Finding the largest castle in the world is not as easy as it might seem. Firstly, in the most common understanding, a castle is defined as “a fortified dwelling of a feudal lord in medieval Europe,” so it is not always clear which buildings can be classified as castles.

Most people will agree that, for example, the Moscow Kremlin is not a castle. What about feudal dwellings and defensive fortifications somewhere in China, India or Japan? Secondly, it is not clear what to use as a measure to determine the largest castle by size. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the largest castle complex is Prague Castle. While Wikipedia describes as the largest populated lock.

2. Aleppo Fortress, Syria. (39804 sq. m)

Aleppo Fortress is one of the oldest castles in the world. It stands on a fifty-meter hill in the city of the same name in the north of the country. The history of use of this hill dates back to the third millennium BC. There were strongholds of many civilizations here, including the Greeks and Byzantines; the fortress played a significant role during the era of the Crusades. The construction of Aleppo Castle in its modern form dates back to the 13th century.

3. Himeji Castle, Japan. (41468 sq. m)

Himeji Castle is generally considered the most beautiful in the city. He is one of the few who escaped devastating civil wars and earthquakes. Defensive structures began to be built and gradually expanded starting in the 14th century. The last major construction was completed in 1609, and since then the castle complex has changed slightly.

Nearest hotels: Himeji Castle

4. Buda Castle, Hungary. (44674 sq. m)

The historical residence of the Hungarian kings is located at the southern tip Castle Hill on the banks of the Danube in . The first royal buildings on this site date back to the 13th century. The modern castle complex, which has survived to this day, combines a mixture of architectural styles from Gothic to Baroque.

Nearest hotels: Buda Castle

5. Spissky Castle, Slovakia. (49485 sq. m)

Spissky Castle, located in eastern Slovakia, is one of the largest medieval castles in central Europe. The stone fortifications of the main part of the castle were erected in the first half of the 13th century, the lower courtyard was built in the 15th century. The castle is located in picturesque countryside and is therefore often used for filming feature films.

Nearest hotels: Spis Castle

6. Hohensalzburg Fortress, Austria. (54523 sq. m)

Hohensalzburg is located in the Austrian city of Salzburg and is one of the largest and best preserved castles in Europe. It was built in 1077 and then significantly expanded between 1495 and 1519. Then it acquired approximately the outlines that can be seen today.

Nearest hotels: Hohensalzburg Fortress

Windsor Castle is very often referred to as the largest inhabited castle in the world, and it is certainly the largest in . This is one of the official residences of Queen Elizabeth II, who spends many days a year at the castle, using it for public and private events.

Nearest hotels: Windsor Castle

8. Prague Castle, Czech Republic. (66761 sq. m)

Prague Castle is one of the largest fortresses in the world (the largest according to the Guinness Book of Records). The castle dates back to the 9th century and was expanded several times until the second half of the 18th century. On the territory of Prague Castle there is a large complex of attractions. Among them are the Basilica of St. George and others.

Nearest hotels: Prague Castle

Although it is officially considered a fort, I think Mehrangarh can be called an Indian castle. Mehrangarh rises on a 122-meter hill in the northwestern part of the Indian state of Rajasthan. The fort was originally built in 1459 by the founder of Jodhpur, the Raja of Jodha, after he moved here from the capital Mandore. However, most of what can be seen today dates back to the 17th century.

Nearest hotels: Mehrangarh Fort

Nearest hotels: Malborg Castle

The main man-made attractions of Poland are palaces and castles. This is due to the fact that in X-XV centuries Frequent wars were fought on Polish territory with external and internal enemies. The fortresses of Poland experienced attacks from the Tatars, Hungarians, Austrians, Ukrainians, Turks, Germans, and Swedes. According to the Polish constitution, the nobility had broad privileges and often fought among themselves. It was because of this that every nobleman tried to build his castle large and strong, capable of withstanding any siege. The most popular among tourists is Malbork Castle.

Malbork Castle, also called Marienburg, was built at the end of the 12th century by the Crusader knights. In 1309, the capital of the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order was moved there. In the XIV-XV centuries, 4 lines of defense were built around the fortress, which included brick walls, deep ditches and high earthen ramparts. Huge reserves of food and water were accumulated. But during the thirteen-year war between Poland and the Teutonic Order, the castle was bought by the Polish king from the rebellious mercenary knights. After the war, Malbork became the residence of the Polish kings. In the 16th-19th centuries, the palace was repaired irregularly and gradually fell into disrepair.

In the 20-30s of the 20th century, some rooms of the fortress were restored, and a museum was opened. During the war, the stronghold was seriously damaged by bombing. In 1961, a museum was created and gradual restoration of the castle premises began. Now Malbork is the largest castle in Europe. Almost all of its premises are accessible for visiting. Malbork hosts knightly tournaments and theatrical performances. Also in the fortress there are various master classes: pottery, cooking, blacksmithing and many others.

You can get to the castle via Gdansk. To do this you need to sit on suburban train or take a bus from the Gdańsk Main railway station and get off at Malbork station. From the station to the castle it is about a 10 minute walk. Trains towards Malbork leave almost every hour.

There is a developed tourist infrastructure near the fortress. Within walking distance from the castle there are 2-4 star hotels, youth hostels and campsites for car travelers. Since ecotourism is developed in Poland, guests can easily find ecotourism resorts where they can stay inexpensively and comfortably. Most ecotourism estates have their own bicycle rental facilities so that tourists can easily explore the surrounding area.

Due to the fact that Malbork has a rich past, has a developed tourism infrastructure and is accessible all year round, it is worth visiting at least once. Perhaps someone will find a piece of themselves in him.

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8-03-2014, 23:41
Castles are different. Some appear before us in the form of defensive structures, while others, on the contrary, look like fairy-tale buildings with simple turrets and carved stone fences.

Edinburgh castle

Edinburgh Castle is located on a cliff extinct volcano and rises militantly in the haze above the skyline of the Scottish city of Edinburgh. Unfortunately, today little remains of the original structure. The chapel of St. Margaret, built around the beginning of the 12th century, is in more or less original form.

Aleppo Citadel

The Citadel is one of the oldest fortifications in the world, built in the 13th century. The castle was built on a 50-meter hill in the very center of Alepto, Syria. For this very advantageous place, from the point of view of military strategy, in the middle of the third millennium BC, representatives of various civilizations fought - the Greeks, Byzantines, Ayyubids, Mamalukes.

Himeji Castle

Himeji Castle, located in Japan, is one of the few that was able to survive all the troubles it suffered throughout the history of its existence. The castle survived the devastating civil war and withstood a series of earthquakes and explosions. Construction of Himeji Castle began in the 14th century, and the complex was completely completed in 1609.

Buda Castle

This residence of the Hungarian kings is located in Budapest. Previously, Buda Castle was called the Royal Palace. Its construction began during the reign of King Bela IV, approximately in 1247-1265. However, the oldest part, built by the younger brother of King Louis the Great, Duke of Slavonia Stephen, dates back to the 14th century.

Spis Fortress

Eastern Slovakia is proud of its historical heritage - the largest medieval castle"Spiš Fortress" The main castle, fortified with thick stone walls, was built around the 13th century, and its lower courtyard was fortified only two centuries later. Spis Fortress is one of the most famous buildings in Europe; historical films have been filmed on its territory more than once.

Hohensalzburg Fortress

Hohensalzburg Fortress is the pride of Salzburg. The citadel is guarded by one of the largest and best preserved castles in Europe. The castle was built in 1077 and was significantly enlarged between 1495 and 1519.

Windsor castle

This historic building, once the official residence of Queen Elizabeth II, is considered the largest inhabited castle not only in Europe, but also in the world. Windsor Castle is the largest in England.

Prague Castle

This castle was built in the 9th century. Then it was decided to expand its territory, and Prague Castle began to expand. This process lasted until the 18th century. This historic complex includes many attractions, including St. Vitus Cathedral and St. George's Basilica.


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Castles served people not only as protection, they showed everyone around them about the prosperity and wealth of its owner. Not only its location was important, but also the number of rooms, underground storage facilities and much more. Today we will learn the mysteries and secrets of the largest castles in the world, which will tell us not only the history of their existence, but also facts from the lives of their owners.

Marienburg Castle, Malbork, Poland
Area: 143,591 m²

In the north of Poland, on the right bank of the Vistula, there is the glorious city of Malbork, which gave us the largest castle in the world - Marienburg. The history of its construction begins in 1276, when the Polish Prince of Mazowiecki invited the knights of the Teutonic Order to Poland to build defensive and religious fortresses. At that time, there were many pagans in the country who interfered with the formation and development of Polish statehood. In order to contact them Christian faith and the Teutons were chosen.

The knights did not have the task of building a huge castle, so the construction was quite modest. They erected a small room with rooms for meals, sleeping, and prayers and surrounded it with a small brick wall.

In 1308, it was decided to place the leadership of the Teutonic Order on this site, so they began to rebuild the building and turn it into a full-fledged fortress. In the XIV-XV centuries Marienburg known throughout Europe as the most powerful fortified structure with four lines of defense. After the Battle of Grunwald in 1410 it became clear that Marienburg invincible.

After several internal struggles, the castle came into the possession of the Jagiellonian dynasty and became the residence of the Polish kings. In the 18th century, it came under the control of the Jesuit order, and after 20 years the castle fell into the hands of Prussian troops.

Here there are barracks, dormitories for workers, and a weaving factory starts its production. At some point, the castle begins to collapse and lose its original appearance. The Germans are concerned about this, so they decide to start a full-scale reconstruction Marienburg.

The castle suffered the most during the Second World War. About 70% of all walls and premises were destroyed. Despite the cash shortage, after the war Marienburg was completely restored. Now it is the largest tourism center in the country.

This is not only a museum with an amber collection and a collection of ancient weapons, but also a real medieval giant that is ready to tell its visitors many amazing stories.

The castle consists of three separate buildings - the High Castle, the Middle Castle and the Low Castle, each designed for its own needs. Marienburg surrounded by a deep moat and high fortress walls in the form of rings. In 1997 the castle was included in the list World Heritage UNESCO.

Marienburg Castle open daily from the beginning of April to the end of October from 10:00 to 18:00 hours. From November to December the castle can only be visited on weekends.

Journey to Marienburg Castle

Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, India
Area: 81,227 m²

Mehrangarh Fort is both a fortress and a castle in the center of the second largest city in the state of Rajasthan - Jodhpur. The fort was built in the desert on the edge of a high hill that was capable of protecting anyone outside its walls. It was from the construction of the fortress Mehrangarh the city of Jodhpur began.

Actually, this is how many cities arose in India, once torn apart by internecine wars and the struggle of principalities for new lands. The fortress escaped conquest by its neighbors until the Mughal Empire annexed most of India, including the state of Rajasthan.

For more than 300 years, the fortress belonged to Muslims until the state regained its independence. Now Mehrangarh — tourist centre, which is only partially accessible to tourists. Many of the riches of the fortress are safely hidden from prying eyes.

Inside the fort are the Palace of Pleasure, the Pearl Palace and the Palace of Flowers. They are separated by small but very cozy courtyards. The halls of the palaces amaze with their rich decoration and luxurious decoration. The fort museum, one of the best palace museums in the state of Rajasthan, is of great interest to tourists.

Here you can see the golden princely throne, magnificent miniatures, ivory, jewelry and numerous examples of weapons.

Once you climb to the top of the castle, you will understand why Jodhpur is called the “Blue City”. The blue houses belong to the Brahmin caste, members of the highest varna of Hindu society, who are the majority in the city.

As you walk around the area, pay attention to the details. So on one of the walls there are handprints that were carved into stone. This tradition dates back to 1847, when Maharaja Man Sing died, and fifteen of his wives decided to follow him to the funeral pyre.

Before dying, they dipped their hand in henna and placed it on the wall of the fort as a reminder of their devotion to their husband. This ritual is still popular in Rajasthan, despite the criminal prosecution of the widow's family, all participants in the ceremony and even onlookers if caught by the police in the act.

The fort is open to the public from 09.00 to 17.00 from October to March and from 08.30 to 17.30 - April - September daily.

Journey to Mehrangarh fort

Prague Castle, Prague, Czech Republic
Area: 66,761 m²

Prague Castle is an invariable companion of all guides to Prague. He was included in the list Cultural heritage UNESCO and Guinness Book of Records as the largest presidential residence. On high hill The famous Vltava castle was built in 880 by Prince Borzivoj and was originally the residence of the Czech princes and the Bishop of Prague.

The first stone building on the castle grounds was the Church of the Virgin Mary, the ruined walls of which are still preserved. Then the following were built: the monastery of St. George, the Cathedral of St. Vitus and much more. Highest development and prosperity Prague Castle reached during the reign of Charles IV. The castle became the residence of the ruler of the Roman Empire, and, accordingly, a lot of money was invested in its renovation.

The walls were fortified and built Royal Palace, all the cathedrals on the castle grounds were reconstructed, and the decorations of the emperor’s chambers were completely replaced with interior items brought from different places. After the outbreak of the Hussite wars, the castle was abandoned for some time, but then King Władysław of the Jagiellonian settled in Prague Castle, began to renew the territory again.

Watchtowers were built, a huge ballroom was built, etc. In the middle of the 16th century, the castle was rebuilt in the Renaissance style popular at that time. The royal garden was laid out, the Belvedere was built and the reception hall was renovated.

Nowadays Prague Castle- the residence of the President of the Czech Republic, as well as the most visited attraction in Prague. There are monasteries, temples, cathedrals, and museums where treasures and relics are kept.

Prague Castle is open daily from 5.00 to 24.00 in summer and from 6.00 to 23.00 in winter. Museums and exhibitions are open from 9.00 to 17.00 in summer and until 16.00 in winter. The state rooms are open to the public twice a year: May 8 and October 28 (Liberation Day and Founding Day of the Czechoslovak Republic). Closed December 24th.

Journey to Prague Castle

Windsor Castle, Windsor, UK
Area: 54,835 m²

Windsor castle Absolutely everyone knows, even those who have never been to England. This main house royal family since the time of William the Conqueror, so it is not for nothing that it is considered the oldest residential castle in the world. The first stone buildings 30 km from London appeared under Henry II at the beginning of the 12th century. Edward III, born in Windsor and called Edward of Windsor, did not like Henry's buildings and completely destroyed them.

In 1350, Edward built a new round castle in the center of the fortress, which has survived to this day and is the central structure of the entire territory. Many kings left their “marks” in the form of temples, outbuildings and other buildings at Windsor Castle. For example, Edward IV began the construction of St. George's Chapel in the castle, which was completed by Henry VIII.

The castle reached its greatest prosperity during the reign of Charles II, who expanded the territory, strengthened the walls and buildings, and also laid out several gardens and alleys, trying to copy the layout of Versailles. After the death of the king, Windsor was abandoned.

Subsequent monarchs preferred completely different vacation destinations. Only during the reign of George IV Windsor castle turned into a real royal palace, which you can see today.

Windsor castle open to tourists who can get inside and see how they lived and live royalty England. Perhaps one of the most beautiful places in the castle is a park with a lake, forest and beautiful sculptures. Once upon a time, royal hunting took place here, but then the park became a regular part of the landscape.

Windsor Castle is open to the public daily from 9.30 to 17.30, on Sunday from 10.00 to 16.00.

Journey to Windsor Castle

Hohensalzburg Castle, Salzburg, Austria
Area: 54,523 m²

Austria is rich in castles and medieval buildings. But there is one place that should interest you the most. This Hohensalzburg, which is the largest fully preserved medieval castle. It is located on Mount Festung, which offers simply stunning views of Salzburg.

Story Hohensalzburg begins in 1077, when, by order of Archbishop Gebhard I, it was decided to found a fortress to protect against external enemies. The castle was rebuilt and fortified several times until it finally became an impregnable fort where the ruling archbishops were stationed. Most of the money for the castle's construction came from Alpine gold mines. Workers were forced to work longer hours than they could to ensure the castle was completed on time.

At some point, the miners did not like this, and they decided to lay siege to the castle. Food and water supplies in Hohensalzburg ended very quickly, so a decision was needed on what to do next, because such a situation threatened the death of those who were inside the castle. Then the ruling archbishop decided to use a trick.

He ordered the only remaining bull to be repainted a different color every day and driven around the fortress to demonstrate to the rebels his food reserves. The workers believed that the besieged would have enough food for a long time, so after 14 days they retreated.

Hohensalzburg- one of the few castles in Austria that has never been taken by storm. The residents of Salzburg are very proud of this and tell all tourists at the slightest opportunity.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the castle was a prison for foreign prisoners of war and Nazis. Now Hohensalzburg has been restored and opened as a museum of the Austrian Middle Ages. Here you can see where the archbishops lived and what they wore. Many walls in the castle are still upholstered in gold-embossed leather, which speaks of the enormous amount of money that was spent on decorating the interior of the castle.

In the museum Hohensalzburg located large collection medieval works of art, armor, weapons and various instruments of torture.
The castle is open daily from 9.00 to 18.00 from May to September, and from 9.30 to 17.00 from October to April.

Journey to Hohensalzburg Castle

The most attractive fortifications in the world are always included in the list of objects that are definitely worth visiting for tourists arriving in a particular country. Enjoy the uniqueness of creations human hands, any traveler wants to penetrate their secrets, regardless of gender or age. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the most large fortresses existing in the world.

Fortress Frankenstein, Germany

The fortress is located south of the German town of Darmstad, in the state of Hesse. The surrounding area is famous for its defensive structures built in the Middle Ages, and is perfectly combined with expressive mountain landscapes, as if straight out of chivalric romances. The history of the castle is inextricably linked with one famous person who lived here in ancient times. The eccentric and rather strange alchemist and healer Dr. Johan Konrad Dippel conducted many of his unusual experiments in these places. Contrary to legends and myths, the Frankenstein fortress was built to defend against constant attacks from warring tribes. The citadel looks powerful, stern and majestic, which corresponds to its name, and for many years it played the role of a real fortress, from the walls of which one could easily control what was happening around and not worry about one’s life even during a multi-day siege.

Hospitaller Fortress, Syria

The second name is the fortress of the Knights of Malta. The site is located east of the Lebanese city of Tripoli and rises on a 650-meter cliff, next to the road along which you can travel from Antioch to Beirut, directly to Mediterranean coast. Closest to the fortress locality- Homs, located 65 km east of the citadel. The Syrian palace is considered the best preserved of all its kind, and since 2006 it has been included in the World Heritage List and is under the protection of UNESCO.

Alcazar Palace, Spain

The Alcazar was built as a residence Spanish kings and is located in the historical part of the city, in the province of Castile and Leon. Externally, the palace looks like the bow of a ship, cut into a rock, which geologically belongs to the Central Cordillera. This position of the fortress makes it practically impregnable, yet easily recognizable and incredibly beautiful. Initially, the citadel was built as a full-fledged defensive structure, but during its history it managed to be a royal residence, a prison and an artillery academy.


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Bam Fortress, Iran

It is considered the largest and oldest example of a Persian adobe fortress, built from such ancient material as adobe. The adobe building is located directly on the Great Silk Road in the province of Kerman, in the small Iranian town of Bam. On the territory of the complex there are 38 watchtowers, several tombs from the 12th century and the residence of the governor of the Safavid dynasty. In addition, one of the most unusual mosques of the 18th century, the Cathedral, was built here. Architectural ensemble included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and is under its protection.

White Heron Castle, Japan

Himeji is one of the largest and ancient fortresses Land of the Rising Sun. Hundreds of thousands of tourists come here every year to admire this amazing structure. The complex includes more than 83 buildings, most of which are made of wood. Since 1993, Egret Castle has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and is protected by law.

Levenburg Fortress, Germany

The literal translation of the name is “Lion's Castle”. The architectural and historical site is located in the German town of Kassel and is considered its most popular attraction. The citadel rises on an almost 100-meter mountain in Bavaria, on the territory of the Wilhelmsholl garden and park ensemble. The fortress was erected by order of William IX, the author of the project was Heinrich Christoph, known for his stunning works in other European countries. The tourist and excursion route that passes through these places is called the “road of fairy tales” and captures many ancient cities connected by fairy tales and ancient legends. In order to feel like a medieval resident, no decorations are required, and the Castle of the Lion local population calls it the German Disneyland, since the screensaver of this film company uses an image of this particular palace.


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Malbork Fortress, Poland

The fortress gave its name to the town of the same name, quiet and cozy. These walls once served as the residence of the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knightly Order from the beginning of the 14th century to the mid-15th. The brick castle is considered the largest of all that were built from this material, and the Gothic style only emphasizes the incredible beauty of this architectural complex. Malbork is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and is protected by law.

Saint Michel, France

The fortress is located on a small rocky island, which over time turned into a defensive structure. Saint-Michel is located in the north-west of France and is the only inhabited island of three granite formations that rise in St. Michael's Bay. People settled here in 709 and since then gradually began to develop their own piece of land. The natural-historical complex is of global importance and annually attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world. In 1874, Saint-Michel received the status of a monument, and in 1979 it was included in the list of sites under UNESCO protection.

Pena Castle, Portugal

The castle is located on high cliff Sintra is a palace built in the pseudo-medieval style. There is a huge park around the fortress, the area of ​​which is about 270 hectares, and the whole composition of the citadel, the mountain and adjacent trees creates a special atmosphere. Pena was originally planned as royal residence, which was built on the site of a small monastery in the Manueline style. Construction was started by order of the husband of Queen Mary II of Portugal, Prince Ferdinand. Construction cost him very much, and therefore the fortress was not completed until the death of the monarch in 1885. Pena's interiors are distinguished by their particular luxury and elegance and have survived to this day almost in their original form. The last owner of the fortress was Queen Amelia, who left Portugal in 1910.


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Neuschwanstein, Germany

The name of the fortress translates as “New Swan Cliff”. The object is a unique romantic castle belonging to the King of Bavaria, Ludwig II. The residence of the monarch is located near the town of Fussen, not far from Hohenschwangau Castle, in the southwest of the country, near the German-Austrian border. Considered one of the most popular places southern part of Germany.

Spissky Castle, Slovakia

It is the largest fortress in Slovakia and is located in the very heart of the Spis region, near Spis Podhradie, administratively belonging to the village of Žigra, located fifteen kilometers from the city of Levoča. It is a monument of global significance, included in the UNESCO list and is under its protection.

Potala, Tibet Autonomous Region

Is royal palace and a Buddhist temple complex. Located in Tibet, in Lhasa, in China, on a high hill. The facility has an area of ​​about 360 thousand square meters. m and is the second largest fortress in the world. This was originally the residence of the Dalai Lama, but after he was forced to leave the country in 1959, a museum was opened here. In 1994, the Potala was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. To this day, Buddhists come here as pilgrims and perform their religious rituals in the Potala.

Prague Castle, Czech Republic

It is considered the largest fortress in the world and completely occupies the eastern part of the huge cliff located on Petrin Hill. On the northern part of the citadel there is the Deer Moat, on the southern part there is the Mala Strana district. In the very heart of Prague Castle is St. Vitus Cathedral, around which many churches, fortifications and squares are built. Today the fortress is the largest presidential residence on Earth, although it was previously used as a residence for the Holy Roman Emperors and Czech kings.