Hohenzollern castle by @sebastianoochristian in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, Hohenzollern Castle is one of the most breathtaking hilltop fortresses in Europe. Originally built in the 11th century, it served as the ancestral seat of the powerful Hohenzollern family the dynasty that later ruled Prussia and the German Empire. The present castle, completed in the mid-19th century under King Frederick William IV of Prussia, is a masterpiece of neo-Gothic architecture. With its soaring towers, grand co

Lichtenstein Castle (Schloss Lichtenstein) is a striking 19th-century fairytale castle perched dramatically on a cliff edge in the Swabian Alps of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Often called the “Fairytale Castle of Württemberg,” it was built between 1840 and 1842 by Count Wilhelm of Württemberg, inspired by the historical novel Lichtenstein by Wilhelm Hauff. Unlike medieval fortresses designed for defense, Lichtenstein Castle was created as a romantic homage to chivalry and medieval ideals. Its ne

Bamburgh Castle standing proudly on the rugged coastline of Northumberland, England, is one of the most breathtaking and historically rich fortresses in the United Kingdom. Perched dramatically on a volcanic outcrop overlooking the North Sea, its commanding presence has made it a landmark of power, defense, and legacy for more than fourteen centuries. The site was originally a Celtic fort known as Din Guarie, which became the royal seat of the kings of Northumbria during the early medieval perio