Difference between Castle and Palace

Key Difference: Castles were built for the primary motive of safety and protection. On the other hand, palaces were built for the primary motive of comfort, relaxation and leisurely lifestyle.

Castle Castle and palace are historical points of interest. They are the huge manufactured structures that are beautiful and historical around the globe. They are sometimes used interchangeably, but in the actual sense they are very different from each other.

Castle is a huge building that is prepared and contains many defenses. These are the buildings that was seen in previous ages as often inhabited by a nobleman, ruler or King. A castle was mainly built for safety purposes. In 9^th and 10^th century, the buildings like castles were built in Middle East and Europe by the Maharajas (Kings) for threatening attacks. The castle architecture is very commonly seen in most of the other castles. The protectors like gatehouses, arrows, etc. were the elements that were surrounded in castle. They were not constructed for the architectural purpose, but it was constructed to frighten the enemies.

Palace A palace is built with a purpose of constructing spacious halls and rooms primarily meant for comfort. They were meant to be seen as a sign of royalty, wealth and grace. The materials used to decorate these palaces were marvelous. Often marbles were used to show off its loveliness. Palaces were not built for ruling. Lots of money was usually spent in the construction of a palace and they were built to live a luxurious life and enjoy a leisurely lifestyle.

Today, castle and palaces, if not utilized for any purpose are known as museums. Most of the castles and palaces are historic monuments for visitors.

Comparison between Castle and Palace:

	Castle	Palace
Description (Dictionary.com)	A fortified, usually walled residence, as of a prince or noble in feudal times. The chief and strongest part of the fortifications of a medieval city. A strongly fortified, permanently garrisoned stronghold. A large and stately residence, especially one, with high walls and towers that imitates the form of a medieval castle. Any place providing security and privacy	The official residence of a king, queen, bishop, or other sovereign or exalted personage. A large and stately mansion or building. A large and usually ornate place for entertainment, exhibitions, etc.
Observed	Castles are mainly seen in the Middle East and Europe	Palaces are seen throughout the world
Built	Built to prove superiority	Built to prove royalty
Meant for	Meant for protection or safety	Meant for comfort or leisurely lifestyle
Materials used	Stone or brick for strength	Marbles and gold for beauty and appeal
Examples	Enraged, he confronts the beast king and is, quite literally, thrown out of the castle. He was rewarded with lands of his own, on which a castle named after him was built. Pony rides, bouncy castle, face painting & much more.	My parents surprised me with five nights at an old palace. Popular little gin palace, which has preserved its classic Victorian decor. The palace was full of servants and maidens whose loveliness would tempt a saint.