The world’s most opulent castles

[jw5]

Gravensteen Castle, Belgium​

Built in the 12th century, Gravensteen Castle in Ghent, Belgium, has had multiple lives as a grand, imposing residence for a vain count; a prison; a courthouse; a 19th century cotton mill; and now a museum. When it was a courthouse, criminals were often brutally tortured in the dungeons below the castle. As evidence, the instruments of torture remain at the castle to this date.

 

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Citadel of Carcassonne, France​

The incredibly vast citadel of Carcassonne, also known as la Cité, wasn’t just a residence for the ruling class, but a whole town surrounded by three kilometres of ramparts. The fortifications predate Roman times and were a military stronghold until the 17th century. The biggest walled city in Europe, la Cité encompasses 52 defensive towers and even an inner castle with its own fortifications and moat.

 

[jw5]

Boldt Castle, United States​

Located on an island in the St. Lawrence River, Boldt Castle was built as a monument to the love between the millionaire hotelier George C. Boldt (owner of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York) and his wife, Louise. Three hundred carpenters, stonemasons, artists, and other workers started building this luxury estate featuring 120 rooms with tunnels, a medieval-style clock tower, manicured Italian gardens, and even a drawbridge. Four years after construction began, however, Boldt's beloved Louise died suddenly, and he halted all construction immediately, leaving the castle to the elements.

 

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Dublin Castle, Ireland​

Dublin Castle continuously operated as a government centre as well as the residence of the Viceroy of Ireland from 1204 until 1922, often playing host to exorbitant state visits, balls, and banquets. Once a medieval fortress, the latter years of the castle welcomed visitors such as Queen Victoria, Charles Dickens, and Benjamin Franklin. Today, it serves as a government complex.

 

[jw5]

Hearst Castle, United States​

Hearst Castle was not erected by a reigning monarch, but was built by William Randolph Hearst, a media titan (and inspiration for Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane) on land purchased by his father, land prospector-turned-senator George Hearst in 1865. This truly opulent pleasure palace comprises 165 rooms and over 100 acres of lush gardens, sparkling pools, and Roman-style walkways. In its heyday, it counted some of the world’s greatest politicians and Hollywood icons among its esteemed guests, including Barbara Stanwyck, Harold Lloyd, Louis B. Mayer, and Winston Churchill.

 

[jw5]

Dar Al Hajar, Yemen​

A relatively new construction by castle standards, the Dar Al Hajar was built in 1930 by an Islamic spiritual leader as a summer home. The castle is a marvel to behold. Built on top of a natural rock high above the valley floor in Shibam, Yemen, the castle was only used as a residence until 1948 when the owner of the castle was assassinated. It was later transformed into a museum.

 

[jw5]

Dunluce Castle, Northern Ireland​

Any true Game of Thrones fan will recognize Dunluce Castle, located at Northern Ireland’s most northern tip, as the House of Greyjoy. While digitally restored in post-production for the show, the actual castle ruins date back to the medieval period. It was abandoned in 1636 by its residents, the 2nd Earl of Antrim and his wife, after the castle’s original kitchen, along with the kitchen staff, fell into the sea below. Despite its obvious safety issues, Dunluce Castle still cuts an imposing figure from its lofty cliffside perch overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

 

[jw5]

Castle of Usse, France​

A charming country chateau, the Castle of Usse in the Loire Valley in France was built in the latter half of the 15th century. Its white brick exterior and soaring narrow blue-grey spires are rumoured to be the inspiration for Charles Perreault’s tale of Sleeping Beauty as well as Cinderella’s Castle at Disney World.

 

[jw5]

Bannerman Castle, USA​

Located on an island in the Hudson River, Bannerman Castle was the dream of Francis Bannerman VI, a Scottish-American arms dealer with grand ambitions for storing his munitions. He began building his castle in 1900, incorporating medieval towers, borrowing from Moorish, Scottish and Belgian architecture, and kitting it out with cannons and artillery. Shortly after Bannerman died in 1918, the island’s powder house blew up, and the castle was abandoned until 1992 when a group of volunteers began cleaning up the island, leading group tours, and hosting public events.

 

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The Kremlin, Russia​

Russian icon, the Kremlin was built in 1156 and served as the official royal residence until Peter the Great’s reign. Well known as the current headquarters of the Russian government, the massive complex (encompassing a whopping 27.7 hectares along the banks of the Moskva River) withstood the bloody Bolshevik uprising and the Soviet period. It has been the residence of the president of Russia since 1991.

 

[Leckmichamarsch]

Istana ala Kak Limah?

 

[jw5]

Hohensalzburg Fortress, Austria​

The Hohensalzburg Fortress in Vienna is one of the best preserved 11th-century castles in Europe, likely because it has never faced siege, artillery fire, or attack of any kind. The castle, overlooking Mozart’s picturesque hometown of Salzburg, was finished in 1500 and hasn’t been changed since. Generations of Salzburg’s archbishops called it home before it eventually became a tourist attraction.

 

[jw5]

Malbork Castle, Poland​

Built by the Teutonic Knights in the late 13th century, this red brick castle in what is now Malbork, Poland, is reportedly the largest brick building in the world, enclosing approximately 52 acres of land. The former home of the Grand Master and roughly 3,000 knights, the castle features three distinct sections connected by dry moats and towers. The castle was abandoned by the order in 1456, and World War II destroyed over half of it. Restoration has been ongoing since 1962.