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QuoteReplyTopic: World・s Largest Palace Posted: 07-Feb-2005 at 14:30
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Xianyang Palace (w凶c), in (Qin) Xianyang (w凶), now 15 km/9 miles east of modern Xianyang, Shaanxi province: this was the royal palace of the state of Qin before the Chinese unification, and then the palace of the First Emperor when China was unified
Epang Palace (豫c - probable meaning: "The Palace on the Hill"), 20 km/12 miles south of (Qin) Xianyang (w凶), now 15 km/9 miles west of Xi'an (荀w), Shaanxi province: the fabulous imperial palace built by the First Emperor in replacement of Xianyang Palace
Weiyang Palace (ゼァc - "The Endless Palace"), in (Han) Chang'an (w), now 7km/4 miles northeast of downtown Xi'an (荀w), Shaanxi province: imperial palace of the prestigious Western Han Dynasty for two centuries. This is the largest palace ever built on Earth, covering 4.8 km² (1,200 acres), which is 6.7 times the size of the current Forbidden City, or 11 times the size of the Vatican City.
Southern Palace (nc) and Northern Palace (_c), in Luoyang (ザ), Henan province: imperial palaces of the Eastern Han Dynasty for two centuries, the Southern Palace being used for court hearings and audiences, the Northern Palace being the private residence of the emperor and his concubines
Taiji Palace (び轡c - "The Palace of the Supreme Ultimate"), also known as the Western Apartments (内, in (Tang) Chang'an (w), now downtown Xi'an (荀w), Shaanxi province: imperial palace during the Sui Dynasty (who called it Daxing Palace - j審c) and in the beginning of the Tang Dynasty (until A.D. 663). Area: 4.2 km² (1,040 acres), imperial section proper: 1.92 km² (474 acres).
Daming Palace (jc - "The Palace of the Great Brightness"), also known as the Eastern Apartments (F内, in (Tang) Chang'an (w), now downtown Xi'an (荀w), Shaanxi province: imperial palace of the Tang Dynasty after A.D. 663 (it was briefly named Penglai Palace (輯宮c) between 663 and 705), but the prestigious Taiji Palace remained used for major state ceremonies such as coronations. Area: 3.11 km² (768 acres)
The Western Han Dynasty's Weiyang Palace (ゼァc - "The Endless Palace, 7km/4 miles northeast of downtown Xi'an (荀w), Shaanxi province, China, built in 206 BC, imperial palace of the prestigious Western Han Dynasty for two centuries. This is the largest palace ever built on Earth, covering 4.8 km² (1,200 acres), which is 6.7 times the size of the current Forbidden City, or 11 times the size of the Vatican City.
The largest palace in the history of the world by a million miles was the Chinese Emperor's palace complex. It was burnt and dynamited by the British army in 1860 when they took Beijing. The Forbidden city as it stands today is merely a small outbuilding that survived the fire.
Reading the British the motives and philosophy of the destruction of the palaces is a fascinating read. It's far from a black and white case.
It was ordered by the British diplomat Lord Elgin (son of the guy of the marbles fame) to punish China for human rights attrocities. Typically western powers in the past had responded to abuses by sending their navies to destroy a port city, killing 1000's of peasants and civilians but not effecting the rulers.
Elgin marched his army to the heart of the city to the emperors estate (over100 palaces homes to the nobles and government) and destroyed the palaces to humiliate the emperor personally. As the buildings burned the emperor and government fled Beijing and the whole government and nobles lost their homes, wealth and were humiliated in they eyes of all Chinese peasants.
Later the emperor had his government exiled or executed. It was one of the few examples in history where the rulers of a nation paid for their sins themselves, and only them.
On one hand Elgin destroyed the greatest buildings ever built in the history of the world, all the art treasures of China stretching back 2000 years. On the other hand he made the ultimate statement of human rights. Elgin's action is still one of the most hotly disputed actions in history.
The Western Han Dynasty's Weiyang Palace (擶粢 - "The Endless Palace, 7km/4 miles northeast of downtown Xi'an (爐簗), Shaanxi province, China, built in 206 BC, imperial palace of the prestigious Western Han Dynasty for two centuries. This is the largest palace ever built on Earth, covering 4.8 km (1,200 acres), which is 6.7 times the size of the current Forbidden City, or 11 times the size of the Vatican City.
"Later the emperor had his government exiled or executed. It was one of the few examples in history where the rulers of a nation paid for their sins themselves, and only them."
Paul, I've read about the Old Summer Palace, Weiyang Palace and the battles involved in their looting and destruction and the only real "sins" I can recall of is the torture (and thus not holding to the Qing's governments word of safe conduct) of those 20 something British diplomatic envoys (correct me if I'm wrong).
Skiping ahead a bit, the Opium (and following) wars had both negative and positive effects on China. But I find the Anglo-French attacks on China pety. The opium is crutial for medicine but it made some 2 million plus citizens herion addicts and the effects of the wars were further destructive.
In my opionion the destruction of the Old Summer Palace is unforgivable. It outmatches the misconduct of the envoys by far and just seems so unecessary. Sure the Emperor DID need to be taught a lesson as far as though those envoys went but destroying the palace destroys citizens hard work and labour. Sure the palace was the Xianfeng Emperor's home but he did not make it and so does not suffer from it's destruction. The people who suffer are the citizens.
Besides, the British and French forces had recieved more than enough compensation for the damages of their forces.
The Anglo-French demands of the Emperor and the treaties they physically forced the Emperor and Qing Government to abide by are completely unjust and totally biased and unfair.
It seems to me as if Lord Elgin decision to burn the Old Summer Palace was out of spite and fear (I would imagine seeing a palace of its magnitide would be threatening).
Charles George Gordon, a 27-year-old captain in the Royal Engineers explains it well:
"We went out, and, after pillaging it, burned the whole place, destroying in a vandal-like manner most valuable property which [could] not be replaced for four millions. We got upward of 48 apiece prize money.I have done well. The [local] people are very civil, but I think the grandees hate us, as they must after what we did the Palace. You can scarcely imagine the beauty and magnificence of the places we burnt. It made ones heart sore to burn them; in fact, these places were so large , and we were so pressed for time , that we could not plunder then carefully. Quantities of gold ornaments were burnt, considered as brass. It was wretchedly demoralising work for an army."
You mean the largest palace complex (with its gardens, fortifications, and royal buildings) or just the largest palace?
I think the largest palace is Persepolis, the terrace of persepolis covers an area of approximately 135,000 square meters (450 x 300 meters) and is between 10 to 18 meters high.
Yes, Cyrus. The largest palace meaning the actual palace and all the complexes (gardens, fortifications, etc).
The Old Summer Palace (also called 'The Gardens
of Perfect Brightness' and originally called 'The Imperial Gardens') five miles northwest of the capital walls of Beijing had 40 scenic spots (initially 28). It consisted of three main gardens and it's completion spanned the life of two different Emperors, who consistantly developed its design and magnitude. Only after 150 years was it finally finished (that is a very sad and staggering fact considering that all that work and effort was undone by those Anglo-French forces in just 3 days by (the looting took another 36 hours))
The Palace was almost 5 times the size of the Forbidden City, and 8 times the size of the Vatican City
. It had hundreds of halls, pavilions, temples, galleries, gardens, lakes, etc. Also it covered an area of 3.5 km (865 acres) and therefore was the largest palace ever built.
Saadabad palace [http://www.SaadabadPalace.org (website)] in Tehran covers an area of 410 hectars (1,013 acres) and consists of 18 large palaces, 8 imperial gates and several other buildings such as gardens, hunting-grounds, pools, mosques, cinemas, museums, amphitheaters, athletic stadiums, halls, ...
I don't know where you sourced that but I could find barely anything on this palace on the net so I guess I'll have to take your word for it, although it be good to find some facts.
I don't know where you sourced that but I could find barely anything on this palace on the net so I guess I'll have to take your word for it, although it be good to find some facts.
Just search "Saadabad", "Sadabad", "Sad Abaad", ... in Google, you will find numerous links.
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