Not everyone has the honor to visit at least once in a lifetime in an ancient castle. Those who were lucky enough to do this claim that these places are imbued with the spirit of dozens of generations.
Some of them are real architectural monuments that can make an indelible impression on any tourist.
Reichsburg Castle in Cochem, Germany
Very often it is simply called the Kachem fortress, named after an ancient city in Germany. There are simply no modern buildings in it, and the fortress itself rises 100 meters above the river, since it was originally built on a hill for the purpose of defense. The tallest tower is about 12-storey building, the walls of the castle are thick and strong. The building has been preserved just fine, despite the fact that its age is estimated at 1000 years.
Hohenzollern Castle, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Another famous and visited by tourists with enviable regularity castle, located all in the same place, in Germany. It is located on a hill, because, like the previous fortress, it was built for the purpose of defense. To this day, it belongs to the Hohenzollern dynasty, but they favorably opened it for tourists to visit. The very first buildings of it, unfortunately, have not been preserved, and later they are in a very good condition.
If you believe the terrible legend associated with him, then one noble lady, left with small children after the death of her husband, wished to marry one of the former owners of the fortress. However, she was refused and decided that the children were the cause, as a result, she killed them.
She tried to pray for her sin, but this did not help her either, and to this day the ghost of the lady roams the castles of Germany, trying to take the soul of one of the Hohenzollerns. It is in their fortress that she appears most often.
Neuschwanstein castle in Bavaria, Germany
Another castle, probably the most popular in the world, it was in its image that the Sleeping Beauty fortress in the French Disneyland was built. Walt Disney is not the only one who was inspired by him, Swan Lake was also written after Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky visited this castle.
Chambord Palace, France
All the splendor of this palace takes us to the Renaissance, its architecture can impress any tourist, this building is one of the most original in all of France. Today the castle is under the protection of UNESCO. No one can say for sure how true the rumors are that Leonardo da Vinci himself participated in the design of the castle. In any case, it is majestic and huge, only there are 426 rooms in it.
Island-fortress of Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, France
The construction of this palace began around 750. Its location has made the island the best place for defense and hermits. To date, there is an abbey in which several dozen people live. Mont-Saint-Michel is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to history, earlier the Celts lived on the island, and a little later, Archangel Michael ordered, having appeared in a dream to the bishop, to build this fortress on the island mountain.
Fort Chillon on Lake Geneva, Switzerland
This fortress is considered one of the most recognizable in the country, in fact, its visiting card. It also acts as the main museum of Switzerland. The dimensions of the palace are quite modest, but it has its own charm. It was erected back in the 12th century and, like the others, was used as a defensive structure, then a prison was located here.
Dublin Castle, Ireland
The border fortification, built in the 12th century, is today the site of the Arts Center and the library. Here you can also hold meetings or banquets at the state level. Tourists are allowed to visit this stunningly beautiful castle almost every day.
Palace-fortress Alcazar in Segovia, Spain
Not all the buildings of the fortress have survived to this day, but those that have survived are in good condition, despite the fact that they are almost 1000 years old. This castle initially acted not only as a fortification object, but also as a royal residence. Further here is a prison, and after – a military academy. All rooms of the castle are like a museum, and you can visit them at any time according to the schedule.
Guaita Fortress, San Marino
If we consider the sights of San Marino, then the castle-fortress of Guaita will be one of the most important. This is an absolute architectural masterpiece. The first tower was built in the tenth century. Once there was a prison and a fortress that protected the locals from the siege. The tower, strong and reliable, is located at an altitude of 800 m above sea level. Today it has become a national museum, which anyone can visit.
Peles Castle in the Carpathians (Romania)
A relatively young mansion compared to others was erected at the end of the 19th century. The famous architect Johann Schulz had a hand in it, who brought to life the project in the Neo-Renaissance style. Even now, you can see unique furniture from the best craftsmen from all over Europe, stained glass windows from Switzerland and unique collections of carpets, tapestries and paintings.
