Top 10: Germany's most visited castles and palaces

Würzburg Residence is a baroque masterpiece. It's the former home of the powerful prince-bishops of Würzburg. They were both secular and ecclesiastical rulers, which clearly filled the coffers with plenty of cash. Napoleon was so impressed by the Würzburg Residence that he called it "the most beautiful parsonage in Europe."

Prussia's rulers built many magnificent, large castles in Berlin and Potsdam, but the diminutive Sanssouci Palace is a firm favorite with visitors. Frederick the Great had the summer palace built from 1745–1747 in accordance with his own design. It comprises just 12 rooms, where the king could philosophize and make music without a care in the world — "sans souci," inspiring the French name.

The Bavarian monarchs' summer residence ended up being pretty huge: Nymphenburg in Munich is one of the largest palace complexes in Europe. With a width of 632 meters (2,070 feet), it's even bigger than Versailles! A highlight for visitors is the birth room of King Ludwig II. The Fairy-Tale King, as he's also known, didn't enjoy ruling half as much as building castles.

Linderhof Palace is the smallest of the three palaces built by Ludwig II. It was modeled on the French Palace of Versailles, which is why there's a Hall of Mirrors here, too. It was the only one of Ludwig's ambitious building projects to be completed and where the shy monarch actually lived.

Pillnitz Palace is located just outside Dresden on the banks of the Elbe River. The Saxon electors and kings loved to spend the summer months here. It was a true pleasure palace; Augustus the Strong, for example, kept one of his mistresses here. Lavish weddings and parties were held at Pillnitz Palace, events that also spilled out into the extensive park and gardens.

The Saxon rulers spent most of the year at Dresden's Royal Palace. It was destroyed during World War II and reconstruction didn't start until 1985. Gradually, the valuable collections were returned to their original location at the Royal Palace, such as the famous Green Vault, the treasury of the Saxon electors and kings.

With around 150 rooms on show, the Munich Residence is one of the largest palaces in Germany. Over the centuries, the Bavarian rulers from the House of Wittelsbach created a magnificent residence here. The Antiquarium (photo) from 1571 is the oldest surviving room. It owes its name to the antiquities on display here.

The Palatinate electors used to spend their summer holidays in the tranquil town of Schwetzingen, not far from Heidelberg. It was first and foremost the enlightened Elector Carl Theodor who had Schwetzingen transformed into a total work of art in the 18th century. The palace plays almost a secondary role, with the almost 70-hectare (173-acre) palace garden taking center stage.

For visitors from all over the world, Neuschwanstein is the epitome of a fairy-tale castle. Like Linderhof, it was built by the reclusive Bavarian King Ludwig II. The US cartoonist Walt Disney used it as a model for his movie castles in "Cinderella" and "Sleeping Beauty," assuring Neuschwanstein global fame.

Germany's favorite castle is in Heidelberg! Almost a million people visited the romantic castle ruins last year. It was once the magnificent residence of the electors of the Palatinate, but it was destroyed in the wars of the 17th century. It is precisely this aura of transience that fascinates visitors to this day.