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08-07-2008, 02:36 PM
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Heir Apparent
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: , United States
Posts: 3,137
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Favorite Royal Residence Picture
Welcome to the
August 2008 Informal Picture of the Month Poll Where we are showcasing Royal Homes!
In this months poll we have some really amazing homes, and some collages of the interior and exterior that our teams have put together!
The monthly official polls will highlight the un -official/historical and rarely seen side of royalty as opposed to the formal side of royalty.
The informal polls will consist of pictures that show a royal or some aspect of royal life historical or present that is more candid than our formal polls.- We hope by the end of the year to have some really stunning and regal Picture of the Month winners to compete in our 2008 Picture of the Year awards.
For more information on the 2008 Picture of the Month schedule and all we have planned for 2008, take a look at this thread.
If you have any ideas or suggestions for future polls you can post them there or contact Empress, Dazzling or Mandy.
This month, our Picture of the Month representatives had help in selecting their images with a small committee of their choosing. Below, you can see each royal house's representative (in bold) followed by their chosen committee members.
Belgium: - Marengo, stephanievl, Johann
Britain: TheTruth - Duchess, jcbcode99
Brunei/Dubai/Malaysia: Humera - Warren
Denmark: GlitteringTiaras - Jessrulz, Princess Robijn
Japan: Dragonsfire8, Vanesa
Jordan: Humera - Little_star, salma
Luxembourg: Jessrulz - grim_lady, kyansaunt20
Monaco: Iceflower - tbhrc, radker18,
Morocco: Humera – Warren
Norway: Her_Majesty - Kikkib, carlota, Atene, Rhapsody Brat
Spain: Paty, Cecile76
Sweden: Iceflower, Madame Royale,
The Netherlands: The Watcher, Marengo, Lucien
German Princely Families: Her_Majesty, Warren
The pictures of this poll reflect the official royal events of January. The poll will be open for three weeks. It will close on September 2, 2008. During these three weeks, we ask that no one state whom they've voted for so as not to influence other members as they make their choices. For the final week of the month, you can discuss as much as you'd like about which image you voted for and why.
Please note that the links in the above poll have been posted in the order in which they were received and do not reflect the opinions of the moderating team.
Enjoy and have fun! 
Empress, Mandy & Dazzling
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08-07-2008, 02:57 PM
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Heir Apparent
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: , United States
Posts: 3,137
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A. Germany
Picture Link
Source: http://terre.sans.frontiere.free.fr/...re/top_100.htm
Catstel Neuschwanstein - The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and as a homage to Richard Wagner, the King's inspiring muse.
Although public photography of the interior is not permitted, it is the most photographed building in Germany. People often refer to it as "Märchenschloss" (Fairytale Castle).
"Disney" used it as inspiration for their famous logo.
B. Prussia
Picture Link
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Co...side_Wikimedia
Schloss Charlottenburg - is the largest palace in Berlin and the only building in the city dating back to the time of the Hohenzollern Family.
The palace was built at the end of the 17th century and was greatly expanded during the 18th century. It includes much exotic internal decoration in baroque and rococo styles.
During the second World War the palace was badly damaged but has since been reconstructed.
C. Austria
Picture Link
Source: http://image58.webshots.com/658/5/0/94/2493500940046209414HEysSH_fs.jpg
Schönbrunn Palace (Schloss Schönbrunn) Vienna is one of the most important cultural monuments in Austria and since the 1860s has also been one of the major tourist attractions in Vienna. The palace and gardens illustrate the tastes, interests and aspirations of successive Habsburg monarchs.
D. Belgium
Picture Link
Source: Various
Laeken Castle, Brussels. More information here.
E. Norway
Picture Link
Source: kongehuset.no
Gamlehaugen is the King’s official residence in Bergen. Owned by the state and managed by western Norway regional office of the Directorate of Public Construction and Property, the building is at the disposal of the King.
F. Monaco
Picture Link
Source: Corbis
The Princely Palace of Monaco - The Palace is the official residence of the Prince of Monaco and was founded in 1191 as a Genoese fortress. Since 1297 it's the home of the Grimaldi family, as to the land shortage of Monaco it remained the only palace. The palace is a popular tourist attraction but also remains a fully working palace.
G. Sweden
Picture Link
Source: Bunte.de
The Palace of Solliden - The palace is situated on the Swedish island Oeland, its an Italian-styled white palace, built by Queen Victoria of Sweden from 1903-06. The palace is used as a summer residence by the Swedish Royal Family and the extensive gardens and parkland can be visited during summertime.
H. Spain
Picture Link
Source: Velo Touren
El Escorial Palace - One of the biggest and important palaces in Spain. In our days this palace is the tomb of all the Spanish kings and Queens.
I. Greece
Picture Link
Source: The Croquet Club of Corfu
Villa Mon Repos on the island of Corfu was a residence of the Greek Royal Family from 1864, when King George I took over the villa to use as his holiday home, until the monarchy was abolished in 1973. The villa is also the birth place of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.
J. Luxembourg
Picture Link
Source: Corbis
Fischbach Castle - Taken from the gardens, shows a residence of the Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg. The castle was bought in 1850 by Grand Duke William II, then resold to Duke Adolphe of Nassau, the future Grand Duke, in 1884.
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08-11-2008, 11:48 AM
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Heir Apparent
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: , United States
Posts: 3,137
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K. Great Britian
Picture Link
Source:
Sandringham Estate - The house was completed in 1870 and is widely considered to be a not successful design. Four generations of Sovereigns have lived here. King George V said it was his favorite place in the world, and it is where royal grandchildren got to run free. QEII spends the anniversary of her father's death here yearly, and also New Years. It is here that HRH Prince John (son of George V and Mary), penned the forgotten Prince, was born and where he died and is buried.
L. France
Picture Link
Source: Picalls
Chateau de Chambord - The Renaissance Castle of Chambord is one of the most important Castles of France, is made in French Renaissance style and merged with classical Italian architecture. The Palace was built by King Francois I and it was used as hunting palace and for large receptions.
M. The Netherlands
Picture Link
Source:(Pictures: Magdalena Monsch, Casey, Wim, Eric, Martin (Picasa); VVV; Paleis Het Loo; Rob Brouwer; Thijs (APF).
Palace Het Loo - is a former royal residence in Apeldoorn, The Netherlands. The palace was built starting in 1684 for Stadtholder William III and his consort, Mary II of England. For over three hundred years, Het Loo was the summer residence of the House of Orange-Nassau.
N. Saxony
Picture Link
Source: Saxony Tourist Board
Schloss Pillnitz - A summer residence of the Kings of Saxony on the banks of the Elbe, near Dresden. The palace complex is a mixture of the Baroque and Japanese style. The central pavilion (pictured) shows the Japanese influence, which is emphasised in the interior decoration.
O. Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (Germany)
Picture Link
Source: Wikipedia Free Use
Burg Hohenzollern - The ancestral castle of the Hohenzollern dynasty situated in the former Principality of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen in southern Germany. The original fortress was built in the 11th century but the castle as it appears today was constructed between 1846-1867 in a mixed design of English Neo-Gothic and French chateaux. The castle remains in the Hohenzollern family.
P. Japan
Picture Link
Source: The Imperial Household Agency
The Crown Prince's Residence
Q. Jordan
Picture Link
Source: Seegerpress, Corbis, Olycom
Raghadan Palace is located within the Royal Hashemite Court compound in the capital of Amman. It is surrounded by several other buildings including Basman Palace (contains the officesof King Abdullah II) and Al-Qasr Al-Sagheer (contains the offices of Queen Rania). Raghadan was once the home of King Abdullah I. Today it is used for official ceremonies and meetings between the King and visiting royalty, world leaders and dignitaries.
R. Malaysia
Picture Link
Source: Flickr, Infofoto, Malaysian Monarchy
Istana Negara - or the State/National Palace in Kuala Lumpur is the official residence of the King and Queen of Malaysia. Construction of a new State Palace is expected to be complete by 2009, after which the Istana Negara will most likely become a museum.
S. Morocco
Picture Link
Source: Corbis, Flickr
The Royal Palace of Rabat was built in 1864 and houses Morocco's government. Although the present King and his family do not reside at the Palace, it is the venue for important official events like the birth of Lalla Khadija, daughter of King Muhammad VI and his wife Lalla Salma.museum.
T. Turkey
Picture Link
Source: Corbis, Flickr
Topkapi or "Cannongate" Palace in Istanbul was the official residence and the center of government of the Ottoman dynasty for nearly four centuries. Construction began during the 15th century under Sultan Mehmet, the conqueror of Byzantine Constantinople, on the site of the old acropolis. The Palace complex is made up of many smaller buildings, several pavilions and four main courtyards and was once home to as many as 4000 people. Walls and ceilings in the entire complex are extensively decorated with beautiful Iznik tiles, Arabic calligraphy containing verses from the Holy Quran, and colourful murals.
The Sultan and the Imperial Family lived in the Harem; it has approximately 300 rooms, 9 hamams, 2 mosques, 1 hospital, dormitories and a laundry room. The Palace also has a library as well as the Pavilion of the Holy Mantle, which houses relics of Prophet Muhammad. Topkapi Palace formally became a museum in 1924 and today, only a small portion of this remarkable set of buildings is accessible to the public.
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08-13-2008, 09:59 AM
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Heir Apparent
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: , United States
Posts: 3,137
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U. Brunei
Picture Link
Source:Infofoto
Largest Palace/residence in the World - Istana Nurul Iman or the Nurul Iman Palace is the home of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and the Royal Family of Brunei.
V. Egypt
Picture Link
Source:Egyptian Presidency, Flickr
Abdeen Palace served as the seat of government and was the center of the Egyptian royal court during the Muhammad Ali Pasha Dynasty. Khedive Ismail initiated the construction of the Palace in 1863 and officially inaugurated it in 1874. Although never really used as a permanent residence by the royal family, the Palace was an important venue for official ceremonies during the 20th century like the wedding of Princess Fawzia of Egypt and Crown Prince Muhammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran in 1939. Today the Palace serves chiefly as a museum; its upper floors (former living quarters of the royal family) are used to house visiting foreign dignitaries
W. Iran
Picture Link
Source: Flickr, Golestanpalace.ir
Located in Tehran, Golestan (Flower garden) Palace was built during the time of the Safavid dynasty in the 16th century. It became the official residence of the Qajar royal family during the 18th century. The Pahlavis used it for formal receptions and official ceremonies, most notably the coronations of Reza Khan and Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. The Palace complex contains several buildings adorned with exquisite colourful tiles and mirror mosaics. It now serves as a museum
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08-13-2008, 10:00 AM
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Heir Apparent
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: , United States
Posts: 3,137
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Hello All, Please see that we have some late entries.
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08-13-2008, 10:23 AM
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Heir Apparent
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: ~, United States
Posts: 4,855
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This was a fun poll. It was hard to make a decision with so many beautiful choices.
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08-14-2008, 02:22 AM
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Aristocracy
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Minneapolis, United States
Posts: 222
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It's so hard to choose! Can we have a favorite past royal residence and a favorite present royal residence poll? :-D
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08-14-2008, 05:45 AM
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Courtier
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: *, United States
Posts: 542
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 very beautiful places and pics. its very hard choosing. i really like the raghdan picturs but the a&e middle one is actuly nadwa. 
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08-14-2008, 08:59 PM
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Commoner
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Tampa, United States
Posts: 22
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Such a great collection of photos to chose from!
I have to say I found the Schloss Pillnitz of Saxonyutterly fascinating from an architectural standpoint. I love the blending of Baroque and Japanese styles. Very unexpected!
I live near the Busch Gardens Tampa theme park, which is African-themed. The first section of the park is based on Morocco, and I never realized till now how much its main entrance is styled to look just like the Royal Palace of Rabat. I'm somewhat stunned now looking at the photo and recalling the park entrance and noticing the similarly of the two.
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08-15-2008, 05:18 PM
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Newbie
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Las Vegas, United States
Posts: 1
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Great Pics, but why no Russian entry??? Peterhof could be a very nice contender or The Great Catherine Palace...
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08-15-2008, 11:51 PM
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Heir Apparent
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: , United States
Posts: 3,137
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We are all volunteers here, and unfortunately no one volunteered for Russia for this poll. If you would like to volunteer for Russia for future polls, please PM myself or dazzling.
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08-16-2008, 08:03 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Posts: 1,735
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All these are wonderful. I like all of them. But since I must to pick only one, I finally did. I choose one who was a complete surprise for me, since I didn't know it.
But I'm very sadened by the poor condition Cricket Castle of Corfu is...
Vanesa.
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08-16-2008, 11:08 PM
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Heir Apparent
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: a city on the Great Silk Road, Kazakhstan
Posts: 4,566
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Special thanks to all, who put together this poll!
German and French castles captivate me by organically combining both artistic elements and strong structure meant to defend residents.
The fact that Japan is represented by the residence of Crown Prince Naruhito slightly disappoints me. It comes as no surprise that the Crown Princely residence is favoured over other castles in Japan. Indeed, the above residence is a true reflection of the essential Japanese: unadorned, unfussed with, pristine simplicity that is very difficult to achieve ... in my extremely biased opinion... At the same time, there are magnificent historic Japanese castles that show architectural uniqueness.
For instance:
Himeji Castle (my personal favourite, I find this castle quite poetic)
Image:OsakaCastleM0704.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Image:Kokura castle from the Japanese garden.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Image:Nagoya Castle(Edit2).jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
__________________
Perfection is "simplicity devoid of unnecessary elements".
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08-26-2008, 11:04 AM
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Heir Apparent
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: , United States
Posts: 3,137
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Please remember not to discuss which picture you have voted for until the voting ends.
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08-26-2008, 11:18 AM
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Courtier
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Posts: 928
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Al_bina
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Thanks for the pics Al-bina. These are indeed beautiful and magnificent castles
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08-27-2008, 05:29 PM
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Heir Apparent
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Manchester, United Kingdom
Posts: 5,635
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Wow, these photos are beautiful and it's incredibly difficult to choose one-I am still deliberating.
I love the very different styles, especially the marked differences between many of the European castles and the muslim palaces.
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09-03-2008, 01:43 PM
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Heir Apparent
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Manchester, United Kingdom
Posts: 5,635
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I had a feeling THE fairytale castle would win!
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09-04-2008, 01:09 PM
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Super Moderator Picture of the Month Representative - Norway & Spain Royal Blogger
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: Bochum, Germany
Posts: 8,482
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09-04-2008, 10:52 PM
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Heir Apparent
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: a city on the Great Silk Road, Kazakhstan
Posts: 4,566
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Chateau de Chambord makes me recall the Valois times: a strong, yet graceful structure.
__________________
Perfection is "simplicity devoid of unnecessary elements".
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