Palaces & Castles

This community brings together in the ExploGuide project Explorers interested in visiting and sharing unknown Palaces & Castles around the world. Join us!

A castle (from Latin castellum) is a defensive structure symbolic of the Middle Ages.

A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome. In many parts of Europe, the term is also applied to relatively large urban buildings built as the private mansions of the aristocracy. Many historic palaces are now put to other uses such as parliaments, museums, hotels or office buildings.