10 real fairytale buildings

10 real fairytale buildings

Eye-catcher, heartbeat, jaw dropping: 10 real, fairytale-like buildings straight from a Grimm fairy tale

One of the best parts of traveling is visiting a surreal place that has only been seen in pictures before. Whether it's an unknown location hidden in the hills of Portugal or an iconic structure plastered in the pages of National Geographic, these places are eye-catching, heart-stopping, breathtaking.

In short, they could be straight out of a picture book. Here are our favorite fairytale buildings from around the world.

1. Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany

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Germany's stoic image is so intertwined with its past that it's easy to forget the beauty that abounds in its lands. Lush green forests and alpine hills give Bavaria a distinctly fairytale feel, perfectly embodied by Neuschwanstein Castle near the village of Hohenschwangau.

The castle was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria and opened to the paying public after his death in 1886. Since then, more than 61 million people have visited the site.

2. Hotel Blumau, Austria

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Designed by Austrian artist and architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser, the Blumau Hotel was built over a hot spring that reaches 110°C on the surface. Designed to exist in harmony with nature, the hotel uses its thermal water to heat the entire complex and generate half of its electricity.

3. Bagan, Burma

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For years, Burma languished far off the beaten path. Tourism in the region has been relatively low, largely due to ethical entanglements regarding the human rights record.

However, when Aung San Suu Kyi officially gave up her opposition to tourism, the sector slowly began to flourish. The jewel in its crown is Bagan, an ancient city in the Mandalay region that is sure to become Burma's version of Angkor Wat.

4. Stone house, Portugal

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A Casa do Penedo, or “the house of stone,” stands between four large boulders in the Fafe Mountains of northern Portugal. When images of the house first surfaced online, it was dismissed as a Photoshop joke, but it is actually real.

The rustic property doesn't have electricity, but it does have a cozy fireplace, a stone-carved swimming pool and log staircases.

5. Ta Prohm, Cambodia

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Ta Prohm is one of several surreal Angkor sites in Cambodia. It was founded in the late 12th century by the Khmer King Jayavarman VII and was built as a monastery and university of Mahayana Buddhism.

Today it is one of the most visited temples in Angkor, made famous by Angelina Jolie's film Tomb Raider... not a fairy tale as such, but it will do.

6. Lichtenstein Castle, Germany

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We didn't want to add another German castle to the list, but how could we resist*? With its stone architecture and impressive design, Lichtenstein Castle could have come straight from a fairy tale. Located on a rock overlooking the Echaz Valley, the castle belongs to the Dukes of Urach (a super-rich family) but is open to the public.

• Wir haben jedoch dem Drang widerstanden, die Burg Eltz in Deutschland, den Mont Saint Michel in Frankreich, den Alcázar von Segovia in Spanien und La Rocca in San Marino einzubeziehen, also geben Sie uns hoffentlich einige Bonuspunkte dafür.

7. Crooked House, Poland

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Krzywy Domek, Polish for “crooked little house,” is a crazy building in Sopot, Poland. Built in 2004, it looks like it should house a Mad Hatter of some size, but unfortunately is part of the much more prosaic Rezydent shopping center. Capitalism sucks.

8. Turf houses, Iceland

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These may seem like the product of whims conceived by Björk or someone equally silly. In fact, they were built according to practical designs that provided superior insulation compared to buildings made entirely of wood or stone.

Turf houses, found in several locations in Iceland, have a large foundation of flat stones supported by a wooden frame. The turf is then laid in blocks around the frame, often with a second layer for additional insulation.

9. St. Basil's Cathedral, Russia

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Our list would not be complete without this fantastic monument from Red Square in Moscow. Originally built as a church, the building was converted into a public museum in 1923. It's an enduring icon of Russia that's quite amusing as it's colorful, playful and whimsical...not quite the adjectives you'd associate with Russians.

10. Casa Batlló, Spain

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Designed by the brilliant architect Antoni Gaudí, Casa Batlló is one of the most famous buildings in Barcelona. With its irregular oval windows and flowing stone sculptures, it wouldn't be out of place in a Grimm's fairy tale.

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Additional photography: Dreamstime

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