Seven most magnificent palaces in the world
The prestigious magazine Architectural Digest has published a ranking of the world's most beautiful palaces. Let us take a look at the buildings that topped this list
Easter Island, Chile
Rapa Nui, or Easter Island, located in the southeastern Pacific, along with the Tristan da Cunha Archipelago and the Pitcairn Islands, is the most remote inhabited island in the world. In this godforsaken place you will find a huge number of ancient massive rock sculptures called Moai whose appearance on the island the scientists can not explain until now. According to the generally accepted version, in the period from the XIII to the XVI century stone blocks were brought from the center of the island to its shores. In this case, almost the entire forest was used, and now this place looks rather deserted.
British Overseas Territory, the UK
Among the British possessions, the Tristan da Cunha archipelago in the southern Atlantic with a population of about 300 people and the island of Pitcairn, home to only about 50 people and the only overseas territory of Great Britain in the Pacific Ocean, stand out. The isolation of the archipelago is explained by the fact that strangers are forbidden to buy land here, and it is possible to get to the overseas possessions from the mainland only on a fishing boat or a helicopter.
You can stay alone with nature on the volcanic island of St. Helena which lies a thousand kilometers closer to the coast of Africa and whose size is comparable, perhaps, only with Liechtenstein in the west of Europe.
Madagascar Island, Madagascar
The largest island of the Indian Ocean - Madagascar - along with the adjacent small islands off the coast of Africa attracts a large number of people from different parts of the world, with its unique flora and fauna that has developed for many millions of years on its own way, after this land broke away from the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana and moved southward as a result of powerful tectonic processes.
Nauru Island, Nauru
About 200 travelers a year visit the dwarfish state of Nauru located on the coral island in the west of the Pacific Ocean. In many respects, this is due not only to the remoteness of the island from the mainland but also to the low level of service, as well as the environmental pollution left after the development of phosphorites. You can get here only by plane from Australia or Fiji.
Deception Island, South Shetland Islands
The horseshoe-shaped volcanic island of Deception has the largest colony of Antarctic penguins. Those who decide to visit this place will experience the inexpressible sensations of taking a thermal bath in the flooded basin of an active volcano - one of the best natural harbors in the region.
Sakhalin Island, Russia
Sakhalin is Russia's largest island with unique flora and fauna, a real trove of natural resources. The severe climate of Sakhalin is legendary because thousands of political exiles and convicts were sent here in the 20th century. Indeed, the weather conditions here are not the best, but August and September are quite suitable for travel.
Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland
Another place, which can only be reached by airplane, is the city in the east of Greenland - Ittoqqortoormiit, which in translation from Eskimo means "Big House". About 500 people live here. In the north, the commune borders on the Northeast Greenland National Park where polar bears, musk oxen and seals abound.
Faroe Islands, Denmark
The pristine nature and historical architecture of this place attract sophisticated travelers who decided to take a break from crazy metropolises and overcrowded resorts. This remote North Atlantic archipelago is famous for the unique combination of mountains and valleys which from a long distance make an indelible impression.
Socotra Island, Yemen
The pristine nature of the island of Socotra attracts scientists, fans of ecotourism and thrill seekers. It is known that in Yemen civil war still continues, therefore, to get to the "Island of Happiness" you need to spend a lot of money and time, but it's worth it: there are unique species of flora and fauna, and the uplands alternate with real green oases of lowlands stretching along the coast and at the foot of the peaks. This is a great place for hiking, camping and water sports.
Cocos Islands, or Keeling Islands, External Territories of Australia
The village of Bantam is the largest settlement on the Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean. Despite its inaccessibility, the islands of Keeling have recently become an increasingly popular tourist destination. Being located amidst a magnificent coral lagoon with shallow and crystal clear ocean waters, they are covered with lush tropical vegetation and a multitude of coconut palms. The northern part of the archipelago and the surrounding waters belong to the national park which impresses with the diversity of the inhabitants of the underwater world.
Supai, the USA
In the lower part of the Grand Canyon, in the US state of Arizona, there is the settlement of Supai where there is still no transport connection and the nearest road is more than 10 km away. Mail here is delivered solely with the help of mules, and local civilians have never heard of such blessings of civilizations as a telephone or the Internet.
Motuo County, China
County Motuo is located so deep in the Tibetan mountains, so people know that this place is inhabited only by hearsay. The path to it runs through the Himalayan permafrost. Suspended bridges replace the usual road traffic. For the Chinese, this is a sacred territory which is surrounded by mystery.
The prestigious magazine Architectural Digest has published a ranking of the world's most beautiful palaces. Let us take a look at the buildings that topped this list
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