Summer Palace

The Summer Palace (: Palacio de Verano) is a former royal residential complex near Terelle in the northern duchy of the in Ventora. Its first and most prominent feature is the Presidio of Terelle which dates from the 1270s. The Summer Cottage, measuring 8064 m2, was completed in 1686 to provide the monarch and his family with more comfortable lodgings away from the hot summers of the capital city, Plenas. A third major structure, the Cantonment, was added in 1864 for use by the Royal Guard and visiting nobles.

Since the demise of the royal family following the royal train derailment in 1961, the complex was dormant until it was used for the Terelle Talks in 1964. The talks led to the Treaty of Terelle, which ended the War of the Three Capitals and inaugurated Ventora's commonwealth system of governance. Today the complex is a National Historic Site and houses a museum and government conference center.

History
Ventora's northern regions, particularly the Kanakan Steppe, were considered relatively lawless from times even before the formation of the Kingdom of Ventora. Because of this and in response to the third Kleolaikos-Ventoran war (1256 – 1265), King ordered construction of the Presidio of Terelle shortly after he took the throne that year. Although it is no longer clear when construction began, a small garrison occupied the in the summer of 1272. Siquaerom reportedly held a great hunt on September 23rd and that date has become the recognized completion date. Because of its relatively small size, the presidio's garrison was never very large and, as a result, failed to exert any significant royal authority over the region. In any case, the nomadic nature of the Kanakans tended to negate the need for the stronghold as an effective means of dominating the area.

The remoteness of the presidio from the royal courts in Plenas meant Ventoran monarchs only seldomly visited the region. When became king in 1668, he undertook a grand tour, taking him to all corners of the country. As a result, he learned a great deal about the various peoples and lands over which he reigned. His absence from the capital also gave some noble families the opportunity to try to expand their influence. Both of these gave Usofrio the knowledge to institute some reforms and solidify his authority. In 1673, he issued the Precepts Concerning the Nation, which became part of the Fundamental Law of Ventora, the country's. To enhance his authority, Usofrio continued to travel to various outposts, taking up temporary residence at them for periods of time. In some locations, he undertook to build royal residences. Such was the case at Terelle since the fortification was too small and the location too remote to house the royal entourage. The Summer Cottage was completed in 1686; Usofrio visited it four times before his death in 1697.

Various monarchs used the Summer Cottage from time to time over the centuries. More typically, the Duke of Sabaray periodically occupied it "for the purpose of maintaining the royal facilities in a state of readiness." The development of steam-powered s in the 19th century made long-distance overland travel substantially easier and faster. In the late 1840s and 1850s, a rail line was constructed northward from Plenas through the middle of the country. The line reached Vedra, the capital of Sabaray, in 1857. was the first king to travel by rail from the capital to the Summer Palace on June 20, 1859. The following summer, Andrés repeated his journey, staying at the Summer Palace that summer. A number of other higher ranking titled nobles followed the royal family. This led Andrés to order construction of separate lodgings for them and the Royal Guard. Unfortunately, he died a year and a half before the Cantonment was completed in 1864.

King Florián III was the last monarch to use the Summer Palace. He and his entire family were killed when the royal train derailed on the viaduct at Lorqui, on September 13, 1961. The incident resulted in a that devolved into the War of the Three Capitals. The lack of clear popular support for any of the three factions, the decline in economic conditions nationwide, and failure of any of the factions to control enough territory to compel a victory in the war precipitated the sides to begin negotiations in 1964. The Terelle Talks were held in the Grand Hall of the Summer Cottage in September of that year. The talks led to the Treaty of Terelle which ended the war. The Protocols of State, an addendum to the Treaty of Terelle and part of Ventora's constitutional law, overlaid a commonwealth form of governance atop the monarchy structure and established an elected regent in the stead of the monarch.

Today the Presidio of Terelle is a state-operated museum and the Summer Cottage and Cantonment serve as a government conference center. Portions of the Summer Cottage, including the Grand Hall, may be visited when not in use for a conference. Private parties may hire part or all of the Summer Palace for conferences or special events such as weddings, charitable fund-raising dinners, and the like.

Description
The Summer Palace is the collective term for three primary structures that had been used by the royal family. Located in the southern reaches of the Kanakan Steppes, the climate was much more tolerable in summer than that found in Plenas, the capital city. The name is an extension of the Summer Cottage name that arose in the 19th century when some nobles traveled to the complex but were lodged in the Cantonment. Referring to staying at the "Summer Palace" implied close ties to the royal family even though they were not actually living with the royals in their residence, the Summer Cottage.

Presidio of Terelle
As noted, the presidio was originally built to exert royal influence over the region, with completion in 1272. Although constructed of, which was readily available, , and coral , the structure was more utilitarian than opulent as suited its intended military purpose. Built on the summit of a hill at an elevation of 367 m, the fortress is an octagon with octagonal towers at each corner. The presidio's main wall is 25 m high. The eight octagonal bastions, which are 3.1 m wide, reach 26 m tall. The walls of the main octagon measure 16.5 m long, giving the structure a diameter of 56 m.

The presidio's ornate main entrance faces east and a less obtrusive service entrance lies to the west. Inside, the eight-sided courtyard measures 17.86 m across. The structure consists of two floors both of which have eight rooms. Each of the main rooms has vaulted ceilings. Three of the corner towers contain staircases.

Summer Cottage
King Usofrio II, who spent considerable time away from the capital during his reign, had the Summer Cottage built to accommodate the royal entourage. Completed in 1687, the Summer Cottage includes 8064 m2 on three floors. The building is an L-shaped structure measuring 62 m on each leg. The cutout at the northeast comprises gardens which Usofrio reportedly enjoyed taking his morning coffee in. Nonetheless, Usofrio reportedly only stayed at the Summer Cottage four times between its completion and his death in 1697.

The Summer Cottage is south of the presidio. In addition to the main gardens, it contains several smaller, terraced gardens for the upper floors. There are also several courtyards, giving the cottage ready access to the open air and natural light. The entrance hall is majestic, clearly intending to impress on visitors this is a monarch's residence. The Summer Cottage is best known for its Grand Hall where the Terelle Talks took place during the War of the Three Capitals. The talks led to the Treaty of Terelle, which ended the war, and the addendum, the Protocols of State, which layered the commonwealth form of governance over Ventora's monarchical structure. The Grand Hall is a popular sight with visitors to the Summer Palace when it is not in use for conferences.

Cantonment
Completed in 1864, the Cantonment's purpose was to house the Royal Guard and the numbers of titled nobles that had taken to following the royal family to the Summer Palace. The edifice measures 84864 m2 over its two floors. It originally included eight suites for nobles (the number chosen to reflect the octagonal design of the Presidio of Terelle), rooms and facilities for the Royal Guard, a, and an armory. These facilities have been largely retained although modernized to support the conference center usage of the Summer Palace complex. The former stables are now used as maintenance and logistics shops for the complex.