Château de Brissac
The Château de Brissac is in Maine-et-Loire, France and is said to be the home of the Ghost of the Green Lady. The story goes that the lady of the house, Charlotte, was found with her lover by her own husband, who then murdered both of them in anger before leaving the castle. Her ghost is said to linger there, and is named the Green Lady due to the green dress she is said to wear.
Leap Castle
Leap Castle is renowned for being one of the most haunted locations in all of Ireland. Several ghosts are said to reside there, including It, which (rather than being a creepy clown) is a rotting creature about the size of a sheep that smells of putrid flesh. Other ghosts include two young girls playing, and a woman dubbed the Red Lady. Two brothers who lived in the castle, and one murdered the other in order to keep the place for himself. Anglo-Irish gothic novelist Mildred Darby also owned and worked in the castle for a time.
Houska Castle
Houska Castle is in the Czech Republic and has stood since the 13th century. The castle appears to be in the middle of nowhere, but under the building, there is a deep pit. Legend has it this pit is the gateway to Hell itself, and that the castle was built over it in order to trap any malevolent entities that might arise, and keep them from wreaking havoc on Earth.
Bran Castle
Bran Castle in Romania was built in the 14th century, and stood throughout the reign of the notorious Vlad the Impaler. It is said that the ghosts of Vlad’s victims still roam the castle halls to this day. Bran Castle is also popularly known as Dracula’s Castle, due to its alleged influence on Dracula author Bram Stoker; however, there is no evidence Stoker was actually familiar with the location, nor did Vlad the Impaler (who was a confirmed inspiration for Dracula) actually live in the castle himself.
Chateau de Chillon
On the shores of lake Geneva in Switzerland lies Chillon Castle (or Château de Chillon), which is the home of some true horror stories. In the its dungeons, prisoners used to be tortured using horrifying devices in order to get them to cooperate. These tended to be prisoners of a political nature. Guests who visit the castle today still claim to feel an eerie presence or even hear distant screams from below.
Tower of London
The Tower of London is of course in London, England and is home to the crown jewels. It was also the place in London where many prisoners were held captive, tortured, and executed. Given its gruesome history, the number of ghost sightings reported here are not particularly surprising.
Castle Frankenstein
Mühltal, Germany is home to Castle Frankenstein. It rose to fame due to its association with Mary Shelley’s gothic science fiction novel Frankenstein. It can now hardly be separated from the novel it shares its name with, which may be why the have been countless ghost sightings at the castle. There are also local legends of dragon hunters and slayers around the castle, some of whom were slain themselves just outside the castle gates in the woods.
Predjama Castle
In a cave on the side of a huge cliff face in Slovenia, you will find Predjama Castle. You just have to look up at this imposing structure to be a little spooked, but the local legends surrounding the castle will only add to this. A knight named Erazem Lueger once resided at Predjama Castle which contains secret passageways and the prisoners held there were tortured relentlessly. Lueger killed people within the castle walls and it is said that his spirit remains there today.
Stirling Castle
The hilltop castle in Stirling, Scotland was the centre point of many wars, which may explain why so many ghosts seem to haunt the castle halls. The ghost of one of Mary Queen of Scots’ maids has been seen here many a time in a green dress. She reportedly threw herself off one of the castle towers after heartbreak. Mary herself is also said to have been sighted there, walking from the castle to the nearby church. She stayed at Stirling Castle time and time again, including the last days before her execution.
Himeji Castle
Himeji Castle was built back in 1333 in Himeji, Japan. Only a few such Japanese castles remain, and it is an impressive feat of architecture. The legends surrounding the building are truly haunting. It is said that a girl named Okiku was falsely accused of losing precious crockery there a long time ago, for which minor crime she was killed, her body was thrown down the castle well. Her ghost remains in the castle. It’s said that at night Okiku counts dishes, but upon counting to nine, she screams and returns to her resting place in the well.
