Old castles. Secrets of ancient castles. Ancient castles of the world. The most terrible castles in the world - the door to otherworldly reality The most beautiful medieval castles in the world
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 did not stop in them.
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.
This fairy-tale castle is the historical possession of the Prussian kings and German emperors. It was built during the Middle Ages, in the 11th century, then was completely destroyed in 1423 and rebuilt in 1461. The castle is located on the top of the Hohenzollern mountain, about 50 kilometers south of Stuttgart, the capital of Baden-Württemberg.
Castle Howard, England
Although this building looks like a castle, Howard is actually just a luxurious house - the private residence of the Howard family, who have lived there for over 300 years. This house is located in North Yorkshire and is one of the largest residences in the UK. Its construction began at the end of the 17th century and lasted about 15 years. The castle is surrounded by fabulous gardens, as well as endless spacious meadows.
Alcazar in Segovia, Spain
Segovia Castle, located in central Spain, was originally (in the 12th century) used as a fortress. Externally, the Alcazar resembles the bow of a ship - a unique feature that distinguishes it from other castles. It served as the inspiration for many castles in Walt Disney films.
Himeji Castle, Japan
Himeji Castle, also known as White Heron Castle, is a magnificent white complex of 83 wooden buildings. One of the castle's most extraordinary defenses is the spiral labyrinth, with many dead ends, leading to the main watchtower. The gates and courtyard of the castle are built in such a way that people entering there get lost. The castle was built in the 14th century and is located in the city of Kansai, Japan.
Prague Castle, Czech Republic
Prague Castle is one of the largest and oldest castles in the world, and is also a symbol of the capital of the Czech Republic. The castle is 570 meters long and 130 meters wide. Every architectural style of the last millennium is represented in this building, from Gothic and Romanesque to Baroque. The construction of the very first buildings of the complex dates back to the beginning of the 9th century.
Peles Castle, Romania
Situated in a picturesque location in the Carpathian Mountains in Romania, Peles Castle is a truly fabulous building. Construction began in 1873. Workers from different countries. Queen Elizabeth of Romania said: “The Italians were masons, the Romanians built terraces, the gypsies worked as laborers. Albanians and Greeks laid stones, Germans and Hungarians were carpenters. The Turks burned bricks. Designed by Poles, stone carvers were Czechs. The French drew, and the British measured…” Presumably, workers speaking 14 languages took part in the construction.
Chambord Castle, France
It is known that Chambord was used only as a hunting lodge. The view of this castle is quite impressive. Interestingly, the location of this castle was chosen by King Francis I, as he wanted to be closer to his beloved lady, Claude Roen, whose palace was next door. The huge castle has 440 rooms, 365 fireplaces and 84 staircases. This is the largest castle in the Loire Valley in France.
Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany
The castle, whose reconstruction began in 1896, was designed by Christian Janck, commissioned by the Bavarian king Ludwig II, who was declared insane before the castle was completed. This explains a lot. The architecture, location and size of Neuschwanstein are impressive. Situated on a jagged hill in the southwest of Bavaria, today the castle is one of the most visited places by tourists.
Corfe Castle, England
Despite the fact that the ruins are all that remains of Corfe Castle, its fortifications still make a deep impression. The castle, located in the county of Dorset on the Isle of Purbeck, was built in the 9th century. However, there is a possibility that Korfe could have been built much earlier, and could also serve as a defensive structure in the fight against the Romans. The part of the building that can be seen today was reconstructed in the 11th century. Two centuries later, the fortress began to be used as a repository of royal jewels, as well as a prison.
Matsumoto Castle. Japan
The wonderful Matsumoto Castle is located in the city of Matsumoto near Tokyo. The castle was built in 1504 and is the National Treasure of Japan. The castle was inhabited until the middle of the 19th century. In 1868, during the reign of Emperor Meiji, the building was restored. However, due to the failure of the new government of Japan, it was decided to demolish the castle and sell the wood and iron from which it was built. In those days, this fate befell many castles. Matsumoto rescued locals by buying it out.
Eltz Castle, Germany
Eltz is another of Germany's outstanding castles. This stunning medieval building in southwestern Germany is still owned by the same family, who have been living here for over 800 years. Currently, the castle is owned by Count Karl von Eltz, a representative of the 33rd generation of the family.
Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland
Built in the 13th century during the Viking Age, today Eilean Donan Castle is one of Scotland's most famous landmarks. The castle was probably named after Bishop Donan, who came to Scotland in the 6th century. The castle is located on an island surrounded by the stunning scenery of the Scottish Highlands. The fortress was rebuilt at least 4 times. For about 200 years, the castle lay in ruins (from the 18th to the 20th centuries). In 1932 it was restored and since then it has been open to visitors from all over the world.
Contrary to popular belief, not Europe, but Asia and the Caucasus can boast of the oldest fortress walls. Forbes magazine has chosen nine places where you can look at the fortresses that have been preserved to one degree or another, in comparison with which the medieval ones are a remake. As a rule, at the word "fortress" first of all there are associations with the Middle Ages, Western Europe, Teutonic and other knights. There are a dime a dozen such fortresses associated with all of the above - Romanesque and Gothic - in Europe, and everything is clear with them. As for the really ancient fortresses, sometimes the word “fortress” means one and a half preserved walls, or even several stones. For some, it will be a disappointment to discover that the claimed attraction is just ruins, and for some, the fact that these are the ruins of something that was built before our era will make you want to go on a trip just for them.
Aleppo
Location: Syria, Aleppo In Syria, in one of the most ancient cities in the world, Aleppo, there is a fortress of the same name. The construction of its first walls began in 944 AD. The fifty-meter hill itself, on which the fortress stands, was already inhabited in the III millennium BC. e. The fortress was built for 13 years, and then the period of impressive development of both the fortress and the city itself began. Until, as usual, the Mongols invaded, so the walls of Aleppo got hit hard. Having restored and strengthened the fortress after their first raid, in the XIV century, the inhabitants of the city were forced to defend themselves again from the Mongols. Finally, in the 15th century, the Mongols returned again, already led by Tamerlane. In addition to the assassination attempts of the great Timur, the fortress survived the conquest by the Ottomans, the invasion of the Crusaders and much more. And in 1828, an earthquake destroyed the Aleppo fortress so badly that it is still being restored.Koloa
Location: Vietnam, Hanoi
The fortress of Koloa is located where until 207 BC. e. there was a kingdom of Au Lak, founded by the ancient Viet tribes - Auviet and Lak Viet. Now it is a suburb of Hanoi. Au Lak became the second Vietnamese state - the first was Vanlang, whose capital was captured by the Au Viet An Duong Vyong, who created Au Lac and became its first ruler. He launched all this activity precisely at a time when Vanlang was vulnerable, and the intentions of the Chinese to occupy the Vietnamese lands became especially serious. So, thanks to the first and only king of Au Lak, the freedom of the Viet from the Chinese lasted 50 years longer than it could have, but in the end the Chinese still captured the northern possessions of the Viet, and then Au Lak. Tradition says that the defeated An Duong Vyong committed suicide by throwing himself into the river from the wall of his fortress: the remaining remains of the Koloa walls still reach 12 meters in height. Maiden Castle
Location: UK, Dorset
The so-called Maiden Fortress, which arose already in the Iron Age, is such an ancient structure that it can only be formally related to fortresses in the usual sense of the word. In fact, this is a fortification equipped by people of the Neolithic era, representing ditches and embankments, which were subsequently repeatedly improved by people of subsequent eras. The second generation of the inhabitants of Maiden came to these places around the 20th century BC; by their forces, the length of the embankments grew to 546 meters. But having rebuilt the settlement of Maiden, this generation of inhabitants soon left it. The third change of inhabitants in Maiden appeared around the 3rd century BC. e. Then the fortifications were first lined with wood on the inside, and later, in the 1st century, with stone. Soon the Romans attacked the settlement, destroyed its inhabitants, settled there themselves and built a real castle in Maiden, which, however, did not reach our days. Ujarma
Location: Georgia, Sagarejo district, Ujarma village
Ujarma is a village in Sagarejo municipality located on the route from Tbilisi to Telavi. In the very distant past, it was a fortified city, part of the state of Kartli, one of the first states on the territory of modern Georgia. Although almost all of Georgia can be considered an archaeological reserve, the Ujarma fortress deserves special attention. It was founded, according to the chronicles, by King Aspagur, aka Varaz-Baqur, a protege of the king of Persia Shapur, in the 3rd century BC. In the 10th century, the fortress was destroyed by the Arabs and restored in the 12th century by King George the Third - there are not so many well-preserved buildings with such a long history. And most importantly, the annals say that it was in Ujarma that Saint Nino installed one of the three crosses, marking the adoption of Christianity in Georgia. Inkataka
Location: Bolivia, Chunga Mayu Valley
Discovered quite recently, in April of this year, the ruins of the fortress in the region of the Ilyimani mountains puzzled archaeologists. The fact is that the discovery turned out to be twofold: the found remains of the fortress, which are so well preserved that it is even incorrect to call them the remains, are not connected with any of the ancient civilizations known today. The discovery - and this is not only a fortress, but also several other buildings, including a temple - for the Indians living in this area, of course, did not come as a surprise: they had long known about the existence of the citadel. Scientists still assume that the civilization whose representatives built this fortress, in the history of Andean cultures, stands between the Incas and the Tiwanaku that preceded them. The unexplored culture was named after the river in the valley of which the find is located - Chunga Mayu. Janbas-Kala
Location: Uzbekistan, Karakalpakstan (sovereign republic within Uzbekistan)
Khorezm, the most powerful ancient state, occupied the territories belonging to modern Uzbekistan, Karalpakstan and Turkmenistan. Before the capital was moved to Urgench (now an Uzbek city) in the 5th century, the center of Khorezm was in the Karakalpak lands. The largest number of surviving buildings of early Khorezm is concentrated there - in the area called Elikkala, which, by the way, translates as "fifty fortresses." Of course, you can’t count 50 intact fortresses here, but there are about 300 archaeological sites as such in this area. Many of them are monuments of Zoroastrianism, such as the Janbas-Kala fortress, whose inhabitants professed this religion. Built in the 4th century BC, Janbas-Kala was inhabited until the 1st century AD. e., when, according to scientists, the ancient settlement located inside the walls of the fortress was captured and destroyed by nomads. Erebuni
Location: Armenia, Yerevan
Erebuni Fortress, standing near Yerevan on the Arin-Berd hill, was built during the heyday of the state of Urartu - in 782 BC. There was no stronger state in Asia Minor at that time, and the king of Urartu Argishti I did nothing but expand the territories of his kingdom, grabbing tidbits of neighboring lands, including in the Ararat valley. The power of Urartu was shattered by the Assyrians, but Erebuni, like Teishebaini - another Urartian fortress city, the ruins of which are also located in Armenia - survived a long history of struggle between the Urartians and Assyrians. The Urartian kingdom was destroyed by the steppe tribes - Scythians, Cimmerians and Medes. Erebuni completely surrendered without a fight: the Urartians simply left him, fleeing to Teishebaini. For posterity, this turned out to be a good deed: since Erebuni, unlike Teishebaini, no one stormed or burned, even the paintings on the walls of the fortress were preserved. asandra
Location: Ukraine, Crimea, Sudak
Not far from Sudak stands Mount Karaul-Oba. On a cliff in its foothills are the ruins of the walls of the Asandra fortress - perhaps the oldest in the Crimea. The fortress is named after the Bosporus king Asander, who in 46 BC. e. completely seized power over the kingdom after the previous ruler of the Bosporus Farnak recklessly chose him as his governor, and he went to conquer Rome. Historians have enough reason to believe that it was Asander who started the construction of this fortress, which was necessary for the Bosporus kingdom to protect it from sea pirates. For approximately 2500 sq. m square of the fortress housed a garrison numbering, presumably, 100 people. Oddly enough, despite the scale of the fortress ruins, they were discovered only in 1982 by archaeologist Igor Baranov and his expedition. Rurik's fortress
Location: Russia, Staraya Ladoga
As far as the history of Staraya Ladoga is concerned, there are many discrepancies. What is most reliable is that the first buildings on this site appeared before 753 and they were erected by the Scandinavians, and in the 760s their settlement was demolished by the Ilmen Slovenes. The Slovenes, according to historians, were replaced by the Varangians in the 830s. As for what happened after that, as in everything connected with the Varangians, disagreements begin in the sources. According to one version, Rurik was called to reign first in Ladoga and only then moved to Novgorod. True or not, but the Ladoga fortress is called Rurik. Perhaps Prophetic Oleg is buried in Ladoga - and again, it is not known whether this is true or whether Oleg's grave is in Kyiv. The fortress was built in the 870s, but in 997 it was destroyed by the son of the Norwegian ruler Hakon the Mighty Eirik. In 1114 the fortress was rebuilt, already from stone, and in 1495 it was thoroughly strengthened. Time is relentless, and ancient structures reach us mainly in the form of ruins, which are more interesting for archaeologists than tourists. But fate favored some especially durable ones, and they were well preserved. So some of the oldest castles in the world turned out to be accessible to tourists, visits to which are always interesting and informative. In Europe, castles began to be actively built at the end of the 10th century, and by the 14th century this type of architecture had reached its perfection.
1. Bernstein Castle, (Austria)
The long history of Bernstein Castle is rich in events, it changed owners so many times that neither the exact number of them nor the name of the one who built this castle remained. It was first mentioned in documents in 860, and in the 13th century it served as a border fortress. It was built in a place where the borders of Austria, Bohemia and Hungary closed, so the leaders of these countries competed for possession of the castle.
Bernstein is a remarkable example of bastion architecture. It has an oval perimeter, it has very thick, almost fortress walls with rare turrets and narrow windows. The courtyard now has a beautiful garden. The nature around Bernstein is untouched, and there is a golf course and a famous golf club nearby - this game is an important reason why guests come to the castle. In 1953, the castle was converted into a hotel, which it remains today. The owners of the castle were able to preserve its authenticity - this applies not only to the walls, but also to the interiors and furniture, which are also very old. Entering the Bernstein Castle, a person immediately feels like he has fallen into the era of knights.
Most castles began to be built in the Middle Ages, when housing was supposed to be not only a place to relax and solve everyday problems, but also as a...
2. Foix Castle (France)
This castle, located in the south of France, in the Pyrenees, belonged to the once famous family of the Counts of Foix. Its history begins in 987. In the will of Count Roger I of Carcassonne in 1002, the castle was transferred to his younger son Bernard. In 1034, it becomes the center of government of the county of Foix, leaving a noticeable mark on medieval military history. Since the 15th century, the castle has been the residence of the governor of this region, while at the same time it continued to perform protective functions throughout the religious wars. Before the French Revolution, the castle housed a garrison.
Count de Treville, known from the Three Musketeers, and the future minister of Louis XVI, Marshal Segur, ruled here. In 1930, the museum of the department of Ariège was placed here, which has expositions dedicated to the prehistoric, Gallo-Roman and medieval eras on this land.
3. Castle of the Black Falcon (France)
This wonderful castle is located in the French department of Indre-et-Loire, in the town of Montbazon and is the oldest surviving stone defensive structure in France. The fortress was built in the period 991-996 by order of Count Fulk Nerra of Anjou, then several more defensive buildings joined it. Despite its long and not the most peaceful history, this castle has been perfectly preserved, and since 2003 it has been opened to the public. The modern outlines of the castle were given during the Middle Ages - in the XII century, the feudal lords of Montbazon, who owned it.
The dominant feature of the complex is a 28-meter-high quadrangular donjon, in addition, there is a small tower fortified by a number of ledges, a massive fence and a closed courtyard. In 1791, the period of decline of this castle began, along with the fall of the small tower and the dungeons adjacent to it, and after 7 years, lightning struck the donjon. By the way, the cracks that ran along its eastern wall are evidence of this episode.
4. Langeai Castle (France)
In 992, the construction of Langeai Castle began, which was originally a wooden donjon built on an artificial hill. This place is located 24 kilometers from Tours, the owner of these lands was the first Count of Blois. Unlike other capital donjons, this one was built in a hurry, but its walls were 1.5 meters thick. Then followed one war after another. For example, during the Hundred Years War, the castle was repeatedly captured by the British. Finally, they agreed to leave it in 1428, but on the condition that the castle be destroyed, leaving only the donjon.
King Louis XI ordered the restoration of the castle in 1465, after which many monarchs owned it. Anne of Brittany came to Langeais. When in 1797 the castle was acquired by Charles-Francois Moisan, he was noted only for the fact that he led it into disrepair, sold the surrounding land, and set up a stable on the first floor of the castle. After the purchase of the castle in 1839 by Christophe Baron, a revival begins for it. In 1886, the Minister of Trade and Mayor of Le Havre, Jacques Siegfried, became the new owner of Langeais, who devoted the next two decades to the restoration of the complex, especially its interiors. And in 1904 he donated the castle to the Institute of France.
Castles are defensive structures that combine not only residential buildings, but also fortifications. Most often called castles ...
5. Loches Castle (France)
Among all the medieval donjons that have survived to this day, the one located in the castle of Loches is perhaps the oldest. It began to be built in 1005 and finished around 1070. It turned out a 38-meter-high structure with three-meter-thick walls, almost impregnable. The history of the Loches fortress began during the reign of Count Fulk Nerra of Anjou, a restless warrior who had been at enmity with de Blois's neighbors all his life. It was he who decided to build a square stone fortress.
Part of the premises of the castle is open to the public today, the 15th century torture chamber built by Charles VII is especially popular - you can see the shackles that held the legs of the executed during the quartering. A copy of the cell of Louis XI, in which Bishop Balu sat for 11 years, is also kept here. The Ministry of Culture of France in 1861 recognized the castle of Loches as a significant historical monument.
6. Bled Castle (Slovenia)
Near the Slovenian city of Bled, on a 130-meter cliff towering over Lake Bled, the Bled Castle rises. It was first mentioned in a document of 1004, announcing the transfer of Feldes Castle (then German name) by Emperor Henry II to Bishop Albuin of Brixen. Its oldest building is the Romanesque donjon, used for defense, living and viewing the surroundings.
In the medieval period, other buildings clung to the cliff, and stone defensive walls with towers were built on its very top. In 1947, the castle was on fire, but a few years later it was restored and a historical museum was set up there, which displays weapons, clothing and household items of that time.
7. Angers Castle (France)
Another castle from the banks of the Loire from the department of Maine and Loire. This area was part of the Roman Empire in the 3rd century. There was a small border outpost on the banks of the river Men, with wooden walls to protect against Vikings and barbarians. In 851, the fortress came under the control of Geoffroy II, Count of Anjou, who managed to turn a modest wooden fort into a large stone castle. In 1939, the Polish government-in-exile settled here, but already in 1940 the Germans smoked it out of there too.
After the war, Angers Castle was restored. Its main attraction was the cycle of tapestries "Apocalypse" - 7 paintings on biblical subjects, woven by 1378 according to the sketches of the Flemish painter Jean by the weaver Nicolas Batailly. The canvases have a total length of 144 meters with a height of 5.5 meters.
Switzerland is not only a country of magnificent mountains, but also beautiful examples of medieval architecture. The centuries-old turbulent history of this Alpine...
8. Chepstow Castle (Wales)
This castle stands on the banks of the River Wye in the town of Chepstow in south Wales. It was built by William Fitz-Osburn between 1067 and 1071. The Earl of Pembroke added a couple of towers to it in 1200, and his sons added a barbican protecting the drawbridge and a gatehouse. This is the first castle on the entire island of Great Britain, built entirely of stone. In the middle of the 19th century, holidays and horticultural exhibitions began to be held in the castle, which were soon supplemented by festivals and historical competitions that continue to this day. In 1914, it was bought by a businessman who mothballed the castle, and in 1953 his family handed over the castle to the state, after which it became open to the public.
9. Windsor Castle (England)
This is the current residence of the British monarchs located in the city of Windsor. For over 900 years, towering on a hill in the Thames Valley, it is a symbol of the monarchy. Having captured England in 1066, William I the Conqueror over the next decade surrounded London with a ring of castles standing on artificial hills 30 kilometers from the capital and from each other. At first, the castle was wooden, but with a stone wall around the perimeter, it stood on a limestone hill about 30 meters above the level of the Thames.
The first to use Windsor Castle as his residence was King Henry I in 1110, and then he married Adele in 1121. By this point, the wooden structures had partially collapsed due to the gradual subsidence of the hill. Then wooden piles were driven into the hill, on which a stone fortress was erected. Henry II, who ascended the throne in 1154, continued the construction of the castle.
Today, Windsor Castle is the largest inhabited castle in the world, with about 500 people working and living there. The Queen visits there in March-April and a week in June each year, where she conducts ceremonies related to the Order of the Garter. Here she officially receives foreign representatives. About a million tourists visit Windsor every year.
Each of the powerful of this world, who lived on sinful earth, tried to perpetuate himself in history by building a magnificent palace. To the residence like...
10. Dover Castle (England)
This is one of the largest English castles in terms of size, located in Dover (Kent), on the English Channel, which separates the British Isles from the continent. Part of the buildings of the castle dates back to ancient times. The fortress was surrounded by a huge moat, which was dug out, possibly in the Iron Age. At the beginning of a new era, the troops of the Roman Empire reached the British Isles, they built two lighthouses on this site, while one of them has survived to this day. It can still be seen today when visiting Dover.
In the region of the 10th century, the church of St. Mary of Castro was attached to the lighthouse, and the lighthouse was also its bell tower. This church also managed to survive. In 1066, the Normans, led by William I, captured the castle and all of England. Henry II - his grandson began to build a defensive system and the main tower of the castle. The construction then took a colossal amount - 7,000 pounds, of which 4,000 were spent on the construction of the donjon. In the 18th century, during the wars with Napoleon, at a depth of 15 meters under the fortress, tunnels were cut in the rocks for the living of soldiers in the amount of 2000 bayonets. The castle was also expanded and fortified to withstand the onslaught of the French. But after 1826, when Bonaparte was finished, the castle was abandoned, and all its inhabitants left it without using it in any way.
Only about a century later, in 1939, when the war with Germany began, they remembered the tunnels, which were converted first into bomb shelters, and then into a military hospital. Now the castle is a large museum complex, open to all comers.
Have you ever been to medieval castles? They say that almost any fortress that has survived to this day has long been a haven for real ghosts. Of course, rational thinking tells us that we should not be afraid of these tales - but what about the facts that prove the real existence of paranormal activity?
Medieval Europe was not the most pleasant place to live. Here reigned the cult of the lord, capable of sending peasants to death for the slightest offense. The times of the witch hunt left the widest clearing in the female population of half the continent, and the bones of the so-called sorceresses are still found embedded in the walls of medieval castles. Here are a dozen of these fortresses, which even the locals try to avoid.
Germany
It is believed that a whole horde of ghosts has been living here for five centuries. Around the beginning of the 16th century, the owner of the castle hired a couple of farmers to deal with his unfaithful wife. Soon after, both the man himself and his sons died in their own beds. Since then, the castle has been considered cursed.
Lip Castle
Ireland
In the 12th century, the castle was built by the influential O'Bannon clan. The family nest of eminent Irish people very soon turned into a scarecrow for the whole district: fratricidal feasts, constant executions and even sacrifices took place here. The local chapel was nicknamed the "Bloody Chapel" after a jealous husband stabbed his wife and lover in it, then brought his children there and forced them to pray over the rotting bodies of adulterers for seven days. Are there ghosts here? Still would!
Zvikov
Czech Republic
It is one of the most important and significant Gothic castles of medieval Bohemia. According to rumors, the local Zvikovsky devil lives in the castle, who does not like people very much. Jokes aside, but strange, unpleasant things actually happen here. Animals refuse to enter some rooms of the castle, curtains in the main hall sometimes spontaneously light up, and those who sleep in the main tower die within a year. At least that's what the locals say.
Moosham
Austria
Built at the end of the 12th century, Moosham Castle has become a silent witness to the death of thousands of young girls. The times of the witch hunt turned Moosham into a real stronghold of the Inquisition, blood flowed like a river for the glory of the papacy and Christian virtues. Much later, in the 19th century, the remains of dead deer and livestock began to be found near the castle, which gave rise to a new wave of rumors. To this day, it is believed that a clan of ancient werewolves lives in the basements of Moosham, hunting at night.
Bran Castle
Romania
One of the most feared castles in the world, Bran Castle was the residence of Vlad III - the cruel Romanian ruler, better known as Vlad Dracula or Vlad the Impaler. It was this man who inspired Bram Stoker's famous gothic novel "Dracula": you can imagine how gloomy the atmosphere is in the family nest of the world's main vampire. A little more creepy? Easily. In one of the main halls of Bran, there is a golden casket where the heart of Queen Mary is hidden. Naturally, it is still beating - if you believe the rumors.
Chateau de Brissac
France
Built back in the 11th century, Brissac Castle is considered the home of all the ghosts and ghosts of the west-central part of France. According to legend, one of the original owners of the castle caught his wife with another man and killed them both. Today, the new owners arrange receptions here for high society from among those who want to tickle their nerves.
Fraser Castle
Scotland
Located in eastern Scotland, Fraser Castle is famous for the horror story of a princess killed in her sleep by demons. They say that the body of the unfortunate woman was dragged down the stone steps of the tower, and the servants could not wash off the blood after that. The owners allegedly had to sheathe the steps with wooden panels, but on a full moon, blood again appears through them.
Horst
Belgium
The dilapidated castle Horst is inhabited to this day. True, not people live here, but real ghosts. At least that's what the locals say. They also say that the ghost of the former owner of the castle returns every full moon on a wagon drawn by six pitch black horses.
Predjama Castle
Slovenia
The famous pirate knight Erazem once lived here, who raided the coast and passing ships. The castle is riddled with hundreds of underground passages, caves and shelters, which even certified "demon hunters" do not dare to explore.
Dragsholm
Denmark
One of the scariest places in Denmark. The famous White Lady lives here - the ghost of a young girl who fell in love with a local commoner. The father walled up his own daughter in the room where she ended her days. It sounds like an ordinary legend, but there is a place for truth. At the beginning of this century, shocked builders working on the restoration of part of the walls discovered a secret room where a skeleton in a white wedding dress sat at the table.