Visiting new country, an inquisitive tourist wants to discover something interesting, visit places with special energy and mysterious magic. All this can be provided by the oldest castles in the world.

Unfortunately, most ancient structures have survived only in the form of ruins, which are of more interest to archaeologists than to travelers. However, many of them were truly made to last. Now there are quite a lot of ancient castles in the world that are open to tourists, and each of them definitely deserves a visit.

Mayerling

A quick glance is enough to confirm how many secrets this ancient magical place holds. Today it looks calm and serene, but its history is filled with tragedy. The Austrian castle is one of the oldest in the world, built in 1550. It is notable for the fact that Rudolf, the heir to the throne, died here under mysterious circumstances. There are many different conjectures and legends about what really happened in this place, but history has never solved the old mystery. Today it has become a popular tourist attraction.

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Torre de Belem

If the spirit of adventurism is close to you (and the period of conquest in Portugal became a special page in history), it is worth visiting this amazing place. Torre de Belem is one of the oldest miracles Portugal. The site is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It was built in the sixteenth century for defense purposes. Created in a Manueline style typical of the Renaissance.

At the same time, here you can find oriental elements of ancient decor and heraldic motifs. For the first time in Europe, a sculpture of an animal - the famous rhinoceros - appeared within the walls of the ancient building. The southern façade with its loggia, decorated in Venetian style, deserves special attention. It is decorated with fine carvings made on limestone balustrades.

Himeji

This place is often mentioned among business cards Japan. The second name is the White Heron Palace. The complex consists of 83 wooden buildings forming a single stylistic ensemble. The structure is reliably protected by a spiral labyrinth, with intricate turns, many passages and dead ends. One of the oldest castles in the world was built in the 14th century, has powerful energy and attracts with its originality.

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Bran

It is better known to tourists as Dracula's Castle. Oldest mysterious place not only Romania, but, perhaps, all of Europe. This is a striking monument of medieval architecture, erected on a steep mountain. The layout resembles a maze, and the interior is filled with many antique objects. The castle was built in the 14th century and is one of the oldest on the planet.

Eltz

There are many stunning old castles in Germany, but Eltz stands out even among them. This place is notable for the fact that from the medieval period to the present day it has been owned by the same family. The current manager, Count Karl von Eltz, represents the 33rd generation of the family, and the total time of ownership of the ancient estate, built in the 12th century, is over 800 years.

Woodstock

Within the walls of this amazing place in the 12th century a real love drama broke out. It's about about a tragic love triangle involving Henry II Plantagenet, his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine and a certain Rosamund Clifford. Henry hid his mistress in a tower, the path to which ran through a complex labyrinth. Despite this, Eleanor found the girl - Rosamund drank poison and died in terrible agony. For this, the angry Henry imprisoned his wife forever. Rumor has it that the spirit of the poisoned girl still languishes in this ancient castle.

Tower

In the list of the oldest castles in the world one cannot fail to mention the Tower with its mysterious story. This place, built in 1078, became a prison for everyone for whom the only road was open - to the scaffold. This was the fate that befell Henry VIII's second wife, Anne Boleyn. Carried away by the new feeling, Henry sentenced his wife to death, accusing her of incest. The Queen accepted the fictitious punishment with dignity and majesty. After this tragic event in the Tower, many began to notice the ghostly silhouette of a woman in a magnificent evening dress, holding her head with her right hand.

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Corf

Despite the fact that this ancient English castle has not survived to this day in its original form, its ruins make an indelible impression. The date of construction is considered to be the 9th century, but there are opinions that it happened much earlier, even when there was a need for defense in the fight against the Romans. So this is the most old lock in the world. The fortress was used to store royal jewels and was a place to house prisoners. Today, only parts of the building have survived, the reconstruction of which was carried out in the eleventh century.

Contrary to popular belief, it is not Europe that can boast of the oldest fortress walls, but Asia and the Caucasus. Forbes magazine has selected nine places where you can look at more or less preserved fortresses, compared to which medieval ones are a remake. As a rule, the word “fortress” first of all brings to mind associations with the Middle Ages, Western Europe, Teutonic and other knights. Such fortresses related to all of the above - Romanesque and Gothic - are a dime a dozen in Europe, and everything is clear with them. As for truly ancient fortresses, the word “fortress” often means one and a half preserved walls, or even just a few stones. For some, it will be a disappointment to discover that the declared attraction is just ruins, and for others, the fact that these are the ruins of something that was built before our era will make them want to travel just for them.

Aleppo

Where is it located: Syria, Aleppo In Syria, in one of the most ancient cities in the world, Aleppo, there is a fortress of the same name. Construction of its first walls began in 944 AD. The fifty-meter hill itself on which the fortress stands was inhabited already in the 3rd millennium BC. e. The fortress took 13 years to build, and then came a period of impressive scale development of both the fortress and the city itself. Until, as usual, the Mongol invaders came running, so the walls of Aleppo suffered greatly. Having restored and strengthened the fortress after their first raid, in the 14th century the city's inhabitants were forced to defend themselves against the Mongols again. Finally, in the 15th century, the Mongols returned again, already led by Tamerlane. In addition to the assassination attempts of the great Timur, the fortress survived the conquest by the Ottomans, the invasion of the Crusaders and much more. And in 1828, an earthquake destroyed the Aleppo fortress so badly that it is still being restored.

Koloa

Location: Vietnam, Hanoi
The fortress of Koloa is located where until 207 BC. e. there was the kingdom of Aulak, founded by the ancient Vietnamese tribes - the Auviet and Laquiet. Now it is a suburb of Hanoi. Aulak became the second Vietnamese state - the first was Van Lang, whose capital was captured by the Au Viet An Duong Vuong, who created Aulak and became its first ruler. He launched all this activity precisely at a time when Van Lang was vulnerable, and the Chinese intentions to occupy Vietnamese lands became especially serious. So thanks to the first and only king of Aulak, the freedom of the Viet from the Chinese lasted 50 years longer than it could have, but in the end the Chinese still captured the northern possessions of the Viet, and then Aulak. Tradition says that the defeated An Duong Vuong committed suicide by throwing himself into the river from the wall of his fortress: the surviving remains of the walls of Koloa even now reach 12 meters in height.

Maiden Castle

Location: UK, Dorset
The so-called Maiden Fortress, which arose already in the Iron Age, is such an ancient structure that it can only be related to fortresses in the usual sense of the word only formally. In fact, this is a fortification built by people of the Neolithic era, consisting of ditches and embankments, which were subsequently repeatedly improved by people of subsequent eras. The second generation of Maiden inhabitants came to these places around the 20th century BC; With their efforts, the length of the embankments increased to 546 meters. But having rebuilt the Maiden settlement, this generation of inhabitants soon left it. The third change of inhabitants in Maiden appeared around the 3rd century BC. e. Then the fortifications were first lined on the inside with wood, and later, in the 1st century, with stone. Soon the Romans attacked the site, destroyed its inhabitants, settled there themselves and built a real castle in Maiden, which has not survived to this day, however.

Ujarma

Location: Georgia, Sagarejo district, Ujarma village
Ujarma is a village in the municipality of Sagarejo, located on the route from Tbilisi to Telavi. In the very distant past - a fortified city, part of the state of Kartli, one of the first states on the territory of modern Georgia. Although almost all of Georgia can be considered an archaeological reserve, the Ujarma fortress deserves special attention. According to the chronicles, it was founded by King Aspagur, also known as Varaz-Bakur, a protege of the King of Persia Shapur, in the 3rd century BC. In the 10th century, the fortress was destroyed by the Arabs and restored in the 12th century by Tsar George III - there are not many well-preserved buildings with such a long history. And most importantly, the chronicles say that it was in Ujarma that Saint Nino installed one of the three crosses marking the adoption of Christianity in Georgia.

Inkataka

Location: Bolivia, Chunga Mayu River valley
Discovered quite recently, in April of this year, the ruins of a fortress in the Ilyimani Mountains area have puzzled archaeologists. The fact is that the discovery was twofold: the found remains of the fortress, which were so well preserved that it would be somehow incorrect to call them remains, are not associated with any of the ancient civilizations known today. The discovery - and this is not only a fortress, but also several other buildings, including a temple - of course did not come as a surprise to the Indians living in this area: they had known about the existence of the citadel for a long time. Scientists currently assume that the civilization whose representatives built this fortress stands between the Incas and the Tiwanakus who preceded them in the history of Andean cultures. The unstudied culture was named after the river in the valley of which the find is located - Chunga Mayu.

Janbas-Kala

Location: Uzbekistan, Karakalpakstan (sovereign republic within Uzbekistan)
Khorezm, the most powerful ancient state, occupied territories belonging to modern Uzbekistan, Karalpakstan and Turkmenistan. Before the capital was moved to Urgench (nowadays an Uzbek city) in the 5th century, the center of Khorezm was located in the Karakalpak lands. The largest number of surviving buildings of early Khorezm is concentrated there - in an area called Elikkala, which, by the way, translates as “fifty fortresses”. Of course, you can’t count 50 intact fortresses here, but there are about 300 archaeological sites as such in this area. Many of them are monuments of Zoroastrianism, such as the Janbas-Kala fortress, whose inhabitants professed this religion. Built in the 4th century BC, Dzhanbas-Kala was inhabited until the 1st century AD. e., when, according to scientists, the settlement located inside the walls of the fortress was captured and destroyed by nomads.

Erebuni

Location: Armenia, Yerevan
The Erebuni fortress, located near Yerevan on the Arin-Berd hill, was built during the heyday of the Urartu state - in 782 BC. There was no stronger state in Western Asia at that time, and the king of Urartu, Argishti I, did nothing but expand the territories of his kingdom, grabbing tidbits of neighboring lands, including in the Ararat Valley. The power of Urartu was undermined by the Assyrians, but Erebuni, like Teishebaini - another Urartian fortress city, the ruins of which are also located in Armenia - survived a long history of struggle between the Urartians and Assyrians. The Urartian kingdom was destroyed by steppe tribes - the Scythians, Cimmerians and Medes. Erebuni surrendered without a fight: the Urartians simply abandoned it, fleeing to Teishebaini. For descendants, this turned out to be a good deed: since Erebuni, unlike Teishebaini, was not stormed or burned by anyone, even the paintings on the walls of the fortress were preserved.

Asandra

Location: Ukraine, Crimea, Sudak
Not far from Sudak there is Mount Karaul-Oba. On a cliff in its foothills are the ruins of the walls of the Asandra fortress - perhaps the oldest in the Crimea. The fortress is named after the Bosporan king Asander, who in 46 BC. e. completely seized power over the kingdom after the previous ruler of the Bosporus, Pharnaces, rashly chose him as his governor, and he himself went to conquer Rome. Historians have enough reason to believe that it was Asander who began the construction of this fortress, which was necessary for the Bosporan kingdom to protect against sea pirates. For approximately 2500 sq. m of the fortress area there was a garrison of approximately 100 people. Oddly enough, despite the scale of the fortress ruins, they were discovered only in 1982 by archaeologist Igor Baranov and his expedition.

Rurik fortress

Location: Russia, Staraya Ladoga
As far as history is concerned Staraya Ladoga, many different interpretations. What is most reliable is that the first buildings on this site appeared before 753 and they were erected by the Scandinavians, and in the 760s their settlement was demolished by the Ilmen Slovenes. According to historians, the Slovenes were replaced by the Varangians in the 830s. Regarding what happened after this, as in everything connected with the Varangians, disagreements begin in the sources. According to one version, Rurik was called to reign first in Ladoga and only then moved to Novgorod. Whether this is true or not, the Ladoga fortress is called Rurik. Perhaps the Prophetic Oleg is buried in Ladoga - and again, it is not known whether this is so or whether Oleg’s grave is still in Kyiv. The fortress was built in the 870s, but in 997 it was destroyed by the son of the Norwegian ruler Hakon the Mighty, Eirik. In 1114, the fortress was rebuilt from stone, and in 1495 it was thoroughly strengthened.

Since ancient times, castles were built to protect a region from enemies and today best reflect the history of states. In most cases, huge stone structures were built on site small fortress. Fearsome outposts were most widespread in Europe. Over the centuries they have been strengthened and added to and are now tourist attractions. Thousands of ancient buildings are scattered around the world, but these oldest castles are a separate page of history...

Killyleagh Castle, Northern Ireland. Founded in 1180

Killyly Castle is the main attraction of the village of the same name in Northern Ireland. The oldest parts of it date back to 1180, so it is believed to be the oldest castle in the country. King James I gave the land on which the castle sits to James Hamilton, who later became 1st Viscount Claneb. He then built a high castle surrounded by a wall.
Since 1625 the castle has been the family seat of the Hamilton family. In 1666, James Hamilton's son Henry restored the estate, added another tower, and erected a long fortified wall in front of the castle. This is how we see Killili today.


Alcazar in Segovia, Spain. Founded at the beginning of the 12th century

The Alcazar of Segovia was once an Arab fortress built on the remains of a Roman fort. The earliest mention of it dates back to 1120. At this time the city was retaken by King Alfonso VI. During the reign of King Alfonso VIII and his wife Eleanor of England, the Alcazar was their main residence. They rebuilt the ancient outpost and made it what it is today.
The castle remained one of the most important fortresses for the monarchs of Castile until they moved the capital to Madrid. In 1882, the castle was restored to its original form, and in 1896, King Alfonso XIII gave it to the Ministry of War for use as a military college.

Rochester Castle, Kent, South East England. Founded in the late 1080s

Rochester Castle was built in the late 1080s after William II asked the Bishop of Rochester, Gandalf, to build a stone castle there to control the river crossing. This stone structure is one of the first of its kind in England, as many of the country's early castles at that time were built as a motte and bailey castle.
In 1127, the Archbishop of Canteburi began construction of the temple, which is considered one of the best preserved in England and France. Exactly this high building in Europe. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the castle was restored and opened to the public.

. Founded in 1077

The first fortress of Hohensalzburg Castle was built in 1077 by Gebhard I Helfenstein, who was the archbishop at that time. And although he was expelled, his successors completed the construction. During the reign of the Holy Roman Empire, the archbishops of Salzburg continued to expand the castle to protect their power and interests. Around 1500, Archbishop Leonhard von Keutschach completed the construction. And today we see the castle as it was at that time.
Despite the fact that the castle was built as a fortress, it was besieged only once in 1525 - during the peasant war in Germany. At the end of the 19th century, the castle was restored and has since been a popular tourist attraction.

Windsor Castle, Berkshire, England. Founded in 1070

Although back in Saxon times (around the 9th century) there was royal residence, construction of the first castle began around 1070, after the invasion of England by William the Conqueror. Since the reign of King Henry I, the castle has become the residence of the reigning monarchs of England. This is the oldest royal residence in Europe.
The castle was originally built as a motte and bailey, but gradually stone fortifications were built. When Henry III came to power, he built a magnificent Royal Palace, and Edward III made it even more grandiose. Windsor castle is still owned by the English royal family and is a popular tourist attraction.

Reichsburg Cochem, Germany. Founded in 1000

Reichsburg Cochem or Cochem Castle is one of the oldest castles in the world. It is believed that it was built around 1000 by Count Palatine Ezzo. The earliest documentation of the castle appears in 1051, when Richesa, the eldest daughter of the Count Palatine and former Queen of Poland, gave the castle to her nephew, Count Palatine Henry I.
In 1151 the castle officially became an imperial residence after King Conrad III occupied it by force. In 1688, the castle was partially destroyed by the army of the French king Louis XIV, and in 1868 it was restored. Since 1978, the castle belongs to the city of Cochem.

Aleppo Citadel, Syria. Founded in 3000 BC.

Aleppo Citadel is one of the oldest and largest castles in the world. It is located on top of a hill in ancient city Aleppo, which is the subject World Heritage UNESCO. The citadel fortress was built before 3000 BC. BC, but most of the buildings were probably erected during the reign of the Ayyubid dynasty in the 12th century.
In the early 2000s, the Aga Khan Cultural Foundation, in collaboration with the Aleppo Archaeological Society, carried out extensive conservation work at the citadel. Unfortunately, in last years it is seriously damaged as a result of the ongoing war.

Old castles keep secrets. Majestic, imbued with a sense of self-worth, dark and lush, they attract you, promising to show something special. The most ancient castles amaze with their scale and skillful decoration.


Man is an infinitely curious creature, which is why every year thousands and thousands of tourists visit castles around the world. They are attracted not just by the desire to look at the life of past years. Everyone is trying to see through what the walls of the buildings remember. Whose destinies were decided in them, what deeds were accomplished?

Old castles. General characteristics and functions

If we consider these buildings outside of eras, we can highlight the following features that distinguish old castles:


Locks as a means of protection

Prototypes of these buildings appeared in Iran, later moved to Ancient Rome, after which they advanced to Byzantium, where they became very popular due to the fact that they were used as forts.

However, castles flourished during the Middle Ages; they were used as dwellings of feudal lords and were primarily of a defensive nature. It was then that they came to the form we are familiar with. The castles were geographically located on steep hills and hills in order to make a possible assault as difficult as possible. These measures were not associated with widespread persecution mania powerful of the world that time. We must not forget that the Middle Ages passed “under the auspices” of feudal fragmentation and unrest; the protection of life in such conditions was paramount.

Castles as a sign of status

Time passed, morals changed, the Middle Ages, with its theological dictates and the need to live looking back, gave way to the Renaissance, which elevated anthropocentrism to a cult. Castles naturally turned into just people's homes. The buildings became lighter, more elegant, more beautiful, everyone created something of their own, competing with their neighbors to the best of their ability.

Castles as a center of secrets

Walking along the winding corridors of castles, it is difficult to get rid of the feeling that you are being watched. They keep too many secrets and understatements. Deposed monarchs, corrupt servants, unhappy love stories - all this excites the imagination and gives goosebumps. Let's look at some of the secrets of ancient castles?

Tower

Mentioned ancient castles with their secrets and ghosts - what first comes to mind? Of course, Tower. This is a London building

served as a prison for those who henceforth had only one road - to the scaffold. Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry the Eighth, did not escape this fate. The church did not allow him to get a divorce, and his new love required decisive action. The monarch who became the prototype of Bluebeard found a way out - he accused his wife of incest and sentenced her to death. Eyewitnesses said that the queen was infinitely calm and majestic, ascending to the scaffold, no hysterics or tears. In turn, her husband also “had mercy” - he provided a skilled French executioner and after Anna’s death he did not put his head on public display, but buried it, placing it under his right arm. Since then, not only in the Tower, but also in London itself, a blurry image of a woman in a luxurious dress holding her head with her right hand has been periodically noticed.

Mayerling Castle

When you look at this photo, the old castle seems so serene that it’s hard to believe its dark and tragic history for Austria. It was there that the heir to the throne, Rudolf, the only son of Sisi and Franz Joseph, died under mysterious circumstances. Rudolph, according to his contemporaries, suffered from depression and temporary clouding of mind, for which he was “treated” with heavy doses of alcohol. One frosty January day in 1899, he and his mistress Maria Vechera entered Meyerling Castle, never to return. They were found dead some time later - the girl was shot, and Rudolf was poisoned. There are many versions of what happened: some say that the crown prince persuaded Maria to leave with him and shoot herself after he took poison, others say that the heir himself killed her and then committed suicide, others insist that both were killed by opponents crown to destabilize the situation in Austria.

Olesko Castle

When old ones are mentioned, it is this building that comes to mind first.

Its history is rich in events - just take the fact that in the 17th century his father served at court, and at the same time a tragedy occurred, which is still talked about to this day. The owner of Olesko Castle had a beautiful daughter, whose hand young Adam persistently, but to no avail, sought. The mission to obtain the blessing of his beloved’s father was initially doomed to failure, since he wanted to see only a representative of the royal family in his sons-in-law. Unable to bear another refusal, Adam committed suicide in front of everyone. Due to the fact that he became a suicide, they buried him without a Christian rite - according to one version, they buried him near the walls of the castle, according to another, they simply threw his body into a swamp. The owner's daughter could not cope with the loss and also took her own life. Those brave souls who decide to spend the night in Olesko Castle claim that two restless souls still wander around the building, breaking the silence with groans.

Woodstock Castle

The most famous ancient castles in the world include Woodstock.

Speaking about the distinctive features, we can mention the fact that the echo in it is surprisingly clearly heard 17 times in a row. However, this is not what excites people’s imagination. In the 12th century, he witnessed a love triangle, two corners of which were represented by the most influential spouses of that time, and the third corner was a brilliant beauty. We are talking about Henry II Plantagenet, Eleanor of Aquitaine and Rosamund Clifford. According to legend, Henry hid his mistress Rosamund in the tower of Woodstock Castle. The path led through a labyrinth that was impossible to overcome blindly. And this measure was justified, for the monarch knew very well that his crowned wife was not only smart, but also extremely vindictive. Against all odds, Eleanor followed her husband and discovered the beauty. Her decision was inexorable - Rosamund had to die. She was given the choice of death by dagger or poison. Henry's beloved chose the latter and met death in terrible agony - indeed, it is difficult to expect a quick, merciful death from an angry woman. Plantagenet, having learned about the tragedy, went mad with grief and forever imprisoned his treacherous wife. He retained the memory of Rosamund until the end of his days and supposedly died on the same day as her, but 13 years later. The girl's spirit still wanders around the castle, waiting for her king.