Route through the most spectacular castles in Europe

castles-europe
Europe is a continent with a lot of history, which has been reflected in many cities and towns through its artistic heritage. And a good example is the castles , which date back to different centuries and whose walls house all the secrets of the passage of time and the lives of the protagonists who inhabited them. If the other day, we made a route through the most beautiful castles in Spain, now we are going to take a tour of those in Europe because many of them are also really spectacular. Obviously, there are many more, but here we propose some of them.

United Kingdom

Within the United Kingdom, one of the palaces that is a benchmark is Edinburgh Castle , whose origins date back to the Iron Age. This site was built as a defensive bastion for the deltas, although later, and several hundred years later, it was rebuilt as the residence of Mary, Queen of Scots. A castle that, in addition to its history, is also well known for ghost sightings and for having served as inspiration for the home of Macbeth , Shakespeare’s play.

Denmark

And, continuing with Shakespeare, we come to Kronborg Castle where he set the story of Hamlet . This structure is one of the most important in northern Europe at the time of the Renaissance , having been listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Located in the extreme northeast of the island of Zealand, its history is also highlighted by the insistence of King Eric of Pomerania , who insisted that ships leaving or entering the Baltic Sea had to pay the fees for the sound to meet his demands. .

castles-europe

France

France is also a country of castles. On this occasion, we choose the one in Chambord , which is the one with the most prestige in the Loire. It is one of the largest Renaissance buildings in France, characterized by its domes and turrets on the roof. A work inspired by the sketches of Leonardo da Vinci , who participated in the central double helix staircase that twists up to three stories and is illuminated by a skylight.

Portugal

Near Spain is also Portugal, a country in which there are several options. One of them is the Óbidos Castle , which is characterized by its cylinder-shaped and square towers , as well as the limestone and marble of the façade.

The Torre de Belém is another of the icons of the country and of Lisbon. Classified as a World Heritage Site and located on the Tagus River, it is an example of the power of the Portuguese on land and sea. Later, with the Spanish invasion, it became a prison. It is well worth going up to the top to enjoy magnificent views of the city and the Tagus estuary.

And, another option, is the GuimarĂŁes Castle , which is the most important medieval fortress in northern Portugal and is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the country. Note the walls built in the shape of a pentagram with eight crenellated rectangular towers .

Poland

The route also takes us to Malbork Castle , which was built by the warriors of the Order of the Teutonic Knights. This castle is the largest in the world by surface area , as well as holding the record for being the largest brick building in Europe. Its reddish color is striking.

Lithuania

And here we find Trakai Castle , dating from the 14th century. It is a structure that, today, consists of two parts. One is the original, which is small and located next to a lake , while the other has been erected in later centuries and is in the middle of the waters . It is an incarnation of the Gothic style where you should notice its wooden galleries, stained glass panels, murals and secret passageways.