Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.
The magazine's experts have compiled their own list of dozens of the world's most beautiful ancient castles. The ancient buildings, despite their considerable age, still impress with their incredibly attractive appearance. The selection took into account the aesthetics of architecture, interiors, and adjacent park areas.
Rating of the most beautiful castles in the world
| Nomination | a place | name | rating |
| The most beautiful castles in the world | 1 | Pena Castle, Portugal | 5.0 |
| 2 | Hluboka nad Vltavou Castle, Czech Republic | 4.9 | |
| 3 | Fredericksbor Castle, Denmark | 4.8 | |
| 4 | Marienburg, Poland | 4.7 | |
| 5 | Matsumoto Castle Japan | 4.6 | |
| 6 | Neuschwanstein, Germany | 4.5 | |
| 7 | Chambord, France | 4.4 | |
| 8 | Borivar Castle, Hungary | 4.3 | |
| 9 | Windsor castle | 4.2 | |
| 10 | Egeskov Castle, Denmark | 4.1 |
Pena Castle, Portugal
Rating: 5.0
One of the most famous architectural monuments of Portugal is located 30 kilometers from the capital of the country. The castle was built on the top of the Sierra da Sintra hill (450 meters above sea level). From the main observation deck of the citadel, Lisbon and the ocean coast are clearly visible on a sunny day. In 1995 Pena was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The construction of the castle began in 1836 on the site of a dilapidated monastery and ended in 1854. For a long time it remained the king's official summer residence. Until now, official ceremonies at the state level are held here with the participation of the president and other dignitaries.
In the architecture of Pena Castle, features of several styles can be traced. This is a strict, slightly gloomy aesthetics of Gothic, and an authentic Portuguese Renaissance with nautical elements – Manueline, and a combination of complex, intricate forms with clear symmetry characteristic of Islamic. The complex can be conditionally divided into four main parts:
- fortress walls with double gates in front of a drawbridge;
- monastery with a clock tower;
- an arched inner courtyard with walls and floors tiled with azulejo painted clay tiles;
- gigantic bastion palace.
The interior is not inferior to the exterior. The premises are furnished with luxurious antique furniture, the walls are decorated with frescoes, stained-glass windows, paintings by famous masters of painting of the past. The castle is surrounded on all sides by a picturesque park of about 200 hectares. Rare exotic trees grow here: American sequoias, Lebanese cypresses, magnolias, cedars, ginkgo, cryptomeria.
Pena Castle is open to tourists all year round, from 10 am to 7 pm, except for Catholic Christmas and New Years.
Interesting fact: The bright colors of the outer walls – terracotta, yellow, orange, red, brown appeared only in 1994 after another restoration. Previously, they were just gray.
Hluboka nad Vltavou Castle, Czech Republic
Rating: 4.9
To admire the beauty of the real pearl of southern Bohemia, thousands of tourists every day travel 140 km from Prague. The beautiful snow-white building makes an unforgettable impression on guests, regardless of the season and weather.
The history of the castle dates back to the 14th century. Previously, it is called Frauenberg and changed more than a dozen owners until in the 19th century it was transferred into the possession of the Schwarzenberg family. It was thanks to Princess Eleanor that it was completely reconstructed and acquired its modern, easily recognizable look. For the similarity of many architectural elements and the general concept, Hluboka castle is called the Czech Windsor.
Already at the entrance, visitors find themselves in a fabulous park with 12 thousand rare trees and more than 2 thousand exotic bushes. The castle itself has 140 rooms. The ground floor is occupied by utility rooms and a hunting hall. The kitchen is notable for its rather “advanced” technical equipment at that time – special devices for peeling apples and potatoes, devices for making ice cream and cutting ice, self-rotating skewers. On the second floor there are reception rooms and the princess's boudoir. The castle's library contains more than 10 thousand books in five languages. The third floor houses unique collections of porcelain, tapestries, furniture, and paintings.
In 1945, the Hluboka Castle passed into the possession of the state. Today it is a national museum open to the public all year round.
Fredericksbor Castle, Denmark
Rating: 4.8
Built at the end of the 16th century. It is located near Copenhagen on the outskirts of Hillerød on three islands in the middle of the lake. The first stone was laid in 1560 by King Frederick (after whom he was named), and finished under his son Christian IV. For a long time it served as the place of the official coronation of the kings of Denmark and meetings of the knightly order of the Dannebrog.
The architecture of the building is in the style of the Dutch Renaissance. The project was designed by the most famous architects in Europe at that time, brothers Laurens and Hans van Steenwinkel. The main decorations of the complex are marble arches, sculptures and the Neptune fountain in the courtyard. In the church on the territory of Fredericksbor, there is a unique altar made of pure gold, trimmed with ebony and silver. There is a free organ music concert every Thursday.
Marienburg, Poland
Rating: 4.7
The grandiose red brick building in the classical Gothic style is located on the right bank of the Nogat – a tributary of the Vistula and covers an area of 30 hectares. From here 58 kilometers to Gdansk, 250 to Warsaw and only 70 kilometers to the Kaliningrad region of Russia.
Marienburg Castle was built in 1276. From 1309 served as the residence of the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order. After the departure of the knights became the residences of the Polish kings. During the Second World War, a prisoner of war camp was located here. Now it is a state museum with a rich collection of medieval sculptures, stained glass windows, weapons, ceramics, tapestries and amber. In summer, the traditional show 'Sound and Light' is held in the courtyard.
Marienburg is the largest brick castle in the world. It consists of a complex system of defensive structures, 14 gates and three main buildings – the Upper, Lower and Middle Castles. The upper one contains a lot of living quarters and the Assembly Hall. In the Middle Palace of the Grandmaster there is a reception hall for dignitaries and a dining room. Utility rooms are concentrated in the Lower Castle: sheds, stables, smithies, barns, a bakery. Under the castle church of the Holy Virgin Mary is the tomb of St. Anna, where the masters of the Teutonic Order are buried.
Matsumoto Castle Japan
Rating: 4.6
Matsumoto is often called Crow Castle for the black walls and the shape of the side towers, reminiscent of the outstretched wings of a bird. The facility is located in the eponymous city of Nagano Prefecture on the island of Honshu.
The castle was built at the end of the 16th century in the traditional Hirajiro style – with a complex system of defensive elements, covered passages between three towers, and numerous secret passages. Matsumoto, unlike other Japanese bastions, was erected not on a hill, but in a swampy area and has additional supports in the form of ten wooden pillars. The central donjon is six stories high. However, only five tiers are visible to visitors. The sixth is covered with special protective plates. The second now houses a museum of samurai weapons. And at the very top, the Lunar Chambers await visitors with picturesque views of the surroundings.
The castle courtyard is decorated with numerous green spaces, sakura trees, a park of chrysanthemums. Around the fortress there is a moat filled with water, on which swans swim.
Over the entire period of his existence, Matsumoto survived more than one siege, fire, earthquake. Therefore, in 1969 it was closed for reconstruction, which was completed only in 2007.
Neuschwanstein, Germany
Rating: 4.5
The outlines of the castle are well known even to those who have never been to Bavaria in their lives. This is not surprising, because it was Neuschwanstein who served as the prototype for the legendary Disney castle – the emblem of the film studio.
The first stone of the grandiose structure was laid on September 5, 1869 under King Ludwig II. A rocky slope of the German Alps was chosen as the site for the construction, the road to which runs through dense forest thickets. Previously, the ancient knight's fortress Schwanstein was located here. The construction of the complex took 17 years and cost the treasury 6 million gold marks. The architecture is dominated by neo-Renaissance and neo-Gothic motifs, and the interior decoration has the characteristic features of the Moorish and Baroque styles. The wide observation deck of Neuschwanstein offers stunning views of the snow-capped mountains. From here you can clearly see the famous Schwansee (Swan) lakes, which inspired Tchaikovsky to create the ballet of the same name.
About five thousand tourists visit the castle every day. You can get to the castle only on special carts, having previously defended a rather big queue. Only group excursion programs are provided. Photo and video filming on the territory is prohibited.
Chambord, France
Rating: 4.4
The castle is located in the Loire Valley and is surrounded on all sides by a wooded park. It is a kind of masterpiece of Renaissance architecture. Built by order of King Francis I after the victory at the Battle of Marignano. Work began in 1519 on the site of the estate of the Counts of Blois. It was originally conceived as a summer residence for the king. The monarch even actively participated in the creation of the project. Who was the chief architect is still a mystery.
Chambord is a unique combination of the most expressive elements of French Gothic and Italian Renaissance. The pointed spiers of the towers framing the grandiose keep, symmetrical internal buildings, double spiral staircases, polygonal ceilings with recesses, elegant laconic decoration of doorways in the complex create a surprisingly harmonious ensemble. An unforgettable impression is made by spacious terraces with voluminous royal emblems on the arches on the upper tiers. Exquisite fabric covering of ceilings, glass stained-glass windows, wood panels with openwork carving are used for interior decoration.
The main construction work was completed in 1539, but more than once the castle was reconstructed and supplemented with new details. After being bought out by the state in 1930, Chambord was restored to its original appearance.
Borivar Castle, Hungary
Rating: 4.3
The symbol of fiery love and devotion is located in the ancient capital of the Hungarian kings, Szekesfehervar. The castle was built almost alone on the site of a small dilapidated estate by the famous architect, sculptor, professor of fine arts Yene Bozi in honor of his beloved wife Ilona. The work was carried out for 40 years – from 1912 to 1959 with funds received from the sale of Yene's own works, and was interrupted during the Second World War
The architectural ensemble is skillfully combined from different stylistic elements – Gothic, Baroque, Neoclassicism and even Art Nouveau. The territory of the castle courtyard and interiors are decorated with many sculptures, bas-reliefs, stained glass windows, frescoes. A magnificent garden complements the picture. An interesting feature of the artistic decor: with a rather complex, intricate configuration of railings, stairs, window and door frames, ordinary reinforced concrete served as the main material for their production.
In 1980, the grandchildren of Yene and Ilona completely restored Borivar and brought it to its original state. You can visit the castle every day, from 9 am to 5 pm. The train journey from Budapest to Szekesfehervar takes about an hour.
Windsor castle
Rating: 4.2
The operating country residence of the royal family is rightly considered the largest and most beautiful castle in Great Britain, and is also one of the most visited tourist attractions in Foggy Albion.
The castle is located 43 kilometers from the capital, in the city of Windsor, Berkshire. Built in 1066 under William the Conqueror, the stone building boasts picturesque views of the Thames embankment. During its existence, it has been redeveloped and reconstructed more than once, survived more than one major fire, but still pleases visitors with monumental Gothic architecture and luxurious interior decoration. For tourists, free access to the halls, royal apartments, and the Throne Room is open. The walls of the premises are decorated with works by outstanding painters from different eras: Van Dyck, Rubens, Stubbs. The guests' constant interest is aroused by the Queen Mary's dollhouse, created by the best miniature craftsmen. The highest point of Windsor Castle is the Round Tower, 60 meters high.
The British queen stays at the castle for a month after Easter every year to receive official foreign delegations, as well as in July to attend the gathering of the Knights of the Order of the Garter and attend the royal races. At this time, it is important not to miss the now legendary ceremony of changing the guard of honor.
Egeskov Castle, Denmark
Rating: 4.1
The structure is located in the middle of the island of Funen and is considered the most beautiful in Denmark. From a distance, it seems that the fortress walls grow straight out of the water. The castle was built in 1554 by order of Baron Brockenhuus, changed several owners until in 1784 it became the property of the Biye family, who still own it.
Initially, Egeskov was built as a military fortification with reliable fortress walls and two autonomous units. One could get here only through the drawbridge. The building is based on about a thousand wooden piles. According to some sources, a whole oak forest had to be cut down to build the castle. By the way, Egeskov is translated from Danish and means “oak forest” The outlines of the facades are a classic embodiment of the architecture of the Renaissance. In 1883, Egeskov was completely restored and turned into a modern estate with its own power plant and a dairy farm. The castle was opened for visitors in 1886. Now there are also several museums – vintage cars, agricultural machinery, dolls, and classical music concerts in summer.
Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.
