The 16th century castle in Aberdeenshire was in the list alongside other iconic European landmarks.
Craigievar Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.(Image: Getty Images)
A fairytale castle in Aberdeenshire that is rumoured to have inspired Walt Disney has been named one of the finest in the world.
Craigievar Castle, famed for its distinctive pink walls and soaring turrets, was recognised by the BBC’s Countryfile for its Disney aesthetic. It was listed alongside iconic European landmarks such as Neuschwanstein Castle and Lichtenstein Castle in Germany.
Introducing its global ranking, Countryfile said the list brought together “candy-pink towers” and “misty hilltop fortresses” that looked as though they had been lifted straight from a storybook.
On Craigievar, it said: “No castle gets closer to the Disney archetype than Craigievar Castle, set on the picturesque Craigievar hillside in Aberdeenshire.
“It might have even been the original Disney castle, as Walt Disney was believed to have taken inspiration for his own creations after seeing pictures of it.”
The castle’s story began in the late 16th century when the Mortimers of Craigievar began construction around 1575. By the 1590s, the structure was well underway, but the upper levels were originally plainer and less lofty than today’s fairytale outline.
The beautiful castle is believed to have even inspired Walt Disney when he saw the pictures of it(Image: Getty Images)
The lower levels, still visible beneath the carved stone corbel decorated with projecting stone cannons, are thought to represent this first phase of building.
In 1610, William Forbes, a wealthy merchant whose fortune was made through Baltic trade, purchased the estate. Determined to showcase his prosperity, he transformed the unfinished fortress into the seven-storey tower seen today, adding its elaborate turrets and balustraded viewing platform.
Forbes completed the work in 1626, and his family would remain at Craigievar for more than 300 years.
The estate passed to the National Trust for Scotland in the 1960s, ensuring its conservation for future generations. A major restoration project was carried out in 2023 to preserve its famous pink exterior from the effects of Scotland’s relentless weather.
Craigievar stands around 30 miles west of Aberdeen and six miles south of Alford, perched on the edge of the Cairngorms’ eastern foothills. The single-track approach road leads visitors to a site that feels largely untouched by modernity.
Inside, much of the castle looks as it did when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visited in 1879. There is no electricity above the ground floor, giving an authentic sense of how dim and austere the interiors would have felt in winter centuries ago.
Despite its fairytale exterior, Craigievar is modest in scale. The rooms are compact compared with the grand halls of other castles, with even the main hall described as small by traditional standards.
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Yet the interiors contain treasures of their own. Among them are remarkable plaster ceilings dating back to 1624, among the first of their kind in Scotland, decorated with intricate designs at a time when timber beams were more commonly painted.
Today, Craigievar Castle enjoys a strong reputation with visitors, boasting a 4.5 out of 5 score from more than 460 reviews on Tripadvisor.
One visitor praised it as a “brilliantly unique castle” that had changed little in four centuries, noting that guided tours are the only way to access the building. “This brings the castle to life with stories and tales you’d just never otherwise hear,” they added.
Another wrote: “Had a great visit, guided by Ellen. Such a beautiful pink castle and so interesting to learn about the history. Spiral staircase and internal steps; take care.”
To see Countryfile’s full list, click here.