Even though we’re living in modern times, castles still very much exist and are filled with timeless grandeur that transports you to another era. Here are the top 10 most outrageous (and famous) castles in the world that visitors flock to year-round due to their bizarre legends and sometimes flamboyant owners.
Bran Castle, Transylvania, Romania
This famous castle is frequently associated with the tale of Count Dracula. While the legend around Dracula is fictional, it’s believed to be inspired by Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia, aka Vlad the Impaler. Legend says the real Vlad III was kept prisoner in this castle in 1462, leading Dracula fans and horror lovers worldwide to visit this spooky site.
Tower of London, England
This notorious castle is one of the most well-known in the UK due to its dark history of torture, imprisonment, and death. In the 1070s, William the Conqueror wanted not just a royal residence but a fortress and prison that was imposing, perched on the north bank of the Thames.
It turned out to be one of the most feared places in England; those guilty of crimes (both real and those imagined by the king) were locked up, tortured, and beheaded, including Anne Boleyn.
Urquhart Castle, Drumnadrochit, Scotland
Urquhart Castle may not be the most extravagant or best-maintained castle on this list, but its history and the myth of a mysterious sea monster have it at the top of our list. Located on the banks of Loch Ness and built in the 13th century, it spent 500 years involved in various bloody battles. In 1962, it was abandoned, and part of the castle was blown up so it was uninhabitable by potential enemies. Today, these striking ruins are postcard-pretty and supposedly have a lurking monster beneath its waters.
Egeskov Castle, Funen, Denmark
This Renaissance water castle was built in the middle of a lake in 1554 to keep enemies away, complete with a moat and drawbridge. This formidable fortress was difficult to crack thanks to secret staircases, arrow slits, artillery ports, and more.
Today, visitors can walk through mazes, wander extravagant gardens, and explore a diverse range of museums, including a wildly intricate dollhouse with 18 elaborately designed rooms filled with thousands of miniature works of art and handmade mahogany furniture.
Neuschwanstein Castle, Schwangau, Germany
The romantic and fairytale-like Neuschwanstein Castle was commissioned by the King of Bavaria, Ludwig I, as a private retreat. Despite not having real power, he had a romantic fantasy of how a king should live: in an isolated, opulent mountaintop palace surrounded by remarkable art and architecture. He mysteriously drowned in 1886, but his castle lives on for the millions who visit, including Walt Disney, who supposedly loved it so much that he modeled the Sleeping Beauty Castle on it.
Swallow’s Nest, Yalta, Ukraine
Perched nerve-wrackingly on a steep cliff that overlooks the Black Sea, German oil magnate Baron von Steingel commissioned this castle in 1911. It’s not the largest castle on this list at just 20 meters long and 10 meters wide, but it was built as a love letter of sorts by von Steingel to his rumored ballerina mistress.
Over a century later, it’s known as the “Castle of Love” and has a breathtaking view of the sea.
Predjama Castle, Predjama, Slovenia
You might discover a castle on top of a mountain or next to a lake, but you will rarely find one in the mouth of a cave. Located in southwestern Slovenia, this castle has been located in this high-up cavern for over 700 years. The first fortress survived for centuries until it was destroyed in a battle, but was reconstructed into a Renaissance-style castle in 1583. Today, it’s no longer a center of conflict but a tourist destination.
Hochosterwitz Castle, Carinthia, Austria
It’s not surprising that many castles incorporate security features like moats, lake locations, and drawbridges into their design, but the Hochosterwitz Castle took things to a new level with a steep, winding pathway that led towards the castle’s entrance and was fitted with 14 deceptive gates, each with a dangerous and unique obstacle to enemies.
You name it; there were concealed spikes, fire torch slots, hidden arches, and even chutes that would spit out boiling hot oil.
Hearst Castle, San Simeon, California, USA
You might think legendary castles are only located in Europe or England, but looking out on the Pacific Ocean is Hearst Castle in California, with a fittingly star-studded past. Famous publisher William Randolph Hearst and architect Julia Morgan built it starting in 1919, and it took nearly 30 years to complete. It had indoor and outdoor pools, a zoo, an airstrip, a movie theater, and tennis courts, as well as a whopping 165 rooms. A rare lucky few world leaders and Hollywood stars, from Greta Garbo to Charlie Chaplin.
Boldt Castle, 1000 Islands, New York, USA
This castle was commissioned by George C. Boldt, the proprietor of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, in 1900. Boldt hired over 300 workers to build an extravagant, six-story castle with 120 rooms for his wife, complete with tunnels, multiple towers, Italian gardens, and a drawbridge, merging old-world architecture with modern amenities. However, Boldt’s wife passed before the castle was completed, and the heartbroken Boldt put a stop to construction, leaving it abandoned. In 1977, the Thousand Island Bridge Authority bought it and restored it.