There are few people in this world who couldn’t recognize the enchanting, magical, dream-like fortress known as Cinderella’s Castle at Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
Disney World as we know it is tailor-made for adventurous and intrepid little dreamers. From princess makeovers to magical mirrors, it is the world’s most magical place.
Alongside candy, favorite characters and thrilling rides, it boasts the most enchanting castle in all the land, Cinderella’s Castle. No matter how many times you see it, no matter how old you are, Cinderella’s Castle is awe-inspiring 100% of the time.
If you’re fortunate enough to see it during Halloween or Christmas, it’s even more mind-blowing. So, I got thinking, where did all this magic come from?
Like many great works of art, the inspiration for Cinderella’s Castle comes from the most magical and storybook-plucked fortresses in all of Europe. I’m talking fairy tale quality, fairy Godmother flying around on unicorns kinda castles.
That’s right… and I’m going to show you all of them, but first let’s meet Herbert.
The Designing of Cinderella’s Castle
Herbert Dickens Ryman (June 28, 1910 – February 10, 1989), Disney artist, a personal friend of Walt Disney, and chief designer of the Cinderella Castle, chose eight named architectural masterpieces that inspired his plans for Cinderella’s fairytale fortress.
Since 1971 Cinderella’s Castle has become the poster castle for modern-day fairy tales, (for mainstream America that is because we all know these fairy tale castles were around long before Walt).
For others around the world, this was just a fabrication of some of Europe’s most stunning works of architecture, built in pieces from France, Germany, Poland, and Spain.