<strong>In a hole: </strong>Castles don't come much more strategically placed than in the mouth of a cave. Predjama Castle in Slovenia is a spectacular fortress embedded in a limestone landscape. <br />
In a hole: Castles don't come much more strategically placed than in the mouth of a cave. Predjama Castle in Slovenia is a spectacular fortress embedded in a limestone landscape.
JURE MAKOVEC/AFP via Getty Images
<strong>The way in: </strong>The modern entrance to the castle is via a drawbridge. The original way was via a ladder to doorways two floors up.
The way in: The modern entrance to the castle is via a drawbridge. The original way was via a ladder to doorways two floors up.
John Malathronas
<strong>An undignified end:</strong> Erasmus von Luegg, a robber baron who was besieged in the castle in the 1480s, met his end when someone fired a cannonball into an outhouse while he was inside.
An undignified end: Erasmus von Luegg, a robber baron who was besieged in the castle in the 1480s, met his end when someone fired a cannonball into an outhouse while he was inside.
John Malathronas
<strong>The warmest room:</strong> Built for strategy rather than comfort, most of the castle is cold and damp, but it's main bedroom offers some respite.
The warmest room: Built for strategy rather than comfort, most of the castle is cold and damp, but it's main bedroom offers some respite.
John Malathronas
<strong>The armory: </strong>The castle's barracks have been converted to an armory museum showcasing medieval weapons like battleaxes, halberds, crossbows and flails.
The armory: The castle's barracks have been converted to an armory museum showcasing medieval weapons like battleaxes, halberds, crossbows and flails.
John Malathronas
<strong>Cave network:</strong> The castle is built over a network of caves that can be explored with a guide. During Erasmus's siege he used tunnels to smuggle in supplies.
Cave network: The castle is built over a network of caves that can be explored with a guide. During Erasmus's siege he used tunnels to smuggle in supplies.
John Malathronas
<strong>Horse cave:</strong> The castle's builders made practical use of every cavern and niche. Below, there's even a stable for horses constructed into the rock.
Horse cave: The castle's builders made practical use of every cavern and niche. Below, there's even a stable for horses constructed into the rock.
John Malathronas
<strong>Erasmus's resting place:</strong> Legend has it that a linden tree was planted to mark Erasmus's grave in a nearby village. The tree was badly damaged by fire in 2001, but it meant so much to the villagers that tree surgeons were called in, and its trunk split and repaired.
Erasmus's resting place: Legend has it that a linden tree was planted to mark Erasmus's grave in a nearby village. The tree was badly damaged by fire in 2001, but it meant so much to the villagers that tree surgeons were called in, and its trunk split and repaired.
John Malathronas
<strong>Record breaker: </strong>The structure is listed by Guinness World Records as the world's largest cave castle. The current facade dates from the 1580s, but records say a castle has been here on the site since the 13th century.
Record breaker: The structure is listed by Guinness World Records as the world's largest cave castle. The current facade dates from the 1580s, but records say a castle has been here on the site since the 13th century.
JURE MAKOVEC/AFP via Getty Images