Chandelier

An important addition to all spectacular homes: a chandelier.

Chandeliers are large decorative light fittings, usually able to hold multiple bulbs or candles, and are hung from ceilings.
‘Chandelier’ comes from the old French word ‘chandelabre’, that has its origins in the word ‘candelabrum’, a Latin word meaning ‘candlestick’.
The first chandeliers were originally wooden cross-sections that held candles during the Middle Ages.
Chandeliers are typically used for decoration and luminescence, and add a feeling of luxury, although they are not so common as they once were one or two centuries ago.
The largest Bohemian crystal chandelier in existence today weighs 6 tonnes (4.5 tons) and was given to Dolmabahçe Palace in Turkey, by Queen Victoria in the 19th century, however, larger crystal chandeliers can be seen, including a Swarovski crystal one in the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Oman, which is 8 metres wide and has a height of 14 metres.

Chandeliers were historically made from wood, brass, iron and other metals, and glass and crystal were added to spectacularly disperse and reflect light throughout the room.
Chandeliers were originally only owned by the higher classes and were a symbol of wealth, and Dolmabahçe Palace in Turkey has one of the most extensive chandelier collections in the world.
Chandeliers were often powered by gas and electricity from the 1800s, and during that time, crystals were sometimes included.
Authentic chandeliers originating from the Middle Ages are quite rare, as most hung in churches and were destroyed in the 1500s due to the reformation.
Chandeliers have been produced in numerous different styles, and the largest chandelier in the world in 2010, called ‘Reflective Flow’ is a non-traditional chandelier that holds 165,000 LED lights, has a weight of 18, 000 kg (39, 683 lb), is 5.8 m (19 ft) tall, 12.5 m (41 ft) wide, and 38.5 m (126 ft 4 in) long, and hangs in the atrium of the Al Hitmi office building in Doha, Qatar.

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