Description of a medieval castle. Medieval castles and fortresses in the mountains of Europe

There are many medieval castles scattered across Europe, which many centuries ago were intended to house and protect the families of feudal lords. Today, castles are silent witnesses of royal dramas, the fall of great houses and historical events.

Now tourists in winter and summer visit ancient fortresses to see their splendor with your own eyes. We have collected in this list incredible beautiful castles worth a visit!

1 Tintagel Castle, England

Tintagel is a medieval fort on the cape of the island of the same name. The castle borders the village of Tintagel in Cornwall. It was built by Richard the Plantagenet in 1233. However, Tintagel is often associated with another famous character - King Arthur. Here he was conceived, born and taken away by the wizard Merlin in infancy.

Since the 19th century, the castle has been a tourist attraction and is under the ownership of Prince Charles. Managed by "English Heritage" - the British State Commission on Historic Buildings.

2 Corvin Castle, Romania

This Gothic-style castle with Renaissance elements is located in Transylvania, a Romanian town called Hunedoara, on a cliff near the Zlashte River. The castle was built in the middle of the 15th century by the father of the Hungarian king Matthew Corvinus and was inherited until 1508.

Since then, Korvinov has changed 22 owners, and has been opened to the public as a museum. The castle to this day is one of the wonders of Romania, by the way, according to rumors, Vlad Tepes himself, known as Count Dracula, spent seven years in prison here.

3 Alcazar de Segovia, Spain

This fortress of the Spanish kings is today an object world heritage UNESCO. The castle is located on an incredibly beautiful location - a rock at the confluence of two rivers. Due to its location, it is one of the most recognizable castles in Spain.

In 1120, the Alcazar was used as an Arab fortress. Then there was a royal residence, an artillery academy and even a prison. It currently houses a military archive and museum.

4 Eltz Castle, Germany

Eltz Castle is considered one of two medieval buildings in the Eifel that were never destroyed or captured. The castle has withstood all wars and upheavals since its construction in the 12th century.

It is surprising that the castle has been owned by the same family for 33 generations - Eltz, whose descendant to this day takes care of it, keeping it in its original form. The owner has opened it to tourists, who are especially attracted by the Eltz treasury with jewelry exhibits and other works of art from different centuries.

5 Windsor Castle, England

This castle has been closely associated with the monarchs of Great Britain for more than 900 years and is their symbol. The current ruling royal dynasty of Windsor is named after him. The castle was built in the 11th century by William the Conqueror and has been used as a royal residence since the reign of Henry I. Over the centuries, it has been repeatedly rebuilt and supplemented in accordance with the requests of the ruling monarchs.

Interestingly, during the Second World War, the castle served as a refuge for the royal family. Today, the castle is used for state receptions, visits by tourists, as well as the rest of Queen Elizabeth II in the spring of each year.

6 Himeji Castle, Japan

This castle near the city of Himeji is one of the oldest in Japan. Its construction as a fortress began in 1333, and in 1346 the fort was reconstructed into a castle. For a long time, he wandered from one samurai clan to another, and only in the 1600s found a master. Then the main part of the 83 wooden buildings of the castle was built.

Movies are often filmed on the territory of Himeji, as the castle is well preserved in its original form. In addition, the building belongs to the National Treasures of Japan and is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

7 Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

This ancient castle is located on Castle Rock in the center of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. About 300 odd million years ago there was active volcano! The first mention of this building dates back to 1139, when church ministers also gathered in the royal castle. This continued until 1633, but since then the castle has been considered the heart of Scotland.

It is worth noting that this fortress survived 26 sieges, which made it the most attacked on Earth. Over the past 150 years, Edinburgh Castle has been frequently restored, and now it is the main tourist attraction in Edinburgh.

8 Hever Castle, England

The castle was built in the XIII century in the south-east of England in Kent, as an ordinary country house. It became famous due to the fact that the Boleyn family lived here from 1462 to 1539. In 1505, it was inherited by Thomas Boleyn, father of Anne, wife of King Henry VIII, whose marriage caused the rupture of England and Rome. True, after the king got bored with his new wife, he executed her in the Tower.

Since then, Khiver has passed from one owner to another, but has retained the unique Tudor interiors. The castle is now used as a conference venue, but is also open to the public.

9 Boinice Castle, Slovakia

It is considered one of the most romantic castles in Europe. Its first mention dates back to 1113 - an ordinary wooden castle in Bojnice, which was gradually strengthened. Officially, the fortress was handed over to the ruler of Slovakia, Matus Czak, by King Wenceslas III of Hungary in 1302.

Since then, each new owner has reconstructed the castle, and as a result, it turned out to be the most visited place in Slovakia. Many fantastic and fabulous films were filmed here. The castle also houses the Slovak National Museum.

10 Bran Castle, Romania

Bran Fortress is a national landmark of Romania. Initially, it was a wooden structure, which was founded in 1212 by the knights of the Teutonic Order, and later completed by local residents at their own expense. In those days, the building served as a defensive fortress.

Bran has gone through many owners but is most often referred to as "Dracula's castle". According to legend, Prince Vlad Chepes, nicknamed Count Dracula, often stopped here and hunted near the castle. In the 20th century, the castle was donated by the locals to Queen Maria of Romania, whose grandson currently owns it. Now the castle houses a museum of furniture and art from the collection of Queen Mary.

11 Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland

This beautiful castle, which is recognized as one of the most romantic in Scotland, is located on Donan Island - at the meeting point of three lakes. In the 7th century, a hermit monk lived on the island, after whom the castle was named. In the XIII century, the first fortress was built, and Eilean Donan itself was transferred by the king to the ancestor of the Scottish Mackenzie clan.

The building was destroyed in 1719, and only at the beginning of the 20th century the MacRae clan acquired the castle and began its restoration. By the way, this fortress can be seen in the TV series Outlander.

12 Bodiam Castle, England

The land on which the castle is now located was inherited by Edward Dalingridge after his marriage. In 1385, during the 100 Years' War, he fortified the estate to protect the area from the French. For several decades, the castle was passed down from generation to generation. When the family died at the end of the 15th century, the castle came into the possession of the Leuknor family.

Later, Bodiam had several owners, each of whom contributed to its restoration, for example, after a siege during the Wars of the Roses. In 1925, after the death of the then owner, the castle was donated to a national foundation, which maintains it to this day. Now this fortress near the village of Robertsbridge can be visited by anyone.

13 Hohensalzburg Castle, Austria

This building is considered one of the largest of all surviving medieval castles in Europe and is located at an altitude of 120 meters on top of Mount Festung near the Austrian city of Salzburg. The castle was built in 1077 under the leadership of the archbishop of Salzburg, but now only the foundation remains of that building.

Hohensalzburg was fortified, rebuilt and reconstructed many times. Only in the 16th century did it acquire the form it has today. The fortress was used as a warehouse, barracks, fort and even a prison during the First World War. Now this castle is a favorite tourist attraction, where you can climb the funicular or walk.

14 Arundell Castle, England

This castle was founded on Christmas Day 1067 by Roger de Montgomery (Earl of Arundel), one of the subjects of William the Conqueror. Later, it became the main residence of the Dukes of Norfolk from the Howard family, who have owned it for over 400 years.

The castle was rebuilt after being damaged during the English Civil War in the 17th century, and also updated with the return of fashion for medieval interiors. Although Arundel is a private property, most of the castle is open to tourists.

15 Mont Saint Michel, France

This castle is called architectural marvel France. It is a rocky island in northwestern France that was turned into a fortress island in the 8th century. Monks lived here for a long time, and even an abbey was built.

During the 100 Years War, the British unsuccessfully tried to conquer this island, and during the French Revolution, when there were no monks on the island, a prison was built here. It was closed in 1863, and in 1874 the island was declared a historical monument. About 3 million tourists visit here every year, while local residents just a few dozen people!

These amazing historical monuments have come down to posterity almost in their original form. They store centuries of history different peoples, which is not always possible to read on the pages of textbooks.

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Functions

Main functions feudal castle with suburbs were:

military (center of military operations, means of military control over the district),
administrative and political (the administrative center of the district, the place where the political life of the country was concentrated),
cultural and economic (handicraft and trade center of the district, a place of the highest elite and folk culture).

Defining characteristics

There is a widespread notion that castles only existed in Europe, where they originated, and in the Middle East, where they were moved by the Crusaders. Contrary to this view, similar structures appear in 16th and 17th century Japan, where they develop without direct contact and influence from Europe and have a completely different history of development, are built differently from European castles and are designed to withstand attacks of a completely different nature.

Elements

Hill

A mound of earth, often mixed with gravel, peat, limestone, or brushwood. The height of the embankment in most cases did not exceed 5 meters, although sometimes it reached 10 meters or more. The surface was often covered with clay or wooden decking. The hill was round or nearly square at the base, and the diameter of the hill was at least twice its height.

At the top, a wooden, and later stone, building was erected. defensive tower, surrounded by a palisade . Around the hill there was a moat filled with water or dry, from the earth of which a mound was formed. Access to the tower was through a swinging wooden bridge and a staircase built on the hillside.

Courtyard

A large courtyard with an area (with rare exceptions) of no more than 2 hectares, surrounding or adjacent to the hill, as well as various residential and outbuildings - the dwellings of the owner of the castle and his soldiers, stables, a forge, warehouses, a kitchen, etc. - inside it. From the outside, the court was protected by a wooden palisade, then by a moat, which was filled from the nearest body of water, and by an earthen rampart. The space inside the courtyard itself could be divided into several parts, or several adjoining courtyards were built near the hill.

donjon

The castles themselves appeared in the Middle Ages and were the dwellings of the noble feudal lords. Due to feudal fragmentation and, as a result, frequent internecine wars, the dwelling of the feudal lord had to perform a defensive task. Castles were usually built on high ground, islands, rock ledges, and other hard-to-reach places.

With the end of the Middle Ages, castles began to lose their original - defensive - task, which has now given way to a residential one. With the development of artillery, the defensive task of castles disappeared completely; features of castle architecture were preserved only as decorative elements (French castle Pierrefonds, late XIV century).

A regular layout with a pronounced symmetry prevailed, the main building acquired a palatial character (Madrid Castle in Paris, XV-XVI centuries) or Nesvizh Castle in Belarus (XVI century) In the XVI century, castle architecture in Western Europe finally supplanted by the palace. The defensive task was preserved for the longest time by the castles of Georgia, which were actively built until the 18th century.

There were castles that belonged not to one feudal lord, but to a knightly order. Such castles were larger, as an example, the Königsberg Castle.

Castles in Russia

The main part of the medieval castle was the central tower - donjon, which served as a citadel. In addition to its defensive functions, the donjon was the direct dwelling of the feudal lord. also in main tower often there were living rooms of other inhabitants of the castle, a well, utility rooms (food warehouses, etc.). Often in the donjon there was a large front hall for receptions. Donjon elements can be found in the castle architecture of Western and Central Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, etc.

Wasserschloss in Schwerin

Usually the castle had a small courtyard, which was surrounded by massive battlements with towers and well-fortified gates. This was followed by the outer courtyard, which included outbuildings, as well as the castle garden and vegetable garden. The whole castle was surrounded by a second row of walls and a moat, across which a drawbridge was thrown. If the terrain allowed, then the moat was filled with water and the castle turned into a castle on the water.

The centers of defense of the walls of the castle were the towers protruding beyond the plane of the walls, which made it possible to organize flanking shelling of those going to attack. In Russian fortification, sections of the walls between the towers were called paraslas. In this regard, the castles were in terms of a polygon, the walls of which followed the terrain. Numerous examples of such structures have survived to this day in Great Britain, Germany, France, Ukraine and Belarus (for example, Mir Castle in Belarus or Lutsk Castle in Ukraine).

Over time, the structure of castles became more complex; the territory of the castles already included barracks, a court, a church, a prison and other structures (Cousy Castle in France, XIII century; Wartburg Castle in Germany, XI century; Harleck Castle in Great Britain, XIII century).

Rosenberg Castle in Kronach. moat and ventilation towers of the auditory gallery

With the beginning of the mass use of gunpowder, the decline of the era of castle building begins. So, the besiegers began to carry out, if the soil allowed it, sapper work - quietly dig saps, which made it possible to bring large explosive charges under the walls (storming the Kazan Kremlin in the 16th century). As a measure of struggle, the besieged dug an underground gallery at a considerable distance from the walls in advance, from which they listened in order to detect tunnels and destroy them in a timely manner.

However, the development of artillery and the increase in its destructive effect eventually forced the abandonment of the use of castles as the basis of defensive strategy and tactics. The time has come for fortresses - complex engineering structures with a developed system of bastions, ravelins, etc.; the art of building fortresses - fortification - developed. The recognized fortification authority of this era was the chief engineer of Louis XIV, Marshal of France Sebastien de Vauban (1633-1707).

Such fortresses, sometimes developed over time from castles, were also used during World War II to pin down enemy forces and delay his advance (see: Brest Fortress).

Building

The construction of the castle began with the choice of location and building materials. A wooden castle was cheaper and easier to build than a stone castle. The cost of building most castles has not survived to this day; most of the surviving documents on the topic belong to royal palaces. A castle made of wood with a motte and a bailey could have been built by unskilled labor - peasants dependent on the feudal lord who already had the skills necessary to build a wooden castle (they knew how to cut wood, dig and work with wood). Forced to work for the feudal lord, the workers most likely were not paid anything, so building a castle out of wood was cheap. According to experts, it took 50 workers and 40 days to build a medium-sized hill - 5 meters high and 15 meters wide. The famous architect en: James of Saint George, responsible for the construction of the Beaumaris castle, described the costs associated with the construction of the castle:

If you think where so much money can be spent in a week, we inform you that we needed and will need in the future 400 masons, as well as 2000 less experienced women, 100 carts, 60 wagons and 30 boats for the supply of stone; 200 workers at the quarry; 30 blacksmiths and carpenters to lay cross beams and floors, as well as to perform other necessary work. That's not including the garrison... and the purchase of materials. required a large number of... Payments to the workers are still delayed, and we have great difficulty keeping the workers because they simply have nowhere to live.

A study was conducted examining the costs associated with the construction of the castle of Lange, built in 992 in France. The stone tower is 16 meters high, 17.5 meters wide and 10 meters long with walls averaging 1.5 meters. The walls contain 1200 square meters of stone and have a surface of 1600 square meters. It was estimated that the tower took 83,000 man-days to build, most of which required unskilled labor.

Stone castles were expensive not only to build but also to keep in good condition because they contained a large amount of timber, which was often unseasoned and in need of constant care.

Medieval machines and inventions proved indispensable during construction; antique timber frame construction methods have been improved. The search for stone for construction was one of the main problems; often the solution was a quarry near the castle.

Due to the scarcity of stone, alternative materials were used, such as brick, which was also used for aesthetic reasons, as it was in vogue. Therefore, even despite the sufficient amount of stone, some builders chose brick as the main material for building the castle.

The material for construction depended on the area: in Denmark there are few quarries, so most of its castles are made of wood or brick, in Spain most castles are made of stone, while in Eastern Europe castles were usually built using wood.

Castles today

Nowadays, castles perform a decorative function. Some of them are turned into restaurants, others become museums. Some are being restored and sold or rented.

The Norman Conquest of England led to a boom in castle building, but the process of building a fortress from scratch is far from easy. If you want to start building a fortress on your own, then you should read the tips below.

It is extremely important to build your castle on a hill and in a strategically important point.

Castles were usually built on natural elevations, and were usually equipped with a link to the external environment, such as a ford, bridge or passage.

Historians have rarely been able to find evidence of contemporaries regarding the choice of a site for the construction of the castle, but they still exist. On September 30, 1223, 15-year-old King Henry III arrived in Montgomery with his army. The king, who had successfully led a military campaign against the Welsh prince Llywelyn ap Iorwerth, was going to build a new castle in this area to ensure security on the border of his possessions. The English carpenters had been given the task of preparing the timber a month earlier, but the king's advisers had only just now determined the site for the construction of the castle.

After a careful survey of the area, they chose a point on the very edge of the ledge above the valley of the River Severn. According to the chronicler Roger of Wendover, this position "looked unassailable to anyone". He also noted that the castle was created "for the security of the region from the frequent attacks of the Welsh."

Tip: identify places where the topography rises above transport routes: these are natural places for castles. Keep in mind that the design of the castle is determined by the place of construction. For example, a castle on a ledge of exposed rocks will have a dry moat.

2) Develop a workable plan

You will need a master mason who can draw plans. An engineer knowledgeable in weapons will also come in handy.

Experienced soldiers may have their own ideas about the design of the castle, in terms of the shape of its buildings and their location. But it is unlikely that they will have the knowledge of the level of specialists in design and construction.

To implement the idea, a master bricklayer was required - an experienced builder, whose hallmark was the ability to draw a plan. With a grasp of practical geometry, he used simple tools such as a straightedge, square, and compass to create architectural plans. Master masons submitted a drawing with a building plan for approval, and during construction supervised its construction.

When Edward II in 1307 began building a huge residential tower at Naresborough Castle in Yorkshire for his favorite Pierce Gaveston, he not only personally approved the plans created by the London master mason Hugh of Tichmarshevsky - probably made in the form of a drawing - but also demanded regular reports on the construction . From the middle of the 16th century a new group professionals called engineers increasingly began to take on a role in planning and building fortifications. They had technical knowledge of the use and power of cannons, both for defense and for attacking castles.

Tip: Plan for slits to provide a wide angle of attack. Shape them according to the weapon you are using: longbow archers need large slopes, crossbowmen need smaller ones.

You will need thousands of people. And not all of them will come of their own free will.

It took a lot of effort to build the castle. We do not have documentary evidence of the construction of the first castles in England since 1066, but from the scale of many castles of that period it becomes clear why some chronicles claim that the English population was under the yoke of building castles for their Norman conquerors. But from the later time of the Middle Ages, some estimates with detailed information have come down to us.

During the invasion of Wales in 1277, King Edward I began building a castle in Flint, northeast Wales. It was erected quickly, thanks to the rich resources of the crown. A month after the start of work, in August, 2300 people were involved in the construction, including 1270 diggers, 320 lumberjacks, 330 carpenters, 200 masons, 12 blacksmiths and 10 charcoal burners. All of them were driven from the surrounding lands under an armed escort who watched so that they did not desert from the construction.

From time to time, foreign specialists could be involved in the construction. For example, millions of bricks for the rebuilding of Tattershall Castle in Lincolnshire in the 1440s were supplied by a certain Baldwin "Docheman", or Dutchman, that is, "Dutchman" - obviously a foreigner.

Tip: Depending on the size of the workforce and the distance they had to travel, it may be necessary to arrange accommodation for them on site.

An unfinished castle in enemy territory is very vulnerable to attacks.

To build a castle in enemy territory, you need to protect the construction site from attacks. For example, you can enclose the construction site with wooden fortifications or a low stone wall. Such medieval defense systems sometimes remained after the construction of the building as an additional wall - as, for example, in the castle of Beaumaris, the construction of which was started in 1295.

Also important is secure communication with the outside world for the delivery of building materials and provisions. In 1277, Edward I dug a canal to the river Kluid directly from the sea and to the location of his new castle in Rydlane. The outer wall, built to protect the construction site, extended to the piers on the banks of the river.

Security problems can also arise with a radical restructuring of an existing castle. When Henry II rebuilt Dover Castle in the 1180s, all work was carefully planned so that the fortifications provided protection for the duration of the renovation. According to surviving decrees, work on the inner wall of the castle began only when the tower was already sufficiently repaired so that guards could be on duty in it.

Tip: building materials for the construction of the castle are large and voluminous. If possible, it's best to transport them by water, even if that means building a dock or canal.

When building a castle, you may have to move an impressive amount of land, which is not cheap.

It is often forgotten that the fortifications of the castle were built not only through architectural techniques, but also through landscape design. Enormous resources were allocated for the movement of land. The scale of land works of the Normans can be recognized as outstanding. For example, according to some estimates, the embankment erected in 1100 around Pleshy Castle in Essex required 24,000 man-days.

Some aspects of landscaping required serious skills, especially the creation of water ditches. When Edward I rebuilt the Tower of London in the 1270s, he hired a foreign specialist, Walter of Flanders, to create a huge tidal moat. Digging the ditch under his direction cost £4,000, a staggering amount, almost a quarter of the cost of the entire project.

With the rise of cannons in the art of siege, the earth began to play an even more important role as an absorber of cannon shots. Interestingly, experience in moving large amounts of land has led some of the fortification engineers to find work as garden designers.

Tip: Save time and money by digging out the masonry for your castle walls from the moats around it.

Carry out the mason's plan carefully.

Using ropes of the required length and pegs, it was possible to mark the foundation of the building on the ground in full size. After the foundation ditches were dug, work began on the masonry. To save money, the responsibility for construction was assigned to the senior mason instead of the master mason. Masonry in the Middle Ages was usually measured in rods, one English rod = 5.03 m. At Warkworth in Northumberland, one of the complex towers stands on a lattice of rods, possibly for the purpose of calculating construction costs.

Often the construction of medieval castles was accompanied by detailed documentation. In 1441-42 the tower of Tutbury Castle in Staffordshire was demolished and a plan for its successor was drawn up on the ground. But the Prince of Stafford, for some reason, was not pleased. The king's master stonemason, Robert of Westerley, was sent to Tutbury, where he held a conference with two senior masons to design a new tower at the new site. Westerley then left, and over the next eight years a small group of workers, including four junior masons, built the new tower.

Senior masons could be called in to confirm the quality of work, as was the case at Cooling Castle in Kent, when the king's stonemason Henry Javel assessed work carried out from 1381 to 1384. He criticized the deviations from the original plan and rounded the estimate down.

Tip: Don't let the master mason fool you. Make him make a plan so that it is easy to make an estimate for it.

Finish building with elaborate fortifications and specialized timber structures.

Until the 12th century, the fortifications of most castles consisted of earth and logs. And although stone buildings were subsequently given preference, wood remained a very important material in medieval wars and fortifications.

Stone castles prepared for attacks by adding special battle galleries along the walls, as well as shutters that could be used to close the gaps between battlements to protect the defenders of the castle. All this was made of wood. Heavy weapons used to defend the castle, catapults and heavy crossbows, springalds, were also built of wood. Artillery was usually designed by a highly paid professional carpenter, sometimes with the title of engineer, from the Latin "ingeniator".

Such experts were not cheap, but could eventually be worth their weight in gold. This, for example, happened in 1266, when Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire resisted Henry III for almost six months with catapults and water defenses.

There are records of camp castles made entirely of wood - they could be transported with you and erected as needed. One such was built for the French invasion of England in 1386, but the Calais garrison captured it along with the ship. It was described as consisting of a wall of logs 20 feet high and 3,000 paces long. There was a 30-foot tower every 12 paces, capable of housing up to 10 soldiers, and the castle also had an unspecified defense for archers.

Tip: Oak wood gets stronger with age, and is easiest to work with when it's green. The top branches of trees are easy to transport and shape.

8) Provide water and sanitation

The most important aspect for the castle was efficient access to water. These could be wells that supply water to certain buildings, such as a kitchen or a stable. Without a detailed acquaintance with the medieval well shafts, it is difficult to do justice to them. For example, in Beeston Castle in Cheshire there is a well 100 m deep, the upper 60 m of which are lined with hewn stone.

There is some evidence of elaborate plumbing that brought water to the apartments. The tower of Dover Castle has a system of lead pipes that delivers water throughout the rooms. She was fed from a well with a winch, and possibly from a rainwater harvesting system.

Efficient disposal of human waste was another challenge for lock designers. The latrines were assembled in one place in the buildings so that their shafts were emptied in one place. They were located in short corridors that trap unpleasant odors, and were often equipped with wooden seats and removable covers.

Today it is widely believed that latrines used to be called "cloakrooms". In fact, the lexicon for toilets was extensive and colorful. They were called gongs or gangs (from the Anglo-Saxon word for "a place to go"), nooks and jakes (the French version of "john").

Tip: Ask a master mason to plan comfortable and private latrines outside the bedroom, following the example of Henry II and Dover Castle.

The castle not only had to be well-guarded - its inhabitants, having a high status, demanded a certain chic.

During the war, the castle must be defended - but it also serves luxury home. The noble gentlemen of the Middle Ages expected their dwelling to be both comfortable and richly furnished. In the Middle Ages, these citizens traveled with servants, things and furniture from one residence to another. But home interiors often had fixed decorative features, such as stained-glass windows.

The tastes of Henry III in the setting are recorded very carefully, with interesting and attractive details. In 1235-36, for example, he ordered that his hall at Winchester Castle be decorated with images of a map of the world and a wheel of fortune. Since then, these decorations have not survived, but the well-known round table of King Arthur, possibly created between 1250 and 1280, remains in the interior.

The large area of the castles played an important role in the luxurious life. Parks were created for hunting, a jealously guarded privilege of aristocrats; gardens were also in demand. The extant description of the construction of the castle of Kirby Maxloe in Leicestershire says that its owner, Lord Hastings, began laying out gardens at the very beginning of the construction of the castle in 1480.

In the Middle Ages, rooms with beautiful views. One of the 13th-century groups of rooms at the castles of Leeds in Kent, Corfe in Dorset and Chepstow in Monmouthshire were called gloriettes (from the French gloriette - a diminutive of glory) for their splendor.

Tip: The interior of the castle should be luxurious enough to attract visitors and friends. Entertainment can win battles without having to expose itself to the dangers of combat.

Hello dear reader!

Still, medieval architects in Europe were geniuses - they built castles, luxurious buildings that were also extremely practical. Castles, unlike modern mansions, not only demonstrated the wealth of their owners, but also served as powerful fortresses that could hold the defense for several years, and at the same time, life in them did not stop.

medieval castles

Even the fact that many castles, having survived wars, natural disasters and the carelessness of the owners, are still intact, suggests that they have not yet come up with a more reliable home. And they are insanely beautiful and seem to have appeared in our world from the pages of fairy tales and legends. Their high spiers are reminiscent of the times when beauties fought for the hearts, and the air was saturated with chivalry and courage.

In order for you to be imbued with a romantic mood, I have collected in this material 20 of the most famous castles that still remain on Earth. They will certainly want to visit and, possibly, stay to live.

Reichsburg Castle, Germany

The thousand-year-old castle was originally the residence of the King of Germany, Conrad III, and then of the King of France, Louis XIV. The fortress was burned down by the French in 1689 and would have sunk into oblivion, but a German businessman purchased the remains in 1868 and spent most of his wealth rebuilding the castle.

Mont Saint Michel, France

The impregnable castle of Mont Saint-Michel, surrounded on all sides by the sea, is one of the most popular attractions in France after Paris. Built in 709, it still looks stunning.

Hochosterwitz Castle, Austria

Medieval Hochosterwitz castle built in the ninth century. Its towers are still vigilantly watching the surrounding area, proudly towering above it at a height of 160 m. And in sunny weather, they can be admired even at a distance of 30 km

Bled Castle, Slovenia

The castle is located on a hundred-meter cliff, menacingly hanging over Lake Bled. In addition to the magnificent view from the windows of the castle, this place has a rich history - the residence of the Serbian queen of the dynasty, and later Marshal Josip Broz Tito, was located here.

Hohenzollern Castle, Germany

This castle is located on the top of the Hohenzollern mountain, 2800 meters above sea level. During its heyday, the castle in this fortress was considered the residence of the Prussian emperors.

Barciense Castle, Spain

Barciense Castle in the Spanish province of Toledo was built in the 15th century by a local count. For 100 years, the castle served as a powerful artillery fortress, and today these empty walls attract only photographers and tourists.

Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany

The romantic castle of the Bavarian king Ludwig II was built in the middle of the 19th century, and at that time its architecture was considered very extravagant. Be that as it may, it was its walls that inspired the creators of the Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland.

Methoni Castle, Greece

Since the 14th century, the Venetian castle-fortress of Methoni has been the center of battles and the last outpost of Europeans in these parts in battles against the Turks, who dreamed of capturing the Peloponnese. Today, only ruins remain of the fortress.

Hohenschwangau Castle, Germany

This castle-fortress was built by the knights of Schwangau in the 12th century and was the residence of many rulers, including the famous King Ludwig II, who hosted the composer Richard Wagner within these walls

Chillon Castle, Switzerland

This medieval bastille resembles a warship from a bird's eye view. Rich story and characteristic appearance The castle served as an inspiration for many famous writers. In the 16th century, the castle was used as a state prison, as George Byron described in his poem The Prisoner of Chillon.

Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland

The castle, located on a rocky island in the Loch Duich fjord, is one of the most romantic castles in Scotland, famous for its heather honey and legends. Many films were filmed here, but the most important thing is that the castle is open to visitors and everyone can touch the stones of its history.

Bodiam Castle, England

Since its founding in the 14th century, Bodiam Castle has gone through many owners, each of whom liked to fight. Therefore, when Lord Curzon acquired it in 1917, only ruins remained of the castle. Fortunately, its walls were quickly restored, and now the castle stands as good as new.

Guaita Castle, San Marino

The castle from the 11th century is located on the top impregnable mountain Monte Titano and, together with two other towers, protects the oldest state in the world, San Marino.

Swallow's Nest, Crimea

Initially, on the rock of Cape Ai-Todor there was a small wooden house. And the Swallow's Nest got its current look thanks to the oil industrialist Baron Steingel, who loved to relax in the Crimea. He decided to build a romantic castle that resembles medieval buildings on the banks of the Rhine River.

Castle Stalker, Scotland

Castle Stalker, which means "Falconer", was built in 1320 and belonged to the MacDougal clan. Since that time, its walls have experienced a huge number of strife and wars, which affected the state of the castle. In 1965, Colonel D. R. Stewart of Allward became the owner of the castle, who personally restored the structure with his wife, family members and friends.

Bran Castle, Romania

Bran Castle is the pearl of Transylvania, the mysterious museum-fort where she was born famous legend about Count Dracula - a vampire, murderer and governor Vlad Tepes. According to legend, he spent the night here during the periods of his campaigns, and the forest surrounding Bran Castle was Tepes's favorite hunting ground.

Vyborg Castle, Russia

Vyborg Castle was founded by the Swedes in 1293, during one of the crusades against Karelian land. It remained Scandinavian until 1710, when the troops of Peter I pushed the Swedes back far and for a long time. Since that time, the castle managed to visit both a warehouse, and a barracks, and even a prison for the Decembrists. And today there is a museum here.

Cashel Castle, Ireland

Cashel Castle was the seat of the kings of Ireland for several hundred years before the Norman invasion. Here in the 5th century A.D. e. Saint Patrick lived and preached. The walls of the castle witnessed the bloody suppression of the revolution by the troops of Oliver Cromwell, who burned soldiers alive here. Since then, the castle has become a symbol of the cruelty of the British, the real courage and fortitude of the Irish.

Kilchurn Castle, Scotland

Very beautiful and even a little creepy ruins of Kilkhurn Castle are located on the shore picturesque lake Eve. The history of this castle, unlike most castles in Scotland, proceeded quite calmly - numerous earls lived here, who succeeded each other. In 1769, the building was struck by lightning and was soon abandoned, as it remains to this day.

Lichtenstein Castle, Germany

Built in the 12th century, this castle has been destroyed several times. It was finally restored in 1884 and since then the castle has become a filming location for many films, including the film The Three Musketeers.

Led to a boom in castle building, but the process of building a fortress from scratch is far from easy.

Bodiam Castle in East Sussex, founded 1385

1) Carefully choose a place to build

It is extremely important to build your castle on a hill and in a strategically important point.

Castles were usually built on natural elevations, and were usually equipped with a link to the external environment, such as a ford, bridge or passage.

Advice: identify places where the topography rises above traffic routes: these are natural places for castles. Keep in mind that the design of the castle is determined by the place of construction. For example, a castle on a ledge of exposed rocks will have a dry moat.

2) Develop a workable plan

You will need a master mason who can draw plans. An engineer knowledgeable in weapons will also come in handy.

To implement the idea, a master bricklayer was required - an experienced builder, whose hallmark was the ability to draw a plan. With a grasp of practical geometry, he used simple tools such as straightedge, square, and compasses to create architectural plans. Master masons submitted a drawing with a building plan for approval, and during construction supervised its construction.

When Edward II ordered the construction of a tower at Knarsborough, he personally approved the plans and demanded construction reports.

When Edward II in 1307 began building a huge residential tower at Naresborough Castle in Yorkshire for his favorite Pierce Gaveston, he not only personally approved the plans created by the London master mason Hugh of Teachmarsh - probably made in the form of a drawing - but also demanded regular reports on the construction . From the middle of the 16th century, a new group of professionals called engineers increasingly began to take on a role in planning and building fortifications. They had technical knowledge of the use and power of cannons, both for defense and for attacking castles.

Advice: Plan slits to provide a wide angle of attack. Shape them according to the weapon you are using: longbow archers need large slopes, crossbowmen need smaller ones.

3) Hire a large group of experienced workers

You will need thousands of people. And not all of them will come of their own free will.

It took a lot of effort to build the castle. We do not have documentary evidence of the construction of the first castles in England since 1066, but from the scale of many castles of that period it becomes clear why some chronicles claim that the English were under the yoke of building castles for their Norman conquerors. But from the later time of the Middle Ages, some estimates with detailed information have come down to us.

Advice: Depending on the size of the workforce and the distance they had to travel, it may be necessary to provide accommodation for them at the construction site.

4) Ensure the safety of the construction site

An unfinished castle in enemy territory is very vulnerable to attacks.

Beaumaris (Wall. Biwmares) is a city on the island of Anglesey, Wales.

Rudlan Castle

Advice: building materials for the construction of the castle are large and voluminous. If possible, it's best to transport them by water, even if that means building a dock or canal.

5) Prepare the landscape

When building a castle, you may have to move an impressive amount of land, which is not cheap.

An 18th-century engraving of a 1597 plan for the Tower of London shows how much land had to be moved to build moats and ramparts.

Advice: Reduce time and cost by digging out masonry for castle walls from the moats around it.

6) Lay the Foundation

Carry out the mason's plan carefully.

Warkworth Castle

Advice: Don't let the master mason fool you. Make him make a plan so that it is easy to make an estimate for it.

7) Fortify your castle

Finish building with elaborate fortifications and specialized timber structures.

Storming of the castle, drawing of the 15th century

Advice: Oak wood becomes stronger over the years, and it is easiest to work with it when it is green. The top branches of trees are easy to transport and shape.

8) Provide water and sanitation

Don't forget the amenities. You will appreciate them in case of a siege.

Thought Room at Chipchase Castle

Advice: Ask a master mason to plan comfortable and private latrines outside the bedroom, following the example of Henry II and Dover Castle.

9) Decorate as needed

The castle not only had to be well-guarded - its inhabitants, having a high status, demanded a certain chic.

During the war, the castle must be defended - but it also serves as a luxurious home. The noble gentlemen of the Middle Ages expected their dwelling to be both comfortable and richly furnished. In the Middle Ages, these citizens traveled with servants, things and furniture from one residence to another. But home interiors often had fixed decorative features, such as stained-glass windows.

Winchester Castle with King Arthur's Round Table hanging on the wall

In the Middle Ages, rooms with beautiful views were also loved. One of the 13th-century groups of rooms at the castles of Leeds in Kent, Corfe in Dorset and Chepstow in Monmouthshire were called gloriettes (from the French gloriette - a diminutive of glory) for their splendor.

Advice: The interior of the castle should be luxurious enough to attract visitors and friends. Entertainment can win battles without having to expose itself to the dangers of combat.