And on that day in the middle of June, Mr Methwold sold his empty palaces for ridiculously little - but there were conditions.

It was an empty palace which was stormed by the insurgents next day.

He saw himself walking the echoing corridors of an empty palace and he knew what it was, where he was.

Hurrying back through the empty palace, he made his way to the centre of the circle of stones.

I have decided to leave: nobody attacks an empty palace.

"What sort of emergency can happen in a virtually empty palace?"

"They've secured an empty palace," he said of the American soldiers here.

Charles had to move into an empty palace.

We are left administering these empty palaces.

Enough to fill the rooms of this huge, empty palace.