Top 10 Most Stunning Castles in Europe

Dominating the Edinburgh skyline from an ancient volcanic rock 130 metres above the city, Edinburgh Castle has been a royal residence, military garrison, and national symbol for over 3,000 years. It houses the Honours of Scotland (the oldest crown jewels in Britain, dating to 1540) and the Stone of Destiny, on which Scottish and English monarchs have been crowned for 700 years. It is Scotland's most visited attraction with 2.2 million visitors annually.

Built between 1519 and 1547 as a hunting lodge for King Francis I, the Château de Chambord in the Loire Valley is the largest of the Loire châteaux and a masterpiece of French Renaissance architecture. Its iconic double-helix staircase — thought to be designed by Leonardo da Vinci — allows two people to ascend and descend simultaneously without meeting. The château has 440 rooms, 365 fireplaces, and 84 staircases spread across 5,440 hectares.

The largest ancient castle complex in the world at 70,000 square metres, Prague Castle has dominated the Czech capital since its founding in the 9th century and serves today as the official residence of the Czech president. The complex encompasses St Vitus Cathedral (begun 1344), the Old Royal Palace, the Basilica of St George, and Golden Lane. UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage Site in 1992 and it receives over 3 million visitors annually.

Built by the Moorish rulers of Granada between 1238 and 1358, the Alhambra is Europe's finest example of Islamic architecture and one of the best-preserved medieval palace complexes in the world. Its intricate stucco carvings, geometric tile work, and garden courtyard fountains were described by the 19th-century writer Washington Irving as "a dream in marble." It is Spain's most visited monument, drawing 2.7 million visitors annually, with tickets selling out months in advance.

Founded by William the Conqueror in the 1070s, Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world, serving as a royal residence for 40 successive monarchs over 950 years. Its 484 acres of grounds include the magnificent St George's Chapel, which houses the tombs of 10 monarchs including Henry VIII and George VI. Windsor is the weekend home of the British Royal Family and receives over 1.2 million paying visitors annually.

Dramatically perched on a 60-metre rock in the Carpathian Mountains at the border of Transylvania and Wallachia, Bran Castle was built in 1388 by the Order of Teutonic Knights and later used as a royal residence by Queen Marie of Romania. Although Bram Stoker never visited Romania, the castle's medieval appearance and Transylvanian location have made it inextricably linked with Dracula, drawing 500,000+ visitors annually to what is marketed as "Dracula's Castle."

Perched dramatically atop Mount Hohenzollern at 855 metres above sea level in the Swabian Alps, Hohenzollern Castle is the ancestral seat of the House of Hohenzollern, the dynasty that produced the German Emperors and Kings of Prussia. The current castle, built between 1846 and 1867, is the third structure on the site. It houses the Prussian Crown Jewels and the famous painting of Frederick the Great, and receives 350,000 visitors annually.

Occupying a small tidal island at the confluence of three sea lochs in the Scottish Highlands, Eilean Donan Castle is Scotland's most photographed monument and appeared in films including Highlander (1986) and The World Is Not Enough (1999). Originally founded in the 13th century, the castle was almost completely destroyed in 1719 during a Jacobite uprising; the current building is a faithful reconstruction completed in 1932 after 20 years of restoration work.

Rising 92 metres from a tidal island off the coast of Normandy, Mont Saint-Michel is one of France's most recognisable landmarks and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. The Benedictine abbey at its summit, founded in 966 AD, was a major pilgrimage destination throughout the medieval period. The island is surrounded by some of Europe's fastest-rising tides (up to 14 metres in 6 hours), cutting it off from the mainland twice daily. It receives 3.5 million visitors annually.

Dominating the Edinburgh skyline from an ancient volcanic rock 130 metres above the city, Edinburgh Castle has been a royal residence, military garrison, and national symbol for over 3,000 years. It houses the Honours of Scotland (the oldest crown jewels in Britain, dating to 1540) and the Stone of Destiny, on which Scottish and English monarchs have been crowned for 700 years. It is Scotland's most visited attraction with 2.2 million visitors annually.

Built between 1519 and 1547 as a hunting lodge for King Francis I, the Château de Chambord in the Loire Valley is the largest of the Loire châteaux and a masterpiece of French Renaissance architecture. Its iconic double-helix staircase — thought to be designed by Leonardo da Vinci — allows two people to ascend and descend simultaneously without meeting. The château has 440 rooms, 365 fireplaces, and 84 staircases spread across 5,440 hectares.

The largest ancient castle complex in the world at 70,000 square metres, Prague Castle has dominated the Czech capital since its founding in the 9th century and serves today as the official residence of the Czech president. The complex encompasses St Vitus Cathedral (begun 1344), the Old Royal Palace, the Basilica of St George, and Golden Lane. UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage Site in 1992 and it receives over 3 million visitors annually.

Built by the Moorish rulers of Granada between 1238 and 1358, the Alhambra is Europe's finest example of Islamic architecture and one of the best-preserved medieval palace complexes in the world. Its intricate stucco carvings, geometric tile work, and garden courtyard fountains were described by the 19th-century writer Washington Irving as "a dream in marble." It is Spain's most visited monument, drawing 2.7 million visitors annually, with tickets selling out months in advance.

Founded by William the Conqueror in the 1070s, Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world, serving as a royal residence for 40 successive monarchs over 950 years. Its 484 acres of grounds include the magnificent St George's Chapel, which houses the tombs of 10 monarchs including Henry VIII and George VI. Windsor is the weekend home of the British Royal Family and receives over 1.2 million paying visitors annually.

Dramatically perched on a 60-metre rock in the Carpathian Mountains at the border of Transylvania and Wallachia, Bran Castle was built in 1388 by the Order of Teutonic Knights and later used as a royal residence by Queen Marie of Romania. Although Bram Stoker never visited Romania, the castle's medieval appearance and Transylvanian location have made it inextricably linked with Dracula, drawing 500,000+ visitors annually to what is marketed as "Dracula's Castle."

Perched dramatically atop Mount Hohenzollern at 855 metres above sea level in the Swabian Alps, Hohenzollern Castle is the ancestral seat of the House of Hohenzollern, the dynasty that produced the German Emperors and Kings of Prussia. The current castle, built between 1846 and 1867, is the third structure on the site. It houses the Prussian Crown Jewels and the famous painting of Frederick the Great, and receives 350,000 visitors annually.

Occupying a small tidal island at the confluence of three sea lochs in the Scottish Highlands, Eilean Donan Castle is Scotland's most photographed monument and appeared in films including Highlander (1986) and The World Is Not Enough (1999). Originally founded in the 13th century, the castle was almost completely destroyed in 1719 during a Jacobite uprising; the current building is a faithful reconstruction completed in 1932 after 20 years of restoration work.

Rising 92 metres from a tidal island off the coast of Normandy, Mont Saint-Michel is one of France's most recognisable landmarks and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. The Benedictine abbey at its summit, founded in 966 AD, was a major pilgrimage destination throughout the medieval period. The island is surrounded by some of Europe's fastest-rising tides (up to 14 metres in 6 hours), cutting it off from the mainland twice daily. It receives 3.5 million visitors annually.