Lesser Known but Really Spectacular Castles of Europe

Mar 19, 2013 09:30 - erexkiss | 558 views

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

 Loading ...

Europe is home to a huge number of castles. The castles are a connection between modern and medieval/pre-modern times. Lets take a look at some of the lesser known but really spectacular castles worth visiting.

Cabra Castle

“Cabra Castle” refers to two castles in Ireland. One of these castles is a regal hotel, while the other is in ruins. The castles are located in south-east County Cavan, near the hamlet of Cabra, close to Kingscourt. The castle is a mixture of Gothic style and neo-Norman style. The interior is mostly Gothic while the exterior is neo-Norman. It was originally called the Cormy castle.

Building this castle sent the Foster family into bankruptcy. That is why they sold the castle to the Pratt dynasty who were much wealthier. The Cabra Castle was sold to the Corscadden family in 1991. This family converted the castle into a luxury four star hotel. The surrounding park of Cabra castle is about 100 acres of land.

Bran Castle

Bran Castle situated in Romania is rich with legend. It is better known as Dracula’s castle so if you get the jitters easily, avoid it! The Knights of the Teutonic Order built it as a stronghold. The Kronstadt Saxons were given the rights to build the castle in 1337. It served as a defense from the Turks. It was used as a royal residence from 1920 to 1948 – when the royal family lost rights to this palace. Today it is a beautiful museum of arts of the medieval era.

Chateau De Vitré

The Chateau De Vitré is a castle in France that was built in the medieval era. The castle was initially built of wood and was burnt down several times. It was built with stone for the first time in the 11th century by the Baron Robert 1 of Vitré. The building still has a doorway in the Romanesque style. The castle was rebuilt in the early 13th century.

After the death of Baron Andre 3, the Counts of Laval came to own the palace. The castle was enlarged in the 15th century and in 1872 this castle was the first one in France to be classified as a historic monument. The castle was made available to the public as a miniature museum for tourists.

Olavinlinna Castle

This castle is the northernmost castle of medieval times that still exists. Olavinlinna means St. Olafs Castle. It stands on the Kyronsalmi strait in Savonlinna, Finland. The castle was incepted in 1475 and was then called Sankt Olofsborg. It was built to withstand cannon fire from a possible Russian attack. In 1743, the castle was overtaken by the Russians and Empress Elizabeth of Russia came to rule the region.

Today the castle is a great place for tourists – several small exhibitions are hosted here. It hosts the Savonlinna Opera Festival every year.

Balchik Palace

Francis Ford Coppola shot scenes from “Youth Without Youth” for 11 days here. It is located in a town of the Black Sea region of Bulgaria called Balchik. The palace is officially called the Quiet Nest Palace. It was built when Romania controlled the land between 1926 and 1937. It houses a chapel, holy spring, monastery, power station, wine cellar, a smoking hall, several residential villas and a botanical garden that is run by the state.

Europe is rich with palatial castles that are a treat to the eye and mind. The five castles featured above are only a small eye opener to the rich cultural heritage of hundreds upon hundreds of castles housed in the beautiful land of Europe.

This is as Guest Post by Endre RK, a part-time blogger and travel enthusiast. Endre currently represents Worldmarket.com, a great source for world market furniture, home decoration items and gifts.

» Filed Under Destinations