Top 10 castles in the world 

1. Piles Castle,  Romania

Taken by the enchanting Buscemi Mountains, King Carol I commissioned the construction of a pre-Renaissance–style castle in the quaint village of Sinai during the 1860s. The royal summer house contains 160 rooms, all of which have a distinctive theme. For example, the theater on the grounds asserts a storybook feeling, with exquisite frescoes by Austrian artists Gustav Klimt and Franz  Match climbing the walls and ceiling.

2. Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City, Mexico

Mexico City's Chapultepec Castle is the only castle within North America to ever house actual sovereigns. Viceroy Bernardo de Gálvez ordered the construction of the fortress in 1785 to serve as the home for the commander in chief of the Spanish colony, New Spain. 

Years after the Mexican War of Independence, the regal structure was repurposed as a military academy and later became the site of the Battle of Chapultepec during the Mexican-American War in 1847. Eventually, it would once again act as an official royal residence for Emperor Maximilian I and his wife, Empress Carlota.

3. Qatar Fort in Alexandria, Egypt

Construction of this austere fortress on the Mediterranean Sea began in 1477 after Sultan Al-Ashraf of Qatar learned of Ottoman troops advancing toward Alexandria. The castle plans were cleverly laid out on the ruins of the fallen Paris Lighthouse, where workers could salvage pieces of the previous structure to build red granite columns in the mosque and entrance. 

4. Sumoto Castle in Sumoto, Japan

The origins of Sumoto Castle date back to 1504 when the Ogasawara clan started to build a fort to fend off invaders. Only a few years after its completion, the military fortification was captured by the powerful warlord Takeda Shingen. As the castle switched hands throughout history, its design evolved into a tall three-towered structure with inky black walls and roofs that earned it the nickname the “Crow Castle.” 

Around 1872, the castle faced possible demolition as developers wanted to build newer buildings and housing complexes on the site.

5. Bonnie Castle in Bonnie, Slovakia

According to written records found at the door of the Abbey, this Romanesque castle might have first been built as a wooden fort as early as 1113. Stone slowly began to replace the wood, and by the 16th century, the Gothic castle boasted Renaissance elements. 

While he might not have been the first owner of the fortress, King Matthias Carvings of Hungary might have been one of the first to invest in its future.

6. Fail, Ghebbi in ONDAR, Ethiopia

Emperor Families commanded the construction of the imposing fortress-city in 1636 after he broke from tradition and founded the new capital city of ONDAR. Previously, Ethiopian emperors would travel through the territories of the country, living off the food offered by locals and staying in tents. From its inception, Fail Ghebbi stood as a symbol of change in Ethiopia. 

Situated on top of a high plateau, the castle complex consisted of living quarters for the royal family and a series of gardens, temples, libraries, and even a swimming pool. 

7. Chateau de Chenonceau, France

Surrounded by manicured formal gardens, Château de Chenonceau appears as though it’s elegantly floating over the reflective Cher River. The original structure can be traced back to the 11th century, but it was Diane de Poitiers, the mistress of Henry II, who commissioned Hilbert de L'Or me to build the castle’s hallmark feature, the arched bridge, in the 16th century.