reading and wishing is all that is in the budget.

[The Dude]

Hearst Castle is one of my favorite places to visit. I love stopping through whenever I'm in the area.

[Jorm]

Only good castle I've really gotten to explore is Tantallon castle in North Berwick, Scotland, but I would say it's worth a visit. At least if you're in the Edinburgh area. The East Lothians as a whole can be a pleasant place to wander about anyway.

[Vetinari]

Well look at that. Ouro has already mentioned one of my favourites. Tantallon is beautiful. Linlithgow Palace is also a good one if you are in central Scotland. Both are quite ruinous though, and actually I prefer those to the more whole local castles such as Edinburgh and Stirling, which seem to have a tendency towards becoming military museums, which I don't find all that interesting. Oh and Castle Campbell above Dollar is just stunning, mainly owing to its location. It lies at the top of a steep glen between two streams, named the Burn of Care and the Burn of Sorrow, and it was originally called Castle Gloom.

[Enkidom]

If you love castles, and you can afford a short city break abroad, you have to see Prague castle. Actually if you love early-late medieval European architecture you really should visit Prague (it's relatively cheap to stay there if you avoid the really tourist-y bits that are unfortunately too popular with the stag party crowd). It's probably the most beautiful city I've ever visited.

[Salamander]

Caerffili [a castle made entirely of cheese] and so on.

Bwahaha, Tisza you do make me laugh!

I love visiting castles and palaces, though I have to say I have more of a thing for ruins and sacred sites. I'm going to add Glastonbury Abbey to this list, it's not a castle but well worth a look.

[Smokey]

Wow Caerffili definitely sounds like an interesting place . So you've been to Versalles Count de tisza, how long ago? Did you see Marie Antoinette's estate?

Arundel, Blenhiam & Dover castle are ones i really want to go to, and the one in Cornwall that's associated with King Arthur which name escapes me at the moment.

oh sorry to hear that tma, one day soon you'll get to come and it will have been well worth the wait

some really good suggestions here i'll have to look them up and add them to my list

James

[Smokey]

I have to say the older the better for me also- although some of the more recent ones ( as in Buckingham Palace) have beautiful designs and art.

I love hearing about haunting's in some of these places especially the Tower Of London- these a really good book called ghosts at the tower of london well worth a read... As is one called Haunted Castle in Britain and Ireland very good.

James

[count tiszula]

I visited Versailles in my youth, longer ago than I care to admit. The galerie des Glaces was a bit disappointing, looking very motheaten after all those diplomatic showpieces. I bet it's been spruced up now. The two Trianons were already restored and very perfect, except that the ceilings had been whitewashed and looked a bit bland. Le Hameau had just the right level of dilapidation which Marie Antoinette would have loved when in her Laura Ashley mood.

Tintagel is the Cornish one; never seen it, though Launceston is a fab ruin.

[Jorm]

Well look at that. Ouro has already mentioned one of my favourites. Tantallon is beautiful. Linlithgow Palace is also a good one if you are in central Scotland. Both are quite ruinous though, and actually I prefer those to the more whole local castles such as Edinburgh and Stirling, which seem to have a tendency towards becoming military museums, which I don't find all that interesting. Oh and Castle Campbell above Dollar is just stunning, mainly owing to its location. It lies at the top of a steep glen between two streams, named the Burn of Care and the Burn of Sorrow, and it was originally called Castle Gloom.

Sounds like a lovely cheery place all around then!

[Vetinari]

Sounds like a lovely cheery place all around then!

Bizarrely, it is absolutely stunning, and when the gorse is out and you stand on the roof in that wonderful sweet scented breeze looking out over the treetops.... well I wish I was there right now!

Linky

[Jorm]

Sounds like a lovely cheery place all around then!

Bizarrely, it is absolutely stunning, and when the gorse is out and you stand on the roof in that wonderful sweet scented breeze looking out over the treetops.... well I wish I was there right now!

Linky

Oooh, not gloomy at all! I must remember that if, no WHEN, I manage to get back to Scotland! At which point I will promptly move in and insist the place is mine. XD

Also, I couldn't remember the name of this one before when I was posting, and if you don't like ruins it's probably not going to be of interest, but if you DO like ruins I would highly recommend Dunollie castle in Oban, also in Scotland, which is stunning even if primarily only because of it's excellent location. It's otherwise small, overgrown, and not terribly impressive, but if like me you enjoy small, overgrown, and crumbling it's a really, really nice spot to explore. Also, totally free and public, no entrance fee unlike Tantallon.

[Kiwifruit]

Oooh fun topic

I loved visiting castles in Ireland when we visited - Bunratty was really cool, though I think I actually liked seeing the castle village and imagining how people used to live there a lot more than the actual castle xP So was Blarney Castle, much more of what I think of as a castle...all in ruins with more primitive furnishings And an awesome dungeon!

[Smokey]

Well i have to say Versailles was A-MA-ZING i absolutely fell in love with the place, it is just so perfect, the designs, the paintings, the tapestry's- and of course the musical fountain show was surreal, the gardens are just so stunning- and Petit Triannon, the Temple Of Love i've just fallen in love with the place , i didn't want to leave

Of course there was the sad part hearing about the end of the revolution and the deaths of Louis and Marie Antoinette and what happened to their children horrible.

I've also booked myself a trip to Scotland in July- where i'll be staying in Edinburgh and visiting Edinbrgh Castle, Holyrood and the Britannia i can't wait.

James

[Jorm]

Well i have to say Versailles was A-MA-ZING i absolutely fell in love with the place, it is just so perfect, the designs, the paintings, the tapestry's- and of course the musical fountain show was surreal, the gardens are just so stunning- and Petit Triannon, the Temple Of Love i've just fallen in love with the place , i didn't want to leave

Of course there was the sad part hearing about the end of the revolution and the deaths of Louis and Marie Antoinette and what happened to their children horrible.

I've also booked myself a trip to Scotland in July- where i'll be staying in Edinburgh and visiting Edinbrgh Castle, Holyrood and the Britannia i can't wait.

James

Tantallon isn't far from Edinburgh if you have the desire for a day trip down, but it definitely qualifies as a ruin

[NoV]

the Welsh ones are worth a week; Harlech

Harlech scores points for its epic location - I remember it making a big impression on me when my parents took me many years ago...

[Smokey]

Well i have to say Versailles was A-MA-ZING i absolutely fell in love with the place, it is just so perfect, the designs, the paintings, the tapestry's- and of course the musical fountain show was surreal, the gardens are just so stunning- and Petit Triannon, the Temple Of Love i've just fallen in love with the place , i didn't want to leave

Of course there was the sad part hearing about the end of the revolution and the deaths of Louis and Marie Antoinette and what happened to their children horrible.

I've also booked myself a trip to Scotland in July- where i'll be staying in Edinburgh and visiting Edinbrgh Castle, Holyrood and the Britannia i can't wait.

James

Tantallon isn't far from Edinburgh if you have the desire for a day trip down, but it definitely qualifies as a ruin

Thank you i'll look into that

[Smokey]

Some interesting talk and articles in the media lately- asking whether Buckingham Palace is an ugly building,

i have to say from the outside it looks pretty dull however inside is fantastic. I suppose it's quite modern when you compare it to others, and doesn't have the striking feeling that makes you want to explore inside like Versailles, Windsor, Hampton Court, Edinburgh etc do, but the inside really is very different to the outside.

Plus as the articles have mentioned most of the Monarchs who've used it have only treated it as an "office" , Victoria after Albert died spent most of her time at Windsor, Balmoral & Osbourne, Edward VII at Windsor , Sandringham etc and the Queen spends every weekend at Windsor ( plus a month at Easter and a week at Summer for Ascot) and Summer at Balmoral and Christmas/ January at Sandringham.

Do you guys think Buckingham Palace is ugly?

[count tiszula]

I think architecture queens have to say it's ghastly because according to them it should have been left as planned by Nash and indeed the front range, added a century ago by er Aston Webb [?] ought to be blown up.... In the real world, the now classic view is an impressive neo-Classical part of the Edwardian royal display and has a balcony for sneezing on.

It was the same when the interior was first opened. All the critics are so used to pretending they're not rich and playing everything down that they said it was vulgar and ostentatious! They can't grasp that it's part of an international diplomatic world.

What's the betting the same things are being said about tonight's multi-ethnic banquet. People can't see the global picture.

And nice to know Versailles is more impressive now . [but Hampton Court is too.....]

[Jorm]

In the real world, the now classic view is an impressive neo-Classical part of the Edwardian royal display and has a balcony for sneezing on.

Ah, but impressive and aesthetically pleasing are not necessarily the same thing. But ultimately I would say that's largely a matter of personal taste. I personally find the exterior unattractive, though I wouldn't go quite so far as to call it ugly.

[count tiszula]

This has inspired a number of fabulous fantasies in my fevered brain; St James's is clearly the prettiest palace in Westminster, and has a balcony too. Imagine if Barry and Pugin after their sterling work on parliament had added a range in the same style [or even in that lovely red brick] to the back of it roughly where the Mall now is and this had become the top palace instead of Buck House!

Difficult to see quite how a top processsional route could have been created; but I'm sure someone would have done it.

[Smokey]

It has inspired the same in mine i must admit the outside exterior of Buckingham Palace is not that attractive ( i agree with Ouroboros it is a matter of personal taste) but the inside is beautiful- i watching a BBC documentary last year ( the queen's palaces) and they mentioned how it was much grander when the Duke of Buckingham lived before it was owned by royalty, but George III had a lot of it stripped back, maybe if George IV had lived longer or his ideas had been continued after his death it would look much different.

I love to speculate on the 'what if' what if George IV hadn't been so quick to tear down Carlton House on a whim and had instead continued with that? Possibly that could've rivaled Versailles for most splendid Palace- though maybe less at that time was best when you look at what happened to poor King Louis and his Queen Marie Antoinette

[Smokey]

I thought i'd resurrect this thread as yesterday ( 8th July) i visited Kensington Palace for the first time, it has had a massive refurbishment on the whole Palace ( only a very very small part has been opened for the last two years)

I didn't know quite what to expect before hand as i'd never paid a proper visit to the Palace before they started the refurbishment- though after speaking to many people that work there i've got an idea.

They've opened up the grounds now, still have the famous gates at the front where the flowers for Diana lay- but no gates round the side now- so members of the public can sit on the grass right by the Palace, & use the cafe, where's before the was a massive fence all the way round.

Inside is very interesting- basically you go into a room with five different doorway's leading to different exhibitions- 1) is Diana: Glimpses of a modern Princess, where they have a few dresses of hers plus some pictures of her on engagements and with William and Harry. 2) Is the Kings apartments where William III, George I & George II used ( back when it was an official Royal residence, each room is obviously different but one very interesting aspect of the Palace is there is no audio guide- it's designed to be less 'stuffy' then previously and visitors are encouraged to look through draws, sit at the tables and learn to play the card games that the Kings would have played with the courtiers, read newspaper articles written from the day, etc 3) Is the Queens apartments used by Mary II, Queen Anne & Queen Caroline- these have a very homely decoration to them as they are designed how they where when Mary II lived there- visitors here learn about the Glorious Revolution when William and Mary came over at the invitation of Parliament- you also discover the tragedy of Queen Anne 18 pregnancies- which none survived what's interesting is that in both the King and Queen apartments they have these speakers by the windows where you can sit- it's designed as if you where at court that day and are hearing courtiers gossiping.

4) Is Jubilee a view from the crowd- designed to make you feel like your in the crowd at Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897, there photos, real footage from the carriage procession, one room you walk into is like model version of the whole, it's quite cute- and children are encouraged to play with the Punch & Judy style carriage procession, quotes from newspapers & the public at the time are all over the walls.

5) Is Victoria's apartments where she grew up- the room you frist walk into is where she held her first Privy Council on becoming Queen and visitors are encouraged to sit at the table and read comments from the council on there impressions on Victoria that day, another room has Victorias dresses from childhood, her Wedding dress, the Piano where she and Albert Played, the other room is based on the Great Exhibition/Crystal Palace in 1851 by Henry Cole & Prince Albert, and the rest are based on Vicotria and Albert's life together- paintings done by Victoria ( pretty good actually)

I was quite impressed by the whole thing and what there trying to do. Did anyone visit in the past? Also did anyone know that apparently the American embassy approached Buckingham Palace/Downing Street about using Kensington Palace a few yeas ago- not quite sure how true that is mind you.