The most terrible castles in the world are the door to otherworldly reality. The oldest castles in the world The oldest castle in the world

visiting new country, an inquisitive tourist wants to discover something interesting, visit places with special energy and mysterious magic. All this can be provided by the oldest castles in the world.

Unfortunately, most of the ancient structures have survived only in the form of ruins, which are of more interest to archaeologists than travelers. However, many of them were indeed made "for the ages". Now in the world there are quite a lot of ancient castles open to tourists, and each of them definitely deserves a visit.

Mayerling

A cursory glance is enough to make sure how many secrets this ancient magical place holds. Today it looks calm and serene, but its history is filled with tragedy. The Austrian castle is included in the list of the oldest in the world, was built in 1550. It is noteworthy that under mysterious circumstances, Rudolf, the heir to the throne, died here. There are many different speculations and legends about what really happened in this place, but history has not revealed the old mystery. Today it has become a popular tourist attraction.

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Torre de Belem

If you are close to the spirit of adventurism (and the period of conquest in Portugal has become a special page in history), you should visit this amazing place. Torre de Belem is one of the oldest wonders of Portugal. The object is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It was built in the sixteenth century for defensive purposes. Created in the Manueline, characteristic of the Renaissance style.

At the same time, here you can find oriental elements of ancient decor, heraldic motifs. In the walls ancient building For the first time in Europe, a sculpture of an animal appeared - the famous rhinoceros. The southern façade with a Venetian-style loggia deserves special attention. It is decorated with fine carvings made on limestone balustrades.

Himeji

This place is often mentioned among the visiting cards of Japan. The second name is the Palace of the White Heron. The complex consists of 83 wooden buildings, forming a single stylistic ensemble. The structure is securely protected by a spiral labyrinth, with intricate turns, many passages and dead ends. One of the oldest castles in the world was built in the 14th century, it has a powerful energy and attracts with its originality.

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Bran

Better known to tourists as Dracula's Castle. The oldest mysterious place not only in Romania, but, perhaps, in all of Europe. This is a bright monument of medieval architecture, erected on a steep mountain. The layout resembles a labyrinth, and the interior is filled with many antique pieces. The castle was built in the 14th century and is one of the oldest on the planet.

Eltz

There are plenty of stunning old castles in Germany, but Eltz stands out even among them. This place is notable for the fact that from the medieval period to the present day it has been owned by the same family. The current manager, Count Karl von Eltz, represents the 33rd generation of the family, and the total time of ownership of the old estate, built in the 12th century, is over 800 years.

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Within the walls of this amazing place in the XII century, a real love drama broke out. We are talking about a tragic love triangle in which Henry II Plantagenet, his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine and a certain Rosamund Clifford were present. Heinrich hid his mistress in the tower, the path to which ran through a complex labyrinth. Despite this, Eleanor found the girl - Rosamund drank the poison and died in terrible agony. For this, the enraged Henry imprisoned his wife forever in prison. Rumor has it that the spirit of the poisoned girl still languishes in this ancient castle.

Tower

In the list of the oldest castles in the world, one cannot fail to mention the Tower with its mysterious history. This place, built in 1078, became a prison for everyone to whom the only road was open - to the scaffold. Such a fate befell the second wife of Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn. Carried away by a new feeling, Heinrich sentenced his wife to death, accusing her of incest. The queen accepted the fictitious punishment with dignity and majesty. After this tragic event in the Tower, many began to notice the ghostly silhouette of a woman in a magnificent evening dress, holding her head in her right hand.

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Korf

Despite the fact that this ancient English castle has not been preserved to this day in its original form, its ruins make an indelible impression. The date of construction is considered to be the 9th century, but there are opinions that this happened much earlier, even when there was a need for defense in the fight against the Romans. Thus, it is the oldest castle in the world. The fortress was used to store royal jewels and was a place for prisoners. Today, only parts of the building have been preserved, the reconstruction of which was carried out in the eleventh century.

Still, medieval architects were geniuses - they built castles, luxurious buildings that were also extremely practical. Castles, unlike modern mansions, not only demonstrated the wealth of their owners, but also served as powerful fortresses that could hold the defense for several years, and at the same time, life in them did not stop.

Even the fact that many castles, having survived wars, natural disasters and the carelessness of the owners, are still intact, suggests that they have not yet come up with a more reliable home. And they are insanely beautiful and seem to have appeared in our world from the pages of fairy tales and legends. Their high spiers are reminiscent of the times when beauties fought for the hearts, and the air was saturated with chivalry and courage.

Reichsburg Castle, Germany

The thousand-year-old castle was originally the residence of the King of Germany, Conrad III, and then of the King of France, Louis XIV. The fortress was burned down by the French in 1689 and would have sunk into oblivion, but a German businessman purchased the remains in 1868 and spent most of his wealth rebuilding the castle.

Mont Saint Michel, France

Swallow's Nest, Crimea

Initially, on the rock of Cape Ai-Todor there was a small wooden house. And the Swallow's Nest got its current look thanks to the oil industrialist Baron Steingel, who loved to relax in the Crimea. He decided to build a romantic castle that resembles medieval buildings on the banks of the Rhine River.

Castle Stalker, Scotland

Castle Stalker, which means "Falconer", was built in 1320 and belonged to the MacDougal clan. Since that time, its walls have experienced a huge number of strife and wars, which affected the condition of the castle. In 1965, Colonel D. R. Stewart of Allward became the owner of the castle, who personally restored the structure with his wife, family members and friends.

Bran Castle, Romania

Bran Castle is the pearl of Transylvania, a mysterious museum-fort, where the famous legend of Count Dracula, a vampire, murderer and governor Vlad the Impaler, was born. According to legend, he spent the night here during the periods of his campaigns, and the forest surrounding Bran Castle was Tepes's favorite hunting ground.

Vyborg Castle, Russia

Vyborg Castle was founded by the Swedes in 1293, during one of the crusades against Karelian land. It remained Scandinavian until 1710, when the troops of I drove the Swedes back far and for a long time. Since that time, the castle managed to visit both a warehouse, and a barracks, and even a prison for the Decembrists. And today there is a museum here.

Cashel Castle, Ireland

Cashel Castle was the seat of the kings of Ireland for several hundred years before the Norman invasion. Here in the 5th century A.D. e. Saint Patrick lived and preached. The walls of the castle witnessed the bloody suppression of the revolution by the troops of Oliver Cromwell, who burned soldiers alive here. Since then, the castle has become a symbol of the cruelty of the British, the real courage and fortitude of the Irish.

Kilchurn Castle, Scotland

The very beautiful and even slightly creepy ruins of Kilchurn Castle are located on the shores of the picturesque Lake Eyve. The history of this castle, unlike most castles in Scotland, proceeded quite calmly - numerous earls lived here, who succeeded each other. In 1769, the building was struck by lightning and was soon completely abandoned, as it remains to this day.

Lichtenstein Castle, Germany

Built in the 12th century, this castle has been destroyed several times. It was finally restored in 1884 and since then the castle has become a filming location for many films, including the film The Three Musketeers.

There are many medieval castles scattered across Europe, which many centuries ago were intended to house and protect the families of feudal lords. Today, castles are silent witnesses of royal dramas, the fall of great houses and historical events.

Now tourists visit ancient fortresses in winter and summer to see their splendor with their own eyes. We have collected in this list incredibly beautiful castles that are worth a visit!

1 Tintagel Castle, England

Tintagel is a medieval fort on the cape of the island of the same name. The castle borders the village of Tintagel in Cornwall. It was built by Richard the Plantagenet in 1233. However, Tintagel is often associated with another famous character - King Arthur. Here he was conceived, born and taken away by the wizard Merlin in infancy.

Since the 19th century, the castle has been a tourist attraction and is under the ownership of Prince Charles. Managed by "English Heritage" - the British State Commission on Historic Buildings.

2 Corvin Castle, Romania

This Gothic-style castle with Renaissance elements is located in Transylvania, a Romanian town called Hunedoara, on a cliff near the Zlashte River. The castle was built in the middle of the 15th century by the father of the Hungarian king Matthew Corvinus and was inherited until 1508.

Since then, Korvinov has changed 22 owners, and has been opened to the public as a museum. The castle to this day is one of the wonders of Romania, by the way, according to rumors, Vlad Tepes himself, known as Count Dracula, spent seven years in prison here.

3 Alcazar de Segovia, Spain

This fortress of the Spanish kings is today an object world heritage UNESCO. The castle is located on an incredibly beautiful location - a rock at the confluence of two rivers. Due to its location, it is one of the most recognizable castles in Spain.

In 1120, the Alcazar was used as an Arab fortress. Then there was a royal residence, an artillery academy and even a prison. It currently houses a military archive and museum.

4 Eltz Castle, Germany

Eltz Castle is considered one of two medieval buildings in the Eifel that were never destroyed or captured. The castle has withstood all wars and upheavals since its construction in the 12th century.

It is surprising that the castle has been owned by the same family for 33 generations - Eltz, whose descendant to this day takes care of it, keeping it in its original form. The owner has opened it to tourists, who are especially attracted by the Eltz treasury with jewelry exhibits and other works of art from different centuries.

5 Windsor Castle, England

This castle has been closely associated with the monarchs of Great Britain for more than 900 years and is their symbol. The current ruling royal dynasty of Windsor is named after him. The castle was built in the 11th century by William the Conqueror and has been used as a royal residence since the reign of Henry I. Over the centuries, it has been repeatedly rebuilt and supplemented in accordance with the requests of the ruling monarchs.

Interestingly, during the Second World War, the castle served as a refuge for the royal family. Today, the castle is used for state receptions, visits by tourists, as well as the rest of Queen Elizabeth II in the spring of each year.

6 Himeji Castle, Japan

This castle near the city of Himeji is one of the oldest in Japan. Its construction as a fortress began in 1333, and in 1346 the fort was reconstructed into a castle. For a long time, he wandered from one samurai clan to another, and only in the 1600s found a master. Then the main part of the 83 wooden buildings of the castle was built.

Movies are often filmed on the territory of Himeji, as the castle is well preserved in its original form. In addition, the building belongs to the National Treasures of Japan and is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

7 Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

This ancient castle is located on Castle Rock in the center of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. About 300-odd million years ago there was an active volcano here! The first mention of this building dates back to 1139, when church ministers also gathered in the royal castle. This continued until 1633, but since then the castle has been considered the heart of Scotland.

It is worth noting that this fortress survived 26 sieges, which made it the most attacked on Earth. Over the past 150 years, Edinburgh Castle has been frequently restored, and now it is the main tourist attraction in Edinburgh.

8 Hever Castle, England

The castle was built in the XIII century in the south-east of England in Kent, as an ordinary country house. It became famous due to the fact that the Boleyn family lived here from 1462 to 1539. In 1505, it was inherited by Thomas Boleyn, father of Anne, wife of King Henry VIII, whose marriage caused the rupture of England and Rome. True, after the king got bored with his new wife, he executed her in the Tower.

Since then, Khiver has passed from one owner to another, but has retained the unique Tudor interiors. The castle is now used as a conference venue, but is also open to the public.

9 Boinice Castle, Slovakia

It is considered one of the most romantic castles in Europe. Its first mention dates back to 1113 - an ordinary wooden castle in Bojnice, which was gradually strengthened. Officially, the fortress was handed over to the ruler of Slovakia, Matus Czak, by King Wenceslas III of Hungary in 1302.

Since then, each new owner has reconstructed the castle, and as a result, it turned out to be the most visited place in Slovakia. Many fantastic and fabulous films were filmed here. The castle also houses the Slovak National Museum.

10 Bran Castle, Romania

Bran Fortress is a national landmark of Romania. Initially, it was a wooden structure, which was founded in 1212 by the knights of the Teutonic Order, and later completed by local residents at their own expense. In those days, the building served as a defensive fortress.

Bran has gone through many owners but is most often referred to as "Dracula's castle". According to legend, Prince Vlad Chepes, nicknamed Count Dracula, often stopped here and hunted near the castle. In the 20th century, the castle was donated by the locals to Queen Maria of Romania, whose grandson currently owns it. Now the castle houses a museum of furniture and art from the collection of Queen Mary.

11 Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland

This beautiful castle, which is recognized as one of the most romantic in Scotland, is located on Donan Island - at the meeting point of three lakes. In the 7th century, a hermit monk lived on the island, after whom the castle was named. In the XIII century, the first fortress was built, and Eilean Donan itself was transferred by the king to the ancestor of the Scottish Mackenzie clan.

The building was destroyed in 1719, and only at the beginning of the 20th century the MacRae clan acquired the castle and began its restoration. By the way, this fortress can be seen in the TV series Outlander.

12 Bodiam Castle, England

The land on which the castle is now located was inherited by Edward Dalingridge after his marriage. In 1385, during the 100 Years' War, he fortified the estate to protect the area from the French. For several decades, the castle was passed down from generation to generation. When the family died at the end of the 15th century, the castle came into the possession of the Leuknor family.

Later, Bodiam had several owners, each of whom contributed to its restoration, for example, after a siege during the Wars of the Roses. In 1925, after the death of the then owner, the castle was donated to a national foundation, which maintains it to this day. Now this fortress near the village of Robertsbridge can be visited by anyone.

13 Hohensalzburg Castle, Austria

This building is considered one of the largest of all surviving medieval castles in Europe and is located at an altitude of 120 meters on top of Mount Festung near the Austrian city of Salzburg. The castle was built in 1077 under the leadership of the archbishop of Salzburg, but now only the foundation remains of that building.

Hohensalzburg was fortified, rebuilt and reconstructed many times. Only in the 16th century did it acquire the form it has today. The fortress was used as a warehouse, barracks, fort and even a prison during the First World War. Now this castle is a favorite tourist attraction, where you can climb the funicular or walk.

14 Arundell Castle, England

This castle was founded on Christmas Day 1067 by Roger de Montgomery (Earl of Arundel), one of the subjects of William the Conqueror. Later, it became the main residence of the Dukes of Norfolk from the Howard family, who have owned it for over 400 years.

The castle was rebuilt after being damaged during the English Civil War in the 17th century, and also updated with the return of fashion for medieval interiors. Although Arundel is a private property, most of the castle is open to tourists.

15 Mont Saint Michel, France

This castle is not in vain called the architectural wonder of France. It is a rocky island in northwestern France that was turned into a fortress island in the 8th century. Monks lived here for a long time, and even an abbey was built.

During the 100 Years War, the British unsuccessfully tried to conquer this island, and during the French Revolution, when there were no monks on the island, a prison was built here. It was closed in 1863, and in 1874 the island was declared a historical monument. About 3 million tourists visit here every year, while local residents just a few dozen people!

These amazing historical monuments have come down to posterity almost in their original form. They keep the centuries-old history of different peoples, which is not always possible to read on the pages of textbooks.

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The legacy of the Middle Ages, European castles today are shrouded in a veil of legends, traditions and real dramatic events. Their thick stone walls remember sieges, internecine wars, intrigues and romantic stories. Their sumptuous or, on the contrary, ascetic interiors excite the imagination, which, having played out, takes away into the world of the knights of King Arthur, Lohengrin and Dracula. And, in general, at this moment it doesn’t matter whether these characters actually existed.

Abbey of Mont Saint Michel

Bran Castle, Transylvania, Romania

Bran Castle, 30 kilometers from the city of Brasov, is one of those places whose mythological history has overshadowed the real one, I must say, very rich. Thanks to the novel by the Irishman Bram Stoker, published in 1897, Bran became "the same" castle of Count Dracula, the most popular bloodsucker of mass culture and the main vampire of all times and peoples. Yes, there is a deadly negative charm in this image: “He had an energetic, original face, a thin nose and some special, strangely shaped nostrils; an arrogant high forehead, and hair that grew scantly and at the same time in thick tufts near the temples; very thick, almost meeting on the forehead eyebrows. The mouth, as far as I could see under the heavy moustache, was resolute, even cruel in appearance, with extraordinarily sharp white teeth protruding between the lips, the bright color of which struck with its vitality in a man of his age. But what struck me the most was the unusual pallor of the face. However, one should not associate Stoker's Dracula with his prototype, the 15th-century Wallachian prince Vlad the Impaler, also known as Vlad Dracula. Although the governor did not differ in special humanity, he was not a bloody despot, as he appears in the annals, either. The executions of the boyars after Tepes came to power in Transylvania - quite in the spirit of that by no means vegetarian time and internecine struggle, he himself was also attempted more than once. Vlad Dracula has an indirect relationship to Bran Castle: dissatisfied with the refusal of the German merchants of Brasov to obey the trading rules established by him, he repeatedly organized military campaigns against the obstinate city. However, no written evidence of his capture of the castle has been preserved.

Chillon Castle, Montreux, Switzerland

Chillon stands in the bosom of the waters;

There, in the dungeon, seven columns

Covered with damp moss.

A sad light dawns on them.

Unlike Bram Stoker, who used some of the features and fragments of the biography of Vlad Dracula to create an image, Byron in The Prisoner of Chillon poeticized the real story of a prisoner of a gloomy castle on the shores of Lake Geneva. The basis of the poem, written by him in two days in June 1816, based on fresh impressions from visiting this place with his friend Percy Bysshe Shelley, was the events of the 16th century. The prototype of the Chillon prisoner was the rector of one of the Geneva abbeys, Francois Bonivard, who opposed the persistent attempts of the Savoy Duke Charles III to seize power in Geneva. Bonivar spent six years in captivity and was released in 1536 by the Bernese. In fairness, in the centuries-old history of the castle, built in the middle of the XII century as the residence of the Savoy dukes, there were many dramatic episodes. So, in 1798, under the influence of the French Revolution, the French-speaking canton of Vaud, refusing to recognize the authority of the German-speaking Bern, proclaimed the Leman Republic. When French troops entered the canton, to which its inhabitants turned for help, the Chillon castle was turned into a warehouse of weapons and uniforms.

Abbey of Mont Saint Michel, Normandy, France

According to legend, the abbey on a rocky island at the mouth of the Cusnon River owes its appearance to St. Michael, who in 708 appeared three times to Bishop Ober, until he was finally convinced of the correctness of his interpretation of the sign from above. Since then, the mountain, called the Grave, bears the name of its heavenly patron - Mont Saint-Michel. In the 8th century it all started with a modest chapel, in 966, on the orders of the Duke of Normandy, a proto-Roman church appeared here, and over the course of the 11th-15th centuries the abbey was gradually expanded and rebuilt, including due to the destruction caused by a series of wars. In 1090, the abbey, in which the youngest son of William the Conqueror Henry took refuge, was besieged by his brothers William the Red and Duke of Normandy Robert Short Pants. At the beginning of the 13th century, the abbey was captured by the French king Philip Augustus, who, however, in atonement for his guilt before the monks and God, donated a large amount to the affected Benedictine monastery, thanks to which the Miracle was erected on the northern slope - a building in the Gothic style with an extensive cloister. During the French Revolution and the Second Empire, the abbey managed to visit a prison, and today Mont Saint-Michel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the most tourist places France. Its outlines can be seen in many films, including Terence Malick's To the Miracle (2012), whose story begins with a visit to the abbey by a couple in love going through a relationship crisis.

Hohensalzburg, Austria

It is the baroque towers and powerful walls of Hohensalzburg that form the textbook view of the Austrian capital, replicated in numerous photographs and postcards. One of the largest medieval fortresses in Europe, built in 1077 by Gebhard I, Archbishop of Salzburg, Hohensalzburg was significantly expanded in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. At the same time, a symbol of the fortress appeared above the main entrance - a lion with a beetroot in its paws. Over the centuries, Hohensalzburg, towering over the Old Town of the Austrian capital, has maintained a reputation as an impregnable bastion for enemies - and indeed, this is one of the few Austrian fortresses that has never been conquered. In 1977, for the 900th anniversary of Hohensalzburg, the Austrian Mint issued a commemorative coin depicting the castle. And in 2006, he appeared on the commemorative coins of the old Nonnberg Abbey, to which Salzburg owes its appearance.

Egeskov, Funen, Denmark

In its current form, Egeskov was built in 1554 - a rather turbulent time of the beginning of the Reformation and slowly smoldering feudal wars, so the castle house was by no means a whim, but an urgent need. Egeskov was erected in the middle of the lake on a foundation of oak piles - according to legend, it took a whole oak grove. The castle consists of two long houses connected by a thick defensive wall with a complex system of secret stairs to supply the inhabitants with water in case of a siege. Add to this machicolations on the outer walls, from which it was possible not only to fire at enemies, but also to pour molten resin on them and drop stones. Today, Egeskov, still owned by the descendants of Henrik Bije, who bought the castle in 1784, looks quite peaceful. At the end of the 19th century, it turned into a farm equipped with the latest technology, which it is to this day. In addition to impressive interiors, mainly dating back to the 19th century, the castle has expositions that tell about its daily, non-ceremonial life.

Neuschwanstein, Bavaria, Germany

Despite the impressive view built at the end of the 19th century, Neuschwanstein, unlike real medieval castles, was built not to protect its owners, but as the embodiment of a childhood dream of a beautiful Middle Ages, the time of brave knights and beautiful ladies. In 1866, Bavaria, which fought in the Austro-Prussian war on the side of Austria, was defeated, as a result of which it lost part of the land, and King Ludwig II lost the right to lead the army in case of war and the status of a sovereign monarch. In 1867, having imagined himself as Lohengrin, a knight of the Holy Grail, as a child, he found solace in a world of dreams, the material embodiment of which were palaces and castles - his small kingdom, in which he was the sole ruler. The Bavarian king was a fanatical admirer of Richard Wagner's music and a generous patron of the composer, and Neuschweinstein's interiors became large-scale illustrations for his operas. In addition to Wagnerian motifs, the image of a swan appears in the design of each room in one form or another - which would subsequently inspire Pyotr Tchaikovsky to create Swan Lake. A little later, the sight of the castle will enchant one of the main storytellers of the 20th century, Walt Disney, who uses the outline of the castle in the brand name of the company he founded.

Scotney Castle, Kent, UK

Although the first written evidence of a certain castle of Scotney dates back to 1137, the oldest buildings that have come down to us, or rather the picturesque ruins left from them, date back to the end of the 14th century. In the 16th century, a magnificent building in the Elizabethan style appeared on the site of the fortified house with towers, and around 1630 the east wing was rebuilt in the Palladian spirit. Uninhabited already in the 40s of the 19th century, it remained a decoration of the garden and a living testimony to the long and eventful history of the castle. And the Hussey family, who then took over the estate, built a new castle, stylized as the era of King James I, the first representative of the Stuart dynasty on the English throne, who ruled in the first third of the 17th century. The castle was opened to the public only in 2007 - until that time it remained the residential building of the heiress of the family, Elizabeth Hussey. Full of paintings, antique furniture, books and photographs, it still has a homely, non-museum atmosphere. Around the castle - beautiful gardens, beech groves and moorlands.

Ancient castles overgrown with ivy amaze with grandeur and make an unforgettable impression. There are such historical buildings in many European countries. Among them are the oldest and most original. Ancient castles amaze with their beauty, grandeur and practicality. They were built not only to demonstrate the wealth of their owner, but also as defensive structures. Even with a long siege of castles, life did not stop there. Almost every architectural monument has become part of local legends, some have gained fame unusual place, which is haunted.

Germany is proud of Reichsburg Castle with a thousand-year history. At one time, it was the residence of King Conrad III. At the end of the seventeenth century, it was almost completely destroyed, but in the nineteenth it was restored by a local businessman.

The Austrian castle Hochosterwitz, towering one hundred and sixty meters above the terrain, seems to be vigilantly watching its possessions even today. It belongs to the ninth century. This medieval building looks great even from a distance of thirty kilometers.

Bled Castle hangs over Lake Bled on a hundred-meter cliff. The windows of this historic Slovenian building offer a magnificent view. It is known that the castle was once the residence of Josip Broz Tito, and even earlier - the residence of the royal dynasty.

Castle-fortress Hohenschwangau is located in Germany. It was built by knights in the twelfth century. It served as the residence of several rulers, including Louis II. The famous composer Richard Wagner visited this castle.

The most original castles

Visiting castles is always impressive. It seems that you are in a fairy tale or acting in a movie about knights and beautiful princesses. There are castles that are completely original, unlike those that we are used to seeing in films or book illustrations.

Predjama Castle cannot be called otherwise than non-standard and unique. It is literally carved out of the rock. The left wing was carved at the beginning of the twelfth century, the right and middle parts were completed already in the sixteenth. At the end of the twentieth century, the castle was restored, returning its original appearance.

Who hasn't heard of the Swallow's Nest? This castle is a pearl and a visiting card of the Crimea. It rises on the Aurora rock, on which huge waves break. Its romanticism, mystery and at the same time elegance contributed to the fact that several feature films were filmed in the castle.

Near the coast of Normandy there is an artificial island Mont Saint-Michel, on which a medieval French castle was built. Its peculiarity is that it is a functioning monastery.

The oldest castles

Castles began to be built in Europe from the tenth century. All of them are similar in layout, as they are fortifications. Usually castles were surrounded by a moat, which was filled with water.

One of the oldest buildings is the huge Dover Castle. Some of its buildings appeared about two thousand years ago - these are two lighthouses, however, only one has survived to this day. Already in the tenth century, a church was attached to the lighthouse, and in the eleventh century, the main tower was built nearby, and all the buildings were surrounded by a defensive wall.

Another ancient castle is located in the Czech Republic. It's about Prague Castle. It is known that its first tower was built as early as 879. Impressive is not only the age, but also the huge area of ​​the castle.

Kisimul is the name of a castle built on an island near Barra in the eleventh century. As confirmed by archaeological excavations, the first building was destroyed. It was rebuilt again in the fifteenth century. The castle has a source of fresh water, and this is very important during a siege. Kisimul has never been captured, which makes it unique in its own way.

The most unusual castle in the world

The most unusual, one might say fabulous, is Neuschwanstein Castle. It is also called the castle in the clouds. In Germany, this is one of the most interesting sights. The name translates as "New Swan Rock".

Construction was carried out in the nineteenth century. It is known that when creating the cartoon about the sleeping beauty, the world-famous animator Disney created the castle of the main character of the cartoon similar to Neuschwanstein Castle. The resemblance is striking.

Monarchs often prefer to live not in castles, but in palaces. The Royal Palace in Stockholm took almost 57 years to build. The site has a site with interesting facts about the largest palaces in the world. The editors of the site, continuing the theme of surprisingly unusual sights, invite you to get acquainted with abandoned places that take your breath away.
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