The knight's castle is a safe dwelling in the Middle Ages. Medieval castles and fortresses in the mountains of Europe

For some reason, at the mention of the word "fairy tale", medieval castles and fortresses first of all come to mind. Maybe because they were built in those ancient times, when wizards freely roamed the fields and meadows, and over mountain peaks flying fire-breathing dragons.

Be that as it may, even now, looking at the castles and fortresses that have been preserved in some places, one involuntarily imagines princesses sleeping in them and evil fairies conjuring over magic potions. Let's look at the once luxurious housing of the powers that be.

(German: Schloß Neuschwanstein, literally “New Swan Stone”) is located in Germany, near the town of Füssen (German: Fussen). The castle was founded in 1869 by King Ludwig II of Bavaria. The construction was completed in 1891, 5 years after the unexpected death of the king. The castle is magnificent and attracts curious tourists from all over the world with its beauty of architectural forms.

This is the "dream palace" of the young king, who was never able to see her incarnation in her full glory. Ludwig II of Bavaria, founder of the castle, ascended the throne too young. And being a dreamy kind who imagined herself fairy tale character Lohengrin, he planned to build his own castle in order to hide in it from the harsh reality of the defeat of Bavaria in alliance with Austria in 1866 in the war with Prussia.

Away from state concerns, the young king demanded too much from the army of architects, artists and artisans. Sometimes he set completely unrealistic deadlines, the observance of which required round-the-clock work of masons and carpenters. During the construction, Ludwig II went deeper and deeper into his fictional world, for which he was later recognized as crazy. Architectural project The castle was constantly changing. So the rooms for guests were excluded and a small grotto was added. small hall for audiences it was transformed into the majestic Throne Room.

A century and a half ago, Ludwig II of Bavaria tried to hide from people behind the walls of a medieval castle - today they come by the millions to admire his fabulous refuge.

(German: Burg Hohenzollern) - an old castle-fortress in Baden-Württemberg, 50 km south of Stuttgart. The castle was built at an altitude of 855 m above sea level on the top of Mount Hohenzollern. Only the third castle has survived to this day. The medieval castle fortress was first built in the 11th century and completely destroyed after the capture, at the end of a grueling siege by the troops of the cities of Swabia in 1423.

A new fortress was built on its ruins in 1454-1461, which served as a refuge for the House of Hohenzollern throughout the Thirty Years' War. Due to the complete loss of the fortress of strategic importance By the end of the 18th century, the castle was noticeably dilapidated, and some parts of the building were finally dismantled.

The modern version of the castle was erected in 1850-1867 on the personal instructions of King Friedrich Wilhelm IV, who decided to completely restore the family castle of the Prussian royal house. The construction of the castle was led by the famous Berlin architect Friedrich August Stüler. He managed to combine new, large-scale castle buildings in the neo-Gothic style and the few surviving buildings of the former ruined castles.

(Karlštejn), built by decree of the Czech king and emperor Charles IV (named after him) on a high limestone rock above the Berounka river, as summer residence and a storage site for the sacred relics of the royal family. The first stone in the foundation of Karlštejn Castle was laid by Archbishop Arnošt, close to the Emperor, in 1348, and in 1357 the construction of the castle was completed. Two years before the end of construction, Charles IV settled in the castle.

The stepped architecture of Karlštejn Castle, which ends with a tower with the Grand Cross Chapel, is quite common in the Czech Republic. The ensemble includes the castle itself, the Church of the Virgin Mary, the Catherine Chapel, the Big Tower, the Mariana and Well Towers.

The majestic Student Tower and the imperial palace, which housed the king's quarters, take tourists back to the Middle Ages, when a powerful monarch ruled the Czech Republic.

Royal Palace and Fortress Spanish city Segovia, in the province of Castile and León. The fortress was built on high rock, above the confluence of the Eresma and Clamores rivers. Such a good location made it almost impregnable. Now it is one of the most recognizable and the most beautiful palaces Spain. Originally built as a fortress, the Alcazar was once a royal palace, a prison, and an artillery academy.

The Alcazar, which was a small wooden fortress in the 12th century, was later rebuilt into a stone castle and became the most impregnable defensive structure. This palace became famous for great historically significant events: the coronation of Isabella the Catholic, her first marriage to King Ferdinand of Aragon, the wedding of Anna of Austria with Philip II.

(Castelul Peleş) was built by King Carol I of Romania near the city of Sinai in the Romanian Carpathians. The king was so fascinated by the local beauty that he bought up the surrounding land and built a castle for hunting and summer holidays. The name of the castle was given by a small mountain river flowing nearby.

In 1873, the construction of a grandiose building began, under the leadership of the architect Johann Schulz. Along with the castle, other buildings necessary for a comfortable life were built: royal stables, guard houses, a hunting house and a power station.

Thanks to the power plant, Peles became the first electrified castle in the world. The castle officially opened in 1883. At the same time, central heating and an elevator were installed in it. The construction was completed in 1914.

It is a symbol of the small city-state of San Marino on the territory modern Italy. The beginning of the construction of the fortress is considered to be the 10th century AD. Guaita is the first of three San Marino fortresses built on the peaks of Mount Titano.

The construction consists of two rings of fortifications, the inner one has retained all the signs of the forts of the feudal era. The main entrance gate was located at a height of several meters, and it was possible to pass through it only by a drawbridge, now destroyed. The fortress was restored many times in the 15th-17th centuries.

Well, so we looked at some medieval castles and fortresses in Europe, of course, not all of them. Next time we will admire the fortresses on the tops of impregnable rocks. There are so many exciting discoveries ahead!

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

medieval castles

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

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

Reichsburg Castle, Germany

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

Mont Saint Michel, France

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

Hochosterwitz Castle, Austria

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

Bled Castle, Slovenia

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

Hohenzollern Castle, Germany

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

Barciense Castle, Spain

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

Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany

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

Methoni Castle, Greece

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

Hohenschwangau Castle, Germany

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

Chillon Castle, Switzerland

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

Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland

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

Bodiam Castle, England

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

Guaita Castle, San Marino

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

Swallow's Nest, Crimea

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

Castle Stalker, Scotland

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

Bran Castle, Romania

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

Vyborg Castle, Russia

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

Cashel Castle, Ireland

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

Kilchurn Castle, Scotland

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

Lichtenstein Castle, Germany

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

There are thousands of fortresses, palaces and castles in Europe. Some of them, unfortunately, fell into disrepair, but there are many perfectly preserved buildings from different eras. Below is a list of the ten best preserved castles in the world.

Mont Saint Michel, France

Mont-Saint-Michel is a municipality and a 100-hectare rocky island that has been turned into a fortress island. Located 285 km west of Paris, in the Lower Normandy region, Manche department, France. The complex on the island has existed since 709 and has a population of 43 people (2011). Unique architecture and nature make Mont Saint-Michel the most visited tourist destination in Normandy. The island hosts more than 3 million people annually.

Brodick Castle, Scotland

The ninth place in the list of the best preserved castles in the world is occupied by Brodick Castle, which is located in the eastern part of the Isle of Arran, near small town Brodick, Scotland. This castle was built in the 5th century and gradually expanded and completed over the centuries. For almost 500 years it served as a residence for the Dukes of Hamilton, but is now owned by the National Trust for Scotland.

Bran Castle, Romania

Bran Castle is located 30 km from the city of Brasov, near the small town of Bran, Romania. It was built in 1212 at the expense of local residents and served as a strategic defensive fortress in mountain valley in southern Transylvania. Currently, the castle belongs to the descendant of the Romanian kings, the grandson of Queen Mary - Dominic of Habsburg. In the 19th century, this castle became world famous thanks to the novel "Dracula" by the Irish writer Bram Stoker. It is now the most visited tourist attraction in Romania.

Coca Castle, Spain

Coca Castle is located 54 km northwest of the city of Segovia, Spain. It was built at the end of the 15th century by Archbishop Alonso de Fonseca. Its construction began in 1453. The castle is surrounded by a deep moat and a double fortress wall 2.5 meters wide. It is considered a magnificent architectural example, made in the Mudéjar style. Belongs to the Alba family. Now it houses a school of foresters.

Eltz Castle, Germany

In sixth place on the list of the best preserved castles in the world is Eltz Castle located on a 70-meter-high cliff in the commune of Wierschem in the Elzbach River Valley, Germany. It was built presumably in the XII century. It has been owned by the Eltz family for over 800 years. In all its existence, it has never been captured or destroyed. Today, the entire complex belongs to Count Karl of Eltz, who provided the castle for the general public to visit.

Marienburg Castle, Poland

Marienburg Castle is located in Malbork, Poland. This is a classic example of a medieval fortification, being the largest brick medieval castle in the world and one of the most impressive in Europe. This castle was built in honor of the Virgin Mary and founded by the Teutonic Knights on the banks of the Nogat (the mouth of the Vistula) in 1274. It was built in several stages and expanded until the first half of the 15th century. It served as the residence for the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order from 1309 to 1456. Today Marienburg Castle is a museum listed world heritage UNESCO.

Neuschwanstein, Germany

Neuschwanstein is a well-preserved castle of the XIX century, located 5 km from the city of Füssen in southern Bavaria, Germany. It is the former residence of the last Bavarian king Ludwig II (1864–1886). The construction of this castle began in 1869, according to the design of the court architect Eduard Riedel, and was completed in 1883. This castle was supposed to be the king's personal refuge, but was opened to the public shortly after the death of Ludwig, who lived in it for only about six months. Since then, the castle has been visited by more than 61 million people. More than 1,300,000 tourists from all over the world come here every year.

Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

Edinburgh castle throughout its history has been a kind of "key to Scotland". It is located on Castle Rock in Edinburgh, Scotland. The first indication of the existence of this castle dates back to the reign of King David I, who convened here meetings of the nobility and church ministers, starting in 1139. The oldest building in the castle and Edinburgh is St. Margaret's Chapel, dating from the beginning of the 12th century. Today, Edinburgh Castle is open to the public and is a major tourist attraction in Scotland.

Windsor Castle, England

Windsor Castle is a royal palace located on a hill in the Thames Valley, 34 km west of London, England. The palace was built between 1070–1086 by William I the Conqueror and was constantly expanded by subsequent rulers. Now the castle is the official residence of the British monarchs in Windsor (Berkshire). The complex of Windsor Castle, located on a five-hectare area, includes fortifications, a palace and a town. It is the largest inhabited castle in the world. The current Queen Elizabeth II spent most of her childhood here.

Prague Castle, Czech Republic

Prague Castle is the best preserved fortress located in the center of the capital of the Czech Republic, Prague. The first building on this site was built in the 9th century. In the future, Prague Castle was expanded and completed until it became one of the largest castle complexes in Europe. According to the Guinness Book of Records, it is the largest castle in the world - its length is 570 m, its width is 130 meters, it covers an area of ​​​​about 70,000 square meters. m. Today it is the residence of the President of the Republic, earlier Czech rulers and some emperors of the Holy Roman Empire.

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The first fortifications medieval castles appeared in IX - X centuries. at a time when countries Central Europe (France, Germany and Northern Italy ) began to threaten the aggression and invasion of barbarian tribes, and the Vikings. This greatly hindered the development of the empire created Charlemagne. To protect the land, they began to build fortifications from wooden buildings. Such an architecture durable wood"for more reliable protection, it was added by the surroundings of an earthen ditch and a rampart. A hinged bridge overturned over a ditch on chains or strong ropes, along which they got into a residential village. A palisade was installed on the crest of the shaft. The top of its trunk was sharply sharpened with tools and dug into the ground for a sufficiently In the 11th century, castles began to be built on artificial hills, which were built next to a courtyard surrounded by 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 dwelling of the leader with his retinue. For even more reliable and additional defense, a high hill was raised (about 5 m), on which an additional defensive fortification was built. The hill could be built artificially, by pouring earth on a given surface. The material for construction was always chosen from wood, because. the stone was too heavy, which means it could collapse down due to the greater weight.

Knight's castles

Locks- these are stone buildings that protected from enemies and served as a home for one or another owner of the estate. In the most common sense of the word - a fortified dwelling of a feudal lord in medieval Europe.
The architecture of medieval castles was significantly influenced by the Ancient Roman Fortifications and Byzantine structures, from where to 9th century entered Western Europe. The castles of noble feudal lords, in addition to being housing, also performed defensive functions. They tried to build them on hard-to-reach areas (rocky ledges, hills, islands). Inside castles and fortresses was main tower entitled 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 structures, 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 shelling at the enemy who was below, and even throw heavy objects at the assault gates and pour resin. For the impassability of the castles, ditches were dug out, which blocked access to the walls of the castles and to the gates (the gates were lowered on chains across the moat like a bridge, and at the entrance they sometimes designed gersu- descending wooden-metal grate). The ditches were deep pits filled with water (sometimes with stakes) to prevent the enemies from swimming and digging.

donjon

donjon was the main building during the defense and was a high stone tower, where the most important people of the castle took refuge in case of storming by enemies. The construction of such a building was taken very seriously. For this, experienced artisans were needed, who were very good at erecting and building reliable stone structures. A special serious attitude to such construction among the owners of estates began to appear to 11th century where it was undertaken to build such defensive towers.
The thickest and most inaccessible donjons first appeared in Normans. In the later period, almost all high towers were built of stone, which replaced the buildings of wood. 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, high, defensive towers acquired a round and polygonal shape during construction. This external design provided more convenient shooting for the defenders of the donjons.
Internal architecture 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 hewn stone. A spiral staircase rose to the top of the donjon. watchtower, where there was a sentinel guard, and next to him was the banner of the owner of the castle with 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 was located at the rear of the defense. This strategic architecture allowed for double fire for the shooters defending the castle. In the event that one of the walls was taken by storm, they stumbled upon the next one or were completely trapped, since the construction of the walls was connected together with a high tower - a donjon.

medieval castles were the backbone and most reliable defense of the feudal lord from enemies. Their appearance individual for different states.

Castles of France

Castles of France. Numerous construction of architectural structures in France began in the valley of the Loire River. 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 donjons and fences that were quite reliable in their strength.
A distinctive feature of French castles is a rounded cone-shaped tent material roof, which evenly falls on the tower with a neat surface of the front design. The upper part of the towers has an angular surface of concave loopholes with windows, merging with the tops of "triangles" and "trapezoids". The location of the middle windows for daylight, have a sufficiently large shape for the full penetration of sunlight into the interior of the room. Sometimes large windows are located in the attic of the roof, most likely to illuminate a particularly important room. In some compartments of buildings, one can see solid, pronounced holes in the loopholes, because. the constant pre-time wars of France forced these defensive structures to cost. In a later period of time, the design of castles began to evolve into architecture similar to palaces.
The entrance to the castle was carried out on stone steps, on the sides of which there were two merging towers. Above the head of the rising guest, in the wall, rose from 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 ascent and descent of various loads.
The most mysterious and covered with 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 the Syumor castle there was a well with a huge underground reservoir. A house was built above the well (above), and a well gate was placed in it, with which it was possible to raise a large tub of water. The lifting mechanism consisted of wooden wheels connected by a separate tooth and groove.
IN XVII century West Side The castle began to collapse, which caused its abandonment. The building began to be used as a prison and barracks, but soon the architecture was restored and again "elevated" to the podium.
The main distinguishing feature of the castles of France- These are high, pointed roofs of a cone-shaped appearance.

Castles in Belgium

Castles in 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, Beleuil, Vev, Gaasbeck, Sten And Anweng. In my own way appearance they are small in size, but according to subjective data, they are very pretty and attractive. Their main distinguishing feature is the presence of an arcuate bend in the area of ​​the lower parts of the roofs and the presence of upper domes on some types of castles. On the cone-shaped tops are pronounced vertical edges, which also give a peculiar style to Belgian architecture. On the high tips of the sharp needles, you can see flaunting coats of arms and various figures, giving additional uniqueness. To some extent, the castles of Belgium are very similar to the external design of the English, but british kingdom more rectangular architecture is emphasized. The windows are tall and large, rather elongated. They are located most often in palace-type castles.
The most peculiar in their beauty are castles Arenberg And Gravensteen (Count's castle of Flanders). The first in external design is very similar to a Catholic church, which is complemented by 2 black domes on the sides. The center is finished with a stair-shaped roof and an acute-angled, small tower, which fits very nicely into the interior. The count's castle also stands out with a peculiarly unusual shape. Its defensive wall has convex cylindrical towers, the top of which is much thicker than the bottom. And perforated recesses were made in the walls and additional shutters for round architectures placed on them.

Castles in Germany

Castles in Germany inherently varied in design, but most of them have shapes like pointed tops and tall, oblong towers with a flat surface. The most prominent of them are Maxburg, Meshpelbrunn, Cochem, Pfalzgrafenstein And Liechtenstein. Many buildings are very similar to French ones, but German architecture has many more numerous extensions on the side walls. Some of the upper roofs of the castles 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 makes German architecture even more interesting. Loop holes ( machicol) locks have a fairly wide diameter. Apparently, the medieval Germans loved to defend their castles not only with the help of 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-wood lattice with a descending mechanism. The design of moving the grate down and up was provided with the help of an outer wall along stone brackets. In some structures of other states, such a rise at the entrance was realized by a narrow sliding of a slot inside the portal.
In Germany, all castles tried to build on the mountain and hilly terrain. This ruled out a full-fledged, enemy assault; convenient shooting from siege weapons and digging, which was prevented by the rocky rock of stone below the architecture. In some types of buildings, the Germans used the principle of the Tower of Babel, when the height of the standing rushed high up, and the celestial plane was trimmed with many loopholes around.

Castles of Spain

Castles of Spain. The architectural buildings of Spain were originally built by the Arabs, since this land in the early, medieval period was under their dominion. 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 from the Muslims Southern Spain and with it, the last city of Grenada. Initially, the Muslims erected buildings very similar to garrison fortresses (alcazabs) with square and acute-angled towers. Later, Europeans began to build tall, round donjons with alternating structures.
The exterior of Spanish castles has a recurring combination of multiple, tall, flat-surfaced elongated towers, reminiscent of numerous chess pieces and very similar to a rook. On the upper tips of the skyscrapers are octagonal, small turrets. From a distance, they look more like rectangular, jagged slabs. The side surface of the walls has a wave-like 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. Such a cunning arrangement of buildings served to impede the penetration of enemy installations and ladders. As a decoration, an image of a shield with a coat of arms was driven into the stone wall. Slightly above the middle 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 peculiar architecture had a square shape of the building, 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 Deep, Bezdez, Bouzov, Bukhlov, Zvikov, Coast, Karlstejn And krivoklat. Their architectural appearance is more reminiscent of palaces than heavily fortified defenses against enemy onslaught. Jagged-rectangular slabs and blocking, high walls are practically absent in the defensive functions of the former castle buildings. Home distinctive feature Czech architecture are large triangular and polygonal roofs, with pointed towers and stone chimneys buried in them. The attics have arcuate windows for daylight and entry to the top of the roof. In the central towers of castles, sometimes large, dial clock-chimes were designed. Many palaces were built in the Renaissance, Classical 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 not at all similar to the standard design of the local medieval buildings. For example, a castle deep(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 donjons and a chess piece of a rook with numerous jagged-rectangular slabs. Yes, on top of that, in such elongated buildings there are windows. This is one of the most beautiful castles Europe, albeit not a particularly large size. It looks more like a huge mansion than a big palace. From the inside, the architecture contains 140 rooms, 11 towers and 2 rectangular courtyards. Outside, the white castle is decorated with elaborate carvings of various figures, deer heads and hung, antique lanterns.

Castles of Slovakia

Castles of Slovakia. The construction of Slovak castles began in XI century, but most of them were built in 13th century. The most prominent of them are Bitchiansky Grad, Boynitsky, Bratislava Castle, Budatinsky, Zvolensky, Orava Castle, Smolenitsky, Spissky Castle And Trencian Castle locks. Architectures are inherently diverse in design. The size also differs in large and small forms. The roofs of large castles stretch out to enormous proportions with polygonal shapes. The towers have elongated, acute-angled ends with thin, long, spherical spokes. Windows are located quite rarely than in other state castles, but most often they are numerous in small buildings. In some architectures, you can find convex, perforated strip cuts, which are an additional decoration, emphasizing a pronounced design. They can mostly be seen on the rounded ends of elongated cylinders. In some castles in Slovakia you can see small balconies. They contain arched windows and vertical railings. Protective, defensive walls near the buildings are practically absent. They can be found only near the mountain buildings of the hills.

The most impressive and unique in their structure castles in Slovakia- This Bratislava Castle (square shape and towers located at each corner), Orava Castle (built with gradually rising foundation) , Trechyansky Grad (having a huge, powerful tower in the center), Zvolensky (with jagged-square plates located on their roof) And Smolenitsky (owning three prominent roofs in the middle, green and red) 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 solid rectangular towers, consisting of narrow, elongated buildings. Their roofs are covered with scalloped square slabs that may extend all the way around 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 processed with long, elongated pits around the entire circumference of the towers. this appearance emphasizes the unusual originality English castles. Another unusual feature is the presence of large and large windows in the walls, more like semi-palace buildings. Sometimes elongated windows are located in wide arcuate arches, which further emphasize the extraordinary style. In many, even in small, square castles, the British designed and strengthened dial clocks with melodic chimes. To this day, they attach great importance to the exact time in their upbringing and culture.

England represents huge island, which means that she 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 building architecture from enemies.

Castles of Austria

Castles of Austria laid the foundation for their construction in VIII-IX centuries the last millennium. The most famous of them are Artstetten, Gohostervits, Graz, Landskron, Rosenburg, Shattenburg, Hohenwerfen And Ehrenberg. Their main characteristic feature is the high and very thick, rectangular towers with huge triangular and polygonal domed roofs. Too wide side surfaces are due to the fact that the buildings of high castles have many floors, which means that for this it is necessary to fully climb up the spacious spiral staircase. At the highest height, at the base of sharp pins, the builders placed artificial sculptures of various figures in the form of angels with wings. Near high bases in architectural structures, additional convex structures are sometimes added in the form of patterns and dimples that run along the perimeter or circle. Some types of castles have railings with various vertical structures at the top. The architecture of the huge roofs is supplemented by small pointed turrets constructed not so far apart. On them you can also notice attic windows and access to the upper part of the ceiling. The windows are oval and square in 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 dwelling and defense of a noble society, but soon turned into a prison, barracks, a museum and even a restaurant. Schattenburg Castle is one such example.

Castles of Italy

Castles of Italy. Most 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 quite high located in the central parts of the architecture of the castles. They have many windows and a significantly convex ledge 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 an alarm, the defenders of the castle do not crowd, but fully run out of their barracks in large detachments. Similar factors include the presence of signal bell towers in the upper parts of the towers. The construction of castles and fortresses in Italy was conceived by the militarized plan of noble rulers and their architects.

Castles of Poland

Castles of Poland. The most intensive growth in the construction of Polish castles refers to 1200-1700 years. second millennium. The most prominent of them are Grodno, Kshchenzh, Kurnitsky, Krasicki, Lenchitsky, Lublin, Marienburg, Stettin and Chenzinsky. According to their structure, they have a variety of designs of large and small sizes. Most castles have a palatial appearance and only a small part of them have serious defensive architecture. Polish castles are characterized by long, figured domes, shaped like a chess piece of an elephant or an umbrella-shaped projection. They also include huge trapezium-like roofs that extend across the entire width of the architectural top. Small, acute-angled towers contain bell towers, large ones have rectangular windows for sentinel observation. The windows on the sides of the walls are of various shapes, but most of them are rectangular and arched, as are their arcuate frames, emphasizing the peculiar appearance.

The architectural style of Poland is quite unique. The buildings were erected from the donjon style to neo-gothic. Such a rather elegant type of building structure can be attributed Kurnice castle, very nice exterior design.
Some types of castles are so tiny that they are more like a mansion. small size than a heavily defensive fortress. Such an example could be Shimbark 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 in the style of Gothic and Renaissance. But all Belarusian castles have a different design, peculiarly 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. There are a number of small windows (loopholes) in them, 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 arcuate frames. The roofs have a triangular shape on the tips of the spokes of which there are patterns of balls and flags. The entrance inside is carried out with the help of oval arches located in several parts of the castle.
Gomel castle was also quite large in area, but consisted of separate buildings and a very low defensive wall. It had small towers with oval domes. Rather, this architecture resembled more a monastery of free-standing structures than a castle for protection. high towers had pointed, black roofs with various outlines of figures. Even a single chimney on the roof had a peculiar, colorful pattern.

At first, buildings were built of 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 setting fire much better.
Castles were built on hills, artificial hills were poured and lined with hewn stone. For the reliability of the fortifications, strategically tricky areas with seas and lakes were chosen. Sometimes the defense was supplemented with deep ditches with water, for even greater isolation of land penetration into the buildings. Many courtyards in the castle made it difficult for the enemy to reach the main tower. To get close to her, the attackers had to wander through them for a long time, as if 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 fortified, administrative centers.
The appearance of Japanese castles resembled solid, upward-curved puff blocks of roofs, superimposed one on top of the other. 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 faced with wooden shingles. The outer walls were plastered and covered with white. Their side coverings had slit-like windows and loopholes. The lower floors were faced with stone slabs.
Sometimes there were several towers in the castle, 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 there was a multi-tiered main tower, erected on an artificial hill. Later, the base of the tower began to be covered with stone, while the 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, an observation tower and huge warehouses. The owner's quarters were located on the upper floors. Wooden buildings could be a combination of hallways, chambers, huts, corridors and towers with numerous rooms taken together. Most often, only noble princes, nobles and boyars could afford such luxurious dwellings. Their rooms were located on the highest floors. Downstairs, there were rooms for servants and subjects.
The mansions were divided into resting , restless And outbuildings . Premises resting architectures had a separate dwelling, in one of which the owner lived, and in the other his wife with children. Their rooms were connected by common corridors, with the help of which it was possible to go to the desired room. restless mansions served for meetings, solemn events and holidays. They built huge halls for a large number people. Household mansions used for everyday needs in the craft and household. They looked like stables, barns, laundries and workshops.

Not every castle is actually a castle. Today, the word "castle" we call almost any significant building of the Middle Ages, whether it be a palace, a large estate or a fortress - in general, the dwelling of a feudal lord of medieval Europe. This everyday use of the word "castle" is at odds with its original meaning, because the castle is primarily a fortification. Inside the castle territory there could be buildings for various purposes: residential, religious, and cultural. But still, first of all, the main function of the castle is defensive. From this point of view, for example, the famous romantic palace of Ludwig II - Neuschwanstein is not a castle.

location, and not the structural features of the castle - the key to its defensive power. Of course, the layout of the fortification is important for the defense of the castle, but what really makes it impregnable is not the thickness of the walls and the location of the loopholes, but the correctly chosen construction site. A steep and high hill, which is almost impossible to get close to, a sheer cliff, a winding road to the castle, which is perfectly shot from the fortress, determine the outcome of the battle to a much greater extent than any other equipment.

Gates- the most vulnerable place in the castle. Of course, the fortress should have been main entrance(in peaceful moments, it happens that you want to enter beautifully and solemnly, not all the time the castle is defended). When capturing, it is always easier to break into the entrance that already exists than to create a new one by destroying massive walls. Therefore, the gates were designed in a special way - they had to be wide enough for carts and narrow enough for the enemy army. Cinema often sins by depicting a castle entrance with large wooden gates locked: such would be extremely impractical in defense.

The interior walls of the castle were colored. The interiors of medieval castles are often depicted in gray-brown tones, without any cladding, just like the inside of bare cold stone walls. But the inhabitants of medieval palaces loved bright colors and generously decorated the interior of their living quarters. The inhabitants of the castles were rich and, of course, wanted to live in luxury. Our ideas are connected with the fact that in most cases the paint has not stood the test of time.

Large windows are a rarity for a medieval castle. As a rule, they were absent altogether, giving way to multiple small window "slots" in the castle walls. In addition to the defensive purpose, the narrow window openings protected the privacy of the inhabitants of the castle. If you come across a castle building with luxurious panoramic windows, most likely they appeared at a later time, as, for example, in the castle of Roctaiade in southern France.

Secret passages, secret doors and dungeons. Walking through the castle, be aware that somewhere under you lie corridors hidden from the eyes of the layman (perhaps someone wanders through them today?). Poterns - underground corridors between the buildings of the fortress - made it possible to quietly move around the fortress or leave it. But the trouble is if a traitor opens a secret door to the enemy, as happened during the siege of Corfe Castle in 1645.

Assault on the castle was not such a fleeting and easy process as it is portrayed in the movies. A massive attack was a rather extreme decision in an attempt to capture the castle, putting the main military force at unreasonable risk. Castle sieges were carefully thought out and implemented for a long time. The most important thing was the ratio of the trebuchet, the throwing machine, to the thickness of the walls. To make a hole in castle wall, the trebuchet took from several days to several weeks, especially since just a hole in the wall did not guarantee the capture of the fortress. For example, the siege of Harlech Castle by the future King Henry V lasted about a year, and the castle fell only because the city ran out of provisions. So the rapid attacks of medieval castles are an element of cinematic fantasies, and not historical realities.

Hunger- The most powerful weapon when taking the castle. Most castles had tanks that collected rainwater, or wells. The chances of the castle inhabitants to survive during the siege depended on the water and food supplies: the option to “sit out” was the least risky for both sides.

For the defense of the castle it didn't take as many people as it seems. Castles were built in such a way as to allow those inside to calmly fight off the enemy, managing with small forces. Compare: the garrison of Harlech Castle, which held out practically whole year, consisted of 36 people, while the castle was surrounded by an army numbering hundreds or even thousands of soldiers. In addition, an extra person on the territory of the castle during the siege is an extra mouth, and as we remember, the issue of provisions could be decisive.