Disney is a billion-dollar company that’s produced over 100 films. Therefore, many stories have been told. From old fairy tales to new animated films, there has been a clear evolution of the company but one thing that has remained the same is the inspiration they take from sites around the world. Disney is heavily influenced by historic castles, churches and monuments in the production of their films due to their fabulous architecture. Walt Disney has even visited them himself, taking inspiration from different cultures and places around the world. This has made Disney films more diverse and interesting for a wider audience. Disney has represented cultures from around the world with the influence of Asia, Europe, South America etc.
One of the most well-known examples is Mont-Saint-Michel. It is an abbey/castle off the shore of Normandy, France. It contains so much history that dates back to over a thousand years ago, and it is home to around three million tourists every year. The island is known for its breathtaking architecture and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. Mont-Saint-Michel has experienced a lot in its history as it has been a monastery, a prison, has gone through a siege and now is the inspiration for the Disney movie Tangled. The site is unique as it can only be accessed twice a day due to the tide and is home to thirty people over the year. If you compare a picture of Mont-Saint-Michel to Tangled’s Corona Castle, they are almost identical. Both castles are surrounded by water and a huge tower in the centre overlooking the town.
Another castle which inspired Disney in the making of their films is Neuschwanstein Castle. It is a castle in Schwangau, Germany which was commissioned by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in 1869. It has been said that the castle inspired King Stefan’s castle in Sleeping Beauty as well as the castles in Cinderella and Snow White. Disney uses Neuschwanstein Castle’s Renaissance, Gothic, and Scandinavian turrets in addition to gothic pointed arches in its films to add a mythical feel. The castle also inspired the Disney logo due to Walt Disney visiting the castle. He was inspired by the castle and turned it into a symbol of timeless dreams and fantastic stories. The castle now welcomes more than 1.4 million visitors a year, making it one of the most popular castles in Europe.
Finally, the Taj Mahal is a magnificent, ivory-white marble mausoleum situated in Agra, Northern India. It was built in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The mausoleum is seen as one of the best examples of Mughal architecture, blending Indian, Persian, and Islamic artistic designs. Similar to Mont-Saint-Michel, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the seven wonders of the world. Disney was inspired by the Taj Mahal in the design of Princess Jasmine’s palace in the 1992 animated movie Aladdin. Though it is only loosely based on the Taj Mahal, it does have very similar qualities in that the turquoise door in Princess Jasmine’s palace is inspired by India’s colourful architecture in the 17th century. They have similar towers, and the onion domes on top of them are the same as those that feature Aladdin.
Overall, history has a considerable influence on Disney due to it inspiring many of its iconic sites over the years.