Château de Brassac dates back to the 12th century. Initially a baronial seat under the Planels family, it later came under the Counts of Toulouse, English control under Richard the Lionheart, and eventually the French crown.
The castle was originally a keep surrounded by a moat dating from the 12th century. It walls enforced with walls in the next century. During the Hundred Years' War Brassac was captured multiple times by English forces.
During the French Revolution it was burned but later restored by the Galard family, its original owners. In 1997, it was returned to a Galard descendant and is now open for visits.
Château de Brassac has four circular towers, walls 2–3 meters thick, and defensive features like arrow slits. It retains a 14th-century main building atop the original keep's site, 15th-century additions, and a polygonal staircase tower. Access is via stone bridge replacing the original drawbridge.
The Royal Palace was built in the first half of the 19th century as the Norwegian residence of King Charles III, who also reigned as king of Sweden and otherwise resided there, and is the official residence of the present Norwegian monarch. The crown prince resides at Skaugum in Asker west of Oslo. The palace has 173 rooms.
Until the completion of the Royal Palace, Norwegian royalty resided in Paleet, the magnificent town house in Christiania that the wealthy merchant Bernt Anker bequeathed to the State in 1805 to be used as a royal residence. During the last years of the union with Denmark it was used by the viceroys of Norway, and in 1814 by the first king of independent Norway, Christian Frederick.