Best Castles & Palaces of Europe

[bijtkonijn]

Huis bergh, the Netherlands.

The building history dates back to the 13th century. The main parts of the castle are from the 14th, 15th and 17th century. It has seen many wars and yet it still stands:

[tommolo]

Some more from the italian alps region:

Castell'Avio:









Castel Toblino:









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Castel Fontana/ Brunnenburg



Castello del Buonconsiglio in Trento:















The beautiful Castel Thun:



















Castell'Appiano/schloss Hochepan



Castel Mareccio/Schloss Maretsch:



Castel Sant'Antonio/Schloss Kleberstein:



The beautiful Castel Mareta/Schloss Wolfsthurn:













Castel Beseno, one of the largest:























The natural setting, the castle is on the left:

[tommolo]

Forte di Bard, Valle d'Aosta, Italian Alps:











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[tommolo]

Always from Valle d'Aosta:

Castello d'Aymaville:















Castello d'Issogne, one of the most visited for it is very rich of frescoes and artistical decorations:





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Castel Savoia:























Castello di Sarriod de la Tour:

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[KiffKiff]

Palace of Versailles and the gardens - France.

[tommolo]

very beautiful Versailles!

And now a Royal Palace from...the alpine region, once again, but this time is not a castle!

Savoy Royal Palace, Turin, Piedmont (they are now reconverting this palace in an art museum, it will be huge, with more than 44000 square meters...I can't wait to visit it! )







the complex of the Royal Palace, the Royal Library and, in the middle, Palazzo Madama



Back facade, with roman ruins of a theater:



















































Chapel of the Holy Shroud, in the Cathedral church that it is at the side of the royal palace, it has been built by the architect Guarino Guarini:















Castello di Ussel, Chatillon, Valle d'Aosta

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Castello di Verres, Valle d'Aosta:

[Kriativus]

Beautiful and unknown italian castles! Congratulations! Loved them all.

Amazing this chapel of the holy shroud. What a dome! Very impressive to say the least. How long will it be closed yet?

[tommolo]

Thank you very much Kriativus! The Chapel of the Holy Shroud I think I read somewhere will reopen in 2013, but seen it live I assure you it is even more spectacular...



From Sud Tirolo/Trentino Alto Adige, Castel Firmian/Schloss Sigmundskron:







Castel Rametz/Schloss Rametz, Sud Tirolo/Trentino Alto Adige:







Castel Presule/Schloss Prosels, Sud Tirolo/Trentino Alto Adige:









[IMG]http://castelli.qviaggi.it/images/stories/jreviews/140_castelpresule_1191798737.jpg[/IMG

]















Castel Roncolo/ Schloss Runkelnstein, Sud Tirolo/Trentino Alto Adige:













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Many ancient frescoes on the inside:















Trento, Torre Verde, Trentino Alto Adige:









Castel Nanno, Trentino Alto Adige:

[tommolo]

Always close to the Alpine Region, but this time from Lombardy, on Lake region, this is from Lago Maggiore, one of the biggest in Italy. The castle is the Rocca d'Angera:





the Alps in the backyards:

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Interiors:













Isola Bella island-palace, built by Borromeo family in the Lago Maggiore, very close to Angera's castles:













The facade of the Palace:

















Interiors:











Detail of the vault:







The gardens...

[tommolo]

Castel Valer in Tassullo, Trentino Algto Adige:















Castello di Cles:

[tommolo]

Castello di Cly, Val d'Aosta:















Castello di Baraing, Valle d'Aosta:



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Castello di Quart, Valle d'Aosta:











Castello Duca degli Abruzzi- Castel Jocteau, Valle d'Aosta:

[tommolo]

Castel Drena, Sud Tirolo/ Trentino Alto Adige:









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Castell'Ivano, Trentino:



























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[tommolo]

Castello di Montestrutto, Settimo Vittone, Piedmont:

[aarhusforever]

These photos just makes me even more proude to be European Thank you for posting all these photos in this great thread

[vilniusguide]

Ruins of Ружаны/Ruzhany palace in the Western part of Belarus with storks- one of the symbols and national birds of Belarus as well as Lithuania. This belonged to magnificient Sapieha family, once one of the strongest and wealthiest in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania!


http://photoclub.by/work/93577

[vilniusguide]

Only ~60 km from Vilnius, but already on contemporary Belarus territory, there are ruins of once one of the most impressive residence castles in Europe!
Halshany castle in former Vilnius palatinate- the core of the state, was the seat of Olshanski/Гальшанскія/Alšėniškiai family and later- Sapieha residence.
This is how it looked like:



http://www.radzima.org/ru/foto/1264.html
the style of the castle was similar to some castles in Belgium and Holland built at the same period.


http://www.panoramio.com/photo/18863815


http://www.belarus.nemiga.info

Now only impressive ruins survive, authoritarian Belarus' authorities don't care much about the GDL relics...







photos: www.globus.tut.by and http://forum.globus.tut.by/

more here: http://orda.of.by/.add/gallery.php?golshany/castle

[tommolo]

Castello di Graines, Val d'Aosta:

















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Castello Passerin d'Entreves, Valle d'Aosta:



Castello di Saint Christophe, Valle d'Aosta:







Castello Oldofredi, Montisola island, Lake Iseo, Lombardy, lake region, very close to the alps this one too...

















The setting of the castle, at the bottom on the right of this image:

[vilniusguide]

Norviliškės small noble fortified castle. Belongs to a rare type of a castle.


wiki

image hosted on flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7498203@N06/444860128/




http://www.panoramio.com/photo/57294223


http://www.panoramio.com/photo/5630330

Later castle was transferred to the monks.

This castle is situated in the region, from where it is believed Lithuanian state began to develop, where the cradle of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was. This region preserved pre-feudal and early-feudal structures of villages and settlements, what is quite distinctive thing in Europe, only could be found just in very few places on the continent.

Today this place is interesting as the castle is right on the border with Belarus, in Lithuanian enclave, what is from all sides surrounded by Belarussian territory, conected with Lithuania only through narrow 3 km wide strip!
The castle is accessible through Dieveniškės town. From it's main square 6 roads run in various directions, five of them leading to Belarussian territories and border of the EU (one of them leads to the castle) and only one- to the "Great Lithuania". Castle is situated only some km from Гольшаны/Alšėnai/Halshany castle ruins. Currently the largest festival in the Baltics is taking place near the castle every summer- Be2gether






http://geosite.jankrogh.com/borders/bylt_fence_ends.htm


http://www.panoramio.com/photo/48041255

http://visitlithuania.net/index.php/...rencelithuania

Unique, authentically restored Renaissance castle of Norviliskes shines like a diamond in the crown of Lithuanian castles. Once forgotten majestic building was raised to live a new life. The castle, gate tower and defensive tower formed typical defensive system with a compact yard in the centre, once. It is a rare example of such Renaissance complex not only in Lithuania, but in the whole Europe.

[KiffKiff]

My favorite Castles/Palaces in France

Chateau de Chambord :




Chateau de Chenonceau :








Chateau de Chantilly :

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Chateau de Saumur :






Chateau de Chaumont :




Chateau de Pierrefonds :






Chateau de Carcassonne :






Chateau d'Ussé :






Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte :






Palais du Louvre :






Chateau de Versailles :

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[tommolo]

Great pictures! I think that french castles are really amongst the best in northern europe!

Now let us move a little bit from the alps area.

Racconigi Castle, Piedmont:











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Castello Sfrozesco, Milan











Leonardo da Vinci's frescoed vault:















Villa Pisani a Stra, Veneto region:











the main facade:











Tiepolo's frescoes on the inside:













Villa Medici in Rome:











...continues!