World's largest palace
Encyclopedia
The title of the “world's largest palace” can be difficult to ascertain, and altogether controversial, as many different groups have motivations to use their own unique standards to advance the claim that a particular palace is the largest in the world.
The controversies surrounding such claims turn primarily on three areas: which physical measurements are most appropriate in drawing comparisons between buildings; for which functions must a building be used to qualify as a palace; and for what length of time must certain functions have been regularly carried out in a particular building to be regarded as a "palace?"
One area of controversy surrounding the title of “world’s largest palace” surrounds which physical measurement to use in drawing comparisons between palaces. Some feel only the actual land area occupied by the structure (the "footprint") should be considered; several of the palaces often proclaimed as the "world's largest" rely upon precisely such a measurement to substantiate their claims of indeed being the largest in the world:
As measured by “world's largest palace by area enclosed within the palace’s fortified walls,” the title is held by China’s Forbidden City
complex, which covers an area of 720,000 square meters (178 acres). The buildings of the Forbidden City have a combined floorspace of 1614600 square feet (150,001 m²) and contain roughly 9,000 rooms.
Nevertheless, title to the “world’s largest royal domain,” as measured by the total area considered be part of the palace grounds, is claimed by the Palace of Versailles
. Versailles’s grounds cover a total area of 87728720 square feet (8,150,265 m²) or 2,014 acres, which includes 230 acres of gardens. However, the palace itself contains 721206 square feet (67,002 m²) of floorspace.
Furthermore, in the castle category, Prague Castle
claims to be world's largest. However, despite the singular name, referring to Prague Castle as if it were a single building would be incorrect. Like the Forbidden City, it actually consists of a number of palaces, churches, and halls, constructed over several centuries, that share a common defensive wall. Altogether the castle complex occupies a total area of 18 acres leading to the self appointed title of “the largest coherent castle complex in the world."
For example, Romania’s Palace of the Parliament
contains 3552120 square feet (330,003 m²) of floorspace. However, it was purpose built to serve as the parliament building of Romania, and was never intended to be used as a royal residence. In fact, the building was begun in 1980, while Romania’s last monarch abdicated in 1947.
Another example is England’s Palace of Westminster
. Like the Palace of the Parliament, the Palace of Westminster is another massive parliament building carrying the “palace” title. Yet, unlike the Palace of the Parliament, there was once a royal Palace of Westminster that did serve as a residence to the monarch. Nonetheless, this building was largely destroyed by fire in 1512, and the present building standing on the site, the current Palace of Westminster
was purpose built as a parliament building, and was never intended for use as a royal residence.
and the Louvre Palace.
Russia’s Winter Palace contained 250000 square feet (23,226 m²) of floorspace as a royal residence. However, the modern Hermitage Museum
complex, centered on the Winter Palace, now contains 1978622 square feet (183,820 m²) of floorspace.
Similarly, as a royal residence, the Louvre Palace was much smaller than the modern day Louvre Museum. The Louvre Palace was abandoned as a royal residence in 1682, when Louis XIV chose to move his court to the Palace of Versailles
. The Louvre Palace was relegated to the role of displaying royal collections, and over the centuries, it went through several renovations and additions, only reaching its current size of 652298 square feet (60,600 m²) in 1988, as the modern Louvre Museum.
is often considered “the largest functioning palace in Europe” , as it is still used for state functions. Although the Spanish monarchs once occupied it, the current King of Spain does not reside there, instead living at the much smaller Palace of Zarzuela.
And, although notably smaller than several other palaces throughout the world, with only 658858 square feet (61,210 m²) of floorspace, the Royal Palace of Stockholm often claims to be “the largest palace in the world still used for its original purpose.” Yet, like, the Royal Palace of Madrid, it too is not currently occupied, with Swedish monarchs instead occupying Drottningholm Palace
.
As measured by these standards, Guinness World Records currently considers Istana Nurul Iman
, with 2152782 square feet (200,000 m²) of floorspace, to hold the title as the “world's largest palace.”
The controversies surrounding such claims turn primarily on three areas: which physical measurements are most appropriate in drawing comparisons between buildings; for which functions must a building be used to qualify as a palace; and for what length of time must certain functions have been regularly carried out in a particular building to be regarded as a "palace?"
Largest by Land Area
As measured by “world's largest palace by area enclosed within the palace’s fortified walls,” the title is held by China’s Forbidden City
Forbidden City
The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the middle of Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace Museum...
complex, which covers an area of 720,000 square meters (178 acres). The buildings of the Forbidden City have a combined floorspace of 1614600 square feet (150,001 m²) and contain roughly 9,000 rooms.
Nevertheless, title to the “world’s largest royal domain,” as measured by the total area considered be part of the palace grounds, is claimed by the Palace of Versailles
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles , or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles in the Île-de-France region of France. In French it is the Château de Versailles....
. Versailles’s grounds cover a total area of 87728720 square feet (8,150,265 m²) or 2,014 acres, which includes 230 acres of gardens. However, the palace itself contains 721206 square feet (67,002 m²) of floorspace.
Furthermore, in the castle category, Prague Castle
Prague Castle
Prague Castle is a castle in Prague where the Kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman Emperors and presidents of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic have had their offices. The Czech Crown Jewels are kept here...
claims to be world's largest. However, despite the singular name, referring to Prague Castle as if it were a single building would be incorrect. Like the Forbidden City, it actually consists of a number of palaces, churches, and halls, constructed over several centuries, that share a common defensive wall. Altogether the castle complex occupies a total area of 18 acres leading to the self appointed title of “the largest coherent castle complex in the world."
Faux Palaces
A second area of controversy regards function. While many buildings carry the title of “palace,”they either are no longer, or were never intended to be, used as a royal residence.For example, Romania’s Palace of the Parliament
Palace of the Parliament
The Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest, Romania is a multi-purpose building containing both chambers of the Romanian Parliament. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the Palace is the world's largest civilian administrative building, most expensive administrative building, and...
contains 3552120 square feet (330,003 m²) of floorspace. However, it was purpose built to serve as the parliament building of Romania, and was never intended to be used as a royal residence. In fact, the building was begun in 1980, while Romania’s last monarch abdicated in 1947.
Another example is England’s Palace of Westminster
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
. Like the Palace of the Parliament, the Palace of Westminster is another massive parliament building carrying the “palace” title. Yet, unlike the Palace of the Parliament, there was once a royal Palace of Westminster that did serve as a residence to the monarch. Nonetheless, this building was largely destroyed by fire in 1512, and the present building standing on the site, the current Palace of Westminster
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
was purpose built as a parliament building, and was never intended for use as a royal residence.
Converted Palaces
Further complicating the picture of “world’s largest palace” are massive former palaces that while once serving as royal residences, only reached their current grand sizes after they ceased being used as a royal residence, and after they were converted to some other purpose. The primary examples of such subsequent expansion are the Winter PalaceWinter Palace
The Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia, was, from 1732 to 1917, the official residence of the Russian monarchs. Situated between the Palace Embankment and the Palace Square, adjacent to the site of Peter the Great's original Winter Palace, the present and fourth Winter Palace was built and...
and the Louvre Palace.
Russia’s Winter Palace contained 250000 square feet (23,226 m²) of floorspace as a royal residence. However, the modern Hermitage Museum
Hermitage Museum
The State Hermitage is a museum of art and culture in Saint Petersburg, Russia. One of the largest and oldest museums of the world, it was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great and has been opened to the public since 1852. Its collections, of which only a small part is on permanent display,...
complex, centered on the Winter Palace, now contains 1978622 square feet (183,820 m²) of floorspace.
Similarly, as a royal residence, the Louvre Palace was much smaller than the modern day Louvre Museum. The Louvre Palace was abandoned as a royal residence in 1682, when Louis XIV chose to move his court to the Palace of Versailles
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles , or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles in the Île-de-France region of France. In French it is the Château de Versailles....
. The Louvre Palace was relegated to the role of displaying royal collections, and over the centuries, it went through several renovations and additions, only reaching its current size of 652298 square feet (60,600 m²) in 1988, as the modern Louvre Museum.
Uninhabited Palaces
With 1453122 square feet (134,999 m²) of floorspace, the Royal Palace of MadridRoyal Palace of Madrid
The Palacio Real de Madrid is the official residence of the King of Spain in the city of Madrid, but it is only used for state ceremonies. King Juan Carlos and the Royal Family do not reside in the palace, choosing instead the more modest Palacio de la Zarzuela on the outskirts of Madrid...
is often considered “the largest functioning palace in Europe” , as it is still used for state functions. Although the Spanish monarchs once occupied it, the current King of Spain does not reside there, instead living at the much smaller Palace of Zarzuela.
And, although notably smaller than several other palaces throughout the world, with only 658858 square feet (61,210 m²) of floorspace, the Royal Palace of Stockholm often claims to be “the largest palace in the world still used for its original purpose.” Yet, like, the Royal Palace of Madrid, it too is not currently occupied, with Swedish monarchs instead occupying Drottningholm Palace
Drottningholm Palace
The Drottningholm Palace is the private residence of the Swedish royal family. It is located in Drottningholm. It is built on the island Lovön , and is one of Sweden's Royal Palaces. It was originally built in the late 16th century. It served as a residence of the Swedish royal court for most of...
.
Guinness World Record
While numerous claimants under the various measurements can be recognized, to be considered for the Guinness World Record, the palace must have once been intended for use as a royal residence. Furthermore, in making comparative measurements, only the actual combined area of all floors in the palace (a measurement commonly known as floorspace) is considered.As measured by these standards, Guinness World Records currently considers Istana Nurul Iman
Istana Nurul Iman
The Istana Nurul Iman palace is the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, and the seat of the Brunei government. The palace is located on a leafy, riverside sprawl of hills on the banks of the Brunei River, a few miles south of Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei's capital.-Design...
, with 2152782 square feet (200,000 m²) of floorspace, to hold the title as the “world's largest palace.”
Comparison of World's Largest Palaces
| Name | Location | Floor Area | Notes | Source | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Istana Nurul Iman Istana Nurul Iman The Istana Nurul Iman palace is the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, and the seat of the Brunei government. The palace is located on a leafy, riverside sprawl of hills on the banks of the Brunei River, a few miles south of Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei's capital.-Design... |
 BruneiBrunei Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia... |
2152782 square feet (200,000 m²) | “World’s largest palace” according to Guiness World Records | ||
| 2 | Forbidden City Forbidden City The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the middle of Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace Museum... |
 BeijingBeijing Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's... |
1614600 square feet (150,001 m²) | With an enclosed area of 720,000 square meters (178 acres), it is the “world's largest palace complex” | |
|
| 3 | Royal Palace of Madrid Royal Palace of Madrid The Palacio Real de Madrid is the official residence of the King of Spain in the city of Madrid, but it is only used for state ceremonies. King Juan Carlos and the Royal Family do not reside in the palace, choosing instead the more modest Palacio de la Zarzuela on the outskirts of Madrid... |
 MadridMadrid Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan... |
1453122 square feet (134,999 m²) | “The largest functioning palace in Europe” | ||
| 4 | Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality... |
 LondonLondon London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |
828818 square feet (77,000 m²) | Controversially claims to be “world’s largest working palace” | ||
| 5 | The Palace of Versailles |  VersaillesVersailles Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre... |
721206 square feet (67,002 m²) | “World’s largest royal domain” with 87728720 square feet (8,150,265 m²) or 2,014 acres of palace grounds | |
|
| 6 | Royal Palace of Stockholm |  StockholmStockholm Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area... |
658858 square feet (61,210 m²) | Controversially claims to be “world's largest palace in the still used for its original purpose” | ||
| 7 | Louvre Palace | Paris Paris Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region... |
652298 square feet (60,600 m²) | Square footage reflects area of modern day Louvre Museum | |
|
| 8 | Windsor Castle Windsor Castle Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it... |
Windsor, Berkshire Windsor, Berkshire Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family.... |
484374 square feet (45,000 m²) | “World’s largest inhabited castle” | ||
| 9 | Winter Palace Winter Palace The Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia, was, from 1732 to 1917, the official residence of the Russian monarchs. Situated between the Palace Embankment and the Palace Square, adjacent to the site of Peter the Great's original Winter Palace, the present and fourth Winter Palace was built and... |
 Saint PetersburgSaint Petersburg Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea... |
250000 square feet (23,226 m²) | Currently part of 1978622 square feet (183,820 m²) Hermitage Museum Hermitage Museum The State Hermitage is a museum of art and culture in Saint Petersburg, Russia. One of the largest and oldest museums of the world, it was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great and has been opened to the public since 1852. Its collections, of which only a small part is on permanent display,... |
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