Since the seas and rivers provided great visibility for tracking down and attacking foreign invaders.

The water supply made it possible to preserve ditches and ditches, which were an indispensable part of the castle’s defense system. Castles also functioned as administrative centers, and bodies of water helped facilitate the collection of taxes, since the rivers and seas were important trade waterways.

Castles were also built on high hills or in rocky cliffs, which were difficult to attack.

Castle construction stages

At the beginning of the construction of the castle, ditches were dug in the ground around the location of the future building. Their contents were folded inside. The result was an embankment or hill called a “mott.” A castle was later built on it.

Then the castle walls were built. Often two rows of walls were erected. The outer wall was lower than the inner one. It contained towers for the castle defenders, a drawbridge and a lock. Towers were built on the inner wall of the castle, which were used for. The basement rooms were intended to store food in the event of a siege. The area, which was surrounded by an internal wall, was called a “bailey”. On the site there was a tower where the feudal lord lived. Castles could be supplemented with extensions.

What were castles made of?

The material from which the castles were made depended on the geology of the area. The first castles were built from wood, but later building material steel stone. Sand, limestone, and granite were used in construction.

All construction work was done by hand.

Castle walls rarely consisted entirely of solid stone. The outside of the wall was faced with processed stones, and on its inside, stones of uneven shape and different sizes were laid. These two layers were connected using lime mortar. The solution was prepared right on the site of the future structure, and the stones were also whitened with its help.

Wooden scaffolding was erected at the construction site. In this case, horizontal beams were stuck into holes made in the walls. Boards were placed across them on top. On the walls of medieval castles you can see square recesses. These are the marks from the scaffolding. At the end of construction, the building niches were filled with limestone, but over time it fell off.

The windows in the castles were narrow openings. Small openings were made on the castle tower so that the defenders could shoot arrows.

How much did the locks cost?

If we were talking about a royal residence, then specialists were hired throughout the country for construction. This is how the king of medieval Wales, Edward the First, built his ring castles. Masons cut stones into blocks of the correct shape and size using a hammer, chisel and measuring tools. This work required high skill.

Stone castles were an expensive pleasure. King Edward almost bankrupted the state treasury by spending £100,000 on their construction. About 3,000 workers were involved in the construction of one castle.

The construction of castles took from three to ten years. Some were built in war zones and took longer to complete the work. Most of the castles built by Edward the First still stand.

After all, medieval architects 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 a defense for several years, and at the same time life in them did not stop.

Even the very fact that many castles, having survived wars, natural disasters and the carelessness of their owners, still stand intact, suggests that more reliable housing has not yet been invented. They are also incredibly beautiful and seem to have appeared in our world from the pages of fairy tales and legends. Their tall spiers remind of the times when the hearts of beauties were fought for, and the air was saturated with chivalry and courage.

Reichsburg Castle, Germany

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

Mont Saint Michel, France


Swallow's Nest, Crimea


Initially, there was a small wooden house on the rock of Cape Ai-Todor. And its current appearance " bird home"received thanks to the oil industrialist Baron Steingel, who loved to vacation in 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 MacDougall clan. Since that time, its walls have survived a huge number of strife and wars, which affected the condition of the castle. In 1965, the owner of the castle became Colonel D. R. Stewart from Allward, who personally, together with his wife, family members and friends, restored the structure.

Bran Castle, Romania


Bran Castle is the pearl of Transylvania, a mysterious fort museum where the famous legend of Count Dracula - the vampire, murderer and commander Vlad the Impaler - was born. According to legend, he spent the night here during 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 I pushed the Swedes back far and wide. From that time on, the castle managed to be a warehouse, 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 AD. e. Saint Patrick lived and preached. The castle walls 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 true courage and fortitude of the Irish.

Kilhurn Castle, Scotland


The very beautiful and even slightly creepy ruins of Kilhurn Castle are located on the shore picturesque lake Eive. The history of this castle, unlike most castles in Scotland, proceeded quite calmly - numerous earls lived here, who replaced each other. In 1769 the building was damaged by lightning and was soon abandoned, as it remains to this day.

Lichtenstein Castle, Germany


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

Which castle inspired Pyotr Tchaikovsky to create Swan Lake? Where was Indiana Jones filmed? How do ancient European castles function today? Lovers of mystical landscapes, romantic trips and mysterious legends! Our material is especially for you!

Eltz (German) Burg Eltz) is a castle located in Rhineland-Palatinate (Wirschem commune) in the valley of the Elzbach River. Together with the Bürresheim Palace, it is considered the only building in western Germany that has never been destroyed or captured. The castle was not damaged even during the wars of the 17th and 18th centuries. and the events of the French Revolution.

The castle has been perfectly preserved to this day. It is surrounded on three sides by a river and rises on a cliff 70 meters high. This makes it consistently popular among tourists and photographers.

Official site

Bled Castle, Slovenia (11th century)

One of the oldest castles in Slovenia (Slovenian: Blejski grad) is located on the top of a 130-meter cliff near the lake of the same name near the city of Bled. The oldest part of the castle is the Romanesque tower, which was used for housing, defense, and to monitor the surrounding area.

During World War II, the headquarters of German troops was located here. In 1947, there was a fire in the castle, due to which some of the buildings were damaged. A few years later the castle was restored and it resumed its activities as historical Museum. The museum's collection includes clothing, weapons and household items.

Official site

(XIX century)


The romantic castle of King Ludwig II is located near the town of Füssen in southwestern Bavaria. The castle was the inspiration for the construction of Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Paris. Neuschwanstein (German: Schloß Neuschwanstein) is also featured in the 1968 film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as a castle in the fictional land of Vulgaria. Pyotr Tchaikovsky was fascinated by the view of Neuschwanstein. According to historians, it was here that he came up with the idea of ​​​​creating the ballet “Swan Lake”.

Neuschwanstein Castle is shown in the films “Ludwig II: The Splendor and Fall of the King” (1955, directed by Helmut Keutner), “Ludwig” (1972, directed by Luchino Visconti), “Ludwig II” (2012, directed by Marie Noel and Peter Zehr).

Currently the castle is a museum. To visit, you need to buy a ticket at the ticket center and go up to the castle by bus, on foot or by horse-drawn carriage. Only person, who “lives” in the castle on this moment and is its keeper - the watchman.

Official site


The castle in Livorno received its name due to the fact that the local coastline is known as Boccale (Jug) or Cala dei Pirati (Pirate Bay). The center of the modern Castello del Boccale was an observation tower, built by order of the Medici in 16th century, presumably on the ruins of an older structure from the period of the Pisan Republic. Throughout its history, the appearance of the castle has undergone changes more than once. Behind last years A thorough restoration of the Castello del Boccale was carried out, after which the castle was divided into several residential apartments.


The legendary castle (rum. Bran Castle) is located in the picturesque town of Bran, 30 km from Brasov, on the border of Muntenia and Transylvania. It was originally built at the end of the 14th century with the help of local residents for exemption from paying taxes to the state treasury for several centuries. Thanks to its location on top of a cliff and its trapezoidal shape, the castle served as a strategic defensive fortress.

The castle has 4 levels connected by a staircase. During its history, the castle changed several owners: it belonged to the ruler Mircea the Old, the inhabitants of Brasov and the Habsburg Empire... According to legend, during his campaigns the famous governor Vlad the Impaler-Dracula spent the night in the castle, and its surroundings were the favorite hunting ground of the ruler the Impaler.

Currently, the castle belongs to a descendant of the Romanian kings, the grandson of Queen Mary, Dominic of Habsburg (in 2006, according to the new Romanian law on the return of territories to the previous owners). After the castle was handed over to the owner, all the furniture was taken to museums in Bucharest. And Dominic Habsburg had to recreate the decoration of the castle, buying various antique items.

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Official site

Alcazar Castle, Spain (9th century)

Fortress Spanish kings The Alcázar (Spanish: Alcázar) is located in the historical part of Segovia on a cliff. Over the years of its existence, the Alcazar was not only a royal palace, but also a prison, as well as an artillery academy. According to archaeologists, even in ancient Roman times there was a military fortification on the site of the Alcazar. During the Middle Ages, the castle was the favorite residence of the kings of Castile. In 1953, the Alcazar was turned into a museum.

Currently, it remains one of the most visited tourist destinations in Spain. The palace has a museum in which furniture, interiors, a collection of weapons, and portraits of the kings of Castile are exhibited. 11 halls and the tallest tower are available for viewing - the Tower of Juan II.

Chateau de Chambord, France (XVI century)


Chambord (French: Château de Chambord) is one of the most recognizable castles in France, an architectural masterpiece of the Renaissance. The length of the facade is 156 m, width 117 m, the castle has 426 rooms, 77 staircases, 282 fireplaces and 800 sculpturally decorated capitals.

According to historical research, Leonardo da Vinci himself took part in the design. Since 1981, it has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Since 2005, the castle has the status of a state public and commercial enterprise. On the second floor of the castle there is now a branch of the Museum of Hunting and Nature.

Official site

Windsor Castle, UK (11th century)

Situated on a hill in the Thames Valley Windsor castle(Windsor Castle) has been a symbol of the monarchy for more than 900 years. Over the centuries, the appearance of the castle changed in accordance with the capabilities of the ruling monarchs. Modern look acquired as a result of reconstruction after a fire in 1992. The castle occupies 52,609 square meters and combines the features of a fortress, a palace and a small town.

Today the palace is owned on behalf of the nation by the Occupied Royal Palaces Estate (residential royal palaces), consumer services are provided by the Royal Household department. Windsor Castle is the largest residential castle in the world (about 500 people live and work there). Elizabeth II spends a month in the spring and a week in June at the castle to participate in traditional ceremonies associated with the Order of the Garter. About a million tourists visit the castle every year.

Official site

Corvin Castle, Romania (XIV century)


The ancestral seat of the feudal house of Hunyadi in the south of Transylvania, in the modern Romanian city of Hunedoara. Initially, the fortress had an oval shape, and the only defensive tower was located in the northern wing, while on the southern side it was covered by a stone wall.

In 1441-1446, under the governor Janos Hunyadi, seven towers were built, and in 1446-1453. They founded the chapel, built the main halls and the southern wing with utility rooms. As a result, the appearance of the castle combines elements of late Gothic and early Renaissance.

In 1974, the castle was opened to visitors as a museum. Tourists are taken to the castle over a gigantic bridge, they are shown a vast hall for knightly feasts and two towers, one of which bears the name of the monk John Capistran, and the second has the romantic name “Do not be afraid.”

They also say that it was in this castle of Hunyadi that Dracula, who was overthrown from the throne of Vlad the Impaler, was kept for 7 years.

Official site

Liechtenstein Castle, Austria (12th century)

One of the most unusual castles in architecture (German - Burg Liechtenstein) is located on the edge of the Vienna Woods. The castle was built in the 12th century, but was destroyed twice by the Ottomans in 1529 and 1683. In 1884 the castle was restored. Further damage was caused to the castle during the Second World War. Finally, in the 1950s, the castle was restored by the efforts of the townspeople. Since 2007, the castle, like more than 800 years ago, is under the jurisdiction of relatives of its founders - the princely family of Liechtenstein.

The modern popularity of Liechtenstein Castle is associated with the Johann Nestroy Theater Festival held here in the summer. The castle is open to visitors.

Official site


Chillon Castle (French: Château de Chillon) is located near Lake Geneva, 3 km from city ​​of Montreux, and is a complex of 25 elements from different eras of construction. The features of the location and construction allowed the owners of the castle to completely control the strategically important road that ran between the lake and the mountains. For a certain period of time, the road to the Saint Bernard Pass served as the only transport route from Northern Europe to Southern Europe. The depth of the lake ensured safety: an attack from this side was simply impossible. The stone wall of the castle facing the road is fortified with three towers. The opposite side of the castle is residential.

Like most castles, Chillon Castle also served as a prison. Louis the Pious kept Abbot Vala of Corvey prisoner here. In the middle of the 14th century, during the plague epidemic, Jews who were accused of poisoning water sources were kept and tortured in the castle.

George Byron's poem "The Prisoner of Chillon" takes place in Chillon Castle. The historical basis for the poem was the imprisonment in the castle by order of Charles III of Savoy François Bonivard in the years 1530–1536. The image of the castle was romanticized in the works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Percy Shelley, Victor Hugo and Alexandre Dumas.

Official site

Hohenzollern Castle, Germany (XIII century)


Hohenzollern Castle (German: Burg Hohenzollern) is located in Baden-Württemberg, 50 km south of Stuttgart, on the top of Mount Hohenzollern at an altitude of 855 meters. Over the years of its existence, the castle was destroyed several times.

Some of the most famous relics kept in the museum are the crown of the Prussian kings and the uniform that belonged to Frederick the Great. From 1952 to 1991, the remains of Frederick I and Frederick the Great rested in the castle museum. After the reunification of East and West Germany in 1991, the ashes of the Prussian kings were returned to Potsdam.

Currently, the castle belongs 2/3 to the Brandenburg-Prussian Hohenzollern line and 1/3 to the Swabian-Catholic line. About 300 thousand tourists visit it annually.

Official site

Castle Walsen, Belgium (11th century)

The first fortifications in the form medieval castles appeared in IX - X centuries. at a time when the countries of Central Europe ( France, Germany and Northern Italy ) began to be threatened by aggression and invasion of barbarian tribes and Vikings. This greatly hindered the development of the empire created Charlemagne. To protect the lands, they began to build fortifications from wooden buildings. This kind of architecture" durable wood"for more reliable protection, it was added by surrounding an earthen ditch and rampart. It was tipped over through the ditch on chains or strong ropes suspension bridge, which led to a residential village. A palisade was installed on the crest of the rampart. The top of its trunk was sharpened with tools and dug into the ground for quite a long time. high altitude, safe from penetration inside the fortification. In the 11th century, castles began to be built on artificial hills. Such hills were poured next to the yard, fenced with a high palisade.
Sometimes there was also a log gate tower. Inside the wooden fortification there were craft workshops, a barn, a well, a chapel and the very home of the leader and his retinue. For even more reliable and additional defense they raised high hill(about 5 m), on which an additional protective fortification was built. The hill could be constructed using an artificial method, by pouring earth onto a given surface. The material for construction was always chosen from wood, because... the stone was too heavy, which meant it could fall down due to its greater weight.

Knight's castles

Locks- these are stone buildings that protected from enemies and served as the home of one or another owner of the estate. In the most common meaning of the word, it is the fortified dwelling of a feudal lord in medieval Europe.
The architecture of medieval castles was significantly influenced by Ancient Roman Fortifications and Byzantine structures, from where 9th century penetrated into Western Europe. The castles of noble feudal lords, in addition to housing, also performed defensive functions. They tried to build them in areas inaccessible to humans (rocky ledges, hills, islands). Inside castles and fortresses there was a main tower called donjon, in which its most important inhabitants (mostly the feudal nobility) took refuge. They tried to make the walls of the castles strong and high enough to protect the buildings from the assault of enemies (siege works, artillery and stairs). A typical wall was 3 meters thick and 12 meters high. Various recesses on the tops of the walls made it possible to conduct less safe fire on the enemy who was below, and even to throw heavy objects and pour tar towards the storming gates. To make the castles difficult to pass, ditches were dug out, which blocked access to the castle walls and gates (the gates were lowered on chains across the moat like a bridge, and sometimes a bridge was built at the entrance Gersu- lowering wooden-metal grille). The ditches were deep holes filled with water (sometimes with stakes) to prevent enemies from swimming and digging through them.

Donjon

Donjon It was the main building during the defense and was a high stone tower, where the most important people of the castle took refuge in the event of an attack by enemies. The construction of such a building was taken very seriously. This required experienced artisans who were very good at erecting and building reliable stone structures. Estate owners began to take a particularly serious attitude towards such construction towards XI century, where it was attempted to build such defensive towers.
The thickest and most inaccessible dungeons first appeared in Normans. In the later period, almost all high towers were built of stone, which replaced buildings made of wood. In order to completely and completely capture the donjon, its enemies needed to destroy the stones with special assault installations, or dig a tunnel under the building in order to get inside. Over time, tall, defensive towers acquired a round and polygonal shape during construction. This external design provided more convenient shooting for the defenders of the dungeons.
Internal architecture of high, defensive towers consisted of a garrison, the main hall and the chambers of the owner of the castle with his family. The walls were covered with brick and stone masonry. Sometimes the walls were lined with cut stone. In the upper part of the donjon there was a spiral staircase leading to a watchtower, where there was a sentinel guard, and next to him was the banner of the owner of the castle with the coat of arms.

Medieval castles

For more reliable protection, the owners of some castles preferred to build additional fortifications for their walls. Ultimately, after the completion of such buildings, a double barrier was obtained, one of which was higher than the other and located at the rear of the defense. This strategic architecture allowed for double fire for the riflemen defending the castle. If the enemy took one of the walls by storm, they would stumble upon the next one or find themselves completely trapped, since the construction of the walls was connected to a high tower - the donjon.

Medieval castles were the mainstay and most reliable defense of the feudal lord from enemies. Their appearance varies from country to country.

Castles of France

Castles of France. Numerous constructions of architectural structures in France began in the Loire River valley. The oldest of them is donjon fortress Due-la-Fontaine. In the historical era King Philip II Augustus (1180-1223 ) medieval castles were built with fairly reliable dungeons and fences.
A distinctive feature of French castles is the rounded roof of hip material, cone-shaped, which fits evenly over the tower with a neat surface design. The upper part of the towers has an angular surface of concave openings of loopholes with windows, merging with the tops of the “triangles” and “trapezoids”. The location of the middle windows for daylight is large enough for full penetration of sunlight into the interior of the room. Sometimes large windows are located in the attic compartment of the roof, most likely to illuminate a particularly important room. In some sections of the buildings you can see solid, clearly defined holes of loopholes, because... France's constant pre-modern wars forced these defensive structures to cost. In a later period of time, castle designs began to evolve into palace-like architecture.
The entrance to the castle was via stone steps, flanked by two merging towers. Above the head of the rising guest, in the wall, there were three loopholes in the event of a siege or storming of the building. On the right side of the stairs there were solid and flat slopes for convenient lifting and lowering of various loads.
The most mysterious and shrouded in the secrets of legends was the castle Saumur. In medieval times, it was constantly restored and eventually acquired an unimaginably fabulous appearance. This architecture was so highly valued that many parts of the buildings were lined with gold materials.
In the courtyard of Sumor Castle there was a well with a huge underground reservoir. A house was built above the well (above), and there was a well gate in it, with the help of which a large bucket of water could be raised. The lifting mechanism consisted of wooden wheels connected by a separate tooth and groove.
IN XVII century The western part of the castle began to collapse, which was the reason for its abandonment. The building began to be used as a prison and barracks, but soon the architecture was restored and again “raised” to the pedestal of honor.
The main distinguishing feature of French castles- These are high, pointed roofs with a cone-shaped appearance.

Castles of Belgium

Castles of Belgium began to be erected in the Middle Ages with 9th century first millennium. The most outstanding castles are Arenberg, Castle of the Counts of Flanders, Beløy, Vev, Gaasbeek, Stan And Anweng. In appearance they are small in size, but subjectively they are very cute and attractive. Their main distinguishing feature is the presence of an arched bend in the area of ​​the lower parts of the roofs and the presence of upper domes on some types of castles. The cone-shaped tops have pronounced vertical edges, which also give a distinctive style to Belgian architecture. On the high tips of the sharp knitting needles you can see emblazoned coats of arms and various figures, adding additional uniqueness. To some extent, the castles of Belgium are very similar in external design to the English ones, but the British kingdom emphasizes a more rectangular architecture. The windows are tall and large, quite elongated in size. They are most often located in palace-type castles.
The most unique in their beauty are the castles Arenberg And Gravensteen (Count's Castle of Flanders). The first one is very similar in external design to a Catholic church, which is complemented by 2 black domes on the sides. The center is lined with a ladder-like roof and an acute-angled, small tower, which fits very nicely into the interior. The Count's Castle also stands out with its peculiarly unusual shape. Its defensive wall has convex cylindrical towers, the top of which is much thicker than the bottom. And in the walls there are perforated recesses and additional shutters for the round architectures placed on them.

Castles in Germany

Castles in Germany They are inherently varied in design, but most have shapes similar to pointed tops and tall, oblong towers with a flat surface. The most outstanding of them are Maxburg, Meshpelbrunn, Cochem, Palatinate And Liechtenstein. Many buildings are very similar to French ones, but German architecture has many more numerous extensions on the side walls. Some upper castle roofs consist of ladder-like forms of descent of the side coverings. The sharp and elongated ends of the skyscrapers have various symbols, statues or bell towers, which adds even more interest to German architecture. Loop holes ( machicoul) locks have a fairly wide diameter. Apparently the medieval Germans loved to defend their castles not only with a bow and crossbow, but also with other methods of heavily armed attributes.
The extensions sometimes included residential, utility and church premises, which were lined mainly with brick and formed rectangular courtyards. The main entrance of the castles was blocked by an iron-wooden grate with a lowering mechanism. The design of the movement of the grate down and up was ensured using the outer wall on stone brackets. In some buildings in other countries, such a rise at the entrance was realized by a narrow sliding gap inside the portal.
In Germany, they tried to build all castles on mountainous and hilly areas. This ruled out a full-fledged enemy assault; convenient shooting from siege weapons and digging, which was hampered by the rocky rock below the architecture. In some types of buildings, the Germans used the principle of the Tower of Babel, when the height of the building rushed high up, and the celestial plane was lined with many loopholes around the area.

Castles of Spain

Castles of Spain. The architectural structures of Spain were originally built by the Arabs, since this land was under their dominance in the early medieval period. They had a luxurious, fortified palace on one of their hills - the Alhambra with openwork arches of the courtyard. But in 1492 the Europeans recaptured it from the Muslims. Southern Spain and with it - the last city of Grenada. Initially, Muslims erected buildings very similar to garrison fortresses (alcazabas) with square and acute-angled towers. Later, Europeans began to build tall, round dungeons with alternating structures.
Appearance Spanish castles have a repeating combination of multiple, tall, elongated towers with a flat surface, reminiscent of numerous chess pieces and very similar to a rook. At the top tips of skyscrapers there are octagonal, small towers. From a distance they look more like rectangular, jagged slabs. The side surface of the walls has a wavy relief, which gives additional originality to the castles. The middle part of the stone covering of high towers was sometimes covered with an additional layer of convex alternations of huge cobblestones. This cunning arrangement of buildings served to prevent the penetration of enemy installations and stairs. As a decoration, an image of a shield with a coat of arms was driven into the stone wall. Just above the middle, there were guard corridors, which were decorated with curved patterns and various curves, including wide, arched windows.
An example of the described external image of the Moorish style is the castle-palace of El Real de Manzanares, built north of Madrid in 1475 by the first Duke of Infantado. This unique architecture had a square structure, which was surrounded by 2 rows of walls with round towers at the corners. Later, the Duke's heir in 1480 added to the outstanding gallery and decorated the palace with turrets and stone hemispheres.

Castles of the Czech Republic

Castles of the Czech Republic. The construction of Czech castles was widespread in XIII-XIV centuries. The most famous of them are Hluboka, Bezdez, Bouzov, Bukhlov, Zvikov, Coast, Karlstein And Křivoklát. Their architectural appearance is more reminiscent of palaces than seriously fortified defense against enemy onslaught. Jagged rectangular slabs and blocking, high walls are practically absent from the defensive functions of former castle buildings. The main distinctive feature of Czech architecture is the large triangular and polygonal roofs, with pointed towers and stone chimneys embedded in them. The attics have arched windows for daylight and access to the top of the roof. Large, dial chimes were sometimes built into the central towers of castles. Many palaces were built in the Renaissance, Classicism and Gothic styles. Some views were rebuilt and restored, after which they became picturesque, elegant and even more beautiful.

But there are some types of castles that are completely different from the standard design of the local medieval buildings. For example, a castle Gluboka(previously Frauenberg ) has an appearance more reminiscent of the Spanish style of architecture. Because it contains a large number of the same high towers, reminiscent of dungeons and a rook chess piece with numerous jagged rectangular slabs. And in addition to everything, such elongated buildings have windows. This is one of the most beautiful castles in Europe, although not particularly large. It looks more like a huge mansion than a large palace. From the inside, the architecture contains 140 rooms, 11 towers and 2 rectangular courtyards. The outside of the white castle is decorated with elaborate carvings of various figures, deer heads and hanging, antique lanterns.

Castles of Slovakia

Castles of Slovakia. The construction of Slovak castles began in XI century, but most of them were built in XIII century. The most outstanding of them are Bitchjanski Castle, Boinitsky, Bratislava Castle, Budatinsky, Zvolensky, Orava Castle, Smolenitsky, Spiš Castle And Trenčiansky Castle locks. Architectures inherently have diverse designs. The size also varies in large and small forms. The roofs of large castles are stretching huge size with polygonal shapes. The towers have elongated, acute-angled ends with thin, long, spherical spokes. Windows are located quite less often than in other state castles, but most often they are found in large numbers in small buildings. In some architectures you can find convex, perforated slits of stripes, which are an additional decoration, emphasizing a pronounced design. They can mainly be seen on the rounded ends of elongated cylinders. Some castles in Slovakia have small balconies. They feature arched windows and vertical railings. The buildings have practically no protective walls. They can only be found near mountain buildings in the highlands.

The most impressive and unique in their structure castles of Slovakia- This Bratislava Castle (square shape and towers located at each corner), Orava Castle (built with a gradually rising foundation) , Trečiansky Castle (having a huge, powerful tower in the center), Zvolensky (with jagged square slabs on its roof) And Smolenitsky (possessing three prominent roofs in the middle, green and red in color) locks.

Castles of England

Castles of England. Many castles in England were built in XI century, but most of them today are in a dilapidated state. The main distinguishing feature is the solid rectangular towers, which consisted of narrow, elongated buildings. Their roofs are covered with jagged square slabs, which can extend along the entire perimeter surrounding the architecture. Only a few buildings have triangular and cone-shaped tops. If there are any, then such tips form a continuous row of acute-angled limbs in some raised row. For beauty, many architectures were treated with long, elongated pits along the entire circumference of the towers. This appearance emphasizes the unusual originality of English castles. Another unusual feature is the presence of large and large windows in the walls, more like semi-palatial buildings. Sometimes elongated windows are located in wide arched arches, which further emphasize the extraordinary style. In many, even small, square castles, the British constructed and strengthened dial clocks with melodic chimes. They still attach great importance to exact time in their upbringing and culture.

England is a huge island, which means it first of all needed the defense of coastal territories and a powerful fleet. Maybe that’s why her castles did not have a particularly reliable and protected architecture from enemies.

Castles in Austria

Castles in Austria laid the foundation for their construction in VIII-IX centuries last millennium. The most famous of them are Artstetten, Hochosterwitz, Graz, Landskron, Rosenburg, Shattenburg, Hohenwerfen And Ehrenberg. Their main characteristic feature is the tall and very thick, rectangular towers with huge triangular and polygonal roof domes. The side surfaces are too wide due to the fact that the buildings of high castles have many floors, which means that this requires a full climb up the spacious spiral staircase. At the highest height, at the base of the sharp pins, the builders placed artificial sculptures of various figures in the form of angels with wings. Near high bases in architectural buildings, additional convex structures are sometimes added in the form of patterns and dimples running along the perimeter or circle. Some types of castles have railings with a varied vertical structure at the top. The architecture of the huge roofs is added by small, sharp-angled towers, designed not so far from each other. On them you can also see attic windows and an exit to the upper part of the ceiling. The windows have a small oval and square shape. In some places, the side walls of the towers are decorated with healthy, arched glass with patterns.
Some castles served not only as a home and defense for noble society, but soon turned into a prison, barracks, museum and even a restaurant. One such example is Schattenburg Castle.

Castles of Italy

Castles of Italy. Most of the castles in Italy began to be built in X-XI century second millennium. The most famous of them are Aragonese (Ischia), Balsiliano, Bari, Carbonara, Castello Maniace, Corigliano, Holy Angel, San Leo, Forza, Otranto,Ursino And Estense.

The huge, thick width of the walls and the healthy circumference of the towers are the main distinguishing features of Italian castles. They are primitive and absolutely simple to the analyzing eye of a traveler or tourist. Judging by their appearance, many of their species are very well adapted for defensive defense against enemies. Watchtowers are located quite high in the central parts of the castle architecture. They have many windows and a significantly convex projection in relation to the lower part of the stone tower.
The square tops of the walls have cuts in the form of tendrils, thereby significantly emphasizing the originality from other state castles. Under the jagged rectangular slabs of Italian castles there are numerous, pronounced oval depressions that stretch across the entire width of the rectangular and round stone towers. On some architectures you can also notice the presence of balconies with vertical, white railings on them. The doorways in the lower parts of the castle have huge, arched shapes. This is most likely due to the fact that in case of alarm, the defenders of the castle do not crowd, but fully run out in large detachments from their barracks. Similar factors include the presence of signal bells in the upper parts of the towers. The construction of castles and fortresses in Italy was a militarized vision of noble rulers and their architects.

Castles of Poland

Castles of Poland. The most intensive growth in the construction of Polish castles dates back to 1200-1700. second millennium. The most outstanding of them are Grodno, Kschenzh, Kurnicki, Krasicki, Lenchicki, Lublin, Marienburg, Stettin and Chęcinski. According to their structure, they have a variety of designs in large and small sizes. Most castles have a palace appearance and only a small part of them have serious defensive architecture. Polish castles are characterized by long, curvaceous domes, shaped like an elephant chess piece or an umbrella-shaped projection. These also include huge trapezoid-like roofs that extend across the entire width of the architectural top. Small, sharp-angled towers contain bell towers, while large ones contain rectangular windows for sentinel observation. The windows in the side parts of the walls have a variety of shapes, but most of them are rectangular and arched, as are their arched frames, emphasizing the distinctive appearance.

The architectural style of Poland is quite unique. The buildings were erected from the donjon style to the neo-Gothic style. This rather elegant type of building structure includes Kurnitsky Castle, very nice external design.
Some types of castles are so tiny that they resemble a small mansion rather than a heavily defensive fortress. An example would be Szymbark Castle. And if you compare him with such a giant as Marienburg, then the first one will seem like an absolute highlight compared to the thug.

The appearance of the architecture was Gothic and Renaissance style. But all Belarusian castles have different designs, uniquely different from each other. The largest of them is Mir Castle. Its main distinguishing feature is its large size and the presence of defensive walls. They contain a number of small windows (loopholes) designed for camouflaged observation and protection of the castle. The entire architecture consists mainly of red brick, covering the entire perimeter of the building. Rectangular windows and loopholes are surrounded by white, arched frames. The roofs have a triangular shape at the tips of the spokes of which there are patterns of balls and flags. Entrance inside is through oval arches located in several parts of the castle.
Gomel Castle It was also quite large in area, but consisted of separate buildings and a very low defensive wall. There were small towers with oval domes on it. Rather, this architecture resembled more a monastery of free-standing buildings than a castle for defense. The tall towers had pointed, black roofs with varied shapes. Even a single pipe on the roof had a unique, colorful pattern.

At first, buildings were built from wood, but with the advent of firearms, a much stronger material such as stone was needed. Solid fortifications held back the onslaught of bullets and igniting fire much better.
Castles were built on hills, pouring artificial hills and covering them with cut stone. To ensure the reliability of the fortifications, strategically tricky areas with seas and lakes were chosen. Sometimes the defense was supplemented with deep ditches with water, to further isolate land penetration into buildings. The many courtyards in the castle made it difficult for the enemy to reach the main tower. To get close to it, the attackers had to wander through them for a long time, like through a labyrinth, in search of a way out. It was easy to get lost. Some castles served as barracks for samurai warriors, built by daimyo - the owners of the provinces on the site of small fortresses. Such buildings could be constructed in cities and serve as fortifications, administrative centers.
The appearance of Japanese castles resembled solid, upwardly curved layered blocks of roofs, superimposed on one another. From the outside they looked quite primitive and were very similar to each other. But the interior of the premises was attractive and varied. At the very top of the towers there was a high, carved pediment of the castle - a sign of the power of its owner. The roofs were multi-tiered, like a pagoda, with wide slopes. Their surfaces were covered with wooden shingles. The outer walls were plastered and painted white. Their side coverings had slit-like windows and loopholes. The lower floors were faced with stone slabs.
Sometimes a castle had several towers, and the defenders fired at the enemy from different sides. Often a one-story tower was placed above the gate. And in the very center of the castle stood a multi-tiered main tower, erected on an embankment hill. Later, the base of the tower began to be covered with stone, while other parts remained wooden. To reduce the risk of fire, the walls were covered with a thick layer of plaster, and the gates were bound with iron plates. The towers served simultaneously as a headquarters, observation tower and huge warehouses. The owner's chambers were located on the upper floors. Wooden buildings could be a combination of entrance halls, upper rooms, huts, corridors and towers with numerous rooms. Most often, only noble princes, nobles and boyars could afford such luxurious dwellings. Their rooms were located on the top floors. Below, there were rooms for servants and subjects.
The mansions were divided into resting , restless And outbuildings . Premises chamber architectures had separate dwellings, in one of which the owner lived, and in the other his wife and children. Their rooms were connected by common corridors, through which one could go to the desired room. Unrested mansions served for meetings, special events and holidays. They built huge halls for large numbers of people. Household mansions used for everyday needs in crafts and households. They looked like stables, barns, laundries and workshops.

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

Bodiam Castle in East Sussex, founded in 1385

1) Choose your building site carefully

It is extremely important to build your castle on high ground and at a strategic point.

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

Historians have rarely been able to find evidence from contemporaries regarding the choice of location 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, having successfully carried out a military campaign against the Welsh prince Llywelyn ap Iorwerth, was planning to build a new castle in the area to ensure security on the border of his dominions. The English carpenters had been given the task of preparing the wood a month earlier, but the king's advisers had only now determined the site for the construction of the castle.



Montgomery Castle, when it began to be built in 1223, was located on a hill

After a careful survey of the area, they chose a point on the very edge of a ledge overlooking the Severn valley. 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 frequent attacks by the Welsh.”

Advice: 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 where it is built. For example, a castle will have a dry moat on a ledge of outcroppings.

2) Come up with 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 specialists in design and construction.

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


When Edward II ordered the construction of the tower at Knaresborough, he personally approved the plans and demanded reports on the construction

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

Advice: Plan loopholes to provide a wide angle of attack. Shape them according to the weapon you're using: longbow archers need larger 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 necessarily come of their own free will.

The construction of the castle required enormous efforts. We have no documentary evidence of the construction of the first castles in England from 1066, but from the scale of many castles of that period it is clear why some chronicles claim that the English were under pressure to build castles for their Norman conquerors. But from the later Middle Ages, some estimates with detailed information have reached us.

During the invasion of Wales in 1277, King Edward I began building a castle at Flint, north-east Wales. It was erected quickly, thanks to the rich resources of the crown. A month after the start of work, in August, 2,300 people were involved in the construction, including 1,270 diggers, 320 woodcutters, 330 carpenters, 200 masons, 12 blacksmiths and 10 charcoal burners. All of them were driven from the surrounding lands under an armed escort, who made sure that they did not desert from the construction site.

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

Advice: Depending on the size of the workforce and the distance they have to travel, they may need to be housed on site.

4) Ensure the safety of the construction site

An unfinished castle on enemy territory is very vulnerable to attack.

To build a castle on enemy territory, you need to protect the construction site from attacks. For example, you can surround 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, at Beaumaris Castle, the construction of which began in 1295.


Beaumaris (English: Beaumaris, Welsh: Biwmares) is a town on the island of Anglesey, Wales.

Safe communication with the outside world for the delivery of building materials and provisions is also important. In 1277 Edward I dug a canal to the River Clwyd straight from the sea to the site of his new castle at Rydlan. The outer wall, built to protect the construction site, extended to the piers on the banks of the river.


Rydland Castle

Security problems can also arise when radically renovating an existing castle. When Henry II rebuilt Dover Castle in the 1180s, the work was carefully planned so that the fortifications would provide protection for the duration of the renovation. According to the 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.

Advice: building materials for building a castle are large and voluminous. If possible, it is better to transport them by water, even if this means building a dock or canal.

5) Prepare the landscape

When building a castle, you may have to move a significant amount of earth, which is not cheap.

It is often forgotten that the castle’s fortifications were built not only through architectural techniques, but also through landscape design. Huge resources were devoted to moving land. The scale of the Norman land work can be considered outstanding. For example, according to some estimates, the embankment built around Pleshy Castle in Essex in 1100 required 24,000 man-days.

Some aspects of landscaping required serious skill, 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 ditch. Digging the ditches under his direction cost £4,000, a staggering sum, almost a quarter of the cost of the entire project.


18th century engraving with plan Tower of London 1597 shows how much earth had to be moved to build ditches and ramparts.

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

Advice: Reduce time and cost by excavating the stonework for your castle walls from the moats around it.

6) Lay the foundation

Carefully implement the mason's plan.

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 ditches for the foundation were dug, work began on the masonry. To save money, 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 grid of rods, perhaps for the purpose of calculating construction costs.


Warkworth Castle

Often the construction of medieval castles was accompanied by detailed documentation. In 1441-42 the tower of Tutbury Castle in Staffordshire was destroyed and plans were drawn up for its successor on the ground. But for some reason the Prince of Stafford was dissatisfied. The king's master mason, Robert of Westerley, was sent to Tutbury, where he held a meeting with two senior masons to design new tower in a new place. Westerly then left, and over the next eight years a small group of workers, including four junior masons, built a new tower.

Senior masons could be called upon to certify the quality of the work, as was the case at Cooling Castle in Kent when the royal mason Heinrich Yewel assessed the work carried out from 1381 to 1384. He criticized deviations from the original plan and rounded down the estimate.

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

7) Strengthen your castle

Complete the construction with complex fortifications and specialized wooden structures.

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

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


Storming of the castle, drawing from the 15th century

Such experts were not cheap, but could end up being worth their weight in gold. This, for example, happened in 1266, when the castle of Kenilworth in Warwickshire resisted Henry III for almost six months with the help of catapults and water defense.

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

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

8) Provide water and sewerage

Don't forget about the "conveniences". You will appreciate them in the event of a siege.

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

There is some evidence of complex aqueducts that brought water to the apartments. The tower of Dover Castle has a system of lead pipes that delivers water to the rooms. It was fed from a well using a winch, and possibly from a rainwater collection system.

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


Reflection room at Chipchase Castle

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

Advice: Ask a master mason to design 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 war, the castle must be defended - but it also serves luxury home. Noble gentlemen of the Middle Ages expected their homes to be both comfortable and richly furnished. In the Middle Ages, these citizens traveled together with servants, things and furniture from one residence to another. But home interiors often had fixed decorative features, such as stained glass windows.

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


Winchester Castle with King Arthur's round table hanging on the wall

The large area of ​​the castles played an important role in 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 Kirby Muxloe Castle in Leicestershire says that its owner, Lord Hastings, began laying out gardens at the very beginning of the castle's construction in 1480.

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

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