Denmark: Egeskov Castle
Egeskov Castle is considered to be the best-preserved moated castle in Europe. The fairytale palace (gothic outside and renaissance inside) was completed in 1554 (although a fortress stood here from the 14th century), intentionally surrounded by water, a drawbridge, and thick defensive walls to protect against a possible siege. Supposedly, it took an entire forest of oaks to built the foundation for the castle, hence the name “Egeskov” literally meaning “oak forest”. The interior preserves a lavish medieval lifestyle with loads and loads of African safari trophies, a lot of heavy furniture, many paintings, a collection of toy cars and kitchenware on the upper floor, and much more. The castle changed hands 39 times since 1405.
