ReCreation
ReCreation Magazine ™
Castle Fascination
Chillingham Castle
Featured Castle
Chillingham Castle has existed since the 13th century. In 1298, King Edward I stayed at the castle while on his way to the Battle of Falkirk where he defeated William Wallace. Nearly half a century later, Sir Thomas Grey was granted a license to fortify and crenellate the castle in 1344. By 1348, the castle was transformed into a square structure adorned with towers at its corners. Since that time, the castle has remained similar in appearance with the exception of its outer curtain walls linking the towers, which are presently much higher.
Table of Contents 03 History 07 Europe 09 Middle East 11 Asia 13 Do It Yourself 14 Culture 15 Parts of a castle 19 North America 21 Around The World!
Castles: 101
History
Castle
They are many reasons why castles were built. Castles acted as a power base in Ireland, representing wealth and political power. Early castles were built to house new ruling families and to protect their armies. For Irish -Norman families castles were a safe retreat but for indigenous population castles were intimidating. In order to build a castle a lot of time money and labor force would be needed. Because of this demand the location of castles in Ireland were very carefully chosen only for the most beneficial political and military purposes. Factors taking into consideration for the location to construct a castle included an area with high grounds, placement next to a river and a view overlooking Irish towns. The construction of castles required a strong central peak, or main tower surrounding walls and frequently gate houses. Today castles are still popular and admired in Ireland. The most lavish castles have been renovated in to residences or hotels hosting notable persons including royal families and presents.
Irish Castle
Ashford Castle 03
History The most popular of these lavish castles are the Ashford Castle and Dromoland Castle which now have a steamed reputation of luxurious hotels. Two of Ireland’s most popular attractions is the Blarney Castle and Bunratty Castle. The Bunratty Castle is located in County Clare near to the River Shannon and Shannon Airport. Bunratty is know for its medieval banquets and a place for visitors especially these from the united states to spend their last night in Ireland. The Blarney Castle is located in County Cork and home to the famous Blarney Stone. According to legend if you kiss the Blarney Stone a gift of eloquence and Irish charm is bestowed upon you.
Dromoland Castle
The Bunratty Castle
Kissing Blarney Rock
Blarney Castle 04
History Painting by Amelia Husnik
Leap Castle
Ballygall Castle
Antrim Coastline
Leap Castle itty Kinn le Cast
The Elemental is one of the most interesting spirits that reside at Leap Castle. It is an entity that is shrouded in mystery and intrigue. The first encounter, origin and exact nature of the Elemental are unknown but there are many theories that have circulated over the years. Whatever this entity is, it only seems to make its presence known when people begin to provoke it. ∆ Ireland is also home to 3 famous haunted castles; Ballygall Castle, Kinnitty Castle and Leap Castle. Ballygally Castle, built in 1625 is located against Antrim Coastline. The ghost of Isabelle shaw allegedly haunts the castle. According to guest Lady Isabelle place tricks on them by knocking on their bedroom doors in the middle of the night. Kinnitty Castle is located in County Offaly and is said to be haunted by a group of Druids who originally settled on the land. 05
History The most haunted of the castles in Ireland as well as in all of Europe is Leap Castle in County Offaly. The infamous castle has been seen on many television programs for the horrific events that take place there. The tells tale of a priest murdered by his own brother on the altar known today as the bloody chapel. In recent days a hidden room was found behind the altar with a trap door and a spiked instrument beneath it. It is believed that unsuspecting victims would fall through the trapped door and die from the spikes or be left to starve and die. When the workman discovered the room they also found 3 cartilages of bones. There are many more strange incidents that have been witnessed at leap castle. Where the Ryan family currently lives happily along with the ghost inhabiting the castle. The history of Ireland’s castles reflects the social and cultural changes in Ireland as well as the beauty of the country created centuries ago. ∆
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Europe
International Castles
Europe It seems that you can’t turn around in Europe without bumping into a castle. Europe is the heart of pomp and circumstance, and every country holds amazing stories about their palaces and fortresses. But, if you can visit Europe only once, the following castles are on the “must see” list for your trip. Once you see them, you’ll realize that photographs don’t do justice to the sheer size and luxury that were bestowed on these current and former residences. ∆
Castello di Strassoldo di Sopra: While there are more Frankenstein Castle: Darmstadt, Germany magnificent and famous Italian castles, this choice is is home to the setting for Mary Shelley’s far from the maddening tourist crowd. This castle is Gothic horror novel, Frankenstein. This the ‘upper’ castle, which is located near the Castello di castle was the 18th century home of Lord Strassoldo di Sotto (”lower” castle), and both castles Konrad Dippel Von Frankenstein. There are are located in northeast Italy. Both castles also are pri- many theories about Dippel, including one vately owned by the Strassoldo family and have been that he sold his soul for eternal life. (Lord in this family for almost one thousand years. Since have mercy) In reality, Dippel was a highly they’re privately owned, they aren’t open to the public; controversial alchemist in whose laboratory however, the owners open their halls for two fascinat- the colour Prussian Blue was discovered. Windsor Castle: If you plan to visit England, you’ll discover that you could spend ing exhibits in the spring and fall each year. Addition- Maybe his enemies tried to ruin his reputamonths visiting all the castles on this island. ally, important wedding banquets and other memorable tion with the legend about the monster creevents are personally organized by the owners. The ated in his laboratory. However, Windsor Castle is probably the most well known castle in the world, as - to- castle’s splendid and fully furnished halls can host several hundred people, while the park can be used for gether with Buckingham Palace in London and Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh - it is one open air buffets and wonderful photos. The owners of of the official residences of England’s Queen the Castello di Sopra have recently restored a fifteenthcentury small house called “la Vicinia,” which they rent and the largest occupied castle in the world. This building and its complex have provided out overnight. This building and the castle are located in the heart of a lovely medieval village, surrounded by a home and fortress for royalty for over 900 years. Originally made of wood, the castle was a centuries-old park that’s fed by spring waters. built for William the Conqueror to guard the approach to London. The site sits above the River Thames, on the edge of a Saxon hunting ground and one day’s march from the Tower of London. Visitors can walk around the State Apartments, which are extensive suites of rooms at the heart of the working palace. This castle is a lovely place to visit along the road from Betws-y-Coed to the western coast and provides a chance to view Mount Snowden, the highest mountain in Wales.
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Bran Castle: This is another castle that the faint of heart might want to avoid! Commonly known as Dracula ’s Castle, the Bran Castle was originally a stronghold built by the Knights of Teutonic Order in 1212. The first documentary attestation of the Bran Castle is the act issued on 19 November 1377, giving the Saxons of Kronstadt (Brasov) the privilege to build the Citadel. The building started in 1378 as a defense against Turks and later became a customs post on the pass between Transylvania and Walachia. From 1920 the castle became a royal residence until the expulsion of the royal family in 1948. Today it functions as a very attractive museum of medieval arts. The official Romanian site will provide you with the lowdown on this country’s castles, so be sure to visit that site if you plan to visit Romania.
Europe
Europe
Château de Versailles: This castle complex is Louis XIV’s masterpiece, a structure so magnificent that the state treasury was almost depleted during its construction. Also known as the Palace of Versailles, and located now on the edge of Paris, this palace became home to French nobility during the seventeenth century. As the complex grew through four “building campaigns,” Versailles became the center of French government. Louis XIV lived at Versailles, and government offices, homes of thousands of courtiers and their retinues were built there, and nobles of a certain rank and position spent time each year at the court complex. Louis XIV’s attempt to centralize the French government succeeded, as few could match the ostentatious glamour represented by Versailles. Visitors now can visit this UNESCO World Heritage Site and view luxuries such as the Hall of Mirrors (pictured here) and the magnificent gardens among other features. ∆ 08
International Castles The most significant castles in this region include those created by the European
Middle East
Crusaders who arrived in the Middle East during the Middle Ages to protect Jerusalem’s Holy Sepulcher. All total, eight crusades were carried out between 1096 and 1270, and an entire network of castles was built during this era that stretched from deserts in south Jordan to northern Asia Minor Mountains. ∆ Krak des Chevaliers: T.E. Lawrence once described this castle, located in Syria, as “the best preserved and most wholly admirable castle in the world.” It is the easternmost of a chain of five castles intended to secure the Homs Gap, atop a 650-meter-high hill along the only route from Antioch to Beirut and the Mediterranean Sea. This castle and Beaufort, located in Lebanon as well, were the most important connection castles in the Middle East and they planed a major role in coastal defense for the Crusaders. In 1142 the castle was given by Raymond, Count of Tripoli, to the Knights Hospitallers, and it was they who, during the ensuing fifty years, remodeled and developed it as the most distinguished work of military architecture of its time. The castle remains one of the most complete pieces of military architecture dating from this period, and it holds some of the best preserved Crusader frescoes in the world. The complex contains two concentric walls that sandwich a ditch. The outer wall is an impressive three meters in width, and originally featured a dry moat and drawbridge and was designed to be able to withstand a siege lasting up to five years. Three of the eight round towers were built following the Crusades. Additionally, a chapel within this complex was later converted into a mosque.
Middle East
Castle Zaman: Castle Zaman is perched atop a desert cliff midway between Taba and Nuweiba in Sinai. The simple architecture provides amazing views over the Gulf of Aqaba, and into Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. The exact site signifies a landmark on the ancient road that connected St. Catherine’s Monastery with Jerusalem. But, while a distant perspective might fool your eyes into believing this is an ancient ruin, Castle Zaman was built along a local theme to accommodate the contemporary tourist market. Used for honeymooners, parties, film or fashion shootings, the castle and its amenities are available for rent on a weekly or daily basis depending upon availability. Zaman’s private beach, with its pristine sand and crystal clear waters, is the only virgin beach left in the Taba and Nuweiba area. Arg-é Bam Castle: This enormous citadel, situated on the famous Silk Road, was built some time before 500 BCE and remained in use until 1850 CE. It is not known for certain why it was then abandoned. Located in Bam, Iran, this castle is the largest adobe building in the world. The entire building was a large fortress in whose heart the citadel itself was located, but because of the impressive look of the citadel, which forms the highest point, the entire fortress is named the Bam Citadel. It is listed by UNESCO as part of the World Heritage Site, but an earthquake in 2003 destroyed more than 80 percent of the buildings. However, since it is a World Heritage site, several countries - including Japan, Italy, and France - have joined forces to reconstruct the buildings. The World Bank has also granted a large sum of money to the restoration project.
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Middle East Kolossi Castle: The Kolossi Castle is stronghold located a few kilometers outside the city of Limassol on the island of Cyprus. It held a great strategic importance and contained production of sugar, one of Cyprus’ main exports in the Middle Ages. The original castle was built about 1210 by Frankish military when the land of Kolossi was given by King Hugh I to the Knights of the Order of St John of Jerusalem (Hospitallers). It is a stone fortress and the baseground was probably used as a store with two underground cisterns. You’ll enter the first floor via a suspended bridge, and on the south wall of one of the two lower rooms there is a wall painting representing the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the Blason Magnac, which is testimony to the royal devotional use of this room. The next room with the fireplace was likely to be the main dining and reception room. On the second floor there are two more rooms, which were used for lodging. On the roof of the monument, a scalding bowl and loopholes bring the thought of the visitor back to medieval sieges, along with the thought of boiling oil. Former inhabitants of this castle include Richard the Lionhearted and the Knights Templar.
Rhodes Castle: The Island of Roses, or Rhodes, is famous for its historic Medieval town, great shopping, and the site of the Colossus of Rhodes. This ‘castle’ was built within the Old Town walls at the beginning of the 13th century CE by the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. The building is comprised of 205 rooms and a conference area that hosts summits for European and world leaders. Today it attracts visitors from around the world as it houses the Archaeological Museum of Rhodes. Rhodes lies between Crete and the near East along the Aegean ocean. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands and popular even among the Greeks as a holiday retreat. Rhodes holds about sixty thousand permanent residents, and it is the financial and cultural center of the southeastern Aegean area. The excellent tourist infrastructure that includes a wide variety of entertainment makes Rhodes a popular destination. ∆
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Asia
International Castles
Asia
Like the Middle East, you can find maps that show castle locations throughout Asia. One map, which illustrates castle locations in Japan, clearly demonstrates the proliferation of these Oriental castles in the southern region of the islands. Maps for Chinese castles are few and far between, but this country’s marvelous architectural structures are beginning to enjoy global attention. Korea also holds a number of castles. Most of these buildings were created as fortresses with entire cities built within their enclosures, but many ‘castles’ in this region consist of temple-cities as well. ∆
Forbidden City: As the seat of supreme power for over five centuries from 1416 to 1911, the Forbidden City in Beijing, China, contains four high towers on the four corners of the city wall. This is a fort that contains a city, and the walls are approximately one meter thick. Landscaped gardens and many buildings (whose nearly 10,000 rooms contain furniture and works of art), constitute a priceless testimony to Chinese civilization during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Imperial Palace of the Qing Dynasty in Shenyang consists of 114 buildings constructed between 1625–26 and 1783. It contains an important library and testifies to the foundation of the last dynasty that ruled China before it expanded its power to the center of the country and moved the capital to Beijing. This palace then became auxiliary to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Himeji Castle: Himeji Castle was originally built in 1346 by Akamatsu Sadanori as a fortification against local shoguns. However, the castle has never seen battle, so it is the best preserved example of medieval castle architecture in all of Japan. Himeji is a hill castle that employs the surrounding geography as a bulwark against an enemy attack. The three moats inner, middle, and outer - served as three lines of defense. The building has expanded over the centuries, and now stands intact on a hill in the center of Himeji City. It is surrounded by a tangled network of spiraling paths and high white walls and, in Japan, it is known as ‘White Heron Castle.’ In 1931 it was designated a national treasure. After several aborted attempts, restoration work began in 1956 and was completed in 1964. It 1993 it was put on the list of UNESCO World Cultural and Heritage Sites. The castle is said to be haunted by a servant girl named Okiku, who is said to have spurned a wealthy warlord’s attention in favor of her true love. Gyeongbokgung or Gyeongbok Palace: While Seoul, Korea, contains five castles (or, palaces), this building may be the largest and most spectacular palace in Korea. It was originally built in 1395 by Korean architect Do-jeon. King Taejo then added on to the building to make it the main palace of the Joseon dynasty. The Japanese burned the building during an invasion in 1592, and it was left in ruins until King Gojong restored the area in 1868. At one time there were 330 buildings in the palace complex. Many of these are being reconstructed. It is said that the Korean alphabet, known as Hangeul, was created inside this palace during the fifteenth century under the reign of King Sejong. 11
Asia
Angkor Wat: The ruins of Angkor Wat are located amid forests and farmland to the north of the Great Lake (Tonle Sap) and south of the Kulen Hills, near modern day Siem Reap in Cambodia. Although not a castle per se, Angkor represents the seat of the Khmer empire that flourished in this region from approximately the ninth to fifteenth centuries. This period of rule began when the Khmer Hindu monarch Jayavarman II declared himself the “universal monarch” and “godking” of Cambodia in about 802 CE until 1431 CE, when Thai invaders sacked the Khmer capital and caused its population to migrate south to the Phnom Penh area. The temples are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the main building, Angkor Wat, is said to be the world’s largest single religious monument. Many of the temples at Angkor have been restored, and together they comprise the most significant site for Khmer architecture. With the help of satellite photographs and other techniques, an international team of researchers concluded in 2007 that Angkor Wat was the largest preindustrial city in the world, with an urban sprawl of 1,150 square miles. The closest rival would have been the Mayan city of Tikal in Guatemala, which was roughly fifty square miles in total size.
Well, for the most part, all that’s left of this sixteenth-century Portuguese fort is a tiny gate called the Porta de Santiago. In 1511 a Portuguese fleet arrived in what was then known as Melaka in Malaysia, under the command of Alfonso de Albuquerque. His forces attacked and successfully defeated the armies of the native Sultanate, and Albuquerque built a fortress near the sea. This commander believed that Melaka would become an important link between Portugal and China along the Spice Route. As Melaka’s population grew, the fort was expanded around 1586. The fort changed hands in 1641 when the Dutch drove the Portuguese out of Malaysia. The property changed hands once again in the early nineteenth century when the Dutch handed it over the British to prevent Melaka from falling into Napoleon’s hands. Knowing that they would need to hand the property back to the Dutch at the end of the Napoleonic wars, the British tried to make the entire city useless. Sir Stanford Raffles, Singapore’s founder, convinced the British to allow the population to remain, but all that remains of the buildings was the gate that stands today. ∆
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Do It Yourself
Build your own bloody castle! Check it!
START HERE!
Finish!
User Submitted: Jahmerikah Marley
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Castles in French Speaking Wallonia
Culture
There are more castles per square mile in Belgium than anywhere else in the world. Beautiful castles to experience, formal gardens to get lost in, peaceful abbeys and historic battlefields are awaiting your visit. Enjoy this historic journey through French speaking Wallonia and Brussels. ONE LOVE ∆
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Parts of a Castle
Parts of a castle
Parts of a Castle The many different parts of Medieval Castles were essential for ensuring a safe retreat against intrusion or invasion. Discover the facts about the different parts of Medieval Castles! Most people have heard about the main parts of a castle - the drawbridge, murder holes and dungeons - but what about the other parts of the castles? ∆
Parts of a Castle- The Medieval Castles The most prolific of the Plantagenet castle builders was the Plantagenet Parts of a Castle - The Norman Castles English King Edward I. These old Edwardian Medieval Castles were a The Normans introduced the wooden Motte and Bailey Castles to Engsymbol of wealth and power and were often the centre of historic battles land following their victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The Norman and Medieval sieges! These great old castles were built for Medieval timber Motte and Bailey castles were quickly replaced by permanent stone warfare and defence and new parts of the castle were designed accordNorman castles. The names of many Castle parts therefore had a French ingly! The Medieval architect and engineer who designed many of the origin. The great Norman Keep replaced the wooden tower - this is one of main parts of the Medieval castle was Master James of St George. These the main parts of a castle that are explained in this section. The Plantagen- Medieval castles introduced many main parts of a castle including the ets followed the Normans and the great Medieval concentric castles were Drawbridge, Portcullis, Barbican, Crenellations, Death Traps and Murder built and new castle parts were added to strengthen the defences of castles. Holes! Parts of a Castle- Castle Moats, Dungeons and Parts & a Glossary of Terms! This section covering the different parts of a Medieval Castle, including the moat and the dungeon, is fascinating. Can you name 20 different parts of a castle? This section will provide you with full details of the description, origin and purpose or function of different parts of a castle.
Castle Moats
Description of the Castle Moats A moat was a deep, wide ditch surrounding a fortified Medieval town or castle as a protection against assault. Castle Moats surrounded the whole Castle complex. Castles were built near a water supply such as a river, stream, lake or spring. A dam was built to control the water supply into the moat. Some castle moats were up to 30 feet deep and usually measured at least 12 feet in width. Moats could be filled with wooden stakes or water.
The dungeon was a Castle Dungeons dark cell which was usually found in an underground room of one of the towers of a castle. It was different from the ordinary prison in being more severe as a place of punishment. The purpose of the Castle Dungeon was intended for holding prisoners and in extreme cases for torturing them. The Origin and Meaning of the word ‘Dungeon’ derives from the French word ‘Donjon’. Castle Towers were called Donjons. Nobles moved from the towers to more easily accessible living quarters and important prisoners were held in the ‘donjons’. As time passed these towers for prisoners ceased to be built and prisons were built below ground level - the dungeon!
Murder Holes
Murder Holes were holes in the ceilings of castle gateways, barbicans or passageways through which heavy missiles or dangerous substances could be thrown on the enemy. They were quite literally Murder Holes! Murder Holes were also built into Machicolations which were projecting parapets or platforms designed to hang over castle walls - similar to a balcony. These holes gained the popular name of ‘ Murder Holes’ also called Meutrieres.
Bailey
The purpose of the Motte and Bailey acted as a fortified post to provide a base where men, provisions and horses could be housed. 15
Parts of a castle
Great Hall
The room in the Medieval castle called the Great Hall was intended for the main meeting and dining area and used by everyone who lived in the castle. The Great Hall was a large one-room structure with a loft ceiling which was located in the Inner Ward. The life of the Medieval castle revolved around the Great Hall. All of the meals were served in this room. Pages and servants waited on the tables. Servants ensured the Hall was cleaned, the fires were laid, the lighting was adequate. Entertainment was a major feature of Medieval castle life with music, dancing, masques, jugglers, acrobats, jesters, plays etc. Heralds, or Harkers, would present all visitors. The Steward supervised all of the events in the Great Hall.
Privy
A Privy was the name for a Medieval lavatory. The Origin and Meaning of the word ‘Privy’ derives from the Latin word ‘privatus’ meaning private. The Privy was originally used to store clothes as the pungent smells deterred moths! This became the origin of the old term for the Privy, the Garderobe which in turn led to modern word wardrobe! The room in the castle called the Privy was intended for use as a toilet or latrine. There were many rooms used as lavatories, called privies, included in Medieval Castle. The Privy was originally positioned as far away from the chambers as practical and often had double doors added to reduce the smell!
Castle Drawbridge
The Castle Drawbridge was a moveable, heavy, wooden bridge which spanned the width of a castle moat or ditch. The drawbridge consisted of a wooden platform with one hinged side fixed to the castle wall and the other side raised by rope or chains. It would be raised vertically and dropped down again when danger had passed. The drawbridge would connect a road to the entrance of a castle, the Barbican and the Gatehouse. The Barbican was an exterior walled defensive passage with a portcullis and multiple gates leading to the Gatehouse. The purpose of a drawbridge was to allow, hinder or prevent easy entry into a Medieval castle.
Portcullis
The Portcullis was a castle’s ‘rapid response system’ to a surprise attack! The Portcullis was a heavy grilled door that was suspended from the Barbican or gatehouse ceiling. It was rapidly dropped down if the castle came under attack. The portcullis was usually made of oak bars which had iron spikes at the bottom. It protected the main entrance of the castle and was situated in the Barbican (an exterior walled passage with multiple gates leading to the main entrance - the Gatehouse). The Barbican was a highly defensive structure which was filled with death traps. The portcullis was suspended from strong ropes and later from iron chains.
Machicolations
The Machicolations are projecting parapets or platforms situated at the top of a castle wall. Machicolations were deCrenellations Crenellations (battlements) are the distinveloped from wooden hoardings which guishing feature of a castle - clearly indicat- were designed to hang over and past ing that the castle was built to withstand a castle walls. battle. A crenellation was a rampart built There were two types of Machicolations around the top of a castle with regular gaps - one which ran along the whole wall for firing arrows. The Crenellations was situ- and others which were built in only parts ated on the top of castle towers and walls. of the wall - similar to a balcony. The The purpose of the Crenellations was to holes in the Machicolations gained the provide a fighting platform and good vantage popular name of ‘ Murder Holes’ also point from which soldiers launched arrows. called Meutrieres. The crenellations also provided defenders The purpose of the full Machicolations with a solid defence to hide behind when was to provide clear access across the they were not launching arrows from the top of the battlements - troops could folgaps in between the stone battlements. low the attack point of the enemy. 16
Barbican
The Barbican was an exterior castle defence situated at the entrance of the castle. The Barbican or ‘death trap’ was developed as another way to strengthen the main entrance, by adding more defences in front of it - the Barbican confined the enemy in a narrow passage - an easy target for castle inhabitants! The most common Barbican design was a walled passage projecting from the front of the gatehouse.
Oubliette
Parts of a castle
The Oubliette was a small prison cell where prisoners occasionally left to die. This Secret chamber was often reached by a trap door. It was shaped like a beehive - the oubliette was below ground level and the trap door was at the top of the high, beehive cylindrical shaped ceiling. There were no windows in the oubliette and the only access was from Curtain The Curtain was an outer wall which surrounded the bailey ( the trap door in the ceiling. Prisoners were lowered into Motte and Bailey castles ) or Medieval castle buildings. The the oubliette from a rope and food and water was sent purpose of the curtain wall was to protect the interior of the castle. The wall was often connected by flanking towers which could house castle defenders. Sometimes down by the same method. The most famous oubliette arrow slits were a feature of the curtain wall enabling castle defenders to safely shoot prison can be found in the Bastille in Paris. Imagine. Solar was a room in the castle called Solar The at any attackers. Built for defence the curtain wall varied in size from 6 - 20 feet the Lords and Ladies Chamber, or the thick, up to 45 feet high and up to 1,500 feet long! Great Chamber. This type of chamber was originally a The Castle Loopholes were narrow vertical windows from partitioned room which was added to the end of the Great Loopholes which castle defenders launched arrows from a sheltered Hall. The Lords and Ladies chamber were subsequently position. Castle Loopholes are also referred to as loopholes, arrow loops or bow situated on an upper floor when it was called the solar. he loops. Castle Loopholes were different designs and sizes which accommodated the room in the castle called the Solar was intended for sleepshape of different weapons. Castle Loopholes were accessed from wide inside areas ing and private quarters and used by the Lord’s family. It narrowing to long, narrow apertures. The Castle Loopholes became a private sitting room favoured by the family. The were built to accommodate the archers who launched arrows using the short bow, furniture in the Solar included beds, chairs and chests - it the crossbow and the longbow. is worth noting that beds sometimes doubled as chairs. For added security personal servants of the lord often Palisade The Palisade was a fence of heavy timber pales or stakes form- slept in the lord’s chamber on a portable pallet. ing a defence barrier or fortification. The Palisade dates back to the Hillforts of the Iron and Bronze ages and the Forts which were built by the RoMinstrels Gallery The room in the castle mans. The purpose of the palisade was to protect the interior of a fortification. The called the Minstrels wooden wall ( palisade) was subject to rot when built on an earth base and could be Gallery was intended for the Lord’s musicians and situdestroyed by fire. The wooden walls were therefore replaced by stone curtain walls. ated on a raised gallery overlooking the Great Hall. The minstrels were seated on a narrow balcony, usually havRamparts were a defensive bank of earth or rubble built ing a railing or balustrade. ( A balustrade is a rail with Ramparts for defensive purposes. A parapet was often built on top of a row of posts that support it, as along the front of the the ramparts which acted as a protected fighting platform for castle defenders. These Minstrel’s Gallery). The minstrels would play music for original structures led on to the design of Medieval stone castle battlements. the lord and nobles of the court. It became fashionable to dance from the 12th and 13th centuries. Stringed, wind, and percussion instruments were played. 17
Parts of a castle Buttress The stone used to build Medieval Castles was extremely heavy. The weight of the ceilings would tend to buckle the walls outward and large piles of stone would be stacked along the wall in intervals to buttress (or support) the walls from pushing outward - these piles of stones became distinct features of Romanesque Architecture and buttresses were introduced to the basic design. The great stone fortresses with their thick, heavy walls were supported by the development of buttresses. There are five types of buttress which were used in Medieval architecture: The Clasping buttress, The Set-back buttress, The Diagonal buttress, The Angle buttress, and The Flying buttress. Motte The Motte was a man-made mound of earth on which a Norman tower, or Donjon, was built. It was surrounded by a ditch and a courtyard, containing other buildings, called a Bailey. The Motte was crowned with a wooden tower which served as a look-out, an elevated fighting point and provided accommodation for the Noble. These wooden towers were later replaced with stone and were called ‘Keeps’
Donjon
The Donjon was the great the tower built inside the Norman Motte and Bailey. The Donjon was first made of wood and later with stone when it developed into the Keep of the castle. The Donjon ranged from two to four storeys in height. Castle Keep The Castle Keep was the tower which was built as the most protected part of the castle. The square shaped stone castle keep is the dominant feature of many of the castles in England which were built by the Normans, and one of the most commonly recognized parts of a Castle. The Arrow Slits were narrow vertical windows from which castle defenders launched arrows from a sheltered position. The ar- Arrow Slits row slits were built to accommodate the archers who launched arrows using the short bow, the crossbow and the longbow. The Bastion was a solid masonry defensive projecting part of a castle, usually a small tower, which was situated at the corners, Bastion the middle or at the end of the curtain wall. The Bastion was always built in well-fortified position. The purpose of the Bastion, or small tower which projected out from the line of the curtain wall, was to cover ‘dead ground’ or the ‘blind spots’ in the castle curtain wall.
The purpose of the Bower was the private withdrawing-room and bedroom for the Lady of the castle. The Bower was furnished with Bower a bed and various chests for garments, a few benches and stools. The Bower was an extension of the family room called the Solar. The walls were often decorated with colorful tapestries. Furs and bright covers and pillows were thrown over the bed. The Lady of the castle was attended in the Bower by her ladies in waiting. The activities in the Bower (the withdrawing room which was many years later called the Drawing Room) included embroidery, reading and music. Oratory
The room in the castle called the Oratory was intended for use as a private chapel and would have an altar. A small room attached to the chapel used for private prayer by the Lord’s family. Mass would be heard in the Castle Chapel and additional private prayer might be made in the oratory. The Oratory would be richly decorated with beautiful altar clothes and rich religious tapestries. Chapel The Castle Chapel was to intended for prayer and used by all members of the castle household. The Chapel was often built two stories high, with the nave divided horizontally. The Lord’s family and dignitaries sat in the upper part and the servants occupied the lower part of the chapel. The chapel was probably the most elaborately furnished, rich in ornaments church plate and embroidered vestments, having glazed windows and colorful furniture. Battlements The Battlements are the most distinguishing feature of a castle - clearly indicating that the castle was built to withstand a battle. A Battlement was a rampart built around the top of a castle with regular gaps for firing arrows. The Battlements was situated on the top of castle towers and walls. The purpose of the Battlements was to provide a fighting platform and good vantage point from which soldiers launched arrows. The Battlements also provided defenders with a solid defence to hide behind when they were not launching arrows from the gaps in between the stone battlements. ∆
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International Castles
North America Yes, Virginia - castles do exist in North America. Canada holds the largest castles on this continent, but there is something to be said about a castle that’s small enough to serve as a fishing camp. The following five castles represent a handful of approximately one hundred castles scattered throughout this continent. ∆
North America
Chapultepec Castle: When you’re in Mexico City, Mexico, look up on the tallest point in the middle of Chapultepec Park. You’ll discover a building that has been used as a military academy, an imperial palace, an observatory, and a museum. It currently houses the Mexican National Museum of History, but you may recognize it as the 1996 film location for the Academy Award-nominated movie, William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet starring Leonardo DiCaprio. It is the only castle in North America that was occupied by European sovereigns. Viceroy Bernardo de Gálvez ordered the construction of a country house on Chapultepec Hill in 1785. After a series of misfortunes and conspiracies, the municipal government of Mexico City purchased the building in 1806. The building went through more occupations and periods of disuse before President Lázaro Cárdenas decreed a law that established Chapultepec Castle as the seat of the National Museum of History (Museo Nacional de Historia) with the collections of the former National Museum of Archaeology, History and Ethnography.
Hearst Castle: On the other side of the U.S. in California, you can find the home of newspaper baron William Randolph Hearst. Located halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, construction on this home began in 1919 on a 40,000 acre ranch that Hearst inherited from his father, George Hearst, and that was purchased originally in 1865. San Francisco architect Julia Morgan designed most of the buildings, but the estate was never completed during Hearst’s lifetime. He would tear down structures and rebuild them at a whim, making it difficult to complete the estate while Hearst had a hand in it. Additionally, the estate is a mix of architectural fancies that Hearst enjoyed on his European trips. The facade is modeled after a sixteenth-century Spanish cathedral, while the outdoor pool features an ancient Roman temple front that was transported wholesale from Europe and reconstructed at the site. The indoor pool, shown here, is modeled after Roman baths with gold mosaic tiles. The castle was donated by the Hearst Corporation to the state of California in 1957, and it is a Sate Historical Monument and a National Historic Landmark open for public tours.
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North America
Casa Loma: Located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, this castle was the former estate of Sir Henry Pellatt, a prominent Toronto financier, industrialist and military man. Construction on this castle began in 1911, and it took 300 men and nearly 3 years to complete at a price of over three million dollars. Pellatt enjoyed the castle for about one decade before he declared financial ruin. The city seized Casa Loma in 1933 for $27,303 in back taxes. While one critic called the mansion “a mixture of 17th century Scotland and 20th Century Fox,” many visitors tour the decorated suites, secret passages, an 800-foot tunnel, towers, stables, and five-acre estate gardens. The house was commissioned to Canadian architect. E.J. Lennox and, at 98 rooms, it was the largest private residence in North America upon completion. Many of the rooms were left unfinished, and today serve as the Regimental Museum for The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada.
Frontenac Castle: The Frontenac Castle is actually a Fairmont Hotel that is located in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, about one-half mile from Quebec’s parliament. Although the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac is actually a hotel, it is as symbolic to Quebec as the Eiffel Tower is to Paris. This Renaissance style castle was build in less than a century by the Canadian Pacific Railway company. With its castle-like architecture and turrets, Fairmont Le Château Frontenac plays a huge role in the heart of the city’s activities, and it has been designated a United Nations World Heritage Site.
Fisherman’s Castle: Anyone who’s driven along I-10 between the Mississippi-Louisiana border and New Orleans in the United States has seen this small and simple castle sitting on the other side of Irish Bayou. Contractor Simon Villemarrette built the ‘home’ in 1981 and he based it upon a fourteenth-century French castle. He purposely built the castle with round turrets and with enough concrete to withstand 140 mph wind gusts. Unfortunately, Villemarrette died before he could occupy the home. This building did survive Hurricane Katrina in 2005 with little damage other than the chunks cut from the sides by flying debris. Jon Digman currently resides in the home as a caretaker, but it’s unknown who owns the home or what the future of this castle holds. The image shown here was taken in 2007, so it’s obvious that any damage created by Hurricane Katrina has been repaired. This little replica goes to show that any home can be a castle. ∆
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Around The World!
Around The World!
The following castles aren’t as grand as those found in Europe or even in the Middle East or in Asia. But, for their owners and inhabitants, they represented all that was powerful, protective, and princely. And, the castle in Colombia, South America, would rival many European castles in sheer size. Many of the ‘castles’ located around the Caribbean were forts that housed a city complex complete with soldiers. On the other hand, some of the castles shown here were meant as private homes. Yet, these latter buildings are spacious enough to host large functions. ∆ Stollmeyer’s Castle: Modeled after a wing of Balmoral Castle in Scotland, and created by the Scottish architect, Robert Gillies from the firm of Taylor and Gillies, this fantastic residence is definitely under Scottish influence. However, it’s located far from Scotland, as the home is located in Port-of-Spain in Trinidad. The wife of the original builder, Charles Fourier Stollmeyer, did not like the house, so it was passed to the Stollmeyer’s son, Conrad C. Stollmeyer. Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Stollmeyer lived at the house until their deaths in the 1960s, and the house then passed to the Stollmeyers’ only son, Dr. John Stollmeyer. In March, 1972, John Stollmeyer sold the home for $215,000 to Jesse Henry A. Mahabir, an insurance executive. The building was to be used for residential purposes only. The building was acquired from Mr. Mahabir by the Trinidad and Tobago Government in 1979. If you’re visiting Trinidad and Tobago, you might want to take in this home as well as six others that make up this country’s Magnificent Seven architectural treasures Larnach Castle: Visiting New Zealand? If you plan to spend any time in this area, then you’ll want to visit this country’s one and only castle. Australian-born William Larnach, merchant baron and politician, built this home for his first wife in 1871. Over 200 workmen spent three years building the Castle shell and master European craftsmen spent a further 12 years embellishing the interior. Larnach spared no expense on this dream home, which features the finest materials from around the world. The building is the centerpiece of a 35-acre property atop a hill midway along the Otago Peninsula, eight miles from the city of Dunedin on the east cost of the country’s South Island. Still privately owned, the Barker family celebrated their 40th anniversary with Larnach Castle in 2007. Weddings, balls, official and formal functions and celebrations are held often in the home’s 3,000 square foot ballroom. But, be aware that this castle is haunted by both the first and second Mrs. Larnachs, and daughter Katie. The specter of Larnach himself might linger, as he shot himself in the head in 1898 when he learned that his young third wife was embroiled in an affair with one of Larnach’s sons from his first marriage.
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Around The World!
San Felipe Castle: Castillo de San Felipe, Cartagena, Colombia, South America, was founded in 1533. This forted castle is a walled city and a World Heritage site. It took slave labor over a century to build this fortress that dominates the landscape and that protected residents from pirates. The fortress is thought to be Spain’s most successful military engineering project in the Americas. Built from red brick and concrete, this citadel is designed so even if one part of the fortress fell to invaders (which never happened), the defenders could fire from another part. Its size is startling, and visitors begin to realize this building’s magnitude when they begin to explore the underground tunnel network.
Castle of Good Hope: The Castle of Good Hope was built in Cape Town, South Africa, between between 1666 and 1679, which makes this castle complex the oldest surviving building in this region. The current pentagonal fortification replaced a small clay and timber fort built by Commander Jan van Riebeeck in 1652 upon establishing a maritime replenishment station art the Cape of Good Hope for the Dutch East India Company, better known as the VOC (Verenigde Oos-Indische Compagnie). In 1936 the Castle was declared a National Monument. As a result of an extensive, ongoing restoration and conservation program launched in the 1980’s, the Castle of Good Hope remains the best preserved of its kind built by the VOC in regions where it had interests. The Cape of Good Hope houses the regional headquarters of the South African Army in the Western Cape, the famous William Fehr Collection of historic artworks, the Castle Military Museum and ceremonial facilities for traditional Cape Regiments.
(LEFT) Castillo San Felipe del Morro: Over two million visitors a year explore theme windswept ramparts and pageways in this fortress/castle, where the history of 400 years of Spain in Puerto Rico comes alive. Begun in 1539 by Spanish settlers to defend the port of San Juan, El Morro’s architecture follows well established Spanish military fortification design principles. Similar Spanish fortifications from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries can be seen on islands throughout the Caribbean and in Florida in the U.S. Named in honor of King Philip II of Spain, the Castillo was declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations in 1983 and is part of San Juan National Historic Site. ∆
International Castles By: Sarah Scrafford
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