The Episcopal Palace of Murcia is a historic building located in Cardenal Belluga Square. It is the official headquarter of the Diocese of Cartagena. Built in the 18th century with very unique architectural elements, it is one of the most important works of monumental heritage in Murcia. Several master stonemasons collaborated in its construction. It is a magnificent example of rococo style, with a square floor plan, between Italian and French, with sober volumes and delicate decorative grace, evident in its beautiful façades.
It was built with clear influences from the last Italian mannerism. Mural treatments based on fresco ornamentations are a feature of roman and Neapolitan palaces.
From the interior there some things of great interest: the imperial staircase, the courtyard, organized in three arcades in Doric order and a more compact upper body, and a small chapel with circular plan and rococo style that is open 24 hours.
The so-called Hammer of the Palace (the bishop's viewpoint); it is an outgoing breakwater built before the construction of the main body began in order to have a viewpoint over the Segura River and the Paseo del Arenal or Glorieta.
References:The Château du Lude is one of the many great châteaux of the Loire Valley in France. Le Lude is the most northerly château of the Loire Valley and one of the last important historic castles in France, still inhabited by the same family for the last 260 years. The château is testimony to four centuries of French architecture, as a stronghold transformed into an elegant house during the Renaissance and the 18th century. The monument is located in the valley of Le Loir. Its gardens have evolved throughout the centuries.