Whilst most of Romania was suffering under strict rationing, former tyrant Nicolae Ceauşescu decided that the best use of the funds at his disposal would be to build an enormous palace. In 1984, construction began on the building, which is 10% bigger than the Great Pyramid at Giza in Egypt, and it still hasn’t quite finished.
Entire suburbs of Bucharest (approximately a fifth of the old city) were torn down to accommodate it and the surrounding plazas, and the only bigger government building in the world is the Pentagon in the United States.
Unsurprisingly, the House of the People (as it was then ironically known) was regarded with contempt by the poverty-stricken population, and it was nearly pulled down during the 1989 revolution for symbolising the regime. To destroy it would have been even more wasteful than building it in the first place, though, and Ceauşescu’s folly was saved.
The palace is open for tours in several languages daily, and inside you’ll find one of the most elaborately decorated interiors in the world. Amongst the paintings, sculptures and gold-tassled curtains you’ll find over a million square metres of Transylvanian marble and 200,000 square metres of carpet.
The palace now houses the Romanian Parliament as well as many other organisations.
Showing posts with label palace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label palace. Show all posts
Sunday, 3 August 2008
Palace of Versailles near Paris, France
When Louis XIV of France’s finance minister made himself a hugely expensive château at Vaux-le-Vimcomte, the young king was outraged that his majesty was being overshadowed.
Taking the mature approach to the situation, he had Nicholas Fouquet arrested, stole his design team and set to work on something even more overblown.
The result was the Palace of Versailles near Paris, justifiably one of France’s great tourist draws. With adjustment for inflation, the gigantic royal residence cost the French economy billions, but it suited Louis’ purposes. His court and every arm of the Government was run from Versailles, meaning he kept those who would plot against him within close reach.
Today, much of the palace can be explored, although a large part of it is available only on a guided tour.
Amongst the things that will send jaws to the floor are the chapel, the expansive and immaculately kept gardens and the famous Hall of Mirrors. The latter, if nothing else, shows that whatever the pragmatic reasons for building the palace, vanity often came first.
Taking the mature approach to the situation, he had Nicholas Fouquet arrested, stole his design team and set to work on something even more overblown.
The result was the Palace of Versailles near Paris, justifiably one of France’s great tourist draws. With adjustment for inflation, the gigantic royal residence cost the French economy billions, but it suited Louis’ purposes. His court and every arm of the Government was run from Versailles, meaning he kept those who would plot against him within close reach.
Today, much of the palace can be explored, although a large part of it is available only on a guided tour.
Amongst the things that will send jaws to the floor are the chapel, the expansive and immaculately kept gardens and the famous Hall of Mirrors. The latter, if nothing else, shows that whatever the pragmatic reasons for building the palace, vanity often came first.
Mafra National Palace in Portugal
If you’ve got a country the size of Brazil to use as your own private plaything, and all its resources to spend as you please, then frugality is not going to be a prime concern. Hence this huge display of showy opulence, courtesy of King João V of Portugal. He had initially planned to build a monastery, but with a never-ending supply of gold streaming in from the colonies – notably Brazil – plans were upgraded.
52,000 workers were called in from across the country to make a huge baroque palace, with over 1,200 halls and rooms all decorated as lavishly as humanly possible. In fact, so much was spent on the construction that it nearly sent Portugal bankrupt.
João was determined that no-one should spot this though, and when his Flemish bell-makers queried the order of 92 bells, he immediately doubled the amount in a show of stubborn largesse.
The Mafra Palace's bell-towers are one of the many highlights of this imposing summer retreat, with others including a school of sculpture, huge pipe organs and a massive library containing over 40,000 books.
52,000 workers were called in from across the country to make a huge baroque palace, with over 1,200 halls and rooms all decorated as lavishly as humanly possible. In fact, so much was spent on the construction that it nearly sent Portugal bankrupt.
João was determined that no-one should spot this though, and when his Flemish bell-makers queried the order of 92 bells, he immediately doubled the amount in a show of stubborn largesse.
The Mafra Palace's bell-towers are one of the many highlights of this imposing summer retreat, with others including a school of sculpture, huge pipe organs and a massive library containing over 40,000 books.
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