European Castles

Catherine Palace

Catherine Palace Built in 1717, redesigned in Rococo style in

1752 by Bartolomeo Rastrelli Built for Empress Catherine I of Russia as a

summer palace Famous for its feminine and opulent blue,

white, and gold exterior and its extremely intricate interior the Amber Room

Russia’s most expensive palace, due to the fact of all the gold

Neuschwanstein Castle

Neuschwanstein Castle Built in 1869 as the retreat for King Ludwig II Located in Schwangau, Germany, which is in the

middle of the Bavarian Alps Embodiment of 19th century Romanticism Considered very modern because it was

equipped with running water, a heating system, and plumbing

Inspiration for almost all Disney castles, including Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty castle

Neuschwanstein Castle

Mont-Saint-Michel

Mont-Saint-Michel Founded in 708 by Saint Aubert, bishop of

Avranches, to be a monastery Main foundation and structure of the castle

were built between 1203 and 1228, called La Merveille (the Marvel)

One of the greatest achievements of Medieval Gothic architecture

Connected to the mainland by a causeway, which is accessible at low tides only

Mont-Saint-Michel

Swallow’s Nest

Swallow’s Nest Built on a 130 ft. high rock in Crimea in 1912 by

the German noble Baron von Steingel Architect Vsevolod Sherwood wanted it to a

romantic “fairytale castle” After an earthquake in 1927, part of the rock

foundation underneath crumbled off, which is why the castle now hangs off the cliff.

Originally had a few rooms, but it has been remade into an Italian restaurant