Marienburg Castle

Pattensen, Germany, Germany

---

Marienburg Castle is a grand neo-Gothic castle near Pattensen in Lower Saxony, Germany, built between 1858 and 1867 as a birthday gift from King George V of Hanover to his wife, Queen Marie, who oversaw its design inspired by medieval hilltop fortresses.

Perched on the Marienberg hill overlooking the Leine Valley about 20 km south of Hanover, this 160-room complex with tall towers and turrets—often called the "Neuschwanstein of the North"—features largely preserved interiors and served as a royal summer residence for the House of Welf.

Once briefly home to later royals like Prince Ernst August after World War II, it now belongs to the Marienburg Castle Foundation, functioning as a center for culture and music, though it's currently closed for renovations expected to last until around 2031.