17 Castles that might as well be in a storybook

Happy Friday folks,

Most castles in Europe were built to keep people out. Now, they’re the very thing people travel continents to see.

Here are 17 surreal castles and fortress that look straight out of a fairytale...

1. Lichtenstein Castle, Germany (1842)

2. Marienburg Castle, Germany (1858)

King George V of Hanover gifted this castle to his wife, Queen Marie, as a birthday present. Unlike many examples on this list, it was abandoned during the king's lifetime, in 1866, and the royal family went into exile.

3. Penrhyn Castle, Wales (1837)

It’s more of a neo-Norman mansion than a castle. Built on the wealth of the slate industry, its interiors are as grand as its battlement — excessive but interesting.

4. Burg Taufers, Italy (1224)

Once owned by the powerful Lords of Taufers. It has 64 rooms, which include a knight’s hall, a chapel and an armory which still houses original 15th-century weapons. What’s amazing is that its medieval core was never destroyed so it still retains its intact Gothic chapel. Because of its remote location, in the Alto Adige, the castle escaped the Baroque remodeling that took hold of most of the continent.

5. Książ Castle, Poland (1292)

Originally built by the Silesian Piast dynasty, this is the third largest castle in Poland. With 400 rooms, a network of underground tunnels an and a beautiful botanical garden (and it once hosted Winston Churchill.)

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6. Warwick Castle, England (1068)

Built by William the Conqueror himself, it has withstood sieges, served as a fortress, and evolved into a stately home. The castle contains one of the largest working siege engines in the world — a 22-ton trebuchet that you can still see today.

7. Zwingernberg Castle, Germany (1326)

Parts date back to the 13th century, but it became a romantic neo-Gothic residence in the 19th century.

8. Vianden Castle, Luxembourg (1170)

The structure today was restored over the 20th century after collapsing into ruin in the 1800s, combining Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance styles.

9. Bojnice Castle, Slovakia (1950

A 19th century Gothic rebuild by Count Pálffy. He wanted to transform the medieval structure into a romantic masterpiece inspired by French castles (of course) like the Loire Valley châteaux.

10. Chateau de Chantilly, France (1538)

Built by Anne de Montmorency, the castle was destroyed during the French Revolution and rebuilt in the 19th century by Henri d'Orléans, Duke of Aumale. It’s most well know for the Musée Condé, the art gallery which houses more illuminated manuscripts than any French institution outside the Bibliothèque nationale. 

(And yes, Chantilly cream is rumored to have been invented here.)

11. Hochosterwitz Castle, Germany (860)

Austria’s fortress in the clouds. It was built on a 170-meter limestone rock and is almost impenetrable, with 14 gates guarding the path to the summit.

12. Sammezzano Castle, Italy (1605)

It stands abandoned today. But just over 100 years ago, this was one of the largest wonders of Moorish Revival in the world — the interior is still in pristine condition.

13. Schloss Drachenburg, Germany (1884)

Built in just two years, it was a villa built to look like a grand castle. Neo-Gothic and Neo-Renaissance.

14. Burg Kreuzenstein, Austria (rebuilt in 1907)

The castle has starred in dozens of films, including "The Three Musketeers and Season of the Witch."

15. Örebro Castle, Sweden (rebuilt in 1900)

What started as a grim tower on the banks of the Svartån River, was turned into a Renaissance palace by King Charles IX.

16. Kasteel Borrekens, Belgium (1270)

A masterful example of French Rococo, hidden in a forest.

17. Castle De Haar, The Netherlands (1912)

What you see here is a Gothic rebuild of the original 15th century castle. It's largest of its kind in the country, designed by architect Pierre Cuypers, the innovater of Amsterdam's Central Station and Rijksmuseum.

What is your favorite castle? Let me know by replying to this email!

We may not build them at the frequency as we used to before but castles will forever be a portal in historical world. Medieval life revolved around them, civilizations depending on those stone walls to survive and that’s what make that period so fascinating.

With the resources they had, it will forever be tough to beat ancient engineering.

Until Next Time,

World Scholar