Turn These 10 Abandoned Mansions Into Your Fairytale Dream Home

Romantic residences worthy of rescuing

If you've always dreamt about buying an abandoned European palace, château or manor house, but have never known where to begin, then these grand fixer-upper properties are sure to spark your imagination.

With their overgrown grounds, towering turrets and long-empty hallways, click or scroll through and take a look at some of the most impressive abandoned mansions and castles across Europe. We guarantee you'll be left wanting more...

Ancient castle, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany

Grand European palaces don't get much more impressive than this. The ancient castle can be found on almost 23 acres (9.3ha) of land in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, with the historic structure originating from the second half of the 18th century.

Ancient castle, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany

The property has already been partially restored, but there’s plenty more work to be done to render it liveable. It's laid out over three wings and measures a staggering 13,185 square feet (1,225 sqm).

During the mid-2000s, two of the wings were turned into four fairly modern apartments but these are just crying out to be returned to their former glory.

Ancient castle, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany

However, the main wing of the abandoned castle hasn’t been touched, so there are plenty of original 18th-century elements inside.

From huge arched windows to stone floors, ornate woodwork, vintage light fixtures and pretty fireplaces, the main wing is overflowing with charm. Plus, the reception rooms are huge, offering plenty of scope for development.

Ancient castle, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany

Numerous outbuildings are also waiting to be converted into characterful homes, or used as guest lodgings. There’s even an old stable block.

The property was on the market in June 2024, via Vermittlung Historischer Immobilien, for €1.5 million ($1.6m).

Listed Georgian rectory, Cambridgeshire, UK

This imposing, grade II listed Georgian rectory can be found just outside the English city of Cambridge and was constructed in around 1830 – although parts of the building date back even further.

Known as The Old Rectory, the property was originally part of the Glebe Estate and has been owned by the same family since the 1960s. 

Listed Georgian rectory, Cambridgeshire, UK

However, it was neglected in the mid-'90s and has been vacant ever since. Inside, there are almost 10,000 square feet (929sqm) of space and 30 amazing rooms, all brimming with striking period details, which make it the ultimate fixer-upper.

Listed Georgian rectory, Cambridgeshire, UK

The building is arranged over four floors, including a cellar, and all of them can be accessed via a wonderfully preserved open staircase.

Each floor is beautifully proportioned with many original features still intact, including brick fireplaces, arched doorways, tiled floors and even vintage light fixtures.

Listed Georgian rectory, Cambridgeshire, UK

Clearly in need of a lot of work, many of the rooms feature exposed stud walls and damaged ceilings. Yet with the right imagination and investment, we know the remarkable home could be something really special.

It was for sale with Unique Property Company in June 2024, for just under $1.7 million.

Neglected country house, Umbria, Italy

This incredible historic property sits just below the charming medieval village of Citerna in Umbria, Italy.

Described as a farmhouse, the 14-room country home is more of a manor house, with its own barn and 75,300-square-foot (7,000sqm) estate in the classic Umbrian countryside.

Liking this? Click on the Follow button above for more great stories from loveMONEY

Neglected country house, Umbria, Italy

Up close, the large stone and brick property is in clear need of restoration, with missing windows, boarded-up doorways and part of its roof collapsed.

The building spans 4,305 square feet (400sqm) and thanks to its elevated position, enjoys spectacular views across the Tiber Valley.

Neglected country house, Umbria, Italy

Set across three floors, the country house boasts spacious rooms with plenty of character. With four large arches and original floors still intact, you’ll find animal stalls with vaulted ceilings on the ground floor – ideal for an open-plan living and kitchen area, with doors that lead out onto a terrace. The walls are in fairly good shape, but the roof and floors need attention.

On the first floor, there's an original kitchen with an old stone sink and fireplace, as well as exposed beams and original ceiling tiles. Elsewhere, there's a secret underground tunnel that's said to lead to the walled village above, thought to have been used in times of siege.

Neglected country house, Umbria, Italy

Towards the rear of the garden, this intriguing manor house comes complete with two catacombs, as well as an old pigsty with a small walled courtyard. With more than 75,000 square feet (6,968sqm) of land, there’s plenty of space to install a pool, too.

This impressive property was for sale in June 2024 for €295,000 ($316k), via IPN Castello, and we're sure it would be worth every penny.

16th-century presbytery, Liège, Belgium

Grand and unusual in equal measure, this historic presbytery is a real estate gem. A presbytery is the part of a church reserved for the officiating clergy and throughout the building, you'll find plenty of authentic details and touches that showcase the building's heritage.

16th-century presbytery, Liège, Belgium

Sadly we don't know too much about the residence, but we do know that it dates back to both the 16th and 18th centuries and lies next to a church in the heart of Wallonia, in the Liège province of Belgium.

The gorgeous classical-style house would once have been home to the local Roman Catholic parish priest and this is clear when you step inside, taking in the home's ornate architectural details and its numerous Christian antiquities and decorations.

16th-century presbytery, Liège, Belgium

The elegant 3,229-square-foot (300sqm) abandoned mansion boasts a gorgeous brick façade, punctuated by large windows with dressed stone surrounds. Inside, the rooms are in need of renovation, but there are endless spaces to play with, including an entrance hall, several reception rooms, four bedrooms and a bathroom.

Of course, though, a lot of work is needed, with crumbling ceilings, dusty floors and plaster missing from many walls.

16th-century presbytery, Liège, Belgium

Outside, there's a large, enclosed garden, with the total estate measuring 19 acres (7.7ha).

The estate was on the market in June 2024 with Renaissance Properties, for €380,000 ($408k), and would be ideal for family life, but could also be turned into a hotel or wedding venue.

15th-century castle, Corrèze, France

Fairytale castles don't get much more incredible than this. Located on almost 15 acres (6ha) in France's central Corrèze region, this dreamy 15th-century residence is pretty, remote and overflowing with authentic features.

15th-century castle, Corrèze, France

Laid out across four floors, the ancient castle boasts round towers with pepper pot turrets covered in chestnut shingles, gorgeous mullioned windows with stained-glass elements and a studded wooden front door topped by a triangular pediment, featuring the carved coat of arms of the former Earl's family.

As for the interior, it's equally as stunning. The ground floor features a hallway, a dining room, a library and a cloakroom, all decorated in the neo-Gothic style.

15th-century castle, Corrèze, France

Elsewhere, you'll find a vast kitchen with a granite inglenook fireplace and 10 bedrooms – four were once used as servants' quarters, while a secret passageway connects two.

Everywhere you look, you'll spot lovely period features, like napkin-pleat wood panelling, herringbone parquet flooring, red hexagonal terracotta tiles, French-style painted ceilings and rustic exposed beams. Yet it's clear that some work is needed to bring these elements, and the rest of the castle, back to their former glory.

15th-century castle, Corrèze, France

For sale with Patrice Besse in June 2024 for €690,000 ($740k), the castle also boasts a range of outbuildings waiting to be used.

These include a tall farm building with a garage, stables and a cowshed, as well as a hayloft that's supported by elegant stone columns. There are also endless English-style landscaped grounds.

Vacant 17th-century castle, Cork, Ireland

Who wouldn’t want to be the new ruler of this 17th-century castle, proudly residing in the beautiful woodland of Cork, Ireland?

Overlooking surrounding Monkstown, with stunning south-easterly sea views, the 10-bedroom structure has stood vacant and ruinous for decades before it was listed for sale. In June 2024, it was available via Real Estate Alliance for €800,000 ($858k).

Vacant 17th-century castle, Cork, Ireland

Although in need of a serious investor to finish renovating Monkstown Castle fully, the property has undergone restoration in recent years and comes with full planning permission for three apartments comprising of the ground floor, first floor and penthouse apartment.

Vacant 17th-century castle, Cork, Ireland

Spanning a total of 9,150 square feet (850sqm), the Irish tower house has all mains connections and even hosts a lift shaft in situ.

The ground floor offers three double bedrooms and access to an external garden patio area, while the first floor – with three bedrooms and a kitchen/living room – boasts a 400-year-old central fireplace.

Vacant 17th-century castle, Cork, Ireland

Beautiful vaulted ceilings with wooden beams and skylights adorn the potential penthouse, with four ensuite bedrooms, a library, living room, kitchen/diner and charming views across Monkstown golf course and the ocean beyond.

Manor house with spring, Provence, France

We've all dreamt of upping sticks and relocating to the French Riviera (Côte d'Azur), haven't we? Well, that's exactly where this stunning historic manor house can be found.

Complete with two main buildings, dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries, the property also benefits from agricultural plots and its own stream and spring.

Manor house with spring, Provence, France

Nestled in the peaceful Luberon countryside of Southern France, the nine-bedroom manor house was originally a folly for a wealthy family from Marseille, according to Patrice Besse.

Rich tapestries adorned the walls in refined friezes, which need replacing due to fading, while high ceilings and checkerboard flooring nod towards the property’s history.

Manor house with spring, Provence, France

Tall windows, decorative wallpaper and marble fireplaces remain throughout, while terracotta honeycomb tiling adorns the floors of the second-floor bedrooms in the 18th-century part of the house, boasting views across the manor grounds below. Beneath the 19th-century section, you’ll find a cellar and boiler room.

Manor house with spring, Provence, France

Outside, the grounds host an outbuilding in need of complete renovations, a dormant hen house and hutches, while a tool shed sits next to an old spring-fed pond.

Surrounding the house, you’ll find a park and garden filled with flowering shrubs, conifers and broadleaf trees, as well as a stream that irrigates the farmland to the north of the manor. Described as a “sleeping beauty” by Patrice Besse, the property was available in June 2024 for €1 million ($1.1m).

16th-century castle, Midi-Pyrénées, France

Nestled on a picturesque 37-acre (15ha) plot, between the Olt Valley and ancient wheatlands, this 16th-century French castle is surrounded by towering redwood trees.

Built over several centuries, it features an imposing keep and numerous circular towers topped by pepper pot turrets. It has plenty of surprising extras, too. For starters, the estate's three buildings are all connected via private, hidden passageways.

16th-century castle, Midi-Pyrénées, France

The abandoned dream home benefits from an enchanting 4,327-square-foot (402sqm) interior, packed with stunning design details.

From herringbone parquet floors to patinated terracotta tiles, beamed ceilings, lattice windows, cast iron radiators, huge stone fireplaces and hand-painted motifs, every single room reveals the rich history of the place.

16th-century castle, Midi-Pyrénées, France

Room-wise, there’s a formal living room, a kitchen, a dining room and countless bedrooms, all of which are in need of some TLC. There are even two huge cellars with amazing brick-barrel ceilings.

They can be accessed via a spiral staircase in the central tower and the largest of the two has wooden support posts that add to its character.

16th-century castle, Midi-Pyrénées, France

On the top floor, you'll find a derelict attic with potential for conversion. Over in the keep, there are five floors of space waiting to be discovered and renovated.

The estate also has a 'secadou', a building that was originally used for drying chestnuts, and a two-story, red sandstone barn with a vaulted ceiling. Listed with Patrice Besse in June 2024, it was priced at just shy of €1.4 million ($1.5m).

Castle with private beaches, Lake Maggiore, Italy

This breathtaking Italian property is known as Villa Castello Pellegrini, but with those turrets, towers and wraparound balconies it’s reminiscent of a storybook castle.

Alongside an impressive 6,498 square feet (613sqm) of interiors, plus a 2,206 square foot (205sqm) annexe and a cottage, the property comes with not one, but two private beaches.

Castle with private beaches, Lake Maggiore, Italy

The villa was on the market with Stresa Luxury Real Estate in June 2024 and while its price was undisclosed, it came with an indicative price of between €2 million ($2.1m) and €3 million ($3.2m).

It already has all permits approved for a renovation and the listing agents also gave buyers the chance to buy the place perfectly restored, if they preferred. We love the grand foyer on arrival, with a marble staircase, plus your very own elevator should you prefer.

Castle with private beaches, Lake Maggiore, Italy

The neo-classical fixer-upper was once owned by Gianfranco Ferrè, the Italian designer known as the "architect of fashion," who sadly passed away before completing the necessary renovations.

Built in the late 19th century, the five-bedroom stunner spreads over three floors above ground and a basement floor, with two circular corner turrets and a central square tower to admire your two private beaches from.

Castle with private beaches, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Located in the idyllic resort town of Lake Maggiore, the second-largest lake in the country, the Italian castle hosts breathtaking views across the lake, via wraparound balconies and arched windows. According to the listing agent, in the summer residents can enjoy music festivals, firework displays and boat races.

Six-storey medieval castle, Umbria, Italy

Imagine the views from this six-storey castle tower, dating back to the 11th century.

Located on a hill in an Umbrian valley, Torre D’Annibale, as it is known, sits close to Passignano sul Trasimeno and Lake Trasimeno, one of the largest lakes in Italy.

Six-storey medieval castle, Umbria, Italy

Up close, the medieval castle is even more enticing. Its outer walls were secured and renovated in the last seven years, while the tower was stabilised and given an earthquake-proof frame.

Both the main two-storey building and tower have been restored with the original antique bricks, but the interiors are yet to be renovated.

Six-storey medieval castle, Umbria, Italy

The cool 6,081-square-foot (565sqm) castle is partially developed, with electricity and water already connected. Constructed in 1100, the building hosts 21 rooms in total, with seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms to enjoy redeveloping and decorating.

Six-storey medieval castle, Umbria, Italy

Multiple square windows and a vaulted ceiling with a huge roof lantern provide incredible panoramic views from the castle’s tower.

Marketed with IPN Castello, the property was available in June 2024 for €2.3 million ($2.5m). The possibilities would be endless for this historic Italian marvel.

Liked this? Click on the Follow button above for more great stories from loveMONEY