|
Your Favorite Castles and or Palaces?
Americans at least when thinking of Europe have dreamy old castles and palaces in their minds' eyes.
What are you favorite, for whatever reason, castles and palaces? (To me the difference between castles and palaces is that castles were built for defense and look impregnable and palaces were built for pleasure domes but were not defensible.) I'll start Best Castle - Fussen, Germany Neuschwanstein - say what you want about it and many diss it as Kitsch it's my favorite by far - a surprise at every turn - not your average castle nor dull castle tour Other favorite castles UK - Edinburgh Castle Tintagel Castle Windsor Castle Tower of London Hampton Court Palace Warwick Castle Dover Castle Hever Castle France - Versailles - the world's greatest palace IMO with the finest palace gardens and ground And in the Loire - Loches, Amboise, Azay-le-Rideau, Chenonceaux, Chambord, Uses (the model for Disney's Sleeping Beauty Castle i believe) and elsewhere - Carcassonne (OK rebuilt in 1800s but as such the finest looking medieval castle) Germany - Cochem, Burg Eltz and Marksburg (all on Rhine or Mosel) and Heidelberg, Fussen, Schwerin (sp/), Munich - Nymphenburg (sp/), Potsdam (Berlin) Sans Souci - fabulous castle, two more Mad Ludwig creations - Linderhof and Herrenchiemsee (in the middle of a lake) Portugal - Sintra's castle a few miles out of town on the hill Switzerland - Chateau Chillon, on Lake Geneva, Gruyeres Denmark - Elsinore - Hamlet's Castle near Copenhagen, Fredericksborg - also set in a lake. Spain - Granada's Alhambra, Madrid's Royal Castle, Segovia and many many more What castles/palaces are your favorites |
Well, I'm partial to the castle out my window
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/6321454.jpg |
|
My favorites are:
Salzburg Cochem Burg Eltz Rheinfels Kilkenny Tower of London Tracy |
Forgot to mention Bracciano in Italy!
|
Well by the palm tree it looks like something either in Spain or Portugal on the coast
Yes a coastal castle is the most romantic type to me. |
In Germany, I would add:
- Schloss Nordkirchen (Münsterland) - Burg Vischering (Münsterland) - Schloss Waldeck (castle hotel at the Edersee) - Würzburg Palace |
Edinburgh, Windsor. Tower, Dover Hampton Court, Versailles. Castel Santangelo, Bunratty. I am heading to Germany and will be seeing Neuschwanstein and the other Mad Ludwigs soon..and Wurzberg,,and Nymphenberg...can't wait!!! :-)
|
Some good ones here. I'll add
Fougeres, Brittany Kidwelly Castle, Wales (particularly interesting because you can see how the defenses were adapted over time. Bodiam Castle, East Sussex, because it looks perfect standing in its moat. Not much on palaces or great houses. All ruling families seem to share the same appalling taste -- Imperial kitsch. Seen one and you've seen 'em all. |
zeppole that is amazing! I am leaving for Portugal on Monday to spend 12 days just driving around, eating fantastic food and maybe a little port! Well OK I lie, drinking lots of port! Can't wait! Thanks for the picture!
|
PalenQ,
It's the Castello della Dragonara in Camogli, Italy http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3239/...2647e2.jpg?v=0 |
francefling,
Have a great time in Portugal, but my castle in is Italy! |
zeppole,
You are so lucky! My father just came back from a wonderful time in your country. I only hope that someday soon I will be able to go. : ) |
<i>Uses (the model for Disney's Sleeping Beauty Castle i believe)</i>
I have always been under the impression the model for the SB castle was Neuschwanstein, which is confirmed by Wikipedia (that bastion of all that is true LOL!). |
Well i think you could say Neuschwanstein was the actual model but that Usse had a claim as well, kind of - i believe you are right
The Castle of Sleeping Beauty (Chateau d'Usse) The Disney Studios credit Charles Perrault's version of the Sleeping Beauty as their source for their film version. It is said that Charles Perrault was inspired to write Sleeping Beauty when, upon his visit to the Loire Valley in Northern France, he encountered the Chateau d'Usse. This castle is known as "The Castle of Sleeping Beauty" (and also, "The Castle of Dreams") and even contains some of Perrault's manuscripts of the fable. Interestingly, while Disney looked to Germany's Neuschwanstein Castle for inspiration for Sleeping Beauty castle in Disneyland, this castle inspired Cinderella's castle in Florida. |
1. Frederiksborg Slot - Denmark
2. Linderhoff - Germany 3. Beynac - France ((I)) |
Germany:
Moritzburg Pillnitz Weesenstein Pommersfelden Rastatt and Favorite Marburg Kulmbach Celle Clemenswerth Brühl Marksburg Aschaffenburg Hohenbaden, Baden-Baden Schleißheim, Munich Schwetzingen ... and definitely NOT Neuschwanstein. Austria: Hochosterwitz Switzerland: Chillon Arenenberg Italy: Palazzo Té, Mantova |
Hi,
First - My favorite castle is Burg Eltz, by Cochem on the Mosel. The castle and it's location are tops in my opinion. Second - Churburg castle in Italy's Val Venosta/Vinschgau in the South Tirol. A real gem here. Third - Marksburg on the Rhine. Palace - pretty much a tie between Ludwig's Linderhof and Neues Schloss (Herrenchiemsee). Paul |
Welsh Castles
Beaumarais (seaside location) Caernaferon (?) Prince of Wales Invested there Conwy Krakow Poland Prague Castle |
The castles and castle ruins overlooking the Rhine. Seems like every bend in the river brings more into view. I haven't seen them in many years but there are just so many and as I recall, many are open to visitors.
|
Carcassone.
|
Great question.....
Living in Soria in Northern Spain i'm literally surrounded by them as these were once the frontier lands of the reconquest of Spain. So naturally my favourite is from this region. Gormaz Castle, one of the longest in Europe, it has close ties with El Cid and the views of the Duero valley from it are stunning. |
Hi; We have seen so many of the castles mentioned, but for us, the approach to the Chateau Vitre was incredible. One in Wales not mentioned was another of King Edward the 1st castles, Harlick. I should include Thornbury Castle, because it was a treat staying two nights. Burghausen Castle was another great stronghold. Also, the Castle at Chesky Krumlov was lovely. ENJOY Iris
|
Zeppole - GET OUT!
If that is out your window I'm...I'm....I'm... at least tell me that is not your view and you see it from another angle and a greater distance (please please please don't let him be living in some luxury shack right on the shore - hehehe) |
I guess my favorites are the ones I didn't expect to be impressed by or just happened to find by accident driving around Europe. The 1st is the Palace in Madrid. We went there because all the Museums were closed on Monday and were blown away by how beautiful each room was. We really had no idea and were very fickle in that each room would be our "favorite", until we came upon the next room. Mad King Ludwigs palace in Herrenchiemsee was another suprise. After walking thru a pretty boring trail for 20 minutes, on an island (no less) we came upon this clearing with gorgeous landscaping and beautiful dramatic fountains. Again, the decor of the rooms were truly over the top, very extravagant and the kings story was incredibly interesting. Talk about not being in Kansas anymore! We were also impressed by a hilltop castle in the Austrian Alps called Herrenwarfen. It was on the main highway to the resort town we were staying in, and at first sight it was so dramatic and majestic. I couldn't find it in my guidebook. I still don't know why it's not listed, but it was an old castle fortress with a renaissance fair thing going on, jousts and craft fairs. Last is the castle in Budapest. Just amazing. The sculptures and views and grounds are beyond belief when all you've grown up with is a bar that's the oldest building in town, dating to the 1800's. Which brings up another question. Why do we in the US, tear down the old stuff? We should rehab, because the older buildings, besides having history usually have more character.
|
Our biggest and most pleasant surprise was the Palace of Het Loo near Arnhem in The Netherlands. It is just about the way it was built -- complete with original furniture. We were told that it is in its original and undamaged state because The Netherlands never had a revolution, no mobs sacked it. Anyway, its gardens are magnificent, and don't forget to go through the stables, complete with all the carriages and many of the automobiles used by the Dutch royal family.
|
I'm somewhat limited by the fact I've only ever visited the British Isles so far, so haven't seen the continental fare. However, my favorites are:
Castles: Conwy, Wales Caernarvon, Wales Kilkenny, Ireland Dunvegan, Scotland Windsor, England Tower of London, England Stirling, Scotland Edinburgh, Scotland Palaces: Muckross House, Ireland Hampton Court, England Hatfield House, England Don't get me started on Cathedrals and abbeys, though - that's a very long list! |
I was recently at Trakai castle in Lithuania which i though pretty impressive.
http://www.muziejai.lt/trakai/traku_muziejus.en.htm |
So many castles over the past 50 years. I like them all!
But one of the stand outs will always be Neuschwanstein. What a fantastic confection of a fevered mind! Also, I've always been fascinated by 18th and 19th Century history as Europe went from the height of wretched royal excess to the creation of modern nation states as we know them today. To me, Neuschwanstein has always seem so emblematic of those wretched execesses that contributed to that convoluted era of the mid to late 19th Century. Plus the entire story of Ludwig and his peaks and valleys just is exemplified by that fairy castle--at least it is for me. Not to mention the amazing craftsmanship contained in those sometimes bizarre inspiritations in those rooms that were finished. I also like castle ruins--like that above Beilstein on the Mosel (though they have done a lot of work on it the past few years). Vianden Castle in Luxembourg is quite impressive, especially looming as it is over such a quaint, quiet, little town. One of my favorite childhood castle memories is the bear that used to be in Bamberg's castle. He would catch raw eggs that we tossed to him--in his mouth. I was always bugging my parents to go there on weekends--often after school we'd ride our bikes up there with a dozen eggs. I wonder now if he was well-treated by his keepers way back then (1959-1961). |
Château de Pierrefonds, the Oise département of France.
The castle used in the current BBC series 'Merlin' looks pretty spectacular although I gather it underwent a major restoration in the 1800s |
Love: Scone in Scotland
Hate: Versailles--know wonder the people revolted. www.hereinfranklin.wordpress.com |
Having been to over 150 castles in Europe I can safely say I am a castle fiend! My favourites are in the UK and a few in the Czech Republic:
Pernstejn and Karlstejn (CK) Dunnottar (Scotland) Tantallon (Scotland) Crathes (Scotland) Stirling (Scotland) Kilchurn (Scotland) Glamis (Scotland) Cawdor (Scotland) Campbell (Scotland) Stalker (Scotland) Drumlanrig (Scotland) Brodick (Scotland) Eilean Donan (Scotland) Caernarfon (Wales) Caerphilly (Wales) Beaumaris (Wales) Kellie (Scotland) ...and countless others. My favourites are those that are the most atmospheric, have gorgeous grounds and/or gardens and intriguing history attached. |
I must add that although I really enjoy King Ludwig's castles in Germany I would rather be able to roam around and soak up the atmosphere at my own pace rather than on strictly-guided tours. Oh, and I also like Eltz and Rheinfels.
|
We've enjoyed the view from the Palazzo in San Giminiano.
But the most delightful one I've visited is the Ducal Palace in Urbino, Italy which rightfully claims the title of where the Renaissance began. |
I loved the Castle in Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic. The setting and the views were just spectacular.
|
I felt the same way about Versailles, HereIn Franklin. Egocentricity on that scale annoys me more than it awes.
It is interesting to visit medieval French castles, then Renaissance ones, then someplace like Versailles to see how the concept evolved and how the Revolution became inevitable. |
The Burg Eltz , like Neuschwanstein pretty castles. The Burg Eltz was disappointing to me. When I first saw it sitting down in that valley, I knew why it had stayed in the same family for 800 (?) years. Judging by it’s position, some pretty hungry years too.
When we went to Wartburg in Thuringia, Germany on the same trip, I thought, now there’s a castle. It sits high on a mountain where all of the land is easily surveyed and protected. I’ll never forget the feeling of Liechtenstein Castle in Germany. It’s small but sits high on a crag almost swaying in the winds and overlooks a huge valley. Now that’s a position of power. |
| All times are GMT -8. The time now is 05:08 AM. |