The first thing you notice is the cold. Not the chill of the air, but the cold that seems to radiate from the stone itself, a damp, ancient cold that has been accumulating inside these walls since the twelfth century. At Chateau de Chambord in the Loire Valley, you walk through the double-helix staircase that Leonardo da Vinci may have designed, and your footsteps echo in a space so vast that the sound bounces back at you from multiple surfaces at once. The cold is the castle’s memory, a physical reminder that these buildings were never designed for comfort. They were designed for power.
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The Fairy Tale Castles of the Loire Valley
The Loire Valley contains the highest concentration of castles in Europe, with more than three hundred chateaux scattered along the river between Orleans and Angers. Chambord is the largest and most extravagant, built by Francis I in 1519 as a hunting lodge that became a monument to royal ambition. The castle has 440 rooms, 365 fireplaces, and a roofscape of spires, chimneys, and cupolas so elaborate that it looks like a stone skyline in miniature. The double-helix staircase is the architectural centrepiece, two spirals that wind around the same central core without ever meeting, allowing people to ascend and descend without crossing paths. The surrounding forest, the largest enclosed woodland park in Europe, covers 5,440 hectares and is still used for hunting today.
A short drive west, Chenonceau offers a completely different castle experience. Built across the River Cher on a series of graceful arches, Chenonceau is known as the Ladies Castle because of the influential women who shaped its history. Catherine de Medici added the two-storey gallery that spans the river, a ballroom with a black-and-white chequerboard floor and windows opening onto the water on both sides. The castle is furnished with period pieces, including Flemish tapestries, Renaissance furniture, and an impressive collection of paintings by Tintoretto, Rubens, and Van Dyck. Entry costs about 16 euros, and the formal gardens, planted with roses and lavender, are at their best in late spring.
Medieval Fortresses of Germany and Austria
Moving east, the castles of Germany and Austria tell a different story, one of defence rather than display. Schloss Neuschwanstein in Bavaria is the most famous castle in Germany and the model for Walt Disneys Sleeping Beauty castle. Built by Ludwig II of Bavaria in the nineteenth century as a fantasy version of a medieval fortress, it was never intended for defence. The interior is a theatrical confection of painted murals, gilded woodwork, and elaborate throne rooms that were never used. The castle sits on a rugged hill above the Pollat Gorge, and the view from the Marienbrucke, a pedestrian bridge suspended ninety metres above the waterfall, is one of the most photographed scenes in Europe. Entry costs about 15 euros, and tickets must be booked online in advance, often weeks ahead during summer months.
For a genuine medieval experience, head to Burg Eltz in the Moselle Valley of western Germany. This castle has been owned by the Eltz family for over 850 years and has never been conquered or destroyed. It sits on a rocky spur surrounded by dense forest, and the approach, a narrow winding road through the trees, builds the anticipation perfectly. The interior contains original furnishings from the thirteenth to the nineteenth centuries, including armour, tapestries, and a remarkable collection of gold and silverware. The kitchen, with its massive hearth and original cooking implements, gives a visceral sense of what life was like inside a working medieval fortress. Entry is about 12 euros, and the surrounding Moselle Valley is one of Germanys finest wine regions.
Castle Country in Scotland and Ireland
The British Isles have their own castle tradition, more rugged and atmospheric than their continental counterparts. Edinburgh Castle, perched on an extinct volcano in the centre of the city, is the most besieged castle in Europe, having survived twenty-three siege attempts over its nine-hundred-year history. The Crown Jewels of Scotland, the Stone of Destiny, and the One o Clock Gun are the main attractions, but the real draw is the setting: the castle commands the city from every angle, and the view from the ramparts across the Firth of Forth is worth the entry fee of about 19 pounds alone.
In Ireland, the Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary is a collection of medieval buildings perched on a limestone outcrop above the Golden Vale. The site was the seat of the Kings of Munster for centuries and became the centre of Christianity in Ireland after Saint Patrick baptised King Aengus there in the fifth century. The round tower, the twelfth-century chapel, and the ruined cathedral create a silhouette that is instantly recognisable as the symbol of Irish medieval heritage. Entry costs about 8 euros, and the best time to visit is late afternoon, when the low sun turns the limestone a deep honey colour.
Have you climbed the spiral staircases of Chambord, crossed the bridge at Chenonceau, or watched the mist clear over the Rock of Cashel? Which European castle captured your imagination?
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