Vianden Castle is one of Europe’s largest and most impressive feudal residences, perched on a hill above the town of Vianden in northern Luxembourg. Built between the 11th and 14th centuries on the foundations of a Roman and Carolingian site, the castle became the seat of the powerful Counts of Vianden. Designed in Romanesque and later Gothic styles, the castle features grand halls, a chapel, defensive towers, and thick stone walls that reflect both its noble prestige and military strength. Afte

Lichtenstein Castle is a striking hilltop fortress perched on the edge of the Swabian Jura in Baden-Württemberg, southern Germany. Often called the “fairytale castle of Württemberg,” it overlooks the Echaz Valley from a dramatic rocky cliff, creating one of the most picturesque castle settings in the country. The present castle was built between 1840 and 1842 by Duke Wilhelm of Urach, inspired by the romantic novel Lichtenstein by Wilhelm Hauff and the medieval ruins that once stood on the site.

Cochem Castle, towering high above the Moselle River in western Germany, is one of the most picturesque and iconic castles in the region. Originally built around the 11th century, the fortress was destroyed during the Nine Years’ War and later rebuilt in the 19th century in a romantic Neo-Gothic style. This revival gave the castle its fairy-tale appearance, with pointed towers, decorative stonework, and sweeping views that make it look straight out of a storybook. Overlooking the charming town o

This is Epic History TV's guide to building the perfect castle, based on the development of European medieval castles over 400 years of history. We trace the origins of the castle in the feudal system that emerged in France c.900 CE, and look at the early motte-and-bailey castle, used by the Normans to subjugate England and Wales in the 11th century. We then look at how castle's became stronger and more sophisticated, with the addition of stone curtain walls, massive keeps, towers (square, round