Vidin, Bulgaria The Baba Vida Fortress is one of the oldest and best-preserved castles in southeastern Europe. Located along the banks of the Danube, this strategic location has been fortified and fought over since Roman times. While not as large as some of other old fortifications in the region, it is historically the most important castle in Bulgaria. Its excellent state … [Read more...]
CASTLES OF THE SERBIAN DANUBE (BELGRADE, GOLUBAC, SMEDEREVO)
Central Serbia The Danube River is one of the most important in Europe. In Roman times it separated the civilized Roman world from the barbarian north. From early medieval times until the locomotive age it constituted the single most important trade and communications link between Central Europe and the Orient. Not surprisingly, the Danube has traditionally been one of the … [Read more...]
RHINELAND CASTLES (RHINEFELS, MARKSBURG, BURG KATZ, BURG MAUS)
Northwest Germany The Rhine River has historically been one of Europe’s most important waterways both for trade and agriculture, as well as serving as a rough boundary between western and central Europe. For these reasons the Rhine has been one of the most heavily fortified frontiers in the world from ancient times right through the end of World War II. Most of the surviving … [Read more...]
CHILLON CASTLE
Montreaux, Switzerland The Chateau de Chillon in Switzerland is the unlikely ancestral home of the royal house that ultimately united Italy. Located on the shores of Lake Geneva in the heart of the Swiss Alps, Chillon is geographically, architecturally and culturally worlds away from Italy. And yet the rulers of this ancient Burgundian stronghold, in defiance of the vast … [Read more...]
LOIRE VALLEY CASTLES (CHAUMONT, CHINON, SAUMUR)
Northern France The Loire River cuts across the heart of France from the Alps all the way to the Atlantic. Because of this it has historically been one of Western Europe’s most important trade routes, and one of its most heavily fortified rivers. During the Middle Ages the Loire was lined with castles and fortified cities from Saint-Etienne to Saint-Nazaire. But it is the … [Read more...]
BRAN CASTLE
Brasov, Romania Bran Castle is counted among Europe’s most storied and mysterious castles. Located in the heart of Romania near the edge of the Carpathian Mountains, Bran Castle is the legendary heart of the region known as Transylvania. Certainly that it is how it is promoted by the local tourist industry. In reality, Bran is one of the finest and best preserved castles to … [Read more...]
KARLSTEJN CASTLE
Karlstejn, Czech Republic Karlstejn Castle is the legendary and romanticized fortress of the Czech Republic. A royal castle of the Holy Roman Empire for many centuries, this storied keep was once the treasury and storehouse of the Imperial Regalia, the Crown Jewels of Bohemia, and countless other priceless objects. Its mountaintop setting and architectural style is … [Read more...]
SWAN CASTLES (NEUSCHWANSTEIN, HOHENSCHWANGAU)
Fussen, Germany Bavaria in Southern Germany is the quintessential land of fairy tales and Teutonic mythology. Centered on the famous Romantic Road that runs south through Bavaria to Fussen, Southern Germany is home to the Bavarian Alps, the Black Forest, and of course the famous fairy-tale swan castles of Mad King Ludwig. Built to realize his dream of raising Bavaria to new … [Read more...]
HOHENZOLLERN CASTLE
Hechingen, Germany Hohenzollern Castle, tucked away in southwestern Germany, is one of Europe’s most overlooked architectural gems. The ancestral home of the Hohenzollern family, who produced a number of Holy Roman Emperors as well as the imperial line of Prussia, this was arguably the most impressive castle in Germany until Mad King Ludwig arrived. While it is overshadowed … [Read more...]
WARTBURG CASTLE
Eisenach, Germany Wartburg Castle in Eisenach was not selected for its size, beauty, political or military importance, although it certainly has its share of all of these. Its inclusion is merited as a historical site in connection with Martin Luther. While Luther threw down the gauntlet to the Papcy in Wittenberg, it was Wartburg Castle that harboured him when he was a … [Read more...]