Chateau de Versailles, France

The ultimate symbol of absolute monarchy, Versailles remains Europe’s largest palace by floor area, spanning 63,154 m² across 2,300 rooms. Construction began in 1661 under Louis XIV; the Hall of Mirrors stretches 73 metres and hosted the 1919 Treaty of Versailles. Its 10 million annual visitors surpass Neuschwanstein’s 1.4 million by over seven times, yet the castle’s grand scale invites endless exploration.