Castles in medieval Europe. Start in science. Hochosterwitz Castle, Austria

Hello dear reader!

Still, medieval architects in Europe were geniuses - they built castles, luxurious structures 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 did not stop there.

Medieval castles

Even the very fact that many castles, having survived the wars, the blows of the elements and the carelessness of the owners, are still intact, suggests that they have not yet invented more reliable dwellings. And they are also incredibly beautiful and seem to have appeared in our world from the pages of fairy tales and legends. Their high spiers remind of the times when they fought for the hearts of beauties, 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 are still left on Earth. You will certainly want to visit them and, possibly, stay to live.

Reichsburg Castle, Germany

The millennium castle was originally the residence of King Conrad III of Germany, and then 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 acquired its remains in 1868 and spent most of his wealth on 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 today.

Hochosterwitz Castle, Austria

The medieval castle Hochosterwitz was built in the distant IX century. Its towers remain vigilantly watching the surrounding area, proudly towering above it at an altitude of 160 m. 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, threateningly hanging over Lake Bled. In addition to the magnificent view from the windows of the castle, this place has a rich history - here was the residence of the Serbian queen of the dynasty, and later of Marshal Josip Broz Tito

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 Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland.

Methoni Castle, Greece

Since the 14th century, the Venetian castle-fortress of Methoni was the center of battles and the last outpost of Europeans in this area 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 XII century and was the residence of many rulers, including the famous King Ludwig II, who received the composer Richard Wagner within these walls.

Chillon Castle, Switzerland

This medieval bastille looks like a warship from a bird's eye view. The castle's rich history and distinctive exterior have inspired many famous writers. In the 16th century, the castle was used as a state prison, as described by George Byron 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 most importantly, 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 experienced many owners, all of whom enjoyed fighting. Therefore, when Lord Curzon acquired it in 1917, only ruins remained of the castle. Fortunately, its walls were quickly restored, and now the castle is as good as new.

Guaita Castle, San Marino

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

bird home, Crimea

Initially, a small wooden house was located on the cliff of Cape Ai-Todor. And its current look "Swallow's Nest" got 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.

Stalker Castle, Scotland

Stalker Castle, 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.

Bran Castle, Romania

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

Vyborg castle, Russia

Vyborg Castle was founded by the Swedes in 1293, during one of the crusades to the Karelian land. It remained Scandinavian until 1710, when the troops of Peter I drove the Swedes far and away for a long time. Since that time, the castle has managed to be a warehouse, and a barracks, and even a prison for the Decembrists. And nowadays 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. NS. lived and preached Saint Patrick. The walls of the castle witnessed the bloody suppression of the revolution by the troops of Oliver Cromwell, who burned soldiers here alive. Since then, the castle has become a symbol of the brutality of the British, true courage and fortitude of the Irish.

Kilhurn Castle, Scotland

The very beautiful and even a little eerie ruins of Kilhurn Castle are located on the shores of the picturesque Lake Av. The history of this castle, unlike most castles in Scotland, proceeded quite calmly - numerous earls lived here, which replaced each other. In 1769 the building was damaged by a lightning strike, and soon it was finally abandoned, as it remains to this day.

Lichtenstein Castle, Germany

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

When large landowners appeared in Europe, they began to build fortified estates for themselves. The house, outbuildings, barns and stables were surrounded by high wooden walls. A wide ditch was usually dug in front of them, into which water was diverted from the nearest reservoir. This is how the first castles appeared. But they were fragile, as the tree began to rot over time. Therefore, the walls and buildings had to be constantly updated. In addition, such structures could easily be set on fire.

The first real knightly stone castles, which are well known in our time, began to be built at the end of the 9th and beginning of the 10th centuries. A total of 15 thousand such structures were built in Europe. They were especially fond of similar buildings in England. In these lands, the construction boom began during the time of William the Conqueror in the second half of the 11th century. Stone structures towered at a distance of 30 km from each other. This proximity was very convenient in the event of an attack. Cavalry detachments from other castles could quickly arrive in time for the defenders.

In the X-XI centuries, protective stone buildings consisted of a high multi-tiered tower. It was called keep and was home to the knight and his family. It also contained food, servants and armed guards. A prison was set up in which prisoners were kept. A deep well was dug in the basement. It was filled with groundwater. Therefore, the inhabitants of donjon were not afraid to be left without water in the event of a long siege.

From the second half of the 11th century, the dungeons began to surround with stone walls.... Since that time, the defensive capabilities of the castle have increased significantly. Enemies first had to overcome high strong walls, and then also take possession of the multi-tiered tower. And from it it was very convenient to pour hot tar on the heads of the invaders, shoot arrows and throw large stones.

The most active construction of reliable stone structures began in 1150-1250.... It was during these 100 years that the largest number of castles was built. Kings and wealthy nobles built magnificent structures. Small nobles built small but reliable stone fortresses.

At the beginning of the 13th century, the towers began to be made not square, but round.... This design was more resistant to throwing machines and rams. In the 90s of the XIII century, one central tower was abandoned. Instead, many towers began to be made, and they were surrounded by 2 or even 3 rows of walls. Much more attention was paid to strengthening the gate.

Previously, knightly castles were protected only by heavy doors and the rising bridge over the moat. Now a powerful metal grate was placed outside the gate. She could go up and down, but was called gers... Its tactical advantage was that it was possible to shoot through it with bows at the attackers. This innovation was supplemented by barbican... He imagined a round tower located in front of the gate.

Therefore, the enemies first had to take possession of it, then overcome the drawbridge, break the metal lattice of the gers, and only after that, overcoming the fierce resistance of the defenders, penetrate the inner territory of the castle. And on top of the walls, the builders made stone galleries with special openings outward. Through them the besieged fired from bows and poured hot tar on the enemies.

Medieval knight's castle and its defensive elements

In these almost impregnable stone fortresses, everything was subject to maximum security. But they cared much less about the internal comfort. There were few windows and they were all narrow. Instead of glass, they used mica or the intestines of cows, bulls, and buffaloes. Therefore, even on a bright sunny day, the premises were semi-dark. There were a great many different staircases, corridors and passages. They created drafts. And this did not affect the health of the residents in the best way.

The rooms had fireplaces, and the smoke went out through the chimneys. But it was very difficult to heat the rooms made of stone. Therefore, people have always suffered from a lack of warmth. The floors were also stone. They were covered on top with hay and straw. Furniture included wooden beds, benches, wardrobes, tables and chests. Hunting trophies in the form of stuffed animals and weapons hung on the walls. And it was in such decoration that families of nobles lived with their servants and guards.

The attitude towards comfort and convenience began to change at the beginning of the XIV century.... Knights' castles began to be built from bricks. Accordingly, it became much warmer in them. The builders stopped making narrow window openings. They expanded significantly, and mica was replaced by multi-colored glass. The walls and floors were carpeted. Carved wooden furniture and porcelain dishes, imported from the east, appeared. That is, fortresses have turned into quite bearable places to live.

At the same time, the locks retained such important functions as storage for products. They had cellars and cellars. They stored grain, smoked meats, dried fruits and vegetables. There were stocks of wine, fish lay in wooden barrels. The honey was kept in earthenware jugs filled with wax. Lard was salted in stone containers.

Halls and corridors were lit with oil lamps or torches. In living quarters, candles made of wax or tallow were used. A separate tower was intended for hay. It was kept for horses, of which there were a lot at that time. Each fortress had its own bakery. Bread was baked daily for the masters and their servants.

Common people settled around these magnificent buildings. In the event of an attack by enemies, people hid behind strong walls. They also sheltered their livestock and property. So gradually around knightly castles settlements began to appear first, and then small towns... Markets and fairs were arranged right under the walls. The owner of the fortress did not mind this at all, since such events promised him a good profit.

By the 16th century, many of the knight's castles were completely surrounded by residential buildings. As a result, they lost their military defensive significance. At this time, powerful artillery began to appear. It negated the importance of strong and high walls. And gradually sometime impregnable fortresses turned into only places of residence for rich people. They were also used for prisons and warehouses. Nowadays, former majestic buildings have become history and are of interest only to tourists and historians..

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

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

1 Tintagel Castle, England

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

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

2 Corvin Castle, Romania

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

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

3 Alcazar de Segovia, Spain

This fortress of the Spanish kings is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The castle is located in an incredibly beautiful location - a rock at the confluence of two rivers. Due to its location, it is one of the most recognizable castles in Spain.

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

4 Eltz Castle, Germany

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

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

5 Windsor Castle, England

For over 900 years this castle has been closely associated with the monarchs of Great Britain and is their symbol. The current ruling Windsor dynasty is named in his honor. The castle was built in the 11th century by William the Conqueror, and has been used as a royal residence since the reign of Henry I. Over so many centuries, it has been rebuilt and supplemented several times in accordance with the requests of the ruling monarchs.

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

6 Himeji Castle, Japan

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

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

7 Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

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

It is worth noting that this fortress survived 26 sieges, making it the most attacked on Earth. The last 150 years Edinburgh castle often restored, it is now Edinburgh's premier tourist attraction.

8 Hever Castle, England

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

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

9 Bojnice castle, Slovakia

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

Since then, each new owner has reconstructed the castle, and in the end it turned out to be the most visited place in Slovakia. Many fantastic and fabulous films have been filmed here. The castle also houses the Slovak Folk Museum.

10 Bran Castle, Romania

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

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

11 Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland

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

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

12 Bodiam Castle, England

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

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

13 Hohensalzburg Castle, Austria

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

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

14 Arundell Castle, England

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

The castle was rebuilt after damage during the English Civil War in the 17th century, and also renovated with the return of fashion for medieval interiors. Although Arundel is privately owned, most of the castle is open to tourists.

15 Mont Saint Michel, France

This castle is not called an architectural wonder of France for nothing. It is a rocky island in northwestern France that was turned into a fortified island in the 8th century. For a long time, monks lived here, and even an abbey was built.

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

These amazing historical monuments reached the descendants almost intact. They preserve the centuries-old history of different peoples, which cannot always be read on the pages of textbooks.

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Functions

The main functions of the feudal castle with suburbs were:

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

Defining characteristics

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

Components

Hill

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

At the top, a wooden, and later stone, defensive tower was erected, surrounded by a palisade. Around the hill was a water-filled or dry moat, from the ground of which an embankment was formed. The tower was accessed through a wooden drawbridge and a staircase on the hillside.

Courtyard

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

Donjon

Castles proper appeared in the Middle Ages and were the dwellings of feudal nobles. Due to the feudal fragmentation and, as a consequence, frequent internecine wars, the feudal lord's dwelling had to perform a defensive task. Usually castles were built on hills, islands, rock ledges and other hard-to-reach places.

With the end of the Middle Ages, castles began to lose their original - defensive - task, which has now given way to a residential one. With the development of artillery, the defensive task of castles disappeared completely; features of the castle architecture were preserved only as decorative elements (French Pierrefonds castle, late 14th century).

A regular layout with a pronounced symmetry prevailed, the main building acquired a palace character (Madrid Castle in Paris, 15th-16th centuries) or Nesvizh Castle in Belarus (16th century). In the 16th century, castle architecture in Western Europe was finally replaced by palace architecture. The defensive mission was preserved for the longest time by the castles of Georgia, which were actively built until the 18th century.

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

Castles in Russia

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

Wasserschloss in Schwerin

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

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

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

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

With the beginning of the massive use of gunpowder, the decline of the era of building castles begins. So, the besiegers began to carry out, if the ground allowed it, sapper work - to quietly dig glanders, which made it possible to bring large charges of explosives under the walls (assault on the Kazan Kremlin in the 16th century). As a measure of struggle, the besieged in advance, at a noticeable distance from the walls, dug an underground gallery, from which they listened in order to detect tunnels and destroy them in time.

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

Such fortresses, sometimes developing from castles over time, were also used in World War II to hold down the enemy's forces and delay his advance (see: Brest Fortress).

Construction

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

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

Stone castles were not only expensive to build, but also expensive to maintain as they contained a large amount of timber, which was often untempered and in need of constant maintenance.

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

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

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

Castles today

Nowadays, locks have a decorative function. Some of them are turned into restaurants, others become museums. Some renovate and rent or sell.

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

Bodiam Castle, East Sussex, founded in 1385

1) Carefully choose the place to build

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

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



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

After a careful survey of the area, they selected a point at the very edge of the ledge above the Severn valley. According to chronicler Roger Wendoversky, this position "looked impregnable to anyone." He also noted that the castle was created "for the safety of the region from the frequent attacks of the Welsh."

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

2) Have a workable plan

Experienced soldiers may have their own ideas for the design of the castle, in terms of the shape of its buildings and their location. But they are unlikely to have knowledge of the level of specialists in design and construction.

To implement the idea required a master mason - an experienced builder, whose hallmark was the ability to draw a plan. Understanding practical geometry, he used simple tools such as a ruler, square, and compasses to create architectural plans. The master masons presented the drawing with the building plan for approval, and during the construction they supervised its construction.

When Edward II ordered the tower to be built at Narsborough, he personally approved plans and demanded construction reports.

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

Advice: Plan loopholes for a wide angle of attack. Shape them according to the weapon you use: archers with large bows need large slopes, crossbowmen need smaller ones.

3) Hire a large group of experienced workers

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

During the invasion of Wales in 1277, King Edward I began building a castle in Flint, northeastern Wales. It was erected quickly, thanks to the rich resources of the crown. A month after the start of work, in August, 2,300 people were involved in the construction, including 1270 excavators, 320 woodcutters, 330 carpenters, 200 masons, 12 blacksmiths and 10 coal burners. All of them were driven from the surrounding lands under an armed escort, who made sure that they did not defect from the construction.

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

Advice: depending on the size of the workforce and the distance it has traveled, it may be necessary to provide them with accommodation at the construction site.

4) Ensure the safety of the construction site

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

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

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

Rüdlan castle

Security issues can arise during a major overhaul existing castle... When Henry II was rebuilding Dover Castle in the 1180s, the work was carefully planned out so that the fortifications would provide protection for the duration of the renovation. According to the surviving decrees, work on the inner wall of the castle began only when the tower had already been sufficiently renovated for a guard to be on duty.

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

5) Prepare the landscape

It is often forgotten that the fortifications of the castle were built not only at the expense of architectural techniques, but also at the expense of landscape design. Huge resources were allocated to move land. The scale of the Normans' earthworks can be considered outstanding. For example, according to some estimates, the embankment erected in 1100 around Pleshi Castle in Essex took 24,000 man-days.

Several aspects of the landscape work required serious skills, especially the creation of ditches. When Edward I rebuilt the Tower of London in the 1270s, he hired a foreign expert, Walter Flandersky, to create a huge tidal ditch. Ditching under his direction cost £ 4,000, a staggering amount, almost a quarter of the cost of the entire project.

An 18th century engraving of the Tower of London plan from 1597 shows how much land had to be moved to build ditches and ramparts.

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

Advice: Reduce time and costs by excavating masonry for the castle walls from the moats around it.

6) lay the foundation

By using ropes of the correct length and pegs it was possible to mark the foundation of a building on the ground in full size. After the foundation ditches were dug, work began on the masonry. To save money, the responsibility for the construction was assigned to the senior bricklayer instead of the master bricklayer. In the Middle Ages, clutches were usually measured in childbirth, one English genus = 5.03 m. In Workworth, Northumberland, one of the complex bachets is on a trellis from the clans, possibly for the purpose of calculating construction costs.

Warkworth Castle

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

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

Advice: don't be fooled by the master mason. Get him to make a plan that makes it easy to budget.

7) fortify your castle

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

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

Storming the castle, drawing of the 15th century

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

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

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

8) Provide water and drainage

The most important aspect for the castle was efficient access to water. These could be wells supplying water to certain buildings, for example, a kitchen or a stable. Without a detailed acquaintance with the medieval well mines, it is difficult to give them their due. For example, at Beeston Castle in Cheshire, there is a well 100 m deep, the top 60 m of which is lined with hewn stone.

There is some evidence that complex plumbing systems existed to bring water to the apartment. The tower of Dover Castle has a lead pipe system that brings water to the rooms. It was fed from a well with a winch, and possibly from a rainwater harvesting system.

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

Thought room at Chipchase Castle

It is now widely believed that toilets used to be called "wardrobes." In fact, the vocabulary for toilets was vast and colorful. They were called gongs or gangs (from the Anglo-Saxon word for "place to go"), nooks and crannies and jakes (French for "john").

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

9) Decorate as needed

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

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

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

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

In the Middle Ages, they also loved rooms with beautiful views... One of the thirteenth-century groups of rooms in the castles of Leeds in Kent, Corfe in Dorset and Chepstow in Monmothshire was named gloriettes (from the French gloriette - diminutive of glory) for their magnificence.

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