Now completely restored, Arundel was the home of Roger de Montgomery, who was made an earl by William the Conqueror all the way back in 1067. Through the centuries it was home to numerous members of the nobility and is the current home of Edward Fitzalan-Howard, the eighteenth Duke of Norfolk.
This castle has been the location for events, such as royal weddings, and public collections. Its cricket field has, since 1895, seen matches that run from local youth teams to international sparring matches.
Shuri-jô Castle – Naha, Japan
This is a beautiful example of far-eastern architecture. This stylish castle was built for the Ryukyu Kingdom, serving as a palace for four hundred years until the year 1879. Though the castle was nearly destroyed during the Battle of Okinawa during World War II, a long restoration project brought it back to life, and the castle is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It also spent some time as part of a university campus after the war. It's the site of numerous important religious and cultural ceremonies, though since the restoration has limited access to the site for the purpose of some events.
A Lightning Rod for Destruction
This palace has burned down four times over the course of its history. In fact, a fire has ravaged the grounds even as recently as 1992 and Halloween night, 2019. The main courtyard structures of the castle were once again damaged.
The castle and grounds feature large Japanese gates, numerous shrines, and plenty of other features such as private gardens, man-made ponds, natural springs, royal tombs, and even a royal villa that is a rare, historically valuable example of Ryukyuan landscape gardening. The castle has appeared in a number of video games, including "Deadly Dozen: Pacific Theater", and "Call of Duty: World at War".
Stop and Say Hi to the Neighbors
Arundel Castle is available for tours, but the family of the Duke of Norfolk still owns it and lives on the property. Due to the lengthy history of the property, it's been featured in plenty of works. One of them is the famous piece of literature "Morte D'Arthur", in which it is the castle of Angelides, the mother of Alisander.
It's also been used as a filming location for several TV shows and film productions, including "Doctor Who", and "The Madness of King George". It's also likely the inspiration for the kingdom from the "Frozen" series. The castle currently features a museum.
Cochem Castle – Cochem, Germany
Cochem Castle is a stunning creation that contains lots of old-world German-style features. It brings an outstanding view of the nearby Mosel River and an unforgettable example of early Gothic architecture. Constructed in the eleventh century, this castle has been a home for royals.
In 1688, the castle was occupied by French King Louis XIV's troops during the Nine Years' War. In the following year, they destroyed it. By the year 1868, the castle had long been in ruins when Berlin businessman Louis Frederic Jacques Ravene bought the castle and remade it in the Gothic Revival style. Since 1978 the town of Cochem has owned the castle.