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Friday, October 16, 2009

14 Majestic Castles and Palaces Around the World


In medieval times, castles are built as homes and fortress of a noble and monarch. Did you know that the earliest castles were built from wood. By the 12th century, the majority of castles were built from stone. On this time, these structures serve as fortified and defensible homes of a member of the feudal nobility. Castles could supervise the surrounding territory and make sure it sees advances of any invasion attempts. Here now some incredible castles I compile. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Mont Saint-Michel
Mont-Saint-Michel is is a rocky tidal island located on the border between Normandy and Brittany. This majestic castle is one of the first sites to obtain UNESCO World Heritage listing.

mont-saint-michel_castle
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Neuschwanstein Castle
Neuschwanstein Castle is a 19th-century Bavarian palace on a rocky hill near Hohenschwangau in southwest Bavaria, Germany. The design of this castle is well in its decorated; from the the round arched portals, the arcade windows and towers to the the placement of columns and its bay windows and pinnacles.
Neuschwanstein-Castle
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Matsumoto Castle
Matsumoto Castle is one of the 4 castles in Japan to be listed as national treasures. Next to Himeji-jo, Matsumoto-jo, this was the next best existing castle donjon in Japan. Built by Ishikawa Kazumasa and his son Yasunaga in 1590.
Matsumoto-Castle
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Castle of Coca
Castle of Coca was built in the 15th century for Archbishop Alonso de Fonseca I. It was onsidered as one of the best castles in Spain. The castle is a turreted structure of plaster and red brick, surrounded by a deep moat. Castle of Coca has been more of a palace than a castle.
Castillo-de-Coca
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Isola di Loreto
Isola di Loreto with neogothic castle arround year 900 This castle was built on island L’isola di Loreto, the smallest island of the lake. This was located on the north side of Montisola, Italy.
Isola-di-Loreto-castle
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The Potala Palace
The Potala Palace is located on the Red Hill of Lhasa, Tibet. It was riginally built by King Songtsen Gampo in the 17th century. The Potala Palace was the main residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama escaped to Dharamsala, India.
The-Potala-Palace
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Predjamski Castle
Predjamski Castle Renaissance castle built within a cave mouth in southwestern Slovenia. It is located approximately 11 kilometres from Postojna.
Predjamski-Castle
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Hunyad Castle
Hunyad Castle was originally built as a fortress in 1212. Many believed that this castle is exactly the place where Dracula was held as a prisoner for 7 years after he was overthrown in 1462. The castle is situated in Hunedoara , Romania.
Hunyad-Castle
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Malbork Castle
The Malbork Castle’s construction began in 1275, along the river Nogat. This castle was made from red brick and became the world’s largest brick gothic castle. It was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1997. Today, it is well-preserved medieval gothic castle and a museum.
malbork-castle-picture
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Prague Castle
Prague Castle is Prague’s premier tourist attraction. It was largest medieval castle complex in Europe and the ancient seat of Czech kings throughout the ages.
prague_castle
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Eltz Castle
Eltz Castle is a medieval castle stands in the hills above the Moselle River between Koblenz and Trier, Germany. This castle was still owned by a branch of the same family(33 generations) that lived there in the 12th century.
Eltz-Castle
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Palacio da Pena
Palacio da Pena is one of Europe’s most magnificent palace. The palace was built on the top of a hill above the town of Sintra, Portugal.
Palacio-da-Pena
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Löwenburg Castle
Löwenburg Castle was built around 1800 as a country residence for Count Wilhelm IX. This castle was intentionally designed to look like a medieval castle.
Löwenburg-Castle
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Bodiam Castle
Bodiam Castle is a quadrangular castle located in East Sussex, England This castle was built in the late 14th century by a veteran of King Edward III’s wars with France.
Bodiam-Castle
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