A few views of Chillon Castle on Lake Geneva, Switzerland. The setting is what really makes this one stand out to me, the stone walls rise straight from the water, with the mountains providing a dramatic backdrop.

I like how different it looks from each angle. From one side, it feels like a compact fortress, while another view reveals layers of towers, courtyards, and steep rooftops. It’s the kind of place where you’d want to walk all the way around just to take in the details.

Author: Simon Edwards. Source

Recent visit to Vilnius saw two great days in the end of October... clear(er) skies and a free ticket to see the tower myseum!

Taken after a 2 hour hike in deep snow.

A small castle on the outskirts of the city of Breda, NL

I was virtually wandering around the Upper Swabia countryside in Germany on Google Earth and randomly bumped into this massive complex.

Turns out this place used to be an Imperial Abbey. It underwent a massive expansion in the 18th century, transforming into what people often call a "Heaven on Earth" for High Baroque/Rococo architecture.

Seriously, looking at the scale of the monastery buildings, church, and gardens, I can't help but wonder where these monks were getting their budget from back then!

Upper Swabia seems to be packed with these ridiculously grand Baroque monasteries (Ottobeuren, Weingarten, etc.). Anyone here been to Ochsenhausen in person?

Author of the reconstruction: Gabriele Pettinau. Source. Actual picture from here

The castle structure mainly dates from the 12th to 14th centuries and is an example of medieval Portuguese military architecture, featuring heavy stone walls, crenellated towers, and Gothic entry portals. Today, it is a luxury hotel and visitors stay within the castle walls. When I was there I stayed at Estralagem de Convento, but the castle was beautiful.

Castello Scaligero di Sirmione is a remarkably preserved 13th-century fortress and rare water castle located at the entrance of Sirmione's historic center on Lake Garda, Italy.

Built by the Scaliger family of Verona, this medieval stronghold features massive stone walls, swallow-tail battlements, and a 47-meter-high keep overlooking the lake.

Its most distinctive feature is a unique, fully fortified 14th-century harbor once used to protect the Venetian fleet.

Today, it stands as one of Italy's most complete and visited coastal castles, offering panoramic rampart walks and views over the peninsula.