You only see what you know (Goethe)
King Charles I of Hungary commissioned the first Royal House in the 14th century. In the 15th century, Matthias Corvinus renewed the palace in late Gothic style. After the Ottoman siege in 1544, the building fell into ruins. Its excavation began in 1934 and continues today.
The pic shows Veliki Tabor Castle (Dvor Veliki Tabor) on a sunny spring day. The oldest part of this building is a five-cornered tower dating back to the 12th century. The Croatian painter Oton Iveković owned the castle from 1927 to 1935. [German]
Trauttmansdorff Castle did have famous guests. So stayed Empress Elisabeth “Sisi” of Austria here. What about me? I visited an exhibition about tourism inside the castle and enjoyed a large garden with exotic flowers. [German]
Sümeg Castle (Sümeg Vár) is one of the most well-preserved fortresses in Hungary. It was built in the mid or late 13th century by Béla IV of Hungary. Today the elongated castle high over the town of Sümeg is a venue for tournaments and cultural events. [German]
Bogenšperg Castle (Grad Bogenšperg) was the home of the natural historian and polymath Johann Weichard Valvasor (1641-1693). He became famous for publishing several books about topics like the Karst or the history of Carniola. [German]
A chance to see the famous Lipizzaner horses of the Spanish Riding School for free is at the Stallburg building. This former residence is placed next to the Winter Riding School. Between the training and the performances, the Stallburg is the home of the white stallions.
This tower is part of a former stronghold owned by the legendary Hungarian military leader Pál Kinizsi. By climbing up Kinizsi Castle (Kinizsi-vár), I learned something new about the interior of tower houses in the medieval ages. [German]
The fortress of Kamerlengo (Tvrđava Kamerlengo) was built by the Venetians in the 15th century as an extension of existing structures. The old town of Trogir has been a UNESCO world heritage site since 1997. [German]
The castle above the mouth of the Paznaun in the Stanzer Valley dates back to the 13th century. Several of today’s structures result from a renovation at the beginning of the 20th century. In May 1945, parts of the German Wehrmacht surrendered to American troops after negotiations in this castle. [German]
Trenčín Castle (Trenčiansky hrad) is a castle high above Trenčín, a city in the west of Slovakia. Its oldest part is a rotunda dating back to the Great Moravian period. A castle museum tells about the history of the building and the region.
Snežnik Castle (Grad Snežnik) was first mentioned in 1268. I was especially impressed by the complete interior furnishing of the 19/20th century. So this place gives a good impression of the noble lifestyle in that period. As most Slovenian castles lost their furniture at the end of World War II, this manor house is really a gem. [German]
Niederfalkenstein Castle (Burg Niederfalkenstein) is situated high over the municipality Obervellach in the Austrian state of Carinthia. This photo was taken from a train while passing the railway bridge Falkensteinbrücke.