World’s Top 15 Famous Castles: Beautiful Masterpieces
Last Updated on 12th September 2025 by admin
There are so many wonderful and beautiful medieval Castles around the world and making an ideal list is very difficult. All these famous Castles have long histories, some are used as private residences for the richest families and some are used as fortresses during wars and battles. As most of them were used in the battle times, you can imagine how old they might be. These are one of the oldest and biggest castles of all time. Some of these castles are on top of the hills, while others are in the middle of the water. Here is the list of most 15 famous castles around the world:
1) Neuschwanstein Castle
Europe is famous for its castles and Neuschwanstein Castle is one of the world’s most famous tourist attractions in Europe. The beautiful fairy-tale castle welcomes approximately 1.5 million visitors annually and is also known as “Schloss Neuschwanstein”. The famous Castle was built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in the 19th century (1869 to 1886) on the hill, above the village of Hohenschwangau near Schwangau and Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany.
2) Mont Saint Michel Castle
Ever heard of Mont Saint-Michel? It’s this amazing fortified island in Normandy, France, that’s also a functioning town. It is one of the most famous tourist attractions in France, attracting millions of visitors every year. The island lies approximately 1 km out to the northwest coast of the country, which is at the mouth of the river Couesnon near Avranches. Usually, it is surrounded by broad sandbanks and becomes the island only when the tides are very high. The population of Mont Saint-Michel is less than 50 people. The highest point of the island is on the top of the bell tower of the abbey, 92 meters above sea level
3) Bodiam Castle
Bodiam Castle is one of the most recognized castles in England UK. The Castle was built in the 14th century by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge near Robertsbridge in the county of East Sussex, England. The famous Castle was built as one of its kind in a fascinating way with square-shaped and surrounded by water, making it one of the famous attractions in England. It is one of the few quadrangular castles and there are rooms on the outer walls and in the inner courtyards.
4) Chateau de Chillon, Switzerland
The Castle of Chillon (Château de Chillon) is located on the shores of Lake Geneva on a rock, south of Veytaux, Switzerland. It is one of the most famous Castles and visited historic buildings in Switzerland and Europe. The Castle belonged to the Savoy family since 1150. The first buildings were built by Thomas I of Savoy. The thousand-year-old Castle also hosts events occasionally such as concerts.
5) Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle (Caisteal Dhùn Éideann) is an iconic landmark, a historic castle, and an architectural masterpiece. Edinburgh Castle is a world-famous icon and the fascinating land of Scotland. This historic fortress was built around the 11th century on the foundations of Castle Rock. Nowadays it is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Scotland for all travelers.
6) Eltz Castle
Eltz Castle (also known as Burg Eltz) is a medieval castle that is one of the most beautiful and famous castles in Germany. It is located in the hills above the Moselle River between Koblenz and Trier. It is situated deep into the Eltz Forest and Flora Fauna Habitat and Natura 2000 has declared these forests as a nature reserve. Eltz Castle still belongs to a branch of the Eltz family.
7) Glamis Castle
Glamis Castle is one of the prominent, romantic and prestigious haunted castles in Europe. It is surrounded by grounds and gardens near the village of Glamis in Angus, Scotland. The famous Castle has been the home of the Earl and countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne since 1372. It is also one of the most visited tourist attractions in Scotland, and it is open to the general public.
8) Himeji Castle
Himeji Castle is a beautiful hilltop Castle complex in Japan. It is built at the beginning of the 14th century when Japan’s unique castle architecture technology reached its peak. The famous Castle is located in the city of Himeji, Hyogo province of Japan. It was first registered in 1993 as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and the Castle was designated as a National Treasure in 1951.
9) Hohenwerfen Castle
Hohenwerfen is a medieval rock Castle, and it is one of the oldest Castles in the world and one of the famous tourist attractions in Austria. The Castle was built between 1075 and 1078, located on a 623 meters high cliff (2,044 ft) that overlooks the Austrian market of Werfen town in the Salzach Valley. If you look at the scenery of Salzburg and its surrounding areas, then you will see that it is located in the heart of a huge valley that comes out from the mountains.
10) Hohenzollern Castle
Hohenzollern Castle is one of the most popular and beautiful castles in the state of Baden-Württemberg, making it one of the famous tourist attractions in Germany. It is located on the edge of the Swabian aura, and on the top of Mount Hohenzollern. At the beginning of the 11th century, the first fortress on the mountain was built, and the final castle was constructed between 1850 and 1867 by Prussia’s King Frederick William IV.
11) Kilkenny Castle
Kilkenny Castle is one of the most famous castles in Europe and was built in 1195 (12th century) by William Marshal and is located in the middle of Kilkenny City, Ireland. The Castle was square-shaped having towers at each corner because of this Castle looked more beautiful. Richard de Clare (Strongbow) initially built a wooden castle at that location in 1172 facing the North River and after that, the first stone Castle was completed in 1260.
12) Malbork Castle
This beautiful Castle lies on the Nogat River near the city of Malbork in northwestern Poland and it’s a popular tourist destination. After the conquest of Old Prussia, Malbork Castle was built in the 13th century by the Teutonic Knights. Malbork Castle is the world’s largest castle measured by land area and UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Castle was destroyed by more than 50% during the 2nd World War.
13) Prague Castle
Prague Castle is a castle complex and it is the largest ancient castle in the world, located on the banks of river Vltava in Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic. The Castle’s construction was started in 870 (9th Century) and was made of some beautiful Baroque and Gothic structures. The famous castle covers an area of about 110 acres (45 hectares). The famous Castle is connected to the old town through the Charles Bridge which is also one of the most famous bridges in the world.
14) Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a nearly 1,000-year-old British royal residence in Windsor, in the county of Berkshire, England. William the Conqueror built this amazing Castle in the 11th century. This beautiful Castle is also one of the largest and oldest Castles in Europe. Windsor Castle was the residence of Queen Elizabeth until 2022, it was the Queen’s favorite place, the Queen liked to spend most of her private weekends at the Castle, nowadays it is the residence of King Charles III (but it is still open to visitors).
15) Chateau de Chambord Castle
The Château de Chambord Castle is one of the most famous castles (châteaux) in the world, located in Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France. The building was constructed between 1519 to 1547 by King Francis I of France. The Castle is situated on the banks of the Cosson River and is surrounded by a beautiful, wooded park of 52.5 km2 (13,000 acres). The Chateau de Chambord is open throughout the year except on 1 January and 25 December.
These famous castles are not only beautiful structures, but they are history that allow us to imagine how life must have been in the past centuries. Neuschwanstein with its fairy-tale appearance, Mont Saint-Michel with its beauty on the island, and Malbork with its huge walls, each castle is a story on its own. There were those which were residences of kings and queens and others were formidable fortresses constructed to defend. Today, visiting these places is like going backwards in time and experience history with your own eyes.
