castles of the world

151 Places

Shlisselburg, Russia

Oreshek Fortress

An abandoned 14th-century castle and prison complex on a small island in the Neva River.

ahvenas

Added by ahvenas

North Warnborough, England

Odiham Castle

It's believed King John of England stayed at this 13th-century castle before riding off to sign the Magna Carta.

smeloisesmith

Added by smeloisesmith

Machecoul, France

Château de Machecoul

The ruins of a medieval castle linked to the murderous French lord that inspired the famous legend of Bluebeard.

Added by Abidougou

Coussac-Bonneval, France

Château de Bonneval and The Devils Tower

Legend has it this 11th-century castle was paid a visit from the devil.

Blindcolour

Added by Blindcolour

Denbigh Castle Ruins

Picturesque ruins once held off mighty armies.

Annetta Black

Added by Annetta Black

Carcassonne, France

La Cité Médiévale de Carcassonne

Historic medieval fortified city in southwest France.

mratomic

Added by mratomic

Tower of Markellos

This pink watchtower served as the seat of the Greek government after independence from the Turks.

gus619USA

Added by gus619USA

Bellville, Texas

Newman's Castle

A medieval castle in the middle of rural Texas.

Castillo de Lamas

A kitschy Italian medieval-style castle incongruously located amidst one of the most historic towns in the Peruvian Amazon.

Tony Dunnell

Added by Tony Dunnell

Mexico City, Mexico

Chapultepec Castle

The only castle in North America to ever house European sovereigns.

Added by NathanRisinger

Inisheer, Ireland

O'Brien's Castle

These moss-covered medieval ruins tower atop the smallest of Ireland's Aran Islands.

phawk54

Added by phawk54

Habsburg, Switzerland

Schloss Habsburg (Habsburg Castle)

An 11th-century fortress home to one of the most influential royal houses in medieval Europe.

Joseph Kerski

Added by Joseph Kerski

The Maiden's Tower

Known locally as the Jungfrutornet, this Medieval tower hides a dark legend.

CoolCrab

Added by CoolCrab

Sakakah, Saudi Arabia

Za'abal Castle

This fortress sits atop a centuries-old well system.

bryanwoerner

Added by bryanwoerner

Fort Jesus

This colonial fort is an intriguing example of Renaissance military architecture.

Max Cortesi

Added by Max Cortesi

Abergele, Wales

Gwrych Castle

After years of slow decline, a derelict Gothic castle is now being restored to life.

Gareth Hacking

Added by Gareth Hacking

Budapest, Hungary

Vajdahunyad Castle

This Hungarian castle was built out of cardboard and wood until it proved so popular that it got upgraded to stone.

Added by DoctorMoog42

Olvera Castle - Castillo de Olvera

Moorish signal station on a stratgic rocky outcrop.

serflac

Added by serflac

Cuernavaca, Mexico

Palace of Cortés

The conquistador's former fortress is the oldest preserved colonial building in the Americas.

Monsieur Mictlan

Added by Monsieur Mictlan

Łapalice, Poland

Łapalice Castle

This imposing 20th-century castle was abandoned before it was ever completed.

ahvenas

Added by ahvenas

Camber Castle

Henry VIII's forgotten castle was built by the gunpowder-obsessed king to be defended solely by cannons.

Added by stujogreenfield

Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City Workhouse

This abandoned prison castle has become an imposing gallery of graffiti art.

izg2

Borj Nord Arms Museum

This 16th-century Moroccan fortress-turned-armory museum offers prime views of the historic quarter in Fes.

Added by Rachel Gould

Gdańsk, Poland

Wisłoujście Fortress

This 700-year-old structure is one of the most unique architectural and historic monuments in Gdańsk.

ahvenas

Added by ahvenas

Saltwood Castle

This Norman castle has been the scene of assassination plots, religious persecution, and Nazi conspiracies throughout its long history.

Monsieur Mictlan

Added by Monsieur Mictlan

Kamianets'-podil's'kyi, Ukraine

Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle

This Ukranian fortress is one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Europe.

gjexcalibur

Added by gjexcalibur

Manzanares el Real, Spain

Manzanares el Real Castle

A magnificent, long-abandoned castle built in the wake of the reconquest of Spain.

Monsieur Mictlan

Added by Monsieur Mictlan

Highland, Scotland

Dunrobin Castle

A castle in the Scottish Highlands has been continuously inhabited since the 1300s.

culturetrekking

Added by culturetrekking

Duzluk, Croatia

Ružica Grad

Legend has it fairies gathered at the site of this medieval castle.

Mojo Dojo

Added by Mojo Dojo

Bayt Baws

A nearly abandoned Jewish settlement perched atop a hill in the heart of Yemen.

Max Cortesi

Added by Max Cortesi

Messinia, Greece

Old Navarino Castle

Ruins of a 13th-century fortress perched above a breathtaking Mediterranean bay.

Added by morrie6pence

Orschwiller, France

Haut-Kœnigsbourg Castle

The castle was reconstructed to fit Kaiser Wilhelm II's romanticized vision of the Middle Ages.

Sablais

Added by Sablais

Medieval Walls of Ávila

These magnificent city walls rise from the barren sun-baked Spanish plains like something straight out of a fairytale.

Monsieur Mictlan

Added by Monsieur Mictlan

Esch-sur-Sûre, Luxembourg

Esch-sur-Sûre Castle

Once the local rulers had gone these enchanting ruins housed common folk in an almost real life fairy tale.

ONT

Montemor-o-Novo, Portugal

Montemor-o-Novo Castle

This crumbling Portuguese ruin overlooks the populace it once ruled.

EricGrundhauser

Added by EricGrundhauser

Rochester, England

Rochester Castle

This foreboding medieval castle was twice besieged by barons rebelling against the English king.

Monsieur Mictlan

Added by Monsieur Mictlan

Wierschem, Germany

Eltz Castle - Burg Eltz

This medieval castle overlooking the Elzbach river looks just like it did hundreds of years ago.

serflac

Added by serflac

Hunedoara, Romania

Corvin Castle

This fairy-tale castle would make Dracula (who is said to have been imprisoned there) jealous.

SamM

Sinaia, Romania

Peleș Castle

This elaborately decorated, fairytale-like Romanian royal palace is one of the most striking castles in Europe.

Added by tundeolah57

Wallachia, Romania

Poenari Castle

The legendary cliffside castle of three-time Voivode of Wallachia, Vlad the Impaler.

serflac

Added by serflac

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Fortaleza Ozama (Ozama Fortress)

The oldest colonial fortress in the Americas was once the home and later prison of Christopher Columbus.

Andres Schiffino

Added by Andres Schiffino

Colditz, Germany

Colditz Castle

An officers prison camp believed to be impregnable by the Germans saw over 30 successful escapes.

derWaliser

Added by derWaliser

Harry Andrews' Chateau Laroche

A castle built by an eccentric medieval enthusiast in suburban Ohio.

Added by mbison

Karaman, Cyprus

Saint Hilarion Castle

The ruins of a fairytale castle with a tumultuous history stand high atop the mountains.

Added by dgrebe

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Al Masmak Fortress

A 19th-century fortress and collection of artifacts offer a tour of Saudi history.

bryanwoerner

Added by bryanwoerner

Bodiam, England

Bodiam Castle

A beautiful ruin of a 14th-century Plantagenet castle built by a medieval mercenary.

Monsieur Mictlan

Added by Monsieur Mictlan

Leiden, Netherlands

Burcht van Leiden

This 11th-century castle sits so low you can't see it behind the surrounding buildings.

CoolCrab

Added by CoolCrab

Baile Hill

The little-known second castle that William the Conqueror built in York.

Added by sazboomting

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