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“Straight out of a fairy tale” brings to mind images of stone bridges, forest floors carpeted with flowers, and canals carving through villages—but don’t forget that every tale has a dark side, too. Villains and their evil lairs are just as necessary to those stories. (After all, what would Sleeping Beauty be without Maleficent’s castle?) As such, it makes sense that real-life castles have an air of mystery, and many have paranormal tales that, frankly, only add to the appeal. We’re talking haunted ballrooms, axe-wielding spirits, and dungeons. So many dungeons.
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Here, we’ve rounded up haunted castles around the world that are worth visiting—even if you aren’t a believer in the supernatural. Sure, they have some resident poltergeists (and, in one case, the literal gate to hell), but they also feature incredible architecture and showcase the rich histories of New Zealand, Romania, Hawaii, and more. Ghosts with a side of Romanesque arches? Sign us up.
This article has been updated since its original publish date.
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