While several castles on this list may have had their foundations laid long ago, few have older constructions than Prague Castle. Building this fortress began in approximately 870 A.D. It served as a house for Bohemia’s kings and is still the home of the Czech Republic’s president to this day.
It’s even in the Guinness Book of World Records, as the largest coherent castle complex in the world – it occupies almost seventy thousand square meters. The structure is one of the most popular Prague tourist attractions, bringing in over 1.8 million visitors annually. Due to the age of the building, it doesn’t stick to one certain style, but it’s classified as Baroque and Mannerism.
Osaka Castle – Osaka, Japan
Osaka Castle is one of the five beautiful Hirajiros that Japan is home to. It is beautifully white, gilded with colors, and the sprawling castle grounds are full of traditional cherry blossom trees, making the public park a popular destination when the trees bloom. The bloom's Hanami festival is home to food vendors, taiko drummers, fireworks, and much good cheer.
The castle is one of the more important spots in Japan's long history. It was built in the fifteen hundreds and was the setting for the unification of Japan in the sixteen hundreds, which led to the Shogunate and samurai era.
In Honor of the Architect
Inside Osaka Castle are nineteen scenes from the life of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the original architect of the castle. There are also Panorama vision screens showing scenes from the Summer War of Osaka, during which an army of two hundred thousand men attacked the city of Osaka and the castle. Despite being severely outnumbered, the defenders won the day.
Fires have plagued the castle, including in 1660, when lightning struck a gunpowder warehouse, which set the castle on fire after an explosion. In 1955, the movie "Godzilla Raids Again" had the titular monster destroying the castle as it pins Anguirus against it.
A Town Just by Itself
With multiple churches, a monastery, numerous courtyards, halls, and more, it wouldn't be wrong to call Prague Castle its own town. Touring the castle allows you to see the Royal Palace which was rebuilt in the fourteenth century in the Gothic style by King Charles IV.
There is also the Golden Lane – which consists of small, bright houses – as well as both St. George's Basilica – a Romanesque basilica – and St. Vitus Cathedral. The cathedral is immense, and one of the most prominent examples of Gothic architecture in the country. It contains the tombs of many Bohemian kings and Holy Roman Emperors.
Ort Castle – Gmunden, Austria
Built on an island in the center of an Austrian lake known as Traunsee, it's said that Ort Castle was built on the remains of an ancient Roman castle. The castle as we know it now was originally founded in 1080 by Hartnidus of Ort, and improvements continued to grow it up through the thirteenth century.
The castle is in the Renaissance style, though it has a unique design – most clearly seen thanks to the top of the central tower – that sets it apart from others of its kind. After decades of poor maintenance, the castle is now being used as a study center for the Federal Ministry for Land and Forestry.