The best Castles in Europe
The castles of Europe have a history dating back thousands of years, in the beginning they were one of the first defense systems. The raising of forts in hills or just between pits was simply a functional option. The Castles were built to house rulers, impose and show strength and defend against attacks. According to these basic principles of utility, the strengths now appear solitary and frozen in time. The times of the crusades have been left behind and now we have the greatness of these constructions to amaze us with the epic of the past and embellish the current landscapes. Today hundreds of majestic castles are spread across the width and length of Europe. The ten that we detail below deserve to be distinguished by their design, character and history. Some occupy the center of bustling cities, while others hide in forgotten landscapes of eight European countries. Each of the castles you can see below has its own story to tell.
TOP 11: Buda Castle
Location: Budapest, Hungary Year of Construction: 1265 Inhabitants: Kings of Hungary Interesting Facts: Every visitor can walk a part of the 9.5 km of the underground labyrinth of Buda Castle.
TOP 10: Hohenwerfen Castle
Location: South of Salzburg, Austria. Year of construction: 1078 Inhabitants: Salzburg diplomats and prisoners Interesting facts: This mysterious castle has served as a prison for many years.
TOP 9: Prague Castle
Location: Prague, Czech Republic Year built: 870 Inhabited by: Czech princes and kings, Sacrum Germanic Roman Empire, Kings of Bohemia. Data of Interest: According to the World Book of Guinness Records, Prague Castle has the longest area of any castle in the world.
TOP 8: Castillo de Chillón
The castle of Chillon is located on the shores of Lake Geneva, in the commune of Veytaux, in Switzerland. It has an oblong shape, with dimensions of 110 m long by 50 wide and a maximum height of 25 m. It is an important tourist attraction. It was an important defensive building since the Bronze Age, which was later fortified by the Romans. Chillon Castle was occupied successively by the House of Savoy and later by the Bernese from 1536 to 1798. The oldest part of the building is Gothic, built in the thirteenth century; its rooms served as inspiration for the English poet Lord Byron. It is listed as a historical monument of Switzerland.
TOP 7: Castle of Chambord
Location: Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France Construction year: 1526 Inhabitants: King François I, Louis XIV and the Ducal family Interesting Facts: Although there are doubts about who was the true designer of the castle, many point out that it was Leonardo Da Vinci.
TOP 6: Windsor Castle
Location: Windsor, Berkshire, England Year of Construction: 11th century Habitamtes: William El Conquistador, Henry I, Edward III Interesting facts: This castle is the busiest palace in Europe
TOP 5: Leeds Castle
Location: Maidstone, Kent, England Year Built: 1119 Inhabitants: King Edward I, Henry VIII, and other royalty of Great Britain. Interesting facts: Leeds Castle hosts a long garden and museum of dog collars.
TOP 4: Bran Castle `` Dracula''
Location: Bran, Romania Year built: 1212 Inhabitants: The Royalty of Romania, Vlad III (Inspired by Dracula's novel), The Order of the Teutonic Knights Intersecting data: In 2007 the castle went on sale for 50 million euros, the offer was accepted by the Russian tycoon Roman Abramovich, but finally did not come to close. It continues to belong to the Von Habsburg family.
TOP 3: Castle of Mont de Saint-Michel
Location: Mount Saint-Michel, Normandy (France) Year of Construction: 10th Centenary, the first fortifications consist of the 6th centenary Inhabitants: More than 41 people call the Mont Saint-Michel house and the structure has been houses of monks for thousands of years. Interesting facts: The tides around the castle vary by 50 feet and many people have drowned drowning through the sands.
TOP 2: Neuschwanstein Castle
Location: Schwangau, Germany Year of construction: 1869 Inhabitants: King Ludwig II Interesting Facts: This Castle has been visited by more than 60 million people and is the temple for Disney of the Sleeping Beauty.
TOP 1: The Alhambra
Location: Granada, Spain Year of construction: 14th centenary Inhabitants: Muslim Emirates of the Nasrid Dynasty and Charles V. Interesting facts: In the hall of the ambassadors was where Christopher Columbus made his launch to sail east from the west of Spain.