Many castles are nowadays big, culturally important places that brim with visitors, but not all of them. Ort Castle doesn’t see as many tourists as some of the other examples on this list, but at least it’s been used for the shooting location of the television show “Schlosshotel Orth”.
It’s also available to be used as an event center, such as weddings, concerts, and even business conferences. The castle features a dungeon with prison cells, a large Gothic terrace, numerous interior halls, and a beautiful chapel. Walking along the long wooden bridge to this island castle is an often-missed opportunity.
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.
Predjama Castle – Predjama, Slovenia
This list has castles on top of mountains, on islands, on lakes, and on rivers, but Predjama Castle is built into the mouth of a cave. This Renaissance-style castle appears in writing as far back as the twelve hundreds, and it's one of the most famous attractions in Slovenia.
It has a substantial legacy as the largest “cave castle” in the world. The underground tunnels – used by plundering knights in the Middle Ages – add even more to this castle's history. As a balance, a natural vertical shaft was enlarged, which allowed for the castle to be secretly resupplied during times of siege.
A Stony Climb
Of course, visitors nowadays aren't allowed anywhere near these secret passages. No, there's only one way in and out of Predjama Castle now, and that's a passageway through the cavern that it's built into.
The castle was one of the favorite summer residences of the Cobenzi family, which included famous art collector Philipp von Cobenzi as well as diplomat Count Ludwig von Cobenzi. In 1810, Count Michael Coronini von Cronberg inherited the castle, and in 1846 he sold it to the Windischgrätz family. This family remained the owners until the end of World War II when the Yugoslav Communist authorities confiscated it and turned it into a museum.