An island fortress

Its construction begun in the 14th century by Lithuania's ruler, Trakai Island Castle became home to dukes and other royals before falling into ruin during the 1600s. Restoration efforts were undertaken in fits and starts beginning in the 19th century, but were never fully implemented until after World War II, when work to restore the historic site began in earnest. Today the castle in eastern Lithuania showcases the Gothic grandeur it had attained by the height of its development in the 1400s. The castle stands on one of 21 islands in Lake Galvė. That's a lot of islands to scatter across the 1.39 square miles of lake surface. Aside from Trakai Island, Bažnytėlė Island is home to the ruins of a small Orthodox church.