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Castles were particularly popular in Europe and in some parts of Asia during the Middle Ages up to the 19th century. They have been built either as fortress or residence of the nobilities. Here are some of the world’s most notable castles, most of which served different purposes nowadays though some have retained their original use.

Himeji Castle: Japan

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Himeji Castle in Japan was one of the many splendid buildings erected by the samurai general Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598). It was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. Along with Matsumoto Castle and Kumamoto Castle, it is one of Japan’s “Three Famous Castles”, and is the most visited castle in Japan. Parts of the James Bond film You Only Live Twice and The Last Samurai by Tom Cruise was shot in Himeji Castle.

Krak des Chevaliers: Syria

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Krak des Chevaliers is a Crusader fortress in Syria and one of the most important preserved medieval military castles in the world. The castle is also knows as the Castle of the Kurds. It was built by crusaders in the early 1200s. It is located east of Tripoli, Lebanon, in the Homs Gap, atop a 650-meter-high hill along the only route from Antioch to Beirut and the Mediterranean Sea. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The fortress is one of the few sites where Crusader art (in the form of frescoes) has been preserved.

Egeskov Castle: Denmark

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Egeskov Castle on the Island of Tyn rises directly out of the water. The castle now houses a vehicle museum containing horse drawn and antique cars. The castle is Europe’s best preserved Renaissance water castle. Egeskovs history dates to the 14th century. According to legend, it took an entire forest of oak trees to build the foundation, hence the name Egeskov (“oak forest”).

Linderhof Castle: Germany

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Linderhof Castle was built by Ludwig II, king of the southeastern region of Bavaria. The castle was built at great expense and decorated with painted ceilings and gilded angels. Between 1863 and 1886 a total of 8,460,937 Marks was spent constructing Linderhof. It is the smallest of the three palaces built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria and the only one of which he lived to see completion.

Vaduz Castle: Liechtenstein

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Vaduz Castle is the home of the prince of Liechtenstein. It overlooks a steep hillside, high above the country’s capital. The castle is visible from almost any location in Vaduz, being perched atop a steep hill in the middle of the city. The castle’s oldest fortifications date back to 1500s. Since 1938 the castle is the primary residence of the Royal Family. The castle can not be visited by tourists.

Bratislava Castle: Slovakia

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Bratislava Castle overlooks the Danube River, situated in the middle of Bratislava, the country’s capital. It is an outstanding feature of the city. Built in the Middle Ages, the castle was home to the ruling emperors and empress of Hungary. Hungarian rule lasted from AD 906 to 1918. A massive reconstruction was started in 2008. It should take 5 years and cost 1.5 to 2 billion Slovak korunas (47.06 to 62.75 million euro).

Carcassonne Castle: France

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Carcassonne Castle in France is a magnificent example of a medieval walled in fortress. It is featured on UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 1997. It has 52 towers, 2 rings of town walls, and 3 km of battlements. It quite simply looks like a fairy tale version of a medieval castle. Portions of the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves was shot in and around Carcassonne.

Warwick Castle: UK

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Warwick Castle in England is a medieval shell keep castle in Warwick, the county town of Warwickshire. It sits on a cliff overlooking a bend in the River Avon. It was built by William the Conqueror in 1068. Warwick Castle was used as a fortification until the early 17th century, when Sir Fulke Greville converted it to a country house. It was owned by the Greville family, who became earls of Warwick in the mid-18th century, until 1978.

Kronborg Castle: Denmark

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Kronborg Castle is located on the extreme tip of Zealand at the narrowest point of the Oresund, the sound between Denmark and Sweden. In this part, the sound is only 4 km wide, hence the strategic importance of maintaining a fortress at this location. The castle has for centuries been one of the most important Renaissance castles in Northern Europe. Kronborg acquired its current name in 1585 when it was rebuilt by Frederick II into a magnificent Renaissance castle unique in its appearance and size throughout Europe. It was added in the UNESCO’s World Heritage Site in 2000.

Windsor Castle: UK

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Windsor Castle is the residence of the British sovereigns for nearly 900 years. It is on a hill overlooking the Thames River. The castle is the largest inhabited castle in the world and, dating back to the time of William the Conqueror, is the oldest in continuous occupation. The castle’s floor area is approximately 484,000 sq ft or about 45,000 sq m). It is one of the principal official residences of the British monarch. The other two is the Buckingham Place in London and The Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh.

These castles are famous and popular tourist destinations. A visit to any of these castles will surely enrich ones knowledge of history and will see and learn other relatively significant things of the past.

For more unique and beautiful tourist attractions from around the world see the ff;

Distinctively Unique Islands in the World

 The World’s Most Attractive Atolls

 10 Unique Tourist Destinations in the World

 The Top Five Best Beaches in the World

 20 Spectacular Natural and Man-made Wonders From Around the World

 Earth’s Amazing Landscape: Natural Wonders Worth Seeing