When you put the words “castle” and “Europe” together, several famous castles are bound to enter your mind. Thanks to the rise of social media, these renowned fortresses are more prevalent than ever. Perhaps the most famous castle in the world is Neuschwanstein, near Munich, Germany, which is said to be the inspiration for Walt Disney’s Cinderella Castle. There’s also Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle in England, made famous thanks to the British royal family and their many generations of rule. There’s the outrageously opulent Versailles Palace near Paris or Kronberg Castle in Denmark, the home of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

However, there are European castles other than Neuschwanstein and Versailles. Europe is full of unique castles, hidden gems found off the beaten path. With little effort, you’ll find giant fortresses looming over old towns, ornate beauties hidden in the mountains, ruins on the coast, ancient strongholds balanced on the edge of cliffs, and more. You’ll be hard-pressed to find one that doesn’t strike your fancy, whether you prefer to view from afar, from a hiking path, from the inner courtyard, from a boat, or just from your own two feet.

Here, we look at ten castles, in well-known castle destinations such as Germany and Ireland or in less-visited countries like Montenegro and Slovenia, that will have you plotting your own fairy-tale ending—or at least planning your next trip to these enchanted destinations!

10 Peles Castle
Romania

Peles Castle, high in the Carpathian Mountains, seems to be right from the pages of a fairy tale. It’s a happy and sudden surprise to come upon this ornate beauty in the remote woods, far from any large cities.

The building of the castle began in 1873 at the bequest of Carol I, king of Romania, who fell in love with the surrounding area. The castle took ten years to build and was immediately considered one of the most modern in Europe, thanks to the amenities.^[1] Additional work was done on the castle until 1914.

Today, you can tour the beautifully preserved interior (keep an eye out for the spiral staircase!) and the nearby Pelisor Castle, a smaller hunting lodge. Or you can just stare at Peles and imagine yourself using it as a stronghold from which to fight vampires. Or is that just me?

9 Spis Castle
Slovakia

High on the hills near the town of Spisske Podhradie in Slovakia, you’ll find the ruins of Spis Castle. Slovakia itself is even more off the castle path than any of the others on this list and is underrated as a tourist destination in general, often overlooked in favor of the more famous Czechia.

However, Slovakia is well worth a visit. The history and landscape are quintessential Central Europe, and Spis Castle adds to this charm. Spis has occupied the top of a hill above a small village since the 12th century and has been used as a defensive stronghold and as an upper-class courtier destination at various points in history, giving it a both a decorative and defensive air.^[2] The castle is in ruins now, but many sections have been preserved as a museum. Old, awesome, and in a spot you would never think to venture, it’s only for those in the know.

8 Cesky Krumlov Castle
Czechia

Although not nearly as famous as its big sister to the north, Prague Castle, Cesky Krumlov Castle in the south of Czechia has appeared in several films, for good reason. The unique pink tower rides high over the Vltava River and the ridiculously charming town of Cesky Krumlov.^[3]

Cesky Krumlov itself is a beautifully preserved medieval village, picturesquely situated on the same river that flows through Prague. The castle is the crowning glory of this hamlet, and the distinctive pink tower can be seen all over the surrounding countryside. When you visit, make sure to spot the bears living in the castle moat.

7 Karlstejn Castle
Czechia

Who knew Czechia had so many amazing castles? For a true medieval experience, visit Karlstejn Castle, a short hour’s train ride from Prague.^[4] Karlstejn appears over the flat farmlands well before you arrive, like a brooding giant, with its black roof and Gothic architecture. It will continue to loom over you as you make your way through the small village below from the train station.

The castle aims to transport you back to the medieval days, through food, the setup of the castle, and the artifacts on display. Grab a variety of sausages to sample, explore the ancient courtyard and battlements, and be sure to spot a blacksmith at work, performing his age-old craft.

6 Predjama Castle
Slovenia

Possibly one of the most unique castles in the entire world, Predjama Castle in Slovenia, about an hour south of the capital, Ljubljana, is built into a cave on the side of a cliff. That’s right—in a cave. If that wasn’t enticing enough, the Slovene version of Robin Hood, Erazem Lueger (also referred to as Erasmus of Lueg), famously lived and died here.^[5] He was able to evade the Holy Roman Emperor for so long thanks to a series of hidden passageways leading through the cave in which the castle was built. In fact, he was only defeated—while on the toilet, according to legend—because he was betrayed.

If this story straight from Game of Thrones doesn’t inspire you to visit, keep in mind that in 1991, treasure was discovered on the castle grounds as well. A robber baron, hidden treasure, secret passageways, a castle built into the side of cliff . . . Predjama Castle is truly the stuff of legends.

5 Bled Castle
Slovenia

Lake Bled in Slovenia is gaining international attention for its picturesque beauty. It’s easy to see why—the crystal blue waters of an alpine lake, full of history, a resort-type feel, a famous island church, and a castle. While the island in the lake with its accompanying church is more iconic as a symbol of Lake Bled and Slovenia itself, Bled Castle, towering over the lake on a nearby cliff, is equally stunning.^[6]

Bled Castle looms over the glacial lake, with the Julian Alps as a dramatic background. Reputed to be the oldest castle in Slovenia, dating from at least the year 1011, the castle today holds events such as weddings and important political meetings and boasts a restaurant, wine cellar, museum, and more. The best part? The views from the castle itself are breathtaking and give a unique vantage point to look upon the lake and surrounding mountains.

4 Castle Stalker
Scotland

Scotland is another place full of absolutely iconic castles. While many of these are worth a visit (such as Eilean Donan in the Highlands), the ones that you stumble upon unexpectedly seem even more magical. Castle Stalker, on an island in Loch Laich, is one such place. The small tower, inhabiting a tiny island on a classic Scottish loch, features a gorgeous background of mountains and the Highlands.

Loch Laich, located near Oban on the west coast of Scotland, has housed the small tower-keep since 1320. Castle Stalker has a long and varied history and has passed through the hands of many powerful Scottish clans, such as the Stewarts and Campbells.^[7] Today, Castle Stalker is privately owned and difficult to tour, but you can gaze at it from the shore any time of the year. Although Castle Stalker may seem hard to reach, it is ideally situated in the region of Argyll between many other well-known Scottish destinations.

3 San Giovanni Castle
Montenegro

San Giovanni Castle, also known as St. John’s Castle, is situated high above the breathtaking Kotor Bay, and the charming old town of Kotor itself, in Montenegro. San Giovanni has been a fort since Byzantine rule and has a long and storied history. The castle has known Venetian conquerors, survived several earthquakes, was bombed by British forces, and was occupied during World War II.^[8]

Today, San Giovanni is part of the greater Kotor fortifications, which extend down into the city walls of ancient Kotor itself. The fortifications were made a UNESCO site in 1979. The hike up to the castle is difficult, but the views from the top over Kotor, the bay, and the stunning Montenegrin mountains are well worth every step.

2 Ballinskelligs Castle
Ireland

It seems like every bend in the road in Ireland will give you a stunning vista, a charming cottage, or best yet, an ancient ruin. Ballinskelligs Castle, also known as McCarthy Mor Tower, is yet another of these ruins, made even more spectacular by the setting. Ballinskelligs Castle lies in the Ballinskelligs Bay and is only easily accessible when the tide is out, although it is visible from Ballinskelligs Beach. It is said that the tower was originally built as a stronghold to protect against pirates rampaging along the Irish coast.^[9]

A castle that combines the beauty of the Irish coast and pirates is one to add to your list! In addition, the castle is part of the Ring of Kerry, perhaps one of the most picturesque routes in the world.

1 Eger Castle
Hungary

Nestled in the “Valley of Beautiful Women” is the town of Eger, Hungary. Eger is a short two-hour train ride away from the Hungarian capital, Budapest. While Eger isn’t well-known outside of Hungary, the city and its corresponding castle are full of rich history.

Eger Castle is the storied site of the famous eponymous siege in 1552, in which the Hungarians stopped the invading Ottomans in their tracks.^[10] The monthlong siege, which ultimately failed, stopped the further invasion of the Ottomans for roughly another 50 years. Legend says that when the Ottomans fled, they told tales of the Hungarians and their strength, which they believed was due to the Hungarian tradition of drinking “bull’s blood” for extra energy and power. This “bull’s blood” was actually red wine, a specific wine to the region that retains its name to this day—Egri Bikaver.

The castle is a short hike up from the lovely little square, with a view over the city and the valley. After a tour of the castle, make your way to the famous wine cellars of the valley, where you can try Egri Bikaver and a variety of other fresh local wines besides, straight from the source. Cellar-hopping. It’s the new wine-tasting.

Amy McMahon currently resides in Montana with her husband and baby daughter, after spending ten years living and teaching all over the globe, from Peru to China to Hungary. Find more of her storytelling at her blog, Amy and the Great World, or on Instagram: @amygreatworld.

The vast majority of castles these days are little more than ruins preserved by charitable organizations for educational value. In the past, these castles belonged to either nobility or royalty, but over time, whether through war, debt, or donation, they have passed out of their ownership. This pattern of loss accelerated from 1700 onward, as agricultural estates became less profitable over the course of the Industrial Revolution, leading to the long-term loss of wealth by the landowning class.

Despite this, some noble families still own castles today—and a few, like the Percy family of Alnwick Castle, have owned their castle for hundreds of years. Most of these families have replaced their agricultural incomes with money made by opening their properties up to public access. This means that many of these castles are still visitable today, allowing us the privilege of seeing a castle in full occupation with our own eyes. Today, we’re exploring ten castles that are still owned by the nobility.

10 Alnwick Castle

In its early history, Alnwick Castle was a border fort designed to protect Northern England from Scottish raiders.^[1] It was little more than a military outpost and had little importance. King John ordered it demolished in 1212, but fortunately, his orders were not carried out. The Percy family purchased it in 1309 and began a series of ambitious building projects, setting it up as the seat of their lands and a comfortable home as well as a formidable fortress. It has been their ancestral home ever since, through numerous generations of Percys—including the infamous Harry Hotspur, who led a major revolt against the English monarchy.

It is one of the most beautiful and well-preserved castles in England today, and parts of it were used for the interior of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films. It is the second-largest occupied castle in England, after the Queen’s own residence of Windsor Castle. The Percy family has also been very meticulous in keeping its old records safe, and the family archive, which dates back to the 1300s, is an important historical source which is used frequently by historians even today.

In modern times, the Duke and his family still live in the castle but only use a section of it. Other parts are used as accommodation by the Estates Office and students of St. Cloud State University as part of their international study program. The rest of the castle is open to the public.

9 Dunnottar Castle

Dunnottar is one of the most important castles in Scottish history. Its fantastic strategic position on a rocky headland makes it almost impervious to enemy attack.^[2] Because of this, it was chosen as the place to hide the crown jewels of Scotland, the Honours of Scotland, from Oliver Cromwell’s rampaging army during the brief time of the English Commonwealth. It was held by Clan Keith for hundreds of years, and they became the hereditary Earls Marischal, making it their job to protect the king with their lives. Their fortunes ended, however, in 1715, after George Keith joined the Jacobite rebellion. His lands were declared forfeit, and the castle was seized by the crown. It was then sold to the York Buildings Company, which dismantled much of the building.

The Keith family regained Dunnottar but sold it again in 1925 to the Viscount of Cowdray, whose family own it to this day. By the time the Cowdrays bought it, the castle was in a state of ruin, and they embarked on a mission of restoration. It has remained open to the public since and attracts tens of thousands of visitors a year. The Cowdrays own multiple estates, so they don’t actually live at the site.

8 Eilean Donan Castle

Lying on an isolated eponymous island in a strategic position on Scotland’s western coast, Eilean Donan Castle is one of the most recognized images of Scotland today.^[3] It is one of the most photographed buildings in Scotland and is the third-most-visited Scottish castle, receiving over 300,000 visitors a year. Because of its location, it was also the site of dozens of clan feuds over the centuries but was frequently owned by Clan Mackenzie and their allies Clan Macrae, who ran the castle in their name. Clan Macrae defended Eilean Donan Castle numerous times in the Mackenzies’ names, but the centuries-old alliance broke down when the Mackenzies joined the Jacobite rebellion.

During the rebellion, the Spanish, who were supporting the rebels, were allowed to occupy the island. The British navy retaliated with an intense naval bombardment, destroying much of the castle. After they took the Spanish survivors prisoner, they continued to blow up much of the remaining ruins with 27 barrels of gunpowder.

The castle lay in ruins for exactly 200 years before a descendant of Clan Macrae, John Macrae-Gilstrap, bought it in 1919. He set about restoring it and opened it to the public in 1955. It has remained under the protection of the Macrae family ever since, though the family doesn’t live at the site. They established the Conchra Charitable Trust in 1983 to manage and maintain the castle.

7 Arundel Castle

Arundel Castle is one of the oldest castles in England, first built in December 1067—barely a year after the Norman conquest.^[4] It is also remarkable for being passed down through generations almost directly for nearly 1,000 years. It was owned for long periods by the Aubigny family from 1139 to 1243, occasionally reverting back to the crown. In 1243, it passed to the FitzAlans after the final Aubigny heir, a woman, married into the family. The FitzAlans held it until 1580, when Mary FitzAlan married Thomas Howard. The Howards have held the castle ever since, but it didn’t become their main residence until the 1780s.

Arundel has been continually upgraded since it was first built in 1067, so much of the castle we see today is much more modern than that. The majority of the building—including the Gothic front which gives it its fairytale appearance—was built during the Victorian era. It was one of the first buildings in England to be fitted with electricity, central heating, and service lifts. Much like Alnwick castle, Arundel has an extensive archive featuring documents going back to the 1200s, though it is only open to professional academics.

6 Bamburgh Castle

Bamburgh Castle is one of the most famous and picturesque castles in the UK. It was first the site of a formidable Anglo-Saxon fortress, which the historian Bede described as one of the most important places in Britain. It was a source of strength for the Northumbrian kings for many years before the Norman conquest. Following an attempted rebellion, the castle was taken by the crown in 1093. The crown then held it for 500 years before selling it to the Forster family, who had been governors of the castle for generations, in 1600.^[5]

It wasn’t long, however, before the Forsters went bankrupt, and the castle was sold to the Bishop of Durham, who had it converted into a hospital. It was finally sold to William Armstrong, First Baron Armstrong, in 1894, whose family still owns it to this day. It is one of the very few castles in the UK owned by a family whose first owner wasn’t a noble when they were born. (Armstrong was knighted for his many scientific achievements.) The Armstrongs opened the castle up to the public in the early 1900s.

Today, the castle remains an icon of Northeast England, appearing in dozens of films and books. It has also been a center of archaeological importance ever since several key Anglo-Saxon discoveries on the site in the 1960s.

5 Dunrobin Castle

Dunrobin Castle is one of the most interesting castles in the British Isles: It is the most northerly of Britain’s inhabited castles and one of the largest, with 189 rooms.^[6] Despite this, it has a distinctly continental appearance, having been remodeled in the French chateau style during the Victorian era. It wouldn’t be out of place in the rolling hills of Southern France.

Despite its sophisticated modern appearance, it has a barbaric history. It was built to control a savage, barbaric region of Northern Scotland which frequently changed hands between the Vikings and Scots. The Gordon family, who control it to this day, first held the castle in 1512, when Adam Gordon married the daughter of the lord. The Gordons then successfully brought a writ of idiocy against the lord’s son, and when the lord died, the estate fell into their possession. The castle was taken from them by Alexander Sutherland, the legitimate heir, in 1518, but when the Gordons returned, they killed the usurper and placed his head on a spike on top of the castle tower. Alexander’s son tried to take the castle in 1550 but was killed in the castle garden. The Gordons changed their surname to Sutherland shortly after to enhance their legitimacy.

In the years that followed, the Sutherlands added to the castle, making it more comfortable and defensible. It became their family seat, a position it held until 1963, when the castle and the dukedom split: The old lord’s male heir inherited the Duchy of Sutherland, but his daughter, the present Countess Elizabeth, inherited the castle.

4 Berkeley Castle

Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire is the home of one of only two noble families in England who can trace their lineage back to Anglo-Saxon lords from before the Norman invasion.^[7] The Berkeley family, originally the Fitzhardings, were granted the castle in the 1100s and have held it ever since. It is the oldest castle in England to be continuously owned and used by the same family and contains a bed which has been identified as the oldest piece of furniture used by a single family.

Unlike many of the castles on this list, Berkeley Castle’s architecture has remained largely unaltered since the 1400s. It was the site of several historical events: It is believed to be the site where King Edward II was murdered, and it was the place where the last court jester in England, Dickie Pearce, died when he fell from the minstrels’ gallery. In the English Civil War, the castle was besieged by parliamentary forces who breached the walls with a cannon. The Berkeleys were allowed to remain in the castle as long as they didn’t repair the breach, a rule enshrined in law by Parliament: The breach is still there today.

3 Haddon Hall

From the very start, Haddon Hall was intended to be a family home rather than a castle. Successive chaos over the course of the 1100s, however, led to the family building a defensive wall around it in 1194. It now straddles the line between castle and manor house, featuring aspects of both in equal measure.^[8]

The castle was originally owned by the wealthy, venerable Vernon family. In the 1560s, however, Sir George Vernon’s daughter, Dorothy, fell in love with a lower noble, John Manners. George despised the arrangement, considering John and his family of lowly status and shaky financial stability. He forbade them from seeing each other. Dorothy and John made a plan, and during a bustling ball, Dorothy snuck out of the hall and met John on horseback at the bridge, where they rode off to be married. George Vernon died two years later, and the Manners family inherited the estate, which they own to this day.

The Vernons had spent much of their wealth expanding the original hall, but the Mannerses, who chose another place as their main residence, allowed it to fall into disuse. In the 1920s, John’s descendant, also named John Manners, recognized the hall’s importance and began restoring it to its original glory. It is now considered one of the best-preserved examples of a medieval manor house. It is now the home of Lord Edward Manners, but the hall is open to the public for much of the year.

2 Inveraray Castle

By far the newest of the castles on this list, Inverary’s foundation stone was placed in 1746, though a castle has existed on the site since the 1500s.^[9] It sits on the shore of Scotland’s longest sea loch, Loch Fyne, and it was one of the first buildings in the Gothic Revival movement, which became one of the most influential and popular architectural styles in history. The castle is famous for its dark, foreboding appearance. This appearance has been purposely cultivated: In the 1770s, the actual village of Inveraray was moved to enhance the castle’s isolated appearance.

It is the seat of the Dukes of Argyll, the chiefs of Clan Campbell, one of the biggest (and most historically controversial) Scottish clans. In contrast to many other noble families, who typically only live in a very small section of their castles, the Campbells occupy two whole floors of the castle and two of its four corner towers. Nevertheless, a large portion of the castle is open to the public today, including the armory hall, which contains a collection of hundreds of weapons in a room with a ceiling that, at 21 meters (69 ft), is the highest ceiling in Scotland.

1 Belvoir Castle

Belvoir was another one of the first wave of English castles built in 1067. Originally established as a manor house, it was granted to Robert de Ros in 1257, who obtained permission to turn it into a castle a decade later.^[10] However, the castle had fallen into ruin by the time the Manners family inherited it in 1508. The Mannerses, who still live there today, had a new castle built on the site.

This was only the first of many times the castle was destroyed and rebuilt: It was torn down by the Parliamentarians in 1649 and rebuilt in 1668, rebuilt again in 1799, and destroyed by a fire in 1816 before being reconstructed for the final time in 1832. The castle today retains a traditional medieval appearance despite being relatively new and is one of the most well-known examples of Regency architecture in the world. It features regularly in movies, including as a stand-in for Windsor Castle and as Castel Gandolfo in The Da Vinci Code.

When imagining a picturesque medieval landscape, it’s nearly impossible not to also visualize a castle somewhere in the background. And while it’s true that various types of fortifications have been around since ancient times, it was during the medieval period that castles truly came into their own. 

But what most people don’t know about medieval castles – particularly those in Europe – is that they were typically private fortified residences for local feudal lords or nobles. Depending on the circumstances, these castles played both a defensive and offensive role, as well as providing administrative and domestic functions. It should also go without saying that castles also acted as status symbols, projecting power in the surrounding region. 

In this list, we will be looking at some of the most ingenious and effective castle defenses from around the world.

10. Natural Defenses

One of the most important things to consider when building a castle is choosing a location that can take advantage of as many natural features as possible. You want to make it very hard for the enemy to besiege you. Building a fortification on high ground is always a good idea. Not only does it extend the height of the walls in relation to the enemy army, but it also forces them to charge uphill, slowing them down and making it difficult, if not impossible, to bring siege equipment up close. 

Motte-and-baileys were some of the earliest examples of castles in the true meaning of the word. They were popular during the 11th century, particularly in France and Norman England. The keep, which was the primary defense element of the motte-and-bailey castle – and the home of the local lord – was situated on top of a steep hill or earthen mound known as the motte. Rock outcrops are even more effective for castle defense purposes but required more time, energy, resources, and know-how to build and maintain. 

Another great place to build a castle is next to a river, particularly a river bend. This provides a natural defense system that can be artificially extended to surround the entire castle complex. Building on an island in the middle of a lake has the same effect. These types of castles built next to rivers or lakes also had the added benefit of providing a steady source of fresh drinking water. Castles built on high hills or rock outcrops often had incredibly deep wells to have a water source inside the walls. Kyffhäusen Castle in Germany, for example, has a well that goes roughly 577 feet deep.  

9. Rusticated Walls

Also known as bossing, rustication refers to building stones that are left rough and uncut on the external facing side of a wall. For many years, historians have debated why some of the masons of old used to do this. Initially, it was believed that rustication was simply a technique to save both time and construction costs. Some have even speculated that it gave the fortress a more menacing appearance. And while these were definitely a benefit, it turns out that bossing also had a more defensive purpose.

Historians have figured out that rusticated stone walls were far better at dissipating the energy of a high-speed projectile like the ones fired from a catapult, trebuchet, or other ancient or medieval artillery. The uneven surface of the rusticated stones prevented the direct energy transfer of the projectile into the wall. It’s somewhat similar to how spaced armor works on modern tanks. 

Rusticated masonry predates Ancient Rome and has been in use on many castle walls up until the proliferation of gunpowder and cannon fire. 

8. Hoardings and Machicolations

Hoardings, sometimes called hourdes, are wooden defensive structures built on top of stone or brick walls. These take the form of a roofed porch suspended on perpendicular supports. The purpose of hoardings is to provide the wall defenders with a better angle of firing down on attackers located at the base of the wall.

They have window-like openings along the breastwork to shoot arrows or bolts, as well as holes in the floor to throw rocks or other projectiles at the enemy soldiers hugging the base of the wall. Without these hoardings, defenders would have to overexpose themselves in order to fire at the enemy directly below. 

In times of peace, hoardings would be taken down and stored away as prefabricated sections. Once a threat presented itself, they would mount them atop the walls and cover them in fresh animal skins, which would keep them from being set ablaze.

Machicolations are similar in purpose to hoardings, the main difference being that they’re permanent and made out of the same material as the wall itself. Although requiring a more sophisticated level of engineering and higher expense, machicolations are permanent, cannot be set on fire, and are resistant to crossbow bolts and even heavier artillery projectiles. 

During the 19th and 20th centuries, when warfare changed significantly, machicolations were used solely for decorative purposes, as seen in the Gothic Revival architectural style. 

7. Crenellations and Arrow Slits

If you picture a medieval castle wall, chances are that you’re seeing it crenelated. They’ve been in use since ancient times, with the earliest known example being the Medinet-Abu palace at Thebes in Egypt. They’re also present on the Great Wall of China and many other fortifications.

Also known as battlements, crenellations are comprised of merlons, which are the projections on top of the wall. The crenels are the cut-out portions in between the merlons. Although they don’t seem like much at first glance, they provided excellent protection for the defending soldiers.

They would use the merlons to hide behind while firing arrows, crossbow bolts, or throwing rocks through the crenels. Crenellations were not often built on the inner side of the wall – particularly curtain walls – in the event the enemy managed to scale them and use them against the defenders.

Some medieval castles even had merlons with built-in arrow slits for added protection. The invention of arrow slits is attributed to Archimedes during the 214–212 BC siege of Syracuse but there’s a chance that they may be far older than that. And although they were used by the Ancient Greeks and Romans, they were only reintroduced in the late 12th century by the Normans.

On the outside, arrow slits are vertical and very narrow for protection. On the inside, however, they widened up so as to provide the archer or crossbowman with as much firing range from side to side and close to the base of the wall as possible. In later centuries, these were redesigned into cannoniers. They’re basically the same thing but for cannons.

6. Heavily Defended Gatehouses

Gates are a natural weak point in any fortification and it’s the defenders’ job to reinforce any such weakness the best they can. They’re basically a hole in the wall, after all, and had some of the heaviest defensive features of the entire castle complex. It’s also important to note that these weren’t just simple gates but gatehouses. They were multistory buildings that also happen to have a passageway running through them. 

In many cases, it was a challenge even getting close to the gatehouse as an attacker, especially with a battering ram. Depending on the castle, you’d have a water-filled moat or a deep ditch with a drawbridge. Alternatively, you’d find a steep or sharp bending path leading up to the gate, which made it difficult, if not impossible, with a battering ram.

Most gatehouses also came equipped with two flanking towers, providing a better angle on the gate. These allowed archers and crossbowmen to shoot at the enemy right next to the gate. Brattices, which are essentially miniature machicolations, were also built right above the gate to throw rocks down on the attackers.

The main feature of a gatehouse was, of course, the gate itself. They had to be relatively easy to open and close in times of peace, meaning that they were typically made of wood. To strengthen it, the defenders often used both vertical and horizontal layers of sturdy, hardwood planks, as well as metal plate reinforcements on occasion. 

Most gatehouses also came equipped with two or more portcullises. These are wooden and/or metal lattice grills that dropped quickly, locking firmly into holes in the ground. If the enemy managed to break down the gate and entered the passageway inside, the portcullises would be dropped shut, trapping the enemy soldiers inside. Oftentimes, there were arrowslits on the side walls inside the gatehouse, as well as murder holes above. Boiling water or hot sand, not oil usually because oil was rare and expensive, was dropped through these murder holes on the entrapped enemy. 

5. Barbicans

Also known in the castle-building business as a “death trap,” barbicans were an added layer of defense leading up to the castle’s main gatehouse. Barbicans can take on numerous shapes, but the most common was in the form of a narrow passage, called “the neck,” and one or more secondary gates leading up to the main entrance. As the charging enemy army rushed towards the main gate, they were being funneled down this passage, making them easy pickings for archers and crossbowmen.

Other variations of the barbican included a tower situated over a bridge or a walled semicircle in front of the moat and drawbridge. Castles could have multiple barbicans defending the main entrance. With improvements in artillery technology during the 15th and 16th centuries, they became obsolete. 

Barbicans were also used in Beijing, China, guarding the many gates to the capital city during the Ming and Qing dynasties. They were demolished during the 1960s, along with most other of the old city’s defenses, to make room for modern roads, subways, and other urban developments. 

4. Elephant-Proof Gates

Battering rams, in various shapes and sizes, have always been used as an effective method of breaking down fortified gates. Even to this day, they remain an invaluable tool used by police, military, and other special forces. In medieval India, elephants made for great and effective battering rams. 

The defenders had to compensate for these mighty beasts of war breaking down the main entrance by mounting heavy spikes on the gates. When one or more elephants charged directly at these gates, they would do so with their forehead, which was protected by a steel plate. The defenders would usually mount spikes at the average height of an elephant’s forehead. Some of these spikes would also come with hooks, preventing the elephant from retreating and making it a stationary target for the defenders on top of the wall.  

3. Mazes

Due to their location along the so-called Ring of Fire surrounding the Pacific Ocean, Japanese castles have a different construction than those in Europe and other parts of the world. Instead of relying too heavily on brick and mortar, Japanese castle keeps are made primarily out of wood and are located atop a motte of large boulders held together by steep stone walls. Unlike its European counterpart, the Japanese castle design is far more earthquake resistant. This design can also better facilitate the incorporation of mazes as part of its defense system.

Built and expanded during the Warring States Period in Japan, Himeji Castle – the largest in the country – sports some of the highest walls at 85 feet tall, as well as a whopping area of over 576 acres. Its walls also tend to flare out at the top, making them even harder to climb. Alongside other defenses such as several concentric moats, machicolations, or hidden rooms designed for surprise attacks, Himeji has its entire castle complex turned into an intricate and highly confusing maze. 

Its purpose was to defend the castle’s main keep from large armies by leading them through often steep, narrow, and winding paths. These will often branch out, leading attackers to deadends or facing dozens of strong iron gates, as well as narrow passageways. Constantly flanked by high walls, the invading army would find itself under fire from the defenders. For better or worse, Himeji Castle’s walls were never breached and its labyrinth was never put to the test. 

2. Clockwise Spiral Staircases & Trip Steps

When building defenses for a medieval castle, architects and engineers needed to use everything to their advantage. And in some castles around Europe, they used the attackers’ propensity to wield weapons right-handed against them when building spiral staircases. If the enemy managed to breach inside and started going up towers or the castle’s keep, they would sometimes have to do so on a clockwise spiral stairwell.

This gave an advantage to the defenders who were usually fighting down the stairs. As the majority of soldiers wielded their weapons with their right hand, meant that their sword-wielding arm was constantly blocked by the inner wall. Therefore, attackers going up had to completely expose themselves to be able to use their weapons effectively. 

The defenders, on the other hand, didn’t only benefit from the bottleneck provided by the staircase, their higher ground position, and the attackers’ disadvantage of having to constantly expose themselves, but also use the inner wall as a partial shield.

Trip steps were also a somewhat common occurrence in medieval castles like is the case with Berkeley and Hever castles in the UK. In both examples, some of the steps are uneven by having a different depth than the others. And while this may give the impression of poor craftsmanship, they were, in fact, deliberate. 

Over time, the inhabitants would become accustomed to these trip steps and would instinctively adjust their walk. Attackers, however, were unaware and in the heat of battle would often lose their footing, stumble, or even fall, giving the defenders a slight, but possibly critical advantage.

1. Secret Passages, and Exits

Since castles were typically the private residence of a noble or local lord, it was in their best interest to have a backdoor, in case of emergencies. These are known as postern gates or sally ports. They are small, hidden entrances into the castle complex that are away from the main gate and just big enough for one man on horseback to go through at a time. These gates were built in a place where they could not be attacked or destroyed by enemy artillery. 

In the event of a siege, people could still come and go relatively unnoticed. This allowed for food and other resources to be brought in, send messengers out, or even flee the castle if it came to it. They were also used to launch small raids on the besiegers by attacking isolated pockets of enemy forces, sabotaging siege equipment, or destroying their food supplies. Since most castles had at least one, postern gates were not really a secret but were generally hard to find.  

What was secret, however, were hidden passages that some castles had. One such example of a secret passageway is at Bran Castle in Romania. It connected the first and third floors of the castle and was used in the event of an emergency. It was so secret, in fact, that it was only rediscovered in 1920 during some extensive renovations.