For #PalacesandGardens #PalacePicks. The Alhambra, showing Charles V's added palace, from the San Nicolás viewpoint. Does San Nicolás count as an Xmas connection? #photography #Spain #photographersofbluesky #EastCoastKin #castles #castle #history #architecture #LaAlhambra #Granada #Andalucía #España
Eltz Castle - not strictly a palace, but you take what you can..
#PalacesAndGardens
#PalacePicks
#Photography
A grand staircase decorated for the holidays with garland and lights.
I hope everyone had a happy holiday today 💙💚❤️
#PalacesandGardens #PalacePicks
The Byodo-In Temple near Ahuimanu, #Oahu feels like a little piece of Japan on the Hawaiian Islands, for #PalacePicks, in the #PalacesAndGardens theme today.
#EastCoastKin #BiltmoreHouse #HumansOfBlueSky #Hawaii #architecture #landscape
An enchanting place next to the cathedral.
San Martiño Pinario in Santiago de Compostela
#PalacesAndGardens #PalacePicks #photography #urbanphotography #architecturephotography #SantiagoDeCompostela #Galicia #Spain
#PalacesAndGardens
the most wonderful places are
the ones you don’t expect
when I started cycling in Silesia,
I only knew that there was
“some” palace nearby
I saw it, I sat down and thought
there was no point in going any further
I go back there every year now 😀
Pławniowice
#PalacePicks #scape
Reasons There is a deer park with a lot of deer, ponds , many water birds and beautiful trees. The grounds of the house were landscaped by Capability Brown and there is a beautiful lake, water birds, ancient oaks, many other trees, the Ionic Rotunda with long distance views, beautifully tended gardens and views to the South Downs. Each room in the house is special with amazing decor such as the carved room with wooden carvings by Grinling Gibbons. One room is full of amazing statues. Every room has fantastic art work with a lot of Turner’s Paintings. If that’s not enough there is also the Servants’ Quarters and last but not least a brilliant cafe.
Other reasons I go a lot are because I am a National Trust member and for an annual fee you can go as often as you want, it is quite a short drive from my home and looks so special in all types of weather.
I had to have Petworth House as one of my Palace Picks. I go there so often it is almost like my 2nd home. (See ALT for reasons why.)
Christmas Tree with ornate mirrors and wooden carved trees from previous years.
#PalacesandGardens
#PalacePicks
#WestSussex
#Christmas
Church of Mary Magdalene on Mount of Olives (2020) #PalacesAndGardens #PalacePicks #ColorADay #YellowThu #travelphotography #eastcoastkin
A black and white photo of a palace building with Islamic-style arches reflected in a pool in front. There's a palm tree next to the building and hedges next to the reflecting pool. People are standing under the arches.
Alhambra reflections
#PalacesAndGardens #PalacePicks
#HumansOfBueSky
#ClassicMono
#EastCoastKin #PhotographersUnited
The image shows Bled Castle (Blejski grad) in the Julian Alps in Slovenia, perched on a steep rocky cliff. This medieval castle is considered the oldest in Slovenia and offers a panoramic view of Lake Bled and the surrounding region. In the background there is an impressive mountain backdrop with wooded hills and a larger mountain. At the foot of the hill, in the lower part of the picture, there are other buildings and a small church. In the foreground, you can see forest.
It's almost Friday, and you know what that means:
It's time for #Scape ✌️
Post your favourite Scape: #Landscape, Cityscape, Skyscape, Seascape, Treescape...
I'm looking forward to it 🥰
#EastCoastKin #photography #PalacesandGardens #PalacePicks #ForestFriday #ArtChallenges #MountainMonday #Woodland
A view of the Biltmore House looking across a small part of the grounds in front of the house. There is a large green lawn with a circular pool, driveways on each side, lined with mature, green trees. The house looks like a castle with its Châteauesque and French Gothic style. There are dramatic clouds in the sky, but the sun is shining on the house and grounds for the moment.
#PalacesAndGardens #PalacePicks
The Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina. Known as the largest privately owned houses in America. It's quite grandiose with the house and accompanying garden and grounds.
#EastCoastKin #BiltmoreHouse #NorthCarolina
A landscape oriented image of a gorgeous summer sunrise is my selected for this Christmas Day. With the camera right down at the water level we a looking across the river Wye on the other side and reflected in the river is a fiery sunrise of yellow and orange. Across the centre of the image is the riverbank on the other side and tracking it is a line of mist. The see trees that get denser as they go away from us and climb a gentle hillside. Along to the left and almost incidental we see Chatsworth House appearing through the mist that sits amongst the trees. Happy Christmas, especially those finding themselves on their own this year 🎅🏻
Sunrise Over the River Wye
My favourite photograph taken in #ChatsworthPark for #PalacePicks
Happy Christmas everyone 🎄
Description in alt.
#PalacesAndGardens
#ColourADay
#YellowThur
#Photography
#PhotographersOfBlueSky
#EastCoastKin
#sunrise
#RiverWye
#ChatsworthHouse
Black and white image of the steep, stone stairway leading to the entrance of Bram's Castle. The castle is made of stone and mortar and has peeling paint and discoloration. It sits high atop a steep mountain, so appears quite foreboding. Bram Castle, Transylvania, Romania
Black and white image of the entrance to Bram's Castle. The castle is made of stone and mortar and has peeling paint and discoloration. Above the arched entrance door is faint text written on the wall, but due to the peeling and discoloration, it is difficult to read. A lantern is attached to the wall above the upper left corner of the door. Bram Castle, Transylvania, Romania
Black and white image of Bram Castle from a different view and different section of the castle. A tower and turret rise from the steep mountainside with the castle continuing at lower levels creating an inner courtyard below. The roof is made of terracotta tile, and the walls are painted white. Small windows and wood trim adorn the walls. Behind the castle is a steep, tree-covered mountainside. Bram Castle, Transylvania, Romania
A black and white image of an interior stairwell that is made of dark wood, very steep and curves near the top into the upper level. The walls are white plaster, and there is a bronze pitcher on top of the end finial column which has a dark wooden top surface. Bram's Castle, Transylvania, Romania.
#PalacesAndGardens #PalacePicks
One castle that has long held the fascination of the world is Bram's Castle aka #DraculasCastle in Transylvania, Romania. It's not as glamorous but makes up with intrigue.
#EastCoastKin #ClassicMono #Dracula #Transylvania
#PalacePicks #PalacesAndGardens
Neuschwanstein is always a favorite pick because it is filled with fantasy and was the inspiration for Disney's castle. My brother's photo shows how magical it is in the snow.
Little Triton Fountain by Carl Milles, situated within the stunning gardens of Waldermarsudde, former home of Prince Eugen of Sweden.
#palacesandgardens #palacepicks
#PalacesAndGardens
Thank you for creating this wonderful place Sabine! @sabineshutterbug.bsky.social
every time I come back from
somewhere, I ride my bike here
and I feel how much I like my city
Wawel Castle, December 2025
#Krakow #PalacePicks #UrbanGaze #UrbanScape #CityScape #StreetPhotography
Königstein is one of my favorite German towns, photos shows its old town hall (Altes Rathaus)
#PalacesAndGardens #palacepicks #ClassicMono #bnw #streetphotography
Fürstenried Palace is a Baroque maison de plaisance and hunting lodge in Munich, Germany. It was built from 1715 to 1717 for Elector Maximilian II Emanuel. (Wikipedia)
For #PalacesAndGardens , #PalacePicks I picked a lesser known palace, Schloss Fürstenried (1717) in Munich
#travelphotography #palace #bavaria #munich #EastCoastKin
Hello friends! Happy Christmas 🎄
#PalacesandGardens #PalacePicks, #UrbanGaze, & #HumansOfBlueSky Thursday. How are you? 🙋♂️
It’s about 6:30am 🕡 EST here & 🌨️. I’m making our rich & aromatic #BlueBrew coffee. Who’d like a cup? ☕️
In any case, please do stop by & say hello!👋
We close at 10:30am 🕥 EST😊
I went to Chartwell as a child and have been quite a few times since becoming a member of the National Trust. It was the home of Winston Churchill and has a little building which was his art studio and contains many of his paintings. This is a view across the lake to the house.
Last post until this evening, if I’m not too exhausted from the 1 & 3 year old grandchildren arriving any minute.
Sabine asked if I had drawn Cragside, it reminded me that I have done an oil painting of Chartwell.
#PalacesandGardens
#PalacePicks
#Kent
#OilPainting
#Art
#HistoricBuildings
Morning #BlueSky ☕️ & Merry Christmas to you all !!🎄🥰For today’s #PalacesAndGardens #PalacePicks there can only be one picture. It’s amazing creator @sabineshutterbug.bsky.social Thank you Sabine for this wonderful hashtag for our amazing #EastCoastKin community. Have a fab festive day my friends 🎅🏼😌👍🏼
The location is beautiful and the architecture of the building is superb. I had waited a long time to go there but it was worth it. It is an Arts and Crafts building created by the Armstrongs with the architect Norman Shaw.
As a child I had seen and admired a lovely little pencil drawing of Cragside in Northumberland. As an adult I booked a cottage nearby for the family so I could at last go there.
#PalacesandGardens
#PalacePicks
#Northumberland
#NationalTrust
#HistoricBuildings
A 3 x 3 collage of various wood carvings of characterful faces, taken at three properties: Speke Hall, Liverpool (Tudor) Lyme Park, Cheshire (Elizabethan) Samlesbury Hall, Lancashire (Tudor) All in dark wood and most taken from a partial side angle so the light illuminates the features. Makes me think of the various expressions seen on Christmas Day including someone worse for wear from festive booze (middle bottom), the poker face of irritation of the chef (middle top) and the furiousness of overtired kids (or adults!) as the day progresses (bottom right).
The Many Faces of Christmas Day!
For #PalacesAndGardens theme of #PalacePicks
#EastCoastKin #photography #carving #wood #tudor #history #collage #SpekeHall #Liverpool #LymePark #Cheshire #SamlesburyHall #Lancashire
(Android phone camera)
Photograph taken of a wood carving of a child/angel/cherub's face. The carving sits within a panelled wall at the Tudor masterpiece that is Speke Hall in Liverpool. Image taken from a partial side angle so the light captures the features.
Little Face of Wonder
for #PalacesAndGardens theme of #PalacePicks
Hope you all have faces of wonder at some point today! Happy Christmas!
#EastCoastKin #photography #carving #wood #tudor #history #SpekeHall #Liverpool
(Android phone camera)
Light pours through the vine‑covered pergola and bathes the Roman Baths in Sanssouci Park in a soft green light. The place feels both intimate and monumental, like a secluded classical courtyard hidden in the middle of the gardens. Broad stone steps climb diagonally along the left wall, their edges worn and slightly mossy, which makes the architecture appear old and lived in. Warm ochre façades are structured by shallow arches, pilasters and a small arched window, recalling the look of an Italian villa. Rough quarry stone on the lower wall meets smoother ashlar above, so the whole ensemble seems like a carefully staged scenery. Classical details are scattered through the courtyard. A sculpted column with a female head as a capital and a dark metal statue on a pedestal add clear antique accents. An ornate stone basin with rich relief carving stands like an ancient Roman altar or fountain and visually anchors the space. A simple metal handrail running up the stairs traces a fine line against the stone and leads the gaze toward the upper terrace. The season is mid summer. Lush vine leaves weave across the wooden beams of the pergola and filter the light into a gentle green. Low flower beds with white blossoms and bright green groundcover soften the strict lines of stone and plaster. Through the open archway on the right, a sunlit path appears, lined with newly leafed climbers, suggesting a quiet transition from this sheltered courtyard into the wide Sanssouci Park.
My favorite photo for today’s #PalacePicks is accidentally the one you also liked best of all I’ve posted for #PalacesAndGardens so far.
#photography
#PhotographersOfBluesky
#EastCoastKin
Decorated room in Hinton Ampner. As well as the tree the room was filled with flowers. It is a great place to take grandchildren.
I have a few “Palace Picks”.
This is Hinton Ampner near Winchester one Christmas. Chosen because their theme is usually based on childhood but beautiful for adults too.
#PalacesandGardens
#PalacePicks
#photography
The Cologne Cathedral's crossing
#EastCoastKin #ArtChallenge
#PalacesAndGardens #PalacePicks
I pick, appropriate for the festive season, one of the great Gothic cathedrals, the one in Cologne. Here a look up into the church's crossing.
I took this photo from outside of Amalienburg (an 18th pavillion in the park of Nymphenburg Palace). The surrounding wood is reflected in the window; you can only guess the splendour of the room inside ( and yes: there is a chandelier 🙂). A photo like a symbol of historical research that I enjoy doing : you always see history from your own world - from the outside. However, you can come close to a period, an event, a person’s life - and then two worlds slowly merge.
Whispers of the past
for #PalacesAndGardens #PalacePicks
Please read the alt-text for the photo‘s story.
