Palaces, Villas and Castles

Parque Por La Paz Villa Grimaldi (Peace Park) Villa Grimaldi, the former headquarters of General Pinochet’s notorious secret police force, reo… Read the rest

<p>The Residenz in Munich dates from 1385, when it originated as a small castle. Successive members of the Wittelsbach dynasty expanded the orig… Read the rest

Castle Keep Henry II built this keep in 1168-78 on the old site of the original New Castle that gave the city its name. By the middle of the 19th ce… Read the rest

Quartier des Chartrons Fabulously rich European wine merchants built sumptuous residences in this Bordeaux quarter just steps from the Garonne and w… Read the rest

Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes) More fortress than palace, this mighty landmark looms above Avignon. The square in front is the impressive se… Read the rest

Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) Dating in parts from the early 15th century, Hanover’s gothic Old Town Hall is a fine example of the ornate red… Read the rest

As the largest Hapsburg residential palace, Albertina dominates the southern tip of the Imperial Palace on one of the last remaining fortress walls in… Read the rest

The Imperial Palace until 1918, the Hofburg today, houses the office of the Austrian president, an international conference centre, a dozen museums, t… Read the rest

Schönbrunn Palace is Vienna’s answer to Versailles and was used as the summer residence of the Habsburgs from the 18th century until 1918. Of th… Read the rest

The Oberes Belvedere (Upper Belvedere Palace), built from 1721-23 for Prince Eugene of Savoy, offers terrific views across the gardens to the Unteres… Read the rest