10 Disney Castles From The Movies To See IRL

While Disney’s castles are the stuff of fairy tales, many of these stunning works of art are based on real-life castles.

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After the release of Disney’s first princess-themed movie in 1937 (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs), the company hit the ground running with a surplus of princess movies. Over the years, Little Mermaid fought for her right to have legs, Sleeping Beauty woke up thanks to true love’s kiss, Moana saved her tribe, and Tiana became a princess after literally kissing a frog.

Each movie has grown with the times and has inspired children everywhere to believe and follow their dreams. But what some younger Disney fans don’t know is that their favorite Disney movies have come to life. Many of the castles seen in the movies are based on real castles. Pack a bag and head to these 10 locations to see Disney castles out in the open.

10 Neuschwanstein Castle: Sleeping Beauty

The original Sleeping Beauty came out in 1959 and focused on a young woman who didn’t know she was a princess. After getting cursed by Maleficent as a child, the king and queen wanted to protect their daughter before she turned 16 and, therefore, sent her to live with her fairy godmothers in the forest.

Eventually, Aurora learns that she is a princess and even finds her true love all in a single day. In real life, the castle Aurora’s parents lived in was based on Bavaria’s Neuschwanstein Castle! The castle is probably the most famous for Disney inspiration as it has been said that Walt Disney himself fell in love with it.

9 Mont Saint-Michel: Tangled

Mandy Moore crushed it as Rapunzel in 2010’s Tangled. In the animated film, Rapunzel was locked away in her tower as Mother Gothel sought to keep her hidden from the world.

Due to Rapunzel’s magical hair, Mother Gothel didn’t want to share her gift with the world and did everything she could to keep her from reaching the outside world. Rapunzel eventually escapes with the help of Flynn Rider and finds her true destiny as a princess.

In real life, Rapunzel’s parents’ castle was based on Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy, France.

8 Alcázar de Segovia: Snow White

As the first Disney movie, Snow White holds a special place in many fans’ hearts. The story of a young woman who is banished from her kingdom out of spite, Snow White meets seven dwarves (and plenty of animal friends) that help her get back on her feet.

For every Snow White diehard fan, they can see the castle in real life in Spain. Alcázar de Segovia was built on a cliff overlooking the water, making it picturesque enough for a fairytale-like Snow White.

7 The Hôtel de Glace: Frozen

Frozen is, by far, one of the most profitable movies Disney produced. With their beautiful stories, epic animations, and catchy tunes, Frozen and Frozen 2 were a raging success with kids and adults alike.

Just in case Frozen fans thought Disney animators created the film through only imagination, they were actually inspired by The Hôtel de Glace in Quebec City, Canada for Elsa’s snow castle. The director of Frozen even visited the “Ice Hotel” for inspiration and, obviously, the results were fantastic.

6 Dunnottar Castle: Brave

In 2012, Disney’s Pixar gave audiences the inspiring story of Princess Merida and her fight for independence in Brave. As the daughter of a Scottish king, Merida was “supposed” to be married off to keep the family lines strong, however, she had other plans. She proved she could be a powerful princess without the help of a man, creating a new theme for Disney’s princess films.

The castle where Merida and her family live is actually based on a few castles in Scotland. The two most well-known are Eilean Donan Castle and Dunnotar Castle. The animators for Brave were so taken back by Scotland’s raw beauty that they found it difficult to choose only one castle for inspiration.

5 Craigievar Castle: Cinderella

It’s hard to tell if Cinderella is Disney’s most famous animated movie, thanks to Cinderella’s castle being in the center of Disney World. The animated film came out in 1950 and filled everyone with delight and hope.

Funnily enough, Cinderella had everything she needed to save herself, even if the film’s ’50s roots limited her potential. Regardless of the storyline, the castle that the Prince lived in was based on Craigievar Castle in Scotland. However, France’s Château de Chaumont has also been mentioned as an inspiration for Cinderella’s castle. Perhaps, Disney’s animators combined their love for both and created one epic castle.

4 Cháteau de Chambord: Beauty And The Beast

Beauty and the Beast is a true classic. The film came out in 1991 and showed that love has no bounds. Belle saved her father from the Beast and sacrificed her own freedom instead. The future princess also had a deep passion for storytelling and books, which inspired kids watching to find a love for reading as well. In the end, Bell fell for the Beast regardless of his looks, title, and fortune.

While the Beast’s castle seemed dark and dreary in its gloomy days, it was inspired by the beautiful Cháteau de Chambord in France. The cháteau was also the inspiration for the live-action version of the movie and can be visited today.

3 The Forbidden City: Mulan

Castles vary across the globe and the Emperor’s Palace in Mulan is no different. The palace in Mulan was based on The Forbidden City in Beijing, China, and is uncanny to the real thing.

Today, visitors can visit the Forbidden City as it is now a museum. And who knows, maybe the site will inspire kids everywhere to stand up for themselves and their families and be brave like Mulan.

2 Windsor Castle: Alice In Wonderland

After the success of Disney’s Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland was next on deck. The film is tad trippy and quite unique for Disney. After Alice falls asleep, she experiences a magical world while in a dream-like state.

In her dream, Alice meets the Queen of Hearts and her impeccably designed castle. Who can forget watching the queen play croquet? Due to the various gardens and design of the castle, it has been proposed that Windsor Castle was the original inspiration for the Queen of Hearts’ palace.

1 Atlantis The Palm: Little Mermaid

In The Little Mermaid, there are two castles: One belonging to Prince Eric and the other to King Tritan. While Prince Eric’s castle was based on Switzerland’s Château de Chillon, King Tritan’s castle was inspired by Dubai’s Atlantis the Palm.

As demonstrated in the side-by-side photo, there are similarities in the spirals but the inside of the resort. Those staying at the hotel can eat “underwater” and everything is under-the-sea themed.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/disney-castles-movies-real-life/