The Royal Pavilion

The Royal Pavilion is unlike any other castle in England. Built for the Prince Regent, later King George IV, in stages between 1787 and 1823 it appears to be designed as if for a children’s fairytale book. With palm-tree columns, Chinese dragons, exotic looking minarets and domes it is hard to believe that it is real at all.

A stunning work of architectural fancy, the Royal Pavilion represents the pinnacle of a phase or romanticism and fascination with eastern culture and architecture. The interior seems to be Chinese, but not quite, the imposing architecture of the exterior looks like a grand mosque or palace from the Mughal Era in India but not quite.

Not a true reproduction of eastern design, instead the Pavilion represents a European interpretation of eastern art and design, a building that straddles the realms of fantasy and reality and does so successfully.