Monarchies, with all their quaintness and their controversial histories, have nevertheless left behind a rich and interesting culture that is worth knowing about. In order to understand our present and define our future, we need to know about our history, and figure out where we came from. And even if it weren’t for the cultural value, it can still be pretty fun and entertaining to visit old places and to learn about them. In that respect, visiting castles and crowns can be some of the richest experiences. We’ve comprised a short list of destinations you should visit at least once in a lifetime.
For history buffs, few things are more interesting than visiting castles and crowns; the following objectives are some of the most beautiful in Europe, and they also hold crown jewels worth seeing. Here is where you should begin:
The Prague Castle
This is one of the most beautiful and unique castles in the world, and it is also considered the largest, because its grounds contain numerous buildings from various historical periods, added one by one by the monarchs and rulers that succeeded each other. There are various churches and cathedrals, castle grounds, and numerous other building with various purposes. The Prague Castle is home to the St. Vitus Cathedral, a gorgeous example of Gothic architecture, and here is where the Bohemian Jewels can be admired from time to time. The Crown Jewels are the most important Czech heritage after the castle itself, and their value cannot be measured in money thanks to their historical importance. Unfortunately, the actual jewels come out on display only rarely, and the person who can decide their exposition is the Republic’s President.
The Edinburgh Castle
The Scottish have a very interesting history, and Scotland is the country with the most castles, many of them abandoned or available for sale. This sad circumstance will never happen however with Scotland’s most prized possession, the Edinburgh Castle, a beautiful stone fortification on top of a hill. The castle is not just a touristic objective however, as it serves as headquarters for the Scottish Division. Construction on the castle began in the 12th century, but only a very small part of that original building has survived, and the castle was rebuilt and expanded over the years. More importantly, here you can visit the crown jewels, or The Honours of Scotland as they are known. They are comprised of three pieces: the crown, the scepter and the Sword of State.
The Rosenborg Castle
A great example of Dutch Renaissance style, the Rosenborg Castle is located in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is a former country home which eventually became castle, having housed numerous generations of Danish royalty. By visiting it, you will not only get to admire its beautiful interiors available on three levels, but you will also learn about its royal history and inhabitants over the years. Finally, in the basement, you get to admire the crown jewels, which are found quite close to the visitors, so you can analyze them in all their splendor.
These are just some of the more interesting castles and crowns you should visit. Those who enjoy this sort of thing can definitely run with it in Europe, the richest continent in this respect. Countries like Austria and Germany are other great destinations to admire old castles and their jewels. In Munich for example, the former monarchy of Bavaria, you find not only many castles, but the former Bavarian jewelry as well. Vienna is a good destination as well, and its castles house jewels like the Crown of Emperor Rudolph II, the Imperial Crown and other Imperial Jewels.
