diff --git a/fastkml/kml.py b/fastkml/kml.py
index e5b4bbda..50f41692 100644
--- a/fastkml/kml.py
+++ b/fastkml/kml.py
@@ -26,7 +26,10 @@
 
 """
 import logging
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import IO
 from typing import Any
+from typing import AnyStr
 from typing import Dict
 from typing import Iterable
 from typing import List
@@ -155,48 +158,54 @@ def append(
         self.features.append(kmlobj)
 
     @classmethod
-    def class_from_string(
+    def parse(
         cls,
-        string: str,
+        file: Union[Path, str, IO[AnyStr]],
         *,
         ns: Optional[str] = None,
         name_spaces: Optional[Dict[str, str]] = None,
         strict: bool = True,
     ) -> Self:
         """
-        Create a kml object from a string.
+        Parse a KML file and return a KML object.
 
         Args:
         ----
-            string: String representation (serialized XML) of the kml object
-            ns: Namespace of the element (default: None)
-            name_spaces: Dictionary of namespace prefixes and URIs (default: None)
-            strict: Whether to enforce strict parsing (default: True)
+            file: The file to parse.
+                Can be a file path (str or Path), or a file-like object.
+
+        Keyword Args:
+        ------------
+            ns (Optional[str]): The namespace of the KML file.
+                If not provided, it will be inferred from the root element.
+            name_spaces (Optional[Dict[str, str]]): Additional namespaces.
+            strict (bool): Whether to enforce strict parsing rules. Defaults to True.
 
         Returns:
         -------
-            Geometry object
+            KML object: The parsed KML object.
 
         """
         try:
-            element = config.etree.fromstring(
-                string,
+            tree = config.etree.parse(
+                file,
                 parser=config.etree.XMLParser(
                     huge_tree=True,
                     recover=True,
                 ),
             )
         except TypeError:
-            element = config.etree.XML(string)
+            tree = config.etree.parse(file)
+        root = tree.getroot()
         if ns is None:
-            ns = cast(str, element.tag[:-3] if element.tag.endswith("kml") else "")
+            ns = cast(str, root.tag[:-3] if root.tag.endswith("kml") else "")
         name_spaces = name_spaces or {}
         name_spaces = {**config.NAME_SPACES, **name_spaces}
         return cls.class_from_element(
             ns=ns,
             name_spaces=name_spaces,
             strict=strict,
-            element=element,
+            element=root,
         )
 
 
diff --git a/tests/kml_test.py b/tests/kml_test.py
index 1cc9ef51..42c06b28 100644
--- a/tests/kml_test.py
+++ b/tests/kml_test.py
@@ -15,14 +15,21 @@
 # 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301 USA
 
 """Test the kml class."""
+import io
+import pathlib
 
 import pygeoif as geo
 
 from fastkml import features
 from fastkml import kml
+from fastkml.containers import Document
+from fastkml.features import Placemark
 from tests.base import Lxml
 from tests.base import StdLibrary
 
+BASEDIR = pathlib.Path(__file__).parent
+KMLFILEDIR = BASEDIR / "ogc_conformance" / "data" / "kml"
+
 
 class TestStdLibrary(StdLibrary):
     """Test with the standard library."""
@@ -52,16 +59,92 @@ def test_kml(self) -> None:
         assert k.to_string() == k2.to_string()
 
 
+class TestParseKML(StdLibrary):
+    def test_parse_kml(self) -> None:
+        empty_placemark = KMLFILEDIR / "emptyPlacemarkWithoutId.xml"
+
+        doc = kml.KML.parse(empty_placemark)
+
+        assert doc == kml.KML(
+            ns="{http://www.opengis.net/kml/2.2}",
+            features=[
+                Document(
+                    ns="{http://www.opengis.net/kml/2.2}",
+                    id="doc-001",
+                    target_id="",
+                    name="Vestibulum eleifend lobortis lorem.",
+                    features=[
+                        Placemark(
+                            ns="{http://www.opengis.net/kml/2.2}",
+                        ),
+                    ],
+                    schemata=[],
+                ),
+            ],
+        )
+
+    def test_parse_kml_filename(self) -> None:
+        empty_placemark = str(KMLFILEDIR / "emptyPlacemarkWithoutId.xml")
+
+        doc = kml.KML.parse(empty_placemark)
+
+        assert doc == kml.KML(
+            ns="{http://www.opengis.net/kml/2.2}",
+            features=[
+                Document(
+                    ns="{http://www.opengis.net/kml/2.2}",
+                    id="doc-001",
+                    target_id="",
+                    name="Vestibulum eleifend lobortis lorem.",
+                    features=[
+                        Placemark(
+                            ns="{http://www.opengis.net/kml/2.2}",
+                        ),
+                    ],
+                    schemata=[],
+                ),
+            ],
+        )
+
+    def test_parse_kml_fileobject(self) -> None:
+        empty_placemark = KMLFILEDIR / "emptyPlacemarkWithoutId.xml"
+        with empty_placemark.open() as f:
+            doc = kml.KML.parse(f)
+
+        assert doc == kml.KML(
+            ns="{http://www.opengis.net/kml/2.2}",
+            features=[
+                Document(
+                    ns="{http://www.opengis.net/kml/2.2}",
+                    id="doc-001",
+                    target_id="",
+                    name="Vestibulum eleifend lobortis lorem.",
+                    features=[
+                        Placemark(
+                            ns="{http://www.opengis.net/kml/2.2}",
+                        ),
+                    ],
+                    schemata=[],
+                ),
+            ],
+        )
+
+
 class TestLxml(Lxml, TestStdLibrary):
     """Test with lxml."""
 
+
+class TestLxmlParseKML(Lxml, TestParseKML):
+    """Test with Lxml."""
+
     def test_from_string_with_unbound_prefix(self) -> None:
-        doc = """<kml xmlns="http://www.opengis.net/kml/2.2">
-            <Placemark>
-            <ExtendedData>
-            <lc:attachment>image.png</lc:attachment>
-            </ExtendedData>
-            </Placemark> </kml>"""
-        k = kml.KML.class_from_string(doc)
+        doc = io.StringIO(
+            '<kml xmlns="http://www.opengis.net/kml/2.2">'
+            "<Placemark><ExtendedData>"
+            "<lc:attachment>image.png</lc:attachment>"
+            "</ExtendedData>"
+            "</Placemark> </kml>",
+        )
+        k = kml.KML.parse(doc, ns="{http://www.opengis.net/kml/2.2}")
         assert len(k.features) == 1
         assert isinstance(k.features[0], features.Placemark)