18 Real-Life Locations That Inspired Disney

The beautiful worlds found in our favorite Disney movies are works of imagination, but even they are rooted in real-life locations. These images comparing some of Disney’s most iconic sites with their real-life counterparts will make you believe in magic!

The degrees to which Disney’s artists borrowed from these real-life sources can vary, but the link is evident for most. Several Disney classics were also based on traditional fairy tales, meaning that the references to real-life castles were all the more appropriate. (H/T)

Sleeping Beauty – Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria, Germany

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Image credits: paparountas

Neuschwanstein Castle inspired the Royal Castle in Sleeping Beauty in Bavaria, Germany. Ludwig II of Bavaria built this castle in 1892 as a personal retreat and a tribute to Richard Wagner, his favorite composer. Ludwig II, known by some as the Swan King, was an enthusiastic art patron, leaving beautiful structures throughout Bavaria.

Beauty and the Beast – Alsace, France

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Image credits: Tambako The Jaguar

This small village square in Beauty And The Beast was inspired by Alsace, a picturesque North-West France region politically German throughout most of Europe’s history. It has a blend of these two cultures, which can be found in the names of various locations and especially in the region’s beautiful pastoral architecture.

Tangled – Mont Saint-Michel, Normandy, France

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Image credits: PEC Photo

Mont Saint-Michel inspired the Kingdom of Corona in Tangled in Normandy, France. Tidal waters periodically cut off this unique island commune from the mainland. This made it an easily defensible position ideal for a fortified abbey. Today, its striking appearance makes it a popular attraction for tourists.

Up – Angel Falls, Venezuela

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Image credits: Alice Nerr

Paradise Falls in Up was inspired by Angel Falls (also known as Kerepakupai Vena in the indigenous Pemon language) in Venezuela. It falls from a mountain called Auyantepui, one of several table-topped “tepui” mountains in Venezuela. It is the world’s highest waterfall, with an uninterrupted fall of 979m (3,212ft).

Aladdin – Taj Mahal, Agra, India

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Image credits: Razvan Ciuca

The Taj Mahal in Agra, India, inspired the Sultan’s Palace in Aladdin. Thought by many to be a palace, the Taj Mahal is a magnificent tomb that Emperor Shah Jahan began building in 1632 for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The iconic tomb is encased in white marble and surrounded by lush gardens.

The Emperor’s New Groove – Machu Picchu, Cusco, Peru

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Image credits: Vegard Saetrenes

Pacha’s village In The Emperor’s New Groove was inspired by Machu Picchu In Cusco, Peru. This mysterious Incan site 2,430m (7,970ft) up in the mountains of Peru is thought to have been the residence of Incan Emperor Pachacuti. After the Spanish Conquest, the site remained forgotten to the outside world until it was rediscovered in 1911.

Mulan – Forbidden City, Beijing, China

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The Emperor’s home in Mulan was inspired by the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. Though it is now open to tourists, it was once home to the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The expansive palace was considered “Forbidden” because it was the Emperor’s residence, and no one could enter or leave without his permission.

The Hunchback Of Notre Dame – Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France

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Image credits: Stéphane Briand

The cathedral in The Hunchback Of Notre Dame was none other than the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. The iconic and imposing cathedral is one of the world’s most well-known examples of Gothic architecture. It took almost 200 years to complete and was one of the first buildings to use flying buttresses in Europe – architects had to add these imposing supports when they noticed that the upper walls were buckling under the building’s weight.

The Little Mermaid – Chateau De Chillon, Lake Geneva, Switzerland

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Image credits: Elfi Kluck

Chateau De Chillon inspired Prince Eric’s castle in The Little Mermaid on Lake Geneva in Switzerland. The chateau dates back to the Roman empire, which was used to guard a road through the Alps. Not only is the since-updated castle itself beautiful, but its position directly on the shores of Lake Geneva makes it the perfect fairytale setting.

Wreck-It Ralph – Grand Central Terminal, New York City, USA

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Grand Central Terminal inspired Game Central Station in Wreck-It Ralph in New York City. The terminal was torn down and rebuilt in its current style in 1913. The iconic station is in active use to this day despite bomb threats.

Beauty And The Beast – Chateau De Chambord, Loir-Et-Cher, France

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Image credits: Sylvain Sonnet

Chateau De Chambord inspired the Beast’s castle in Beauty and the Beast in Loir-Et-Cher, France. It was built in 1547 by King Francis I as a “hunting lodge.” Many have said that the building’s peculiar roof, with a veritable forest of chimneys and spires, looks more like a city or town’s skyline than a palace.

Frozen – St. Olaf’s Church, Balestrand, Norway

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Image credits: Heather Tesch

St. Olaf’s Church inspired the Chapel in Frozen in Balestrand, Norway. It was also known as the English church because its construction was begun by Margaret Green, an Englishwoman who lived in the nearby mountains with Knut Kvikne, the man she fell in love with. Though she stayed there with him, she was also very pious and began building the church with him to be able to practice her Anglican faith. Unfortunately, she died before it was completed.

The Princess And The Frog – Louisiana bayous, USA

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The bayou of New Orleans from Princess And The Frog was inspired by the real-life swampy lakes, marshes, and slow-moving rivers that characterize the state of Louisiana. The bayous are home to swamp creatures like alligators, catfish, and turtles, which have inspired creepy tales of ravenous supernatural swamp beasts.

Brave – Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland, UK

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Image credits: Sebastien Wasek

Eilean Donan Castle inspired the Royal Castle in Brave in Scotland. Though the current castle standing on Eilean Donan (which means “island of Donnan” in Gaelic) is a reconstruction completed in 1932, the island has an ancient history. It is said to have been the site of a monastery in the 6th or 7th century, and it later became home to a castle that protected the Mackenzie clan.

Cars – U-Drop Inn, Shamrock, Texas

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Image credits: Morten Larsen

U-Drop Inn inspired Ramone’s House of Body Art in Cars in Shamrock, Texas. After Route 66 was decommissioned, the inn closed and fell into disrepair. It is now a national art-deco architectural monument and a Tesla electric vehicle charging station (or supercharger) site! The curious inn was inspired by, of all things, a nail stuck in the soil.

Atlantis: The Lost Empire – Angkor Wat, Angkor, Cambodia

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Image credits: Oliver J Davis Photography

The city of Atlantis in Atlantis: The Lost Empire was inspired by Angkor Wat in Angkor, Cambodia. Though Atlantis was based on a legendary sunken Greek island that may or may not have existed, its visual inspiration is real. Angkor Wat began as a Hindu temple and was later re-purposed as a Buddhist temple complex in the 12th century. In any case, it is the largest religious monument in the world!

Frozen – Hotel De Glace, Quebec City, Canada

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Image credits: Pierre-Arnaud

Hotel De Glace inspired Elsa’s ice palace in Frozen in Quebec City, Canada. The hotel is a seasonal structure that appears on the outskirts of Quebec City in Canada every winter. Its architecture varies from year to year. Still, its extraordinary nature – the fact that it is constructed from bricks of ice – made it the perfect inspiration for a palace in Frozen.

Snow White – Segovia Castle, Spain

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Image credits: Fernando de Antonio

The Queen’s castle in Snow White was inspired by the Alcazar of Segovia, a castle in central Spain. It was used, to various, for hundreds and hundreds of years by various Spanish monarchs until a fire badly damaged it in 1862. It stands on a cliff at the confluence of two rivers, giving it a shape similar to the prow of a ship.

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