Image: Petra-81 via WikiCommons
About This Quiz
If you read fairytales or watched Disney movies growing up, you probably already have a little castle envy. All that glorious architecture is bursting with history, telling tales of romance, war and intrigue. It's what every little girl aspired to and what every boy would defend to the death. And don't get us started on moats and fire-breathing dragons!
Sprinkled throughout Europe, far and wide, many castles still stand, remnants of the past with stories to tell. For example, did you know that there's a castle in Germany that inspired the one portrayed in "Sleeping Beauty?" (It housed Germany's King Ludwig II before it caught the eye of Walt Disney.) Fairytale author Hans Christian Andersen had his favorite, which was in Portugal. There's even a castle in Slovakia where you can attend an international festival of ghosts or take a spooky candlelit tour.
Yes, it seems society — American, European and otherwise — is still fascinated by these stately structures. Which got us thinking, how much do you really know about Europe's castles? The hidden ones, the beautiful ones, the (gulp!) haunted ones? Flip through these 40 magnificent structures and see if you can pair them to the country where they can be found. Watch out for Dracula and the "gateway to Hell," though.Â
Iceland
Hungary
There is a seriously slow construction project happening at Buda Castle in Budapest, Hungary. Work began on this structure in the 13th century, with renovations and remodels continuing even today.
Norway
Ukraine
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Romania
Construction on Transylvania's Bran Castle in Romania began in the 12th century. Unlike many castles, famous for who lived there, this one is more famous for who didn't: Dracula. Author Bram Stoker modeled Dracula's castle after the Romanian structure.
Estonia
Georgia
Slovenia
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Serbia
Belarus
Switzerland
Germany
Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany is a romantic, fairytale-like structure, so it only stands to reason that Walt Disney would be compelled to model one of his Disney Princesses' castles after it. The real deal is located in Bavaria, Germany.
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Sweden
Malta
Bulgaria
The Castle of Ravadinovo is Bulgaria's No. 1 tourist attraction. It was designed from a childhood dream by architect George Tumpalov. It's just a baby, though, compared to others in this quiz – construction on it didn't begin until 1996.
Portugal
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Estonia
In addition to its murder mystery dinner nights, Laiuse Castle in Estonia is also a popular site for weddings and other events. Constructed in the late 1800s, this castle also contains a hotel and a restaurant onsite.
United Kingdom
Denmark
Finland
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Cyprus
Slovakia
Slovakia's Bojnice Castle was originally constructed from wood and later changed into a stone creation, which probably contributes to its longevity. It currently houses an art and history museum and plays host to the International Festival of Ghosts and Spirits. Spooky!
France
Greece
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Latvia
Scotland
Luxembourg
Vianden Castle, situated in Luxembourg, was built on the site of a former Roman castle and changed hands several times, which caused it to fall into a state of disrepair for a bit. New owners finally restored the ancient structure.
Spain
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San Marino
Cyprus
Turkey
Ireland
Built in the 19th century, Kylemore Abbey (formerly Kylemore Castle) is home to Benedictine monks in Ireland. At the time it was built, the owner wanted a castle with "modern" amenities, which we're certain have changed over the past 100 years or so.
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Kazakhstan
Belarus
Nesvizh Castle in Belarus has seen its share of conflict. The Radziwiłł family was expelled from it not once, but twice. The first time was in 1772 and the second happened 167 years later during the invasion of Poland.
Poland
Moldova
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Vatican City
Denmark
Italy
Croatia
Croatia's Trakošćan Castle was first constructed in the 13th century as a way to stand guard over a nearby road. Today it houses a museum that includes an exhibit dedicated to the country's nobility.
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Liechtenstein
Monaco
Norway
Norway's Akershus Castle was built in 1299, and it has been busy ever since, serving as a protective fortress, a royal home and now, a museum and public destination for concerts and holiday events.
Azerbaijan
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Iceland
Lithuania
Poland
Moszna Castle, located in Poland, is big in every aspect of the word. Covering a spread the size of 14 football fields, the castle has more than 360 rooms and was replicated (in part) at Walt Disney World's Epcot.
Hungary
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France
Germany
Italy
It's true that Vatican City is a country enclosed inside Italy, and Castel Sant’Angelo can be found a short distance away in Rome. What started as a tomb has since served as a prison, home and museum.
Ireland
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Bosnia and Herzegovina
Kosovo
Turkey
Lithuania
Lithuania is home to Trakai Island Castle, a tourist attraction in the Baltic state. It is accessible via a walking path where you can observe the stone fortress that was built in the 1400s.
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Ukraine
Denmark
Denmark is home to Egeskov Castle, so named for the forest of trees that are believed to have been necessary for the structure's foundation. The name "Egeskov," which means oak woods in Danish, was the perfect choice.
Latvia
Czechia
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Portugal
Finland
United Kingdom
Scotland
Travel to Edinburgh, Scotland, and you won't be able to avoid views of Edinburgh Castle. It sits upon the elevated Castle Rock and dominates the skyline from various viewpoints. Edinburgh Castle has been under construction in some capacity since the 12th century.
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Liechtenstein
Bulgaria
Slovenia
Predjama Castle in Slovenia is unlike any other castle in this quiz, since it's built into the side of a mountain at the mouth of a cave. The castle is roughly 800 years old, but the cave system is likely much older.
Russia
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Switzerland
Portugal
One of Portugal's most popular tourist attractions, Pena Palace in Sintra, Portugal, was believed to have been build after a vision of Virgin Mary appeared to King Ferdinand II. The exterior of the castle boasts varying architectural styles.
Croatia
Germany
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Sweden
England
If you're looking for both the largest and the oldest occupied castle structure in the world, look no further than Windsor Castle in England. British royals for 1,000 years have called the castle home.
Scotland
Serbia
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Greece
France
Italy
Switzerland
If you want to see Tourbillon Castle (and not from a distance), you'll need to be prepared to climb a hefty number of steep and winding stairs at its location in Switzerland. You'll be rewarded with awesome views of Sion, though, the city where it's located.
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Sweden
Sweden's Örebro Castle was built to provide a watch post for activity around the River Svartån. Its name is also derived from the river; more specifically, the word "ör," which are small stones found in the riverbed.
Norway
Iceland
Turkey
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Romania
Finland
Netherlands
According to a website maintained about the Netherlands' De Haar Castle, one-time socialite and fashion designer Coco Chanel was a guest at this structure, whose history dates back to 1892.
Georgia
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Iceland
Turkey
Czech Republic (Czechia)
Prague Castle in the Czech Republic (Czechia) is a world record holder. According to "Guinness Book of World Records, it is the biggest ancient castle in the entire world, occupying a paltry 750,000 square feet.
San Marino
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Germany
Switzerland
Austria
Hohenwerfen Castle does, indeed, make a cameo appearance in the 1965 movie musical, "The Sound of Music." The castle is perched on a cliff overlooking Werfen, Austria, where it has stood for more than 900 years.
France
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Kazakhstan
Netherlands
Greece
Methoni Castle in Greece is certainly located in one of the more visually-stunning locations, overlooking the Ionian Sea. You'll have to travel across a stone bridge that features 14 archways to get across the moat, however.
Latvia
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Albania
Krujë Castle in Albania is well-known by locals for the role it played in Skanderbeg's battle against the Ottomans. The castle was able to withstand the Ottomans' siege and today houses a museum honoring Albania's national hero, Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbej.
Romania
Malta
Andorra
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Poland
North Macedonia
United Kingdom
Located in the United Kingdom (Wales, to be specific), Conwy Castle's construction totals nearly a mile of walls as well as more than 20 towers and gatehouses. The castle was part of a one-time plan to encase all of Wales in a system of walls.
Lithuania
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Netherlands
Monaco
Russia
Latvia
Positioned in Latvia, Riga Castle is still considered an official home of the Latvian president. It sits alongside River Daugava in Latvia's capital, Riga. A fire in 2013 caused substantial damage, which launched a series of repairs.
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Germany
France
You'd think that after 500 years, Château de Chambord in France would finally be finished, but it was never entirely completed. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and hosts more than 20,000 tourists every day.
Cyprus
Finland
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France
Spain
The Alhambra in Granada, Spain, is a colorful structure. Named in the Arabic for "the red one" or "red castle," its towers and walls give off a red tint, a nod to its moniker. Various rulers throughout history tried their hand at remodeling the structure.
Portugal
Netherlands
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Czech Republic (Czechia)
Houska Castle is another magnificent structure in the Czech Republic (Czechia), except this one is a wee bit scary. The castle is said to sit atop the "gateway to hell," controlling the flow of demons entering the world. Well, we'll vacation elsewhere.
San Marino
Ukraine
North Macedonia
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Croatia
Belarus
Poland
Malbork Castle, also known as the Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork, is located in Poland. It's the largest castle by land area in the entire world. German Crusaders are credited with its construction.
Sweden
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Poland
Belgium
Finland
Slovakia
What's left of Spiš Castle in eastern Slovakia sits on top of a site where a former castle once stood. The grounds cover 10 complete acres, making it one of the largest castle sites on the continent.
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Ireland
Germany
Germany's Burghausen Castle is another world record holder, this time for "longest castle," as confirmed by Guinness World Records. This member of Europe's "Big 3" (that's the third-largest castle on the continent) was started in the 10th century.
Greece
Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Montenegro
Switzerland
Luxembourg
Austria
Austria's Hohensalzburg Castle was the brainchild of Archbishop Gebhard I of Helffenstein, who wanted the castle built to demonstrate the power of the Catholic Church. Salzburg Archbishops lived there until the early 19th century.
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Russia
Croatia
United Kingdom
Located in Northumberland, England, Chillingham Castle boasts its unique breed of cattle, appropriately named Chillingham Cattle. The herd is white and has red ears.
Denmark
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Norway
Kazakhstan
Cyprus
Scotland
Scotland's Eilean Donan is a popular castle inside its nation's borders and a favorite of tourists far and wide. It has appeared in various movies, including 1999's James Bond flick, "The World is Not Enough."
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Romania
Vlad the Impaler was said to have been imprisoned for a time in this Romanian castle in Hunedoara. You're not familiar with Vlad the Impaler? Well, it's believed he was the inspiration behind Bram Stoker's Dracula.
Serbia
Vatican City
Moldova
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Belgium
Located in Belgium, the Gravensteen had a less than stellar history, prompting some to call for it to be razed. And, it was ... almost completely ... until some local preservationists saved the site for its historical significance and architectural details.
Turkey
Greece
Sweden
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Kazakhstan
Germany
Rheinfels Castle, located within sight of the Rhine River in Germany, nearly fell to Napoleon's troops in the late 1700s. Though it's not quite the same, part of the original castle still stands ... roughly one-third of what was originally built.
Switzerland
Moldova
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