Which country has the most castles?

Do you love castles? Have you ever wondered which country has the most castles?

The country with the most castles in the world is Germany. It is estimated that there are about 25,000 castles in this country! However, the exact figure is still yet to be disclosed by the European Castle Institute.

Whether you’re young or old, we can all agree; there’s just something about a castle that piques our curiosity.

We all grow up and hear of fairytales about such fortified structures, historical battles around the world, and tales of royals living in such castles. 

Likewise visiting a country for the largest amount of castles is a great reason to visit. However, there are many other countries with a significant amount of castles which are worth visiting!

Read on below for some of Europes best castles.

Which country has the most castles per square mile?

The country which has the most castles per square mile is Wales.

Wales, in itself, has 600 castles, all with a medieval narrative behind them whether it be from the Romans, British royals, or former Welsh princes. 

If you ever visit Wales, it’s most likely you won’t be far from a medieval castle!

How many castles Spain has?

Spain is a country rich in history and is renowned for its Christian monarchy. Due to its turbulent past and fighting between kings, lots of castles were established in the making.

 It was rumoured that there used to be 10,000. In the past, everyone wanted to have their castle to protect them and house them safely. Today, in Spain, it’s been reported there are around 2500 castles in the country. 

How many castles the U.K. has?

It’s estimated that the U.K. has around 1,500 castles standing. It has so many because it’s made up of multiple kingdoms such as Wales, Ireland, and Scotland.

It turns out that many prestigious Anglo Saxon nobles owned such castles and refused to give them up!

When the Normans eventually came in, they had to find a way to control the Saxons. They did this by building castles on lands they had just conquered!

How many castles Ireland has

Ireland is a country with lots of castles and ruins. While the standing castles haven’t been counted, it’s estimated that the castles and their ruins total up to 30,000! 

When the Normans conquered Ireland during the late 12th century, they took large portions of land from the Irish.

 Like other areas of the U.K., to mark their terrority, they built a castle on the land. Hence why there are now so many and ruins about in Ireland!

How many castles France has

The French Ministry of Culture states there are currently 11,000 castles in France. However, Parisabout, mentions if all the private residencies were where people live in castles counted and historic castle ruins, the number could be well above 45,000! 

If you visit France, don’t be surprised if you frequently come across a castle. 

Best castles to see in Europe.

Now that we’ve mentioned how many castles German, Spain, France, the U.K., and Ireland has, let’s share with you a list of what we think are the best castles to see in Europe. 

We know we’ve left some marvellous countries out of this blog post up until now, however, don’t be disheartened as we most likely will cover them if you read on.

In no particular order, here are the best castles to see in Europe:

1.Neuschwanstein Castle

Do you like Disney? In Germany, the magical Castle of Neuschwanstein was a structure Walt Disney drew inspiration from to create Disney’s famous Cinderella castle! It often gets named the ‘Disney Castle.’ 

It’s estimated that more than a million people visit this castle every year, and in the summer, up to 6000 people can visit! 

This charming blue and white castle is great to look at, but it also has epic views! Once you reach the castle, you can look at the top of the scenic Bavarian village of Hohenschwangau.

2. The Pena Palace

Located in Sintra Portugal, The Pena Palace is a gorgeous structure full of warm colours such as yellow, orange, and brown. 

This castle was built in the 18th century and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s located in the Sintra Mountains on top of a hill overlooking the village of Sintra. 

3. Château de Chantilly

This beautiful castle is located in the French town of Chantilly, Oise, located just over 50km from the capital. 

This was initially destroyed during the French Revolution but was later rebuilt. Ironically, this marvellous castle never was owned by any French royals, however many wealthy noblemen did live here.

 The castle even has an art collection, housing many French treasures.

4. Bran Castle

Bran Castle is where the fictional character of Dracula lives. Yes, Bram Stoker drew his inspiration from this majestical castle The Carpathian Mountains in Transylvania, Romania. 

Many armies have fought at this site, which makes it just, even more, feel like a castle when you’re visiting. Stand there and imagine the knights battling away!

5. Miramare Castle

If you’re visiting northeastern Italy, then you must visit the dreamy Miramare Castle.

However, later on, it houses emperors and empresses. The structure alone is impressive, but so is the gardens! There are tropical trees and plants all around the site.

6. Hohenzollern Castle

It was then again rebuilt during the 14th century with the gothic architecture you see today. 

A third castle was also built onto this site during the 18th century. Today it attracts over 350,000 visitors per year and is privately owned by the House of Hohenzollern.

7. Edinburgh Castle

You can’t visit Scotlands capital without paying for a trip to the remarkable fortress, Edinburgh Castle.

 The castle sits on Castle Rock, and there’s been the discovery of life on this site by archaeologists since the iron age. 

Today Edinburgh is one of the tallest castles in Scotland and most visited in the UK.

8. Alcázar de Segovia

In the Spanish city of Segovia stands this magical castle. This fortification is completely built out of stone and also served as another inspiration for Walt Disney.

 It’s estimated that it was built during the 11th century, as the first reference to it was in documents dating back to 1120.

9. Conwy Castle

Located in North Wales, is the stunning Conwy Castle. This castle was constructed by Prince Edward I during the 12th century. 

This medieval fortress sits above overlooking the town of Conway. Inside there are mesmerizing spiral staircases that wind around the castle and lots of furniture. On a clear day, you can see Snowdonia from this castle!

Well, there you have it 9 of some of the best castles in Europe. They aren’t officially the best castles; we think they’re great. In all honesty, there are many more castles out there! So do check them out and visit them all! 

Don’t forget to check out our blog section for more castle-related articles

Related Questions

What is the Oldest Standing Castle in the World?

Formerly the oldest standing castle was in Aleppo, northern Syria, built around 3000BC. However, due to the countries war, it was bombed, and today it no longer exists. Therefore, now the oldest standing castle is The Reischsburg Cochem. It is located in Cochem, Germany, and was built in the year 1000.

What is the Biggest Castle in the World?

If measured by land area, the biggest castle in the world is Malbork Castle. This is a 13th-century Teutonic brick fortress located in the town of Malbork, north-central Poland. Today this mighty castle is still standing and visited by many.