Glamis Castle, in the home of the Lyon family and the current Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, has been around since the thirteen hundreds. If you’re imagining the famous Shakespeare play Macbeth within its walls, then you’re doing the exact same thing that Shakespeare did.
It was the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (wife of King George VI). Their second daughter, the sister of the current Queen of England, was born there. With walls that are a meter thick, it’s ready to withstand any and all attacks – and due to the tumultuous war history of Scotland and England, it had its work cut out for it.
Heidelberg Castle – Heidelberg, Germany
With foundations dating back to the early twelve hundreds A.D., the Heidelberg Castle has gone through multiple iterations as wars, destruction, and demolitions have seen it continually change. The ruins have been partially restored, and the remains of this part-Gothic, part-Renaissance castle draw in over a million visitors a year.
The castle is first mentioned in writing in 1225 (as “castrum”). Famous residents include Frederick V, Elector Palatine, Elizabeth Charlotte, Princess Palatine, and several others. We know you're wondering: “Elector Palatine” was the ruler of a region under the Holy Roman Empire, sort of like a Governor of a state.
Still Intact Despite the Ruins
The castle is in ruins (on purpose), but there are still several structures that are intact enough to visit and take in. These include the Ottoheinrich Building, which is a large section of the castle, as well as the gardens, the palace, and the “Barrel Building”. The latter housed the castle's large wine and spirits collection and has seen the different residents host huge blowout parties.
This location has been a tourist destination for hundreds of years. Descriptions from 1465 mention that the city (meaning the castle) is “frequented by strangers.” Of course, tourism wasn't a big industry then, but in the nineteenth century, the place became a major tourist attraction.
Pretty, Pretty Ghosts
There are lots of stories and fables about this old structure – it's possible Shakespeare knew what he was doing when he wrote about ghosts appearing to Macbeth. King Malcolm II and his son Duncan I both died in the castle under mysterious circumstances.
There's also a Monster of Glamis – it's said to be a hideously deformed child, who stayed in the castle all his life, and when he died, his suite of rooms was bricked up. Still, the interior is richly-designed and, as far as we can tell, free of ghosts.
Castello di Miramare – Trieste, Italy
Built for Archduke Maximilian, part of the powerful Hapsburg family, the Castello di Miramare overlooks the Gulf of Trieste. Along with a regal and eye-catching palace in a Gothic Revival style, the grounds include fifty-four acres of meadows, forests, and shorelines.
The castle's construction began in 1855. There are stables, a park featuring numerous tropical species of trees and plants, and a large museum. Though more of a mansion than a castle, it went through World War I and World War II, as well as numerous other smaller conflicts, and it served as a headquarters for various German, New Zealand, British, and American forces at different times.