The 30 Most Gorgeous Medieval Castles in the World

Eltz Castle, Germany

Some countries have more than their fair share of gorgeous medieval castles, and Germany is one of them. Eltz Castle is one of the finest examples of a German knight's castle, and it has remained in the same family since its construction began in 1157. Surrounded on three sides by a small river, Eltz Castle has a foundation that follows the shape of the 230-foot-high rock it sits on—which makes some of its interior rooms oddly shaped.

Although it was involved in some small skirmishes, the castle was luckily never destroyed in battle, so it never had to be rebuilt. But additions were made over several centuries, with restorations in the 19th and 20th centuries helping to preserve the stunning architecture. The present owner of the castle, Dr. Karl Graf von und zu Eltz-Kempenich, restored the castle between 2009 and 2012. Eltz Castle's surrounding nature reserve also helps maintain its "frozen in time" appearance.

Predjama Castle, Slovenia

Speaking of caves, this 13th-century castle is built into one. Impossibly constructed on a 400-foot-high cliff face, the "cave castle" has a fascinating legend attached to it. In the 14th century, the knight Erazem Lueger of Predjama ran afoul of the emperor, who besieged the impregnable castle for more than a year. What the imperial forces didn't know, however, was that Erazem used a secret tunnel through the cave to replenish food and supplies. As the story goes, he was betrayed by one of his servants, who signaled to enemy forces to fire a cannon while the knight was using a medieval toilet on the outside edge of the castle, killing him.

Brunnenburg Castle, Italy

Although this castle bears a German name because it's located in the Italian Alps near the border of Austria, it has an Italian name too: Castle Fontana. Both mean "Fountain Castle," so named for a nearby natural spring. Constructed in the 13th century, this breathtaking medieval castle on a mountain perch was restored in the early 20th century. In the 1950s, Brunnenburg Castle hosted its most famous guest, the American poet Ezra Pound; his 99-year-old daughter, the poet Mary de Rachewiltz, still lives there. Today, the castle and grounds are an agricultural museum and working farm, as well as a cultural center for literature and the arts.

Trakai Island Castle, Lithuania

When Trakai Island Castle was built by the country's grand dukes in the early 15th century, this striking red-brick structure in the middle of Lake Galvé was accessible only by boat. As the seat of the ruler, the castle held an important position, so it had to be defensible—and indeed, it was never conquered. The grand duke also hosted important visitors to the thriving city in the castle's Great Hall, which was decorated with stained-glass windows. Eventually, though, the castle lost prominence, became a prison and was burned in a fire in the 17th century. Restored in the early 20th century, the castle is now the Trakai History Museum.

Guaita Castle, San Marino

The microstate of San Marino is its own country, but it's surrounded by Italy. Keeping watch over its capital, also called San Marino, is Guaita Castle, one of the "three towers of San Marino"—the oldest and arguably the most famous one. Guaita is also called the "First Tower," and it dates back to the 11th century, although it was rebuilt in the 15th century. The trio of citadels and a series of walls were used to protect the tiny city on Mount Titano—and it worked, as San Marino is one of the world's oldest republics and the last remaining Italian city-state that was not incorporated into Italy itself. Guaita was also later used as a prison and still contains some recently uncovered, 200-year-old prisoner graffiti.

Gravensteen Castle, Belgium

A true medieval gem, this limestone castle's exact date is known by the Latin inscription on the entrance, which proclaims that Count Philip of Alsace—or as the inscription most grandly announces, "Philip, Count of Flanders and Vermandois, son of Count Theoderic and Sibylla"—built it in 1180. The "Castle of the Counts," located in the city of Ghent, was held by the counts of Flanders until it later became a courthouse and prison, complete with dungeons and a torture chamber. Because of its horrid reputation, the crumbling castle was almost razed in the 19th century, but it was saved by preservationists and reopened as a tourist attraction in 1913.

Mehrangarh Fort, India

One of the most imposing "hill forts" in India from the late medieval period, Mehrangarh Fort is also one of the largest and best preserved, with ramparts towering 400 feet above the city of Jodhpur in northwest India. The interior palaces and temples are filled with colorful decoration and intricate stonework. Built by a branch of the ruling Rajput clan called the Rathores in the 15th century, the fort was named Mehrangarh, or "fort of the sun," because the clan was said to have descended from the sun god Surya. The various rulers who lived there continually added to the complex for more than 500 years, and the fort is still run by the current head of the Rathore clan, Maharaja Gaj Singh II.

Topkapi Palace, Turkey

This late-medieval walled palace in Istanbul was built around 1453 for the sultan of the Ottoman Empire. The sultans ruled from the Topkapi Palace complex for 400 years, and the imperial treasury and library were also housed here. Inside a massive gate flanked by two towers, courtyards lead to the inner buildings, including "the harem," the private residences where the sultan's wives, concubines and children lived. The interior of the castle is richly decorated, with colorful tiles and peaceful gardens. It also holds a striking position at the tip of a peninsula overlooking the Golden Horn, an inlet of the Bosphorus River.

The Forbidden City, China

This giant, walled palace in Beijing was constructed by the Chinese emperor for 14 years, starting in 1406. He even had to have a canal rebuilt to transport all the necessary materials. The complex was called "forbidden" because the innermost area was solely for the emperor and his family—no one else was allowed. Other parts of it, however, were used for official business. The colorful red and yellow buildings were richly decorated and surrounded by a wall and moat. According to legend, soon after completion, three of the buildings were struck by lightning, striking fear in the emperor. But the Forbidden City survived for 500 years and was home to 24 emperors before becoming the museum it is today.

Almourol Castle, Portugal

Called the most beautiful castle in central Portugal, Almourol Castle was conquered by the Knights Templar as part of the Christian Reconquest from the Moors. We know it was reconstructed after the group took it over in 1171, the date inscribed on the castle door. Spectacularly situated in the middle of the Tagus River, it can be reached only by boat. The castle, with its nine circular defensive towers, maintained an important position on the river throughout the Middle Ages, but it eventually fell into disrepair. Reconstructed in the 19th century, Almourol seemed to embody all the romanticism of the medieval period. Even today, surrounded only by small towns and villages, Almourol seems like something out of the past.

Chateau de Sully-sur-Loire, France

This romantic French castle seems to float on water. Although many of the chateaus in the Loire River Valley date from the later Renaissance period, Chateau de Sully-sur-Loire is actually medieval. The castle keep was built by the Lord of Sully in 1395, as a defense of the river—but also so he could hold elaborate parties. Originally connected to the mainland with drawbridges, this medieval castle has a storied past: Joan of Arc even stayed here to visit with the French King Charles VII. Although it has undergone modifications over the years and was damaged in World War II, the castle has been restored to all its medieval glory.

Monastir's Ribat, Tunisia

This Islamic defensive structure looks like it's always been there—and it practically has. First built in 797, many of the current buildings of Monastir's Ribat date from the eighth to tenth centuries, with the tall towers built centuries later. But the ribat was not just for military purposes or keeping watch for invaders; it also contained prayer rooms for the religious communities, students and scholars who lived at and visited the fort. The towers were used as lookouts, of course, but also for signaling from one ribat to another. It wasn't an easy job to get up there, though, as the spiral staircase has 100 steps.

Karlstejn Castle, Czech Republic

The Great Tower of this royal palace is an awe-inspiring sight among the rolling hills that surround it and the little town below. Built around 1350 by the Holy Roman Emperor, Karlstejn Castle was used by the king to secure his most prized collections, including holy relics and the Imperial Crown Jewels; it was also his private royal retreat. Like most other medieval castles, Karlstejn was added to, starting in the 15th century, but it maintains its authenticity, thanks to later restorations that got rid of the trimmings and changed it back to its original appearance. Never owned privately, it passed from the crown to the state.

Gyantse Dzong, Tibet

This impressive castle-like structure is one of the best-preserved dzongs (a sort of fortress/monastery) in Tibet, where government officials as well as religious and cultural leaders lived. The Gyantse Dzong was built in the late 1300s, its white buildings blending into the cliffs and its red-topped roofs catching the eye. Although the dzong was built in the medieval period, its most notable point in history was during the British invasion of Tibet in 1903 and 1904. The dzong and the city were eventually overcome, but the Tibetans put up quite a fight—which is why Gyantse is known as the "Hero City."