Thanks to its clifftop location, Orava Castle is also known as the Eagle’s Nest. Getting all the way to this fortification requires climbing a steep, narrow iron staircase. However, the interior is warmly decorated and now includes a museum. Visit, and you’ll find a Painting Gallery, the Weapon room, and collections of scientific, ethnographic, and archaeological importance.
Additionally, this castle has appeared in the 2020 TV adaptation of “Dracula”, and it’d design inspired Kaer Morhen, the fortress for the Wolf School of witchers in the video game adaptation of “The Witcher” book series. Talk about a cultural footprint!
The Interior Armory
What clusters and fills the halls of Hochosterwitz Castle, you might ask? Nothing less than a huge armory of weapons left by Napoleon himself. Part of this armory is an astounding set of armor that tops eight feet tall. It was worn by someone named Burghauptmann Schenk, who may or may not have been the inspiration for Gregor Clegane from "Game of Thrones".
The castle also boasts prehistoric artifacts, paintings, and detailed interior set pieces that recreate the immense history of this building. From knights praying at altars to old-world walls, there is a lot to see and take in here.
Orava Castle – Oravsky Podzamok, Slovakia
At more than seven hundred years old, the Orava Castle is an example of a castle sitting atop a prime defensive position, on a rock in a valley. The Orava Castle, named for the river it overlooks, is often considered one of the most beautiful castles in this country that has more than a few to offer.
Hugging the shape of the 520-meter spur of rock it occupies, this castle was first built in the Romanesque and Gothic styles. However, it has been updated to a Renaissance and Neo-Gothic look later on. It's possible you've seen a movie that featured this castle – the 1922 film "Nosferatu" used it as Count Orlok's Transylvanian castle.
Nesvizh Castle – Niasviz, Belarus
Both the home of the Radziwill family and a World Heritage Site, the Nesvizh Castle can be found on a peninsula in the Usha River. Its walls were first formed in the late fifteen hundreds. This princely estate was built with a Baroque style, tall and grand.
This castle has been the site of numerous large-scale battles, including when King Charles XII sacked the castle and destroyed its fortifications. The most famous or important part of this residence is the Corpus Christi Church. The church houses the coffins of seventy-two members of the Radziwill family. It was the world's first domed basilica with a Baroque facade.
Still Undergoing Reconstruction
The Nesvizh Castle has drawn sharp criticism due to the lengthy reconstruction projects that are still ongoing. This includes structures that have been long-demolished, such as a bell tower. However, the interior of the castle still looks pristine, with gold filigree on nearly every surface, and oodles of examples of beautiful furniture, art, and decorations.
One member of the Radziwill family was Caroline Bouvier, the younger sister of Jackie Kennedy. Due to this marriage, Caroline became a princess, which must have been nice to hold over Jackie's head. But this castle hasn't always been full of fun – in 1939, the Red Army expelled the Radziwill family and made the castle a sanatorium as the park fell into neglect.