Old castles are a perfect destination. These magnificent structures allow you to travel not only to a place but also in time. They show you the past with all its greatness and give you the opportunity to feel the actuality of history.
Besides incredible beauty, old castles are full of mystery. When you are looking at one, it feels like you are in a fairy tale.
Just like Pyramids and other Wonders of the Ancient World, some old castles will make you question how our ancestors could create such astonishing buildings without any modern equipment.
The world is full of old castles. Some of them are just leftover ruins and some have been turned into museums.
We chose our favorite castles and decided to recommend them as your future travel inspirations.
Boldt Castle
Bold Castle, located on a small island in New York state, is the most impressive castle in the US, and definitely one of our favorite old castles in the world.
The construction of the castle was begun in 1900 by the self-made millionaire George Boldt. The building was meant to be a summer house for the Boldt family and was supposed to be one of the largest privately-owned houses in the US. However, in 1904 Mr. Boltd’s wife passed away, and the project was abandoned.
In 1977 the island was acquired by the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority and the Boldt Castle was renovated and made available to the public.
Château de Chambord
Château de Chambord is a true expression of French aristocratism, located in Centre-Val de Loire, France. It was built in the 16th century. According to some historical sources one of the designers of the castle may have been Leonardo da Vinci himself.
“A magical atmosphere as soon as you arrive. Captivated by a wondrous forest, you will discover extraordinary architecture imagined by François I and imbued with the spirit of Leonardo da Vinci. When you visit Chambord, over a few hours you will explore half a millennium of French history.” – this is how Château de Chambord is described on its official website.
Ury House
This amazing castle, surrounded by beautiful nature, is located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Ury House was established in 1413 by Clan Fraser of Lovat.
For many years Ury House was just a beautiful, yet sad-looking ruin. To see this amazing building wasted and deserted was heartbreaking for every traveler and architecture lover. Things started to change in 2007 when FM Group began the renovations of Ury House. According to the plan, this year Ury House will open as a hotel and a golf club.
Neuschwanstein Castle
This gigantic white building will take your breath away even by just seeing its photos. It stands on a high mountain in Bavaria, Germany. Surrounded by wondrous nature this castle looks like a picture from a Disney animation or Brothers Grimm tales.
Neuschwanstein Castle will absolutely blow your mind with its gorgeous architecture and luxurious interior designed in the Byzantine style. But The main reason for this castle’s greatness is the location and an amazing view of the castle. As a matter of fact, sizable rocks were detonated to make a space for this magnificent structure.
The castle was commissioned by Ludwig II, who is also known as the Mad King. He was very passionate about art and architecture.
The king admired beautiful castles, however, Bavarians did not share his passion. Instead of spending the treasury on castles, his people preferred their king to take care of the problems the country was facing at the time.
Contrary to the people and his advisors, Ludwig believed that the future generations would appreciate his efforts. In light of this belief, the king built several expensive castles, one of them being the magical Neuschwanstein Castle.
At the present time, Neuschwanstein Castle is a very popular museum.
Swallow’s Nest
Just like Neuschwanstein Castle, this beautiful Ukrainian castle has an amazing location. Swallow’s Nest stands on a 130 ft high cliff overlooking the Black Sea.
This castle is not a very large construction. However, it has the most wonderful architecture and views.
The castle was built at the end of the 19th century. In the beginning, its original name was the “Castle of Love”. However, with the change of ownership, the name of the building, as well as the appearance, have changed.
At different times the castle belonged to the king’s doctor, to a Russian general, and to a wealthy oil tycoon.
Currently, this little castle is open to the public.
