New Delhi: The Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was known the world over as a ruler who loved building beautiful palaces and enjoying a luxurious lifestyle. The architecture of the palaces is so beautiful that one can't wait capturing their beauty on camera.
Enormous sums of Petro dollars went into creating man-made lakes and waterfalls, elaborate gardens, marble rooms, and other luxuries.
In total, Saddam Hussein's holdings included about a thousand buildings spread out over some 32 square kilometres (12 square miles).
After the fall of Baghdad in 2003, large bedrooms with hotel-style beds and imitation French baroque furniture lie empty, covered with a film of dust.
A roof-top swimming pool, where the palace's guests relaxed in more care-free times, is also gone, obliterated by American bombs.
Some palaces were occupied by the American army, while others were looted by Iraqi citizens. By now, all of them have been handed over to the Iraqi government.
Here are the pics of some of these palaces:
