Best Castle

Windsor Castle stands as Britain’s oldest and largest occupied castle. Constructed initially by William the Conqueror following the Norman invasion in 1066, it has served continuously as a royal residence for over 900 years. Today, it remains the official home of the British monarch and is a signifi...

Edinburgh Castle sits atop Castle Rock, a volcanic crag overlooking Edinburgh. It’s one of Scotland's oldest fortified sites, serving as a royal residence, military garrison, and prison throughout its long history. The castle houses significant historical artifacts including the Honours of Scotland...

Krak des Chevaliers stands as one of the most impressive castles remaining from the Crusader period. Located in Syria, it was initially constructed before being substantially rebuilt and fortified by the Knights Hospitaller beginning in 1142. The fortress played a crucial role in medieval military s...

Himeji Castle stands as one of Japan’s most impressive historic landmarks. This UNESCO World Heritage site, located in Hyogo Prefecture, is a remarkably preserved feudal castle built primarily between the 14th and 16th centuries. Its distinctive white exterior earned it the name “White Heron Castle....

Caernarfon Castle stands as a significant example of medieval military architecture in Wales. Constructed between 1283 and 1289 by Edward I, it’s a concentric castle featuring distinctive polygonal towers and substantial town walls. The site is recognized by UNESCO and remains an important historica...

Peleș Castle sits high above the Carpathian Mountains near Sinaia, Romania. This neo-Renaissance castle served as the primary royal residence for Romanian monarchs from 1897 until World War I. Its innovative design incorporated advanced heating, lighting, and plumbing systems for its time. The castl...

Český Krumlov Castle is a vast Czech complex first recorded in 1253, later a Rosenberg and Eggenberg seat, and part of a UNESCO town.

Dover Castle is a medieval fortress in Kent, England, built up by Henry II in the 1180s and known for commanding the shortest crossing to France.

Burg Eltz is a medieval castle above Germany's Moselle region, held by the Eltz family since the 12th century and never destroyed in the Eifel.

Château de Carcassonne is the count's castle inside France's walled Cité de Carcassonne, built by the Trencavel family in the 12th century.

Conwy Castle is an Edward I fortress in North Wales built from 1283 to 1287, notable for its eight towers and UNESCO-listed medieval walls.

Nijo Castle is a Kyoto flatland castle built in 1603 as Tokugawa Ieyasu's residence and later included in a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Chillon Castle is a medieval island castle on Lake Geneva in Switzerland, long held by Savoy and documented under its authority by 1150.

Bamburgh Castle is a coastal fortress in Northumberland, England, on the site of the Anglo-Saxon royal stronghold of Bebbanburg.

Frederiksborg Castle is a Danish Renaissance palace at Hillerød, built for Christian IV and now home to the Museum of National History.

Wartburg Castle is a medieval fortress in Thuringia, Germany, where Martin Luther translated the New Testament into German after 1521.

Magic Kingdom Park's Haunted Mansion is a slow-moving dark ride utilizing Pepper's ghost illusion to create spectral figures and tell a humorous story about a haunted estate.

Corvin Castle is a Gothic-Renaissance fortress in Hunedoara, Romania, expanded by John Hunyadi in the 15th century.

Castel del Monte is an octagonal 13th century castle in Apulia, Italy, built by Frederick II and listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1996.

Hohenzollern Castle is the ancestral seat of the House of Hohenzollern in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, rebuilt in Gothic Revival style in 1846-1867.

Stirling Castle is a major Scottish royal fortress above the River Forth, notable for its Renaissance palace and links to Stewart monarchs.

Warwick Castle is a medieval castle in Warwickshire, England, founded by William the Conqueror in 1068 and later rebuilt in stone by the earls of Warwick.

Karlštejn Castle is a Gothic castle in Czechia, founded by Charles IV in 1348 to safeguard imperial regalia and Bohemian crown jewels.

Harlech Castle is an Edward I fortress in Gwynedd, Wales, built from 1283, notable for its concentric defences and dramatic coastal setting.

Kronborg Castle is a Renaissance fortress in Helsingør, Denmark, built by Frederik II and known as Shakespeare's Elsinore in Hamlet.

Hohensalzburg Fortress is Salzburg's medieval citadel in Austria, begun in 1077 and among Europe's largest preserved castle complexes.

Château de Chantilly is a French château commissioned after 1875 by Henri d'Orléans and home to the Musée Condé art collection.

Château d'Azay-le-Rideau is a French Renaissance château in the Loire Valley, built from 1518 by Gilles Berthelot on an Indre River island.

Dunnottar Castle is a ruined cliff-top fortress near Stonehaven, Scotland, notable for sheltering the Honours of Scotland in the 17th century.