European castles are some of the world's most iconic and historically significant structures, many dating back to the Middle Ages. They were primarily built for defense against enemy invaders, housing ...

Take a peek behind the stony walls of Europe's most magnificent structures. Aug. 8, 2008 -- From beheadings to extravagant parties, castles around the world have been used for a variety of purposes.

In normal summers, the castles of Europe offer a glimpse across time that seems like a brief plunge into a storybook past. This is not a normal summer, though, with one global European power doing its ...

For centuries, medieval castles — hulking, isolated triumphs of masonry — have held a special place in the Western imagination, evoking at once a sense of history, fantasy, war and romance. They are ...

South of Munich in the foothills of the Alps, I toured Hohenschwangau Castle. It was “Mad” King Ludwig’s father’s castle — and Ludwig’s boyhood summer home. When his father died, Ludwig became king.

America doesn’t have centuries of medieval history or ancient royal families building fortresses, but that didn’t stop ...