Palaces in France, Italy and Spain

Photos of palaces that I've seen on various holidays over the years in France, Italy and Spain. In cities such as Lyon and Paris in France, Florence and Naples in Italy, and Seville and Granada in Spain. Some of them are now museums or town halls.

Florence, Italy

This building is the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, located in the Piazza della Signoria. The square is usually crowded with tourists. There is a replica statue of Michelangelo's David outside of the palace. The palace is the town hall of Florence. It's original name was the Palazzo della Signoria after the Signoria of Florence, the ruling body of the Republic of Florence. It has had several other names in the past. The Grand Duke of Tuscany resided there, until they moved over to the other side of the River Arno to the Palazzo Pitti (over there is where you would find Boboli Gardens). The Uffizi Gallery is nearby over to the right (had a visit to that gallery). The Loggia dei Lanzi which is full of classical statues is over to the right. Seen here in June 2018.

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Naples, Italy

This is the Palazzo Reale in the City of Naples in Southern Italy. Was formerly the Royal Palace, and was one of four residences for the Bourbon Kings of Naples during their rule of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies (1730-1860). Mostly built in the 17th century. It is in a square called the Piazza Trieste e Trento. These days the palace houses the Teatro San Carlo and the smaller Teatrino di Corte, the Biblioteca nazionale Vittorio Emanuele III, a museum, and offices, including those of the regional tourist board. Seen here in July 2012.

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Verona, Italy

This palace in Verona, Italy is in the Piazza Bra, not far from the Verona Arena (Roman amphitheatre). It is the Palazzo Barbieri. It is a Neoclassical style palace. The palace was originally named the Palazzo della Gran Guardia Nuova and housed staff associated with the occupying Austrian Army forces. The building is now a town hall. It was built between 1836 and 1848. The visit to Verona was in July 2010.

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Seville, Spain

A look at the Real Alcázar in Seville. Seen shortly after walking into the courtyard, this area is the Patio de la Monteria leading to the Palacio Mudéjar. The Alacazar was a Moorish palace, and is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Almohades was the first to build a palace here on the site of the current Alcazar. You can see Islamic art all over this palace, due to the fact that at one point in history, much of Spain was ruled by the Moors, until the reconquest of Spain. Although the palace we see today, was mostly a Christian palace in the Islamic architecture style, as the previous Abbadid Muslim residential fortress was destroyed after the Christian reconquest of Seville. My visit to the Alcazar was during June 2014.

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Granada, Spain

Seen during a guided tour of the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. Was an Arabic palace and fortress built during the Islamic period of Spain. After the Christian reconquest the site became the Royal Court of Ferdinand and Isabella. It was built during the decline of the Nasrid dynasty. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This was during the tour of the Nasrid Palaces. At this stage I was at the Comares Palace - Chamber of the Ambassadors. Basically this was near the Throne Room. The palace here was the official residence of the king. As with the Alcazar in Seville, you can clearly see Islamic or Moorish art styles all over the palace, especially when exploring inside! Well worth a visit. I went on the guided tour during June 2014.

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Cordoba, Spain

Another UNESCO World Heritage Site in Andalusia, Spain. This is the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos. Spanish for "Alcázar of the Christian Monarchs". The fortress was one of the residences of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon. In early medieval times this was the site of a Visigoth fortress. When the Visigoths fell to the Umayyad conquest, the Umayyad rebuilt the structure. They later fell to the Abbasid Caliphate. The surviving member of the Umayyad Dynasty fled to Cordoba and used the Alcazar as their palace. Christian forces reconquered Cordoba in 1236. Construction of the present building began in 1328. Only part of the Moorish ruins remained, but it mostly looks like an Islamic structure as Alfonso XI of Castileused the Mudéjar style. After a period for somewhere to garrison Napoleon's troops in the 1810s, The Alcázar became a prison in 1821. The Spanish government made it a tourist attraction and national monument from 1950. The visit to Cordoba was in June 2014 (half way between Seville and Granada).

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Aix-en-Provence, France

This building is the Palais de l'Archeveche in the city of Aix-en-Provence in Southern France (formerly the Archbishops Palace). It now houses the Musee des Tapisseries (Tapestry Museum). It dates to 1650-1730. The architect was Laurent Vallon. The Tapestry Museum is on the first floor of the palace in what was the state apartments. The tapstries were hidden during the French Revolution, and were discovered 50 years later hidden in the roof. The visit to this museum in Aix-en-Provence was during May 2011.

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Lyon, France

This building was formerly a Benedictine convent of the 17th and 18th centuries, but is now the Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon. It's name in French is Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon. It is located in the Place des Terreaux in Lyon. The building was restored between 1988 and 1998 but remained open to visitors during that time. It has a range of exhibits from ancient Egyptian art to the modern art period. There is a garden within a courtyard as you walk in or out of the museum with statues. They also have a collection of artworks from the Impressionists such as Monet and Picasso. There is fine views of the square outside where you can see a fountain (it was being restored in 2017). The visit to this museum in Lyon was during June 2017.

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Paris, France

Seen from the opposite side of the River Seine on a coach tour of Paris was the Louvre. Originally it was the Palais du Louvre (Louvre Palace). A fortress built in the medieval period,it became a Royal Palace in the 14th century under Charles V of France. It was used from time to time as the main residence of the Kings of France. During the French Revolution is became the Musée du Louvre. The Old Louvre is on the site of 12th century fortress built by King Philip Augustus, while the New Louvre is the name given to the wings and extensions built during the time of Napoleon I and Napoleon III. Although this was originally the grand design of King Henry IV of France  in the late 16th century. When Louis XIV chose the Palace of Versailles as his main Palace in 1682, the Louvre was mostly left to display the royal collection. The Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres and the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture were in the building for 100 years from 1692 until the French Revolution. Passed through Paris on the way back from the Loire Valley in July 2009, before getting the Eurostar back to the UK.

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Photos taken by Elliott Brown. From different summer holidays (these weren't all in the same year).

Verona was in summer 2010. Naples was summer 2012. Florence was summer 2018. Seville, Granada and Cordoba was summer 2014. Aix-en-Provence was spring 2011. Lyon was summer 2017. Paris was summer 2009.