It is based on the late 19th century Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany. It appeared in the Walt Disney Pictures logos from 1985 to 2006 before being merged with Cinderella Castle, both familiar symbols of The Walt Disney Company.

Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland in California was primarily inspired by Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany. This 19th-century Romanesque Revival palace was built by King Ludwig II and is famous for its soaring turrets and romantic, fairytale-like silhouette. Walt Disney and his designers visited Neuschwanstein during their European travels and were struck by its dramatic verticality and picturesque setting. However, the Disney version is not a direct replica; it also incorporates architectural elements from French chateaus and medieval fortresses to create a "composite" fantasy structure. For example, the use of bright colors—pinks, blues, and gold—was a deliberate choice to make the castle feel more inviting and cinematic compared to the grey stone of real medieval castles. Interestingly, the Disneyland Paris version, Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant, took a different path, drawing inspiration from the Mont Saint-Michel abbey and the illustrations from the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry to create a more surreal, "storybook" look that differentiated it from the real historical castles found throughout Europe.