Europe Traveler

Posts Tagged ‘castle’

The Castle District in the Buda section of Budapest towers about 60 meters above the river Danube which is located to the west of the district and cuts through the city of Budapest. The whole city can be seen by visiting the vantage points in the Castle Hill. Visiting this place that is surrounded by gothic churches with stained glass and has red marble stairways, gothic facades, bastions, etc. feels a little like time travel to the Renaissance.

The Buda Castle, the Holy Trinity Square, and the Church of the Holy Lady are some of the major buildings that a tourist who visits the castle district would probably want to see. Another interesting place is called Fishermen’s Bastion which looks like a small castle.

The Buda Castle is one of the many notable buildings in the Castle District.

Windsor Castle in Berkshire, England dates back to the time of William the Conqueror. British monarchy use it along with Buckingham Palace (London) and Holyrood Palace (Edinburgh) as their official residence. The Queen uses the Windsor Castle as a place to spend weekends, and also as a setting for some formal duties and visits from foreign monarchs and presidents. With a floor area of almost 45 thousand square meters, Windsor Castle is the largest inhabited castle in the world.

Windsor Castle is one of the official residences of the Queen of England.

Easter Court is a month over Easter (March-April) when the Queen occasionally hosts ‘dine and sleep’ events for politicians, public figures, and other guests. In June, the Queen attends the service of the Order of the Garter and the Royal Ascot race meeting.

Visitors can access many parts of the castle such as the precincts, state apartments, Queen Mary’s dolls’ house, St George’s Chapel, and Albert Memorial Chapel.

The Prague Castle is an important cultural monument in the Czech Republic and it is perhaps the biggest tourist attraction in Prague. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and world’s largest ancient castle. The Kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman Emperors, and later the presidents of Czechoslovakia and Czech Republic have had their offices there. The castle was founded about 880. Having gone through many destructive wars and fires as well as subsequent renovations, it is today approximately 570 meters in length and on average, it is about 130 meters wide. The buildings of the castle include amost every architectural style of the previous millennium.

According to the Guiness Book of World Records, the Prague Castle is the biggest ancient castle in the world.

Saint Vitus Cathedral which is a part of the castle complex is the most recognizable landmark of the city of Prague. Other parts that make up the castle complex include the viewing towers, museums and art galleries, a monastery, Golden Lane, St. George’s Basilica, and several palaces such as the Lobkowicz Palace.

The information centres of Prague Castle provide guided tours in the castle. One thing that visitors may find interesting is the ceremony of changing the guard which takes place every hour at the gates of the castle.

The changing of the guard takes place every hour at the gates of the castle.

Kronborg Castle is among the most historically significant Renaissance castles in Northern Europe. It is also made famous by being the setting of Shakespeare’s tragedy play Hamlet. Kronborg Castle was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites list in November 30th of 2000.

The castle is situated near Helsingør (Elsinore), and one can reach it with about 15 minute’s walk from Elsinore rail station. Most of the rooms and fortifications in the castle and the nearby area are open to the public, and one can also visit the Danish Maritime Museum, which is holds many exhibitions, both permanent and temporary. The castle is visited by about 200.000 people each year.

Kronborg Castle is known as the setting of Shakespeare's Hamlet

Durham Castle is among England’s most notable buildings in terms of long history of continuous occupation. Together with the Durham Cathedral, it was jointly designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.

The construction of the castle began after the Norman Conquest in 1072. The Bishop of Durham was appointed by the King and would exercise royal authority on the king’s behalf. The castle would be his seat of power in this remote area in northern England.

In 1837, the castle was donated to the University of Durham, and the University College still uses it, housing over 100 students. Though the use of the castle in University activities entails certain limitations to free access by the general public, it is available for tourists to visit through guided tours most of the time. The castle is also used as a setting for wedding receptions, banquets, conferences, and bed & breakfast accommodation.

Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle viewed from the Millburngate Bridge on the River Wear

Online Resources
Durham Castle (University College)

The Hermann Castle, also known as the Narva Castle, is located on the border between Estonia and Russia, and it stands directly opposite from the Ivangorod Fortress on the Russian side of the border. The Long Hermann Tower is the most eye-catching feature of the castle, being over 50 metres high.

The Hermann Castle was originally built by the Danish, but during its history, it has often changed ownership. Having belonged to the Danes, the Russians, the Swedes, and then once again the Russians. After being damaged during the Second World War, it was thoroughly restored soon afterwards.

The Narva Museum is now located in the castle, and the park that has been established on the bastions is a popular area for walking and recreation.

The Hermann Castle is located near Narva, on the Estonian side of the Estonia-Russia border

Krakow is the 2nd largest city in Poland and it is one of the well-known tourist attractions in Europe. This city is known for its ancient architecture and a sound cultural tradition.

Krakow was the old capital of Poland.

Krakow is the former capital city of Poland between 1038 and 1596. The Main Market Square is a place to be seen here. It is the main square of the old town and it is the largest medieval town square in entire Europe. There are the medieval cathedrals, Baroque churches, the Renaissance castle, the Art Nouveau theatre and several other wonderful monuments in and around Krakow.

Galeria Krakowska

In addition to these architectural beauties Krakow boasts of housing several clubs and restaurants too for the amusement of tourists. Climatic conditions are warm and acceptable in Krakow.

Online Resources
Krakow Informer Travel Guide
Wikitravel’s Article on Krakow

Glamis castle has been the home of the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne since 1372. It is known as the setting for Shakespeare’s tragety play Macbeth. Tours, garden visits, and other events such as private receptions, lunch parties, grand dinners, cocktail parties, fashion shows, product launches, musical evenings, filming and wedding receptions are arranged in the Glamis castle. As of February 2010, it is temporarily closed to public (with the exception of specially arragned visits), but will re-open on March 13th.

Glamis Castle

The castle was thoroughly restored during the 17th and 18th centuries and now looks more like a French chateau than a fortress of a medieval type. The estate surrounding the Glamis castle covers more than 14,000 acres (57 square kilometres). Various legends and stories such as “the Monster of Glamis” and stories of hauntings.

For more information, see the Glamis Castle’s website