The main tower in the knightly castle is called. Knight's castles Middle Ages: scheme, device and defense
As already mentioned above, medieval castles and each of their components were built according to certain rules. The following main structural elements of the castle can be distinguished:
Courtyard
Fortress Wall
Consider them in more detail.
Most towers were erected on natural hills. If there were no such hills in the area, the builders resorted to the arrangement of the hill. As a rule, the height of the hill was 5 meters, but there were more than 10 meters high, although there were exceptions - for example, the height of the hill, on which one of the castles of Norfolk near Tetford was delivered, achieved hundreds of feet (about 30 meters).
The form of the castle of the castle was different - some had an oblong shape, some - square, there were yards in the form of the eight. Variations were the most diverse depending on the value of the state of the owner and the configuration of the site.
After the construction site was chosen, he was the first thing to be pv. The removal land was thrown on the inner bank of the RVA, as a result of which the shaft was obtained, the mound called the scarp. The opposite bank of the RVA was called, respectively, counterskarp. If it was possible, the ditch dug around a natural hill or other elevation. But, as a rule, the hill had to pour out what required a huge amount of earthworks.
The hill included land mixed with limestone, peat, gravel, a rush, and the surface was covered with clay or wooden flooring.
The first fence of the castle was protected by all kinds of defensive structures, intended to stop the enemy's too rapid attack: alive hedges, slingshots (placed between pillars driven into the ground), earthy mounds, hedges, various protruding structures, for example, traditional barbican, who defended access to Lifting bridge. At the foot of the wall was ditch, he was trying to make it as deeper (sometimes more than 10 m deep, as in trematone and lass) and wider (10 m - in the horse, 12 - in Durdan, 15 - in Tremvors, 22 m - - in Kushi). As a rule, Uva ripped around the locks as part of the defensive system. They made access to the fortress walls, including siege tools, such as a ram or a siege tower. Sometimes they even filled with water. In shape, it often resembled the letter V than U. If the ditch was pulled out right under the wall, the lower shaft was erected above it, the lower shaft was erected, to protect the railway outside the fortress. This plot of land was called the Palisade.
The important property of water filled with water is to prevent the subcoops. Often rivers and other natural reservoirs connected with Rips to fill them with water. The piva was required to periodically clean from the garbage to prevent the crosses. Sometimes at the bottom of the moons, stakes were put on, making it difficult to overcome it. Access to the fortress, as a rule, was organized by means of lifting bridges
Depending on the width of the RVA, it supports one or more supports. While the outer part of the bridge is fixed, the last segment is moving. This is the so-called lifting bridge. It is designed so that its plate can turn around the axis attached at the base of the gate, breaking the bridge and closing the gate. To bring in the movement of the lifting bridge, the devices are served as on the gates themselves and from their inner side. The bridge rises manually, on ropes or chains going through blocks in wall slots. To facilitate work, counterweight can be applied. The chain can go on the gate blocks located in the room above the gate. This gate can be horizontal and rotated to handle, or vertical, and drive through horizontally extended beams through it. Another way to lift the bridge is a lever. Through the slots in the wall, the overtakes are swinging beams, the external end of which the chains connect with the front end of the bridge plate, and in the back inside the gates are attached counterweight. This design facilitates the quick rise of the bridge. And finally, the plane of the bridge can be arranged on the principle of the rocker.
The outer part of the plate turning around the axis at the base of the gate, closes the passage, and the inner, on which the attackers are already possible, go down in the so-called. Wolping pit, invisible until the bridge is omitted. Such a bridge is called tilting or swinging.
In Fig.1. A logging scheme is presented.
The fence itself was thick solid walls - Kurtin - part of the fortress wall between two bastions and various side facilities, generalizedly called
Fig.1.
towers. The fortress wall rose directly necessary by the moat, its foundations were deeply in the ground, and the bottom was made by the most gentle as possible to prevent possible subcoops from the attackers, as well as in order to recess from the height of the projectile from the height of it. The fence form depended on its location, but its perimeter is always significant.
The fortified castle did not resemble individual dwelling. The height of Kurtin ranged from 6 to 10 m, thickness - from 1.5 to 3 m. However, in some fortifications, for example, in the chateau-guyar, the thickness of the walls in places exceeds 4.5 m. Towers, usually round, less frequent square or polygonal , was built, as a rule, on the floor above Kurturt. Their diameter (from 6 to 20 m) depended on the location: the most powerful - in the corners and near the entrance gate. The towers were built with hollow, inside them were divided into floors overlap from wooden boards with a hole in the center or side, through which the rope was held in order to raise on the top of the projectile in the case of protection of the fortress. The stairs were hidden by partitions in the wall. Thus, every floor was a room where soldiers were located; In the fireplace arranged in the thickness of the wall, it was possible to dilute the fire. The only holes in the tower are loopholes for archery, long and narrow openings, expanding the inside of the room (Fig. 2).
Fig.2.
In France, for example, the height of such boys is usually 1 m, and the width is 30 cm outside and 1.3 m inside. Such a structure made it difficult to penetrate enemy arrows, but the defenders had the opportunity to shoot in different directions.
The most important defensive element of the castle was the outer wall - high, thick, sometimes on the inclined basement. Processed stones or bricks accounted for its outer surface. Inside it consisted of a boob stone and hated lime. The walls were put on a deep foundation, which was very difficult to make a subpople.
At the top of the fortress wall was the so-called configuration path, with the outer side protected by gear paw. He served to observe, reports between towers and protection of the fortress. A large wooden board, which kept on a horizontal axis, was sometimes attached to the teeth between two ambrusters, the crossbars were covered behind it to charge their weapons. During the wars, the sentient path was complemented by something like a folding wooden gallery of the desired form, mounted before the parapet. In the floor, holes were done to ensure that the defenders could shoot from above if the attackers were hidden at the foot of the wall. Starting from the end of the XII century, especially in the southern regions of France, these wooden galleries, not very durable and easily inflamed, began to replace real stone protrusions, built with parapet. These are the so-called machine, galleries with mounted braces (Fig. 3). They performed the same function as before, but their advantage was in greater strength and in the fact that they allowed to throw down the kernel, then ricastic then from the canopy wall slope.
Fig.3.
Sometimes in the serfstone, there were several secret doors for the passage of the infantrymen, but they always built only a big gate, invariably strengthened with special care, since it was at them the main strike of the attackers.
The very early method of protecting the gate was their location between two rectangular towers. A good sample of this type of protection is the gate device in the exterer castle of the XI century, which is preserved to this day. In the XIII century, the square comradized towers are inferior to the place of the main garment tower, which is a merger of two former with additional floors in them. These are the notched towers in the castles of Richmond and Ladlow. In the XII century, a more common method of protecting the gate was the construction of two towers on both sides of the entrance to the castle, and only in the XIII century did not appear the gate towers in their completed form. Two flanking towers are now connected in one above the gate target, becoming a massive and powerful fortifications and one of the most important parts of the lock. The gate and entry are now turned into a long and narrow pass, blocked from each end porticuls. It was vertically sliding along the sash grooves along the grooves, made in the form of large lattices from a thick bar, the lower ends of the vertical bars were pointed and cooked with iron, thus the lower edge of the porticula was a number of pointed iron stakes. Such lattice gates opened and closed with thick ropes and winches, located in a special chamber in the wall above the passage. Later, the entrance began to protect with the "Moter", deadly holes drilled in the vaulted passage of the passage. Through these holes on anyone who tried to break through to the goal, the objects and substances - arrows, stones, boiling water and hot oil were poured and flew away in such a situation. However, another explanation seems to be another explanation - through the holes lily water in case the enemy tried to set fire to the wooden gate, since the best way to penetrate the castle was to fill the passage of straw, lanes, pretty soaring the mixture with combustible oil and set fire to the mixture; They killed two hares at once - the lattice gates were burned and the defenders of the castle in the noteworthy premises were burned. In the walls of the passage there were small rooms equipped with rifle slits, through which the castle defenders could hit the onions from the onions close distance The dense mass of the attackers, striving to break into the castle. In fig.4. The various types of rifle cracks are presented.
In the upper floors of the garment tower there were rooms for soldiers and often even residential premises. In special cameras were the gate, with the help of which they lowered and raised the recovery bridge on the chains. Since the gate was a place, which was most often attacked by the depositing castle of the enemy, they were sometimes supplied by another means of additional protection - the so-called barbacanis, which began at some distance from the gate. Usually, the barbican was two high thick walls that are parallel to outwardly from the gate, forcing the enemy, thus squeezed into a narrow passage between the walls, substituting under the arrows of the sprouting tower and hidden behind the top of the top of the barbachan. Sometimes, to make access to the goal even more dangerous, the Barbakan was installed at an angle to them, which forced the attackers to go to the gate on the right, and the parts of the body were not covered with shields turned out to be a target for archers. Barbakana's entrance and exit usually decorated very french.
Fig.4.
Each more or less serious castle had even two row of defensive structures (pvv, hedges, curtains, towers, parapets, gates and bridges), smaller in size, but built on the same principle. Between them left a rather significant distance, so each castle looked like a small fortified city. As an example, you can again bring Freyeval. Its fences have a round shape, the diameter of the first - 140 m, the second - 70 m, the third - 30 m. The last fence called the "shirt" was very close to the donjone to close access to it.
The space between the first two fences was the lower courtyard. There was a real village: houses of peasants who worked on the Lord's fields, workshops and dwellings of artisans (Kuznetsov, Carpenters, Mason, Kuznikov, Karetnikov), Khumeno and Hlev, bakery, community mill and press, well, fountain, sometimes a pond with live fish, Washbasal, merchant counters. A similar village was a typical settlement of that time with chaotic streets and houses. Later, such settlements began to go beyond the castle and justify in its surroundings on the other side of the RVA. Their residents, as well as the rest of the inhabitants of Señoria, were hidden behind the fortress walls only in case of serious danger.
Between the second and third fences there was also a top courtyard also with a lot of buildings: chapel, housing for warriors, stables, psarni, pigeon and falconry, pantry with edible supplies, kitchens, reservoirs.
For the "shirt", that is, the last fence, the Donjon rummaged. It was usually built not in the center of the castle, but in its most difficult-reaching part, he simultaneously served and the housing of the feudal, and the military center of the fortress. DONZHON (FR. Donjon) - Main Tower medieval castle, one of the symbols of the European Middle Ages.
It was the most massive structure that was part of the castle buildings. The walls were distinguished by the gigantic thickness and were installed on a powerful basis, capable of withstanding the blows of the conversations, drills and trumped tools precipitated.
Height, he was superior to all the rest of the construction, often exceeding 25 m: 27 m - in the enemy, 28 m - in life, 30 m - in Udan, Durdyan and Freyevale, 31 m - in Shatoden, 35 m - in Tonkinotek, 40 - in Horse, 45 m - in the province. He could be square (London Tower), rectangular (long), hexagonal (tourowel lock), octagonal (life), four-blade- (stamp), but more often there are round diameters from 15 to 20 m and wall thickness from 3 to 4 m.
Flat counterphorts, called pilasters, supported the walls at all and in the corners, on every corner such a pilaster was crowned from above the turret. The entrance has always been in the second floor, high above the ground. The external staircase was led to the entrance, located at a right angle to the door and covered with the front-seat tower, installed on the outside directly at the wall. For obvious reasons, the windows were very small. On the first floor they were not at all, they were tiny on the second and only on the next floors became a little more. These distinguishing features are the premises tower, an outdoor staircase and small windows - can be clearly seen in the Rochester Castle and in the Heding Castle in Essex.
Forms of donzhons are very diverse: four-degree towers were popular in the UK, but also there were round, octagonal, correct and incorrect polygonal donjons, as well as combinations of several of the forms listed. The change in the shape of the donzhonov is associated with the development of architecture and siege techniques. Round or polygonal in terms of tower better with the effects of shells. Sometimes, when building Denzhon, builders followed the terrain relief, for example, placing the tower on the cliff of the wrong shape. This type of tower appeared in the XI century. In Europe, more precisely in Normandy (France). Initially, it was a rectangular tower, adapted to defense, but being simultaneously a feudal residence.
In the XII-XIII centuries. Feodal moved to the castle, and the donzhon turned into a separate structure, significantly decreased in size, but stretched vertically. The tower, from now on, was located separately behind the perimeter of the fortress walls, in the most unavailable enemy, sometimes even separated by the RV from other fortifications. Performed defensive and sentigible functions (at the very top there was a combat and sentiment, covered with teeth). It was considered as the last refuge during the defense of the enemy (for this purpose there were weapons and food warehouses inside), and only after the capture of Denzhon, the castle was considered conquered.
By the XVI century. The active use of the cannons turned the donzhons towers over the rest of the buildings into too convenient targets.
Donjon shared inside the floors through wooden floors (Fig. 5).
Fig.5.
In defensive purposes, his only door was at the level of the second floor, that is, at an altitude of at least 5 m above the ground. Inside the stairs, forests or bridge connected to the parapet. However, all these facilities were very simple: after all, they should be very quickly removed in the event of an attack. It was on the second floor that there was a large hall, sometimes with a vaulted ceiling, - the center of life of the senor. Here he had dinner, entertained, took guests and vassals, and even in the winter even peak justice. The floor above was the rooms of the owner of the castle and his spouse; There climbed the narrow stone staircase in the wall. At the fourth and fifth floors - common rooms of children, servants and subjects. Guests slept there. The top of the donzhon resembled the upper part of the fortress wall with its gear pape and a sentiment, as well as additional wooden or stone gallery. A sentigious turret was added to this to observe the surroundings.
The first floor, that is, the floor under the big hall, did not have a single hole that came out. However, he was not a prison nor a stone bag, as the archaeologists of the last century assumed. Usually there was a storage room where firewood, wine, grain and weapons stored.
In some donzhons in the lower room, in addition, there was a well or an entrance to the dungeon, diverted under the lock and leading to an open field, which, however, was found quite rare. By the way, the dungeon, as a rule, served to storing edible supplies during the year, and not at all to facilitate the secret escape, romantic or forced Lapin R.I. Article "Donjon". Encyclopedic Fund of Russia. Access address: http://www.russika.ru/.
Of particular interest in the framework of the work also represents the interior of Denzhon.
Interior of Dazhon
The interior of the dwelling of the senor can be described in three features: simplicity, modesty of decoration, small number of furniture.
Whatever the main hall is high (from 7 to 12 meters) and spacious (from 50 to 150 meters), the hall has always remained one room. Sometimes it was divided into several premises with some kind of drapes, but always only for a while and due to certain circumstances. Trapezoidal window openings separated by such manner and deep niches in the wall served as small living rooms. Large windows, rather high than wide, with a semicircular riding, were arranged in the thickness of the wall similar to the tower bugs for the archery.
Whatever it is high (from 7 to 12 meters) and spacious (from 50 to 150 meters), the hall has always remained one room. Sometimes it was divided into several premises with some kind of drapes, but always only for a while and due to certain circumstances. Trapezoidal window openings separated by such manner and deep niches in the wall served as small living rooms. Large windows, rather high than wide, with a semicircular riding, were arranged in the thickness of the wall similar to the tower bugs for the archery. Before the windows, a stone bench served to talk or look out the window. The windows were rarely fledged (glass - expensive material used mainly for church stained glass windows), more often they were closed with a small grid of a rod or metal or was delayed by a cocned cloth or a washesized sheet of parchment nailed to the frame.
A folding wooden sash was attached to the window, more often internal, and not external; Usually it was not closed, unless they did not sleep in the big hall.
Despite the fact that the windows were a few and rather narrow, they still passed a sufficient amount of light to illuminate the hall in summer days. In the evening or in winter, sunlight replaced not only the fireplace fire, but also resin torches, salted candles or oil lamps, which were attached to the walls and ceiling. Thus, internal lighting always turned out to be a source of heat and smoke, but this still lacked to defeat the dampness - the real beach of the medieval housing. Wax candles, as well as glass, were intended only for the richest houses and churches.
The floor in the hall was laid out of wooden boards, clay or, less often, stone slabs, however, whatever he was, he never remained untouched. In winter, it was riveted with straw - or finely chopped, or woven into coarse mats. In the spring and summer - reeds, branches and flowers (lilies, gladiolus, iris). Along the walls put fragrant herbs and fragrant plants, such as mint and verbena. Woolen carpets and covered with embroidered fabrics, as a rule, were used for seating only in bedrooms. In the large hall, everything was usually located on the floor, the underlay skins and fur.
The ceiling, it is also the floor of the upper floor, often remained untreated, but in the XIII century already began to try to decorate it with beams and caissons, while creating geometric patterns, heraldic friezes or an ornament with an image of animals. Sometimes the walls are also sampled, but more often they were simply painted in some specific color (preference was given to red and yellow ocher) or covered with a pattern that imitated the look of a dashene stone or a chessboard. The princely houses already appear frescoes with the image of allegorical and historical scenes borrowed from the legends, the Bible or literary works. It is known, for example, that the king of England Heinrich III loved to sleep in the room, the walls of which were decorated with episodes from the life of Alexander Macedonsky, the hero, who caused special admiration in the Middle Ages. However, such a luxury remained only to sovereign. An ordinary vassalue, the inhabitant of a wooden donzhone, had to be content with a rough bare wall, refined only by his own spear and a shield.
Instead of wall paintings, tapestries were used with geometric, vegetable or historical motifs. However, more often it is not real tapestries (which are usually brought from the east), but mostly embroidery in thick fabric, such as the so-called "Queen Matilda carpet," stored in Baye.
The tapestries allowed to hide the door or a window or divide the large room into several rooms - "bedrooms".
This word quite often marked not a room where they slept, but a combination of all tapestries, embroidered canvases and various fabrics intended for internal decoration. Going on the journey, the tapestries always took with them, because they constituted the main element of the decoration of the aristocratic housing, capable of giveing \u200b\u200bhim the features of individuality.
Furniture in the XIII century existed only wooden. It was constantly moving (the word "furniture" and comes from the word Mobile (Fr.) - mobile. (Note. Per.)), Since, with the exception of the bed, the rest of the furnishings did not have a single destination. So, the chest, the main type of furniture, served as a closet, table and seat. To fulfill the last function, it could have a back and even handles. However, the chest is just an extra seat. Basically sat on common benches, sometimes divided into separate seats, on small wooden benches, on small stools without a back. The chair was designed by the owner of the house or honored guest. The squires and women were sitting on the successes, sometimes covered with an embroidered cloth, or just on the floor, as servants and lackeys. Several boards laid on the goats were the table, during the meadow, it was arranged in the center of the hall. It was obtained long, narrow and slightly higher than modern tables. Sotrazniki sat on the one hand, leaving another free to feed dishes.
The furniture was a bit: besides the chests, in which they hit the dishes, homemade utensils, clothes, money and letters, sometimes there was a wardrobe or a buffet, less often - a servant, where the richest was placed precious dishes or jewelry. Often, such furniture replaced niches in the wall, wrapped with drape or closed with sash. Clothes were usually not folded, but rolled and flavored. Also, the diplivers written in parchment, before putting them in a linen bag that served something like a safe, where, in addition, one or more leather wallets were preserved.
To obtain a more complete idea of \u200b\u200bfurniture and decoration of the main hall of Dontaon, you need to add a few boxes, some baubles and some religious accessories (relics, crop filiers). As we can see, in this respect very far to abundance. In the bedrooms stood even less furniture: men - bed and chest, in women - bed and something like a dressing table. No bench and chairs sat on a straw, covered with cloth, on the floor or on the bed. A huge square bed looked rather wide than long. One by one usually did not sleep.
Even if the owner of the castle and his wife had some bedrooms, they still had one common bed. In the rooms of children, servants or guests of beds were also common. They slept together, four of them or a guide.
The bed of Sengor usually stood on an elevation, head - to the wall, legs - to the fireplace. From the wooden frame created a kind of semblance of the arch, where the canopy was hung to extinguish with the outside world. Bedding almost no difference from modern. On the straw mattress or mattress put the perins, the bottom sheet was fine on top of it. It was covered with top sheets, which did not fill. From above lay a down or cotton blanket, faulty like modern. Roller and pillows in pillowcases are also similar to those we use today. White embroidered sheets were made of flax or silk, wool bedspreads walked to fur mountain or proteins. People have less wealthy instead of silk used burlap, and instead of wool - sarza.
In this soft and spacious bed (so wide that it was so wide that it was possible, only helping themselves with a stick) they usually slept completely naked, but with a cap on the head. Before going to bed, the clothes were hanging on the rod-drunk rod like hangers, who spoke almost to the middle of the room parallel to the bed, left only a shirt on him, but she was filmed already in bed and, rolling, put under the pillow to put on the early in the morning , Before getting up.
The fireplace in the bedroom was treated not all day. It was divorced only in the evening during a family voyage, held here in a more intimate setting than in the big room. In the room there was a truly giant fireplace, designed for large lamps; There were several shops in front of him, on which there could be ten, fifteen or even twenty people. The exhaust cap of the conical shape with protruding racks formed something like a house inside the hall. The fireplace was not decorated with nothing, the custom put on it a family coat of arms appeared only at the beginning of the XIV century. In some, more spacious halls were sometimes built two or three fireplace, but not from opposite walls, but together in the center of the room; For their hearth, a solid flat stone of huge sizes were used, and the exhaust cap was erected as a brick and wood pyramid.
Donjon could only be applied only in military-economic purposes (viewing posts on the tower, the dungeon, the provisions repository). In such cases, the feudal family dwells in the Palace - a residential room of the castle, standing apart from the tower. Palaces were built from stone and had several floors in height.
medieval castle residential interior
Hello, dear reader!
Still, medieval architects in Europe were geniuses - they built castles, luxury structures that were also extremely practical. Castles, unlike modern mansions, not only demonstrated the wealth of their owners, but also served as powerful fortresses, which could hold defense for several years, and at the same time lives in them did not stop.
Medieval castles
Even the fact that many castles, surviving wars, the blows of the elements and the carelessness of the owners, still stand entire, says that the housing is not invented. And they are insanely beautiful and as if appeared in our world from pages of fairy tales and legends. Their high spiers are reminded of times when the beauties were fighting for the hearts, and the air was impregnated with knight and courage.
So that you are imbued with a romantic attitude, gathered the 20 most famous castles in this material, which still remained on Earth. They will certainly want to visit and, perhaps, stay to live.
Castle Rayhsburg, Germany
The thousand-year castle was originally a residence of King Germany Conrad III, and then King France Louis XIV. The fortress was burned by the French in 1689 and would have sunk in the fly, but the German businessman acquired her remains in 1868 and spent most of his wealth to restore the castle.
Mont-Saint-Michel, France
The impregnable castle of Mont-Saint-Michel, surrounded by the sea on all sides, is one of the most popular attractions of France after Paris. Built in 709, he still looks stunning.
Castle Gorostervitz, Austria
The medieval castle of Gorostervitz was built in the distant IX century. His towers and now have a frequently monitoring the surrounding terrain, proudly tightened over it at an altitude 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 the Statercar Rock, Grozny Bled Over Lake. In addition to the luxurious view, which opens from the windows of the castle, this place has a rich history - the residence of the Serbian queen of the dynasty was located here, and later Marshal Josep Broz Tito
Castle Gogenzollerne, Germany
This castle is located on the top of the mountain of Hohenzollern with a height of 2800 meters above sea level. During his heyday, the castle in this fortress was considered a residence of Prussian emperors.
Castle Barquense, Spain
Barlya Castle in the Spanish province Toledo was built in the XV century by the local graph. For 100 years, the castle served as a powerful artillery fortress, and today these empty walls attract except photographers and tourists.
Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany
The romantic castle of the Bavarian king Ludwig II was built in the middle of the XIX century, and at the time, his architecture was considered very extravagant. Be that as it may, it is his walls inspired the creators of the Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland
Metoni Castle, Greece
The Venice Castle-Fortress of the Metoni from the XIV century was the center of battles and the last in these edges of the Forpate of Europeans in battles against the Turks, which was dreaming to capture the pelopones. Today, only ruins remain from the fortress.
Castle Hohenschwangau, Germany
This castle-fortress was built by Knights Schwangau in the XII century and was the residence of many rulers, including the famous King Ludwig II, who took the composer of Richard Wagner on these walls.
Shilon Castle, Switzerland
This medieval Bastille from a bird's eye view resembles a warship. Rich story and characteristic appearance The castle served as inspiration for many well-known writers. In the XVI century, the castle was used as a state prison, which George Byron described in his poem "Shilon Prisoner".
Castle Eilen-Donan, Scotland
The castle, located on the rocky island in Fjord, Loch Duh, is one of the most romantic castles of Scotland, famous for its heather honey and legends. There were many films, but most importantly - the lock is open to visitors and everyone may touch the stones of his history.
Castle Bodiam, England
From the moment of its foundation in the XIV century, the castle of Body has experienced many owners, each of which liked to fight. Therefore, when in 1917 he acquired Lord Kerzzon, only ruins remained from the castle. Fortunately, his walls quickly restored, and now the castle stands like a new one.
Guaita Castle, San Marino
The castle from the XI century is located on the top of the impregnable Montte-Titano Mountain and, together with two other towers, protect the oldest state in the world of San Marino.
the swallow nest, Crimea
At first, a small wooden house was located on the cliff of Cape Ai-Todor. And the current appearance of the "swallow nest" received thanks to the oil industry by Baron Steingeel, who loved to relax in the Crimea. He decided to build a romantic castle, which resembles medieval structures on the banks of the Rhine River
Castle Stalker, Scotland
Castle Stalker, that in translation means "falcon hunter", was built in 1320 and belonged to the McDugal clan. From this time, his walls experienced a huge number of strip and wars, which affected the condition of the castle. In 1965, the owner of the castle was the Colonel D. R. Stewart from Allvard, who is posted together with his wife, family members and friends restored the structure
Castle Bran, Romania
Bran Castle is the pearl of Transylvania, the Mysterious Fort Museum, where the famous legend about the column Dracula - Vampire, a murderer and the governor Vladzhesh was born. According to legend, he spent the night here during the periods of his campaigns, and the forest surrounding the castle Bran was a favorite place to hunt the chain.
Vyborg Castle, Russia
The Vyborg Castle was founded by the Swedes in 1293, during one of the Crusades to Karelian Earth. He remained Scandinavian until 1710, when Peter I's troops dropped the Swedes far and for a long time. From this time, the castle managed to both be a warehouse, and a barracks, and even a prison for the Decembrists. And nowadays the museum is located here.
Castle Cachel, Ireland
Cashel Castle was the residence of the Kings of Ireland a few hundred years to the Norman invasion. Here in the V century n. e. He lived and preached Holy Patrick. The walls of the castle witnessed the blood suppression of the revolution by the troops of Oliver Cromwell, who burned soldiers alive here. Since then, the castle has turned into a symbol of the cruelty of the British, the present courage and the resistance of the spirit of the Irish.
Cylkurne Castle, Scotland
Very beautiful and even a little terrible ruins of Kilhurn castle are located on the shore of the picturesque lake Eyv. The story of this castle, unlike most castles of Scotland, proceeds quite calmly - there were numerous graphs here, which replaced each other. In 1769, the building suffered from the impact of lightning, and soon it was finally left, which remains to this day.
Likhtentein Castle, Germany
Built in the XII century, this castle was destroyed several times. He was finally restored in 1884 and from those castle became the place of filming for many films, including for the painting "Three Musketeers".
Which castle inspired Peter Tchaikovsky to create a "swan lake"? Where did the Indiana Jones starred? How are old European castles function? Lovers of mystical landscapes, romantic travels and mysterious legends! Our material is specifically for you!
Elz (it. Burg Eltz) - the castle located in the land of Rhineland-Palatinate (Commune Vizhr) in the valley of the River Elzbach. Together with the Palace, Burresheim is considered the only construction of Western Germany, which has never been destruction and capture. The castle did not suffer even during the wars of the XVII and XVIII centuries. and events of the French revolution.
The lock is perfectly preserved and so far. From three sides, he is surrounded by the river and towers on a rock height of 70 meters. This makes it invariably popular among tourists and photographers.
Official site
Bled Castle, Slovenia (XI century)
One of the oldest castles of Slovenia (Sloven. Blejski Grad) is located on the top of the 130-meter climb from the Lake of the same name next to the city of Bled. The most ancient part of the castle is the Romanesque style tower, which was used for housing, and for defense, and to observe the surroundings adjacent to the castle.
During World War II, the headquarters of German troops were located here. In 1947, a fire occurred in the castle, due to which part of the buildings were injured. After a few years, the castle was renovated and he resumed its activities already as a historical museum. The museum's collection includes clothing, weapons and household items.
Official site
(XIX century)
Romantic Castle of King Ludwig II is near the town of Fussen in Southwestern Bavaria. The castle became a source of inspiration in the construction of a sleeping beauty castle in Paris Disneyland. Neuschwanstein (Schloß Neuschwanstein) is also shown in the 1968 film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as the castle of the fictional land of Wolgaria. The view of Neuschvastein was fascinated by Peter Tchaikovsky. According to historians, it was here that he had the idea of \u200b\u200bcreating a ballet "Swan Lake."
Neuschwanstein Castle is shown in the films "Ludwig II: Glitter and Drop King" (1955, Dir. Helmut Koytner), Ludwig (1972, dir. Lukino Wisconti), "Ludwig Bavarian" ("Ludwig II", 2012, dir. Marie Noel and Peter Serez).
Currently, the castle is a museum. To visit, you need to buy a ticket in a ticket center and climb to the castle by bus, as well as on foot or on horseback harness. The only person who "lives" in the castle at the moment and is his keeper - watchman.
Official site
The castle in Livorno got its name was due to the fact that the local coast is known as Bokcalk (pitcher) or Kala Dei Phyrati (pirates bay). The center of modern Castello del Bokkalk was an observant tower built by order of the Medici in16-M. century, presumably on the ruins of a more ancient structure of the period of the Pisa Republic. For its history, the appearance of the castle has repeatedly suffered changes. In recent years, a careful restoration of Castello del Bokkalk was held, after which the castle was divided into several residential apartments.
The legendary castle (Rum. Bran Castle) is located in a picturesque place of Bran 30 km from Brasov, on the border of the Munts and Transylvania. Initially, it was built at the end of the XIV century by the forces and means of local residents for liberation from paying taxes in the state treasury for several centuries. Due to the location on the top of the rock and the trapezoidal form, the castle served as a strategic defense fortress.
The lock has 4 levels connected by the staircase. For his history, the castle changed several owners: he belonged to the Lordary Mircelie old, residents of Brasov and the Habsburg Empire ... According to legend, the famous Voivode Vlad Tseresh, Dracula, and his surroundings were a favorite place of hunting of the Lord of the Lord Chain.
Currently, the castle belongs to the descendant of the Romanian kings, the grandchildren of the Queen Mary, Dominica Habsburg (in 2006, according to the new law of Romania on the return of the territories to the former owners). After the transfer of the castle to the owner, all the furniture was exported to the Museums of Bucharest. And Dominic Habsburg had to re-create the decoration of the castle, buying various antique items.
Official site
Alcazar castle, Spain (IX century)
The fortress of the Spanish Kings Alcazar (Spanish. Alcázar) is located in the historic part of the city of Segovia on the rock. Over the years of its existence, Alcazar was not only a royal palace, but also a prison, as well as the Artillery Academy. According to archaeologists, in the ancient Roman times on the site of Alcasar there was military fortification. In the Epoch of the Middle Ages, the castle was the favorite residence of the Kings of Castile. In 1953, Alcazar was turned into a museum.
Currently, it remains one of the most visited tourists in Spain. A museum is opened in the palace, in which furniture, interiors, a collection of weapons, portraits of the Kings of Castilla. 11 halls and the highest tower are available for viewing - Juan's second tower.
Castle Shambor, France (XVI century)
Shambord (FR. Château de Chambord) is one of the most recognizable castles of France, an architectural masterpiece of the Renaissance era. The length of the facade is 156 m, width 117 m, in the castle of 426 rooms, 77 stairs, 282 fireplace and 800 sculpturally decorated capitals.
According to historical studies, Leonardo da Vinci himself took part in the design. Since 1981, a UNESCO World Taste is listed. Since 2005, the castle has the status of a state community-commercial enterprise. On the second floor of the castle now there is a department of the Museum of Hunting and Nature.
Official site
Windsor Castle, United Kingdom (XI century)
Located on a hill in the River Valley, Windsor Castle (Windsor Castle) has been a symbol of monarchy for more than 900 years. In different centuries, the castle's appearance changed in line with the possibilities of ruling monarchs. Modern appearance acquired as a result of reconstruction after the 1992 fire. The castle takes 52,609 square meters and combines the features of the fortress, palace and a small town.
Today, the palace on behalf of the nation owns Occupied Royal Palaces Estate (residential royal Palaces), household service is carried out by the Royal Household Department. Windsor Castle is the largest of residential castles in the world (about 500 people live in it). Elizabeth II spends in the castle month in spring and week in June to participate in traditional ceremonies associated with the Order of the garter. Every year, the castle is visited by about a million tourists.
Official site
Corvin castle, Romania (XIV century)
The generic nest of the feudal house of Hunyadi in the south of Transylvania, in the modern Romanian city of Hundoara. Initially, the fortress had an oval shape, and the only protective tower was located in the northern wing, while the stone wall closed it from the south side.
In 1441-1446, with the Voivod Janosh Hunyadi, seven towers were built, and in 1446-1453. laid the chapel, built the main halls and the southern wing with utility rooms. As a result, in the guise of the castle, elements of late gothic and early rebirth are combined.
In 1974, the castle was opened for visitors as a museum. Tourists are spent in the castle on the Giant Bridge, they show an extensive hall for knightly peaks and two towers, of which one wears the name of the monk of John Capran, and the second is the romantic name "Do not be afraid."
Also they also say that it was in this castle "Hunyadi for half of the 7 years held overshadowed with the throne of Vlad Chaining Dracula.
Official site
Liechtenstein Castle, Austria (XII century)
One of the most unusual castles architecture (it. - Burg Liechtenstein) is located on the edge of the Vienna Forest. The castle was built in the XII century, but twice underwent the destruction of Ottomans in 1529 and 1683. In 1884, the castle was restored. The next damage was applied by the castle during the Second World War. Finally, in the 1950s, the castle was renovated by the forces of Civil Countries. The castle, like 800 years ago, is under the signation of its founders - the princely family of Liechtenstein.
The modern popularity of Liechtenstein Castle is connected with the summer theater festival of Johann Nesomy. The lock is open to visitors.
Official site
Schilon castle (Fr. Château de Chillon) is located near the Lake Geneva, 3 km from Montreux, and is a complex of 25 elements of different eras of the building. Features of the location and construction allowed the owners of the castle to fully control the strategically important road, which had fallen between the lake and Mountains. A certain period of time, the road to Saint-Bernard pass served as the only transport way from Northern Europe to the South. The depth of the lake ensured security: the attack on this side was simply impossible. The stone wall of the castle facing the road, strengthened by three tower. The opposite side of the castle is residential.
Like most castles, Schilon Castle also served as a prison. Louis pious held here in the conclusion of Abbot Valeu from Korvei. In the middle of the XIV century, during the epidemic of the plague, in the castle were kept and tortured by the Jews, which were accused of poisoning water sources.
In Shilon Castle, the poem of George Bairon "Shilon Prisoner" occurs. The historical basis for the poem served as a conclusion in the castle by order of Charles III of the Savoy Francois Bonivar in 1530-1536. The image of the castle was romanticized in their works Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Percy Shelly, Victor Hugo and Alexander Duma.
Official site
Castle Gogenzollerne, Germany (XIII century)
The castle of Hohenzollerne (of him. Burg Hohenzollern) is located in Baden-Württemberg at 50 km south of Stuttgart, on top of the Mount Hohenzollerne at an altitude of 855 meters. During the years of its existence, the castle has undergone destruction several times.
One of the most famous relics stored in the museum are the crown of Prussian kings and the uniform belonging to Friedrich the Great. From 1952 to 1991, the remains of Friedrich I and Friedrich the Great were resting at the castle museum. After the reunification of Eastern and Western Germany in 1991, the dust of the Prussian kings was returned to Potsdam.
Currently, the castle on 2/3 belongs to the Brandenburg-Prussian line of the gogyenzollers and on the 1/3 line of the Swabian-Catholic. Every year it is attended by about 300 thousand tourists.
Official site
Castle Valzen, Belgium (XI century)
The Norman conquest of England led to the boom in the construction of locks, but the process of creating a fortress from scratch is far away. If you want to start an independent building of the fortress, then you should familiarize yourself with the councils.
It is imperative to build your castle on the elevation and in a strategically important point.
The locks were usually erected on natural elevations, and usually equipped with a link with an external environment, such as a brother, a bridge or passage.
Historians rarely managed to find evidence of contemporaries concerning the choice of space for the construction of the castle, but they still exist. September 30, 1223, the 15-year-old King of Heinrich III arrived in Montgomery with his army. The king, who has successfully spent a military campaign against the Wales Prince Lillilina AP of Iorvert, was going to build a new castle in this area to ensure security on the border of his possessions. English carpenters gave a task to prepare wood a month before, but the Counselors of the king only now determined the construction of the castle.
After a careful area review, they chose a point at the very edge of the protrusion above the Valley of the norn river. According to the chronicler Roger Venderer, this position "looked impregnable for any". He also noted that the castle was created "for the safety of the region from frequent Wales attacks."
Tip: Determine the places in which the topography towers over the transport routes: these are natural places for locks. Keep in mind that the design of the lock is determined by the place of construction. For example, the castle on the protrusion of nude breeds will be dry ditch.
2) work out the plan
You will need a master bricklayer who can draw plans. Also use the engineer, knowledgeable of weapons.
Experienced soldiers can have their ideas about the design of the castle, in the sense of the forms of its buildings and their location. But they are unlikely to have knowledge of the level of specialists in design and building.
For the implementation of the idea, a master mason was required - an experienced builder, whose distinctive feature was the ability to draw a plan. Taking over in practical geometry, he used such simple tools such as a ruler, a square and a compass to create architectural plans. Masters-bricklayers represented a drawing with a building plan for approval, and during construction it was controlled by its construction.
When Edward II in 1307 began to build a huge residential tower in the Narsboro Castle in Yorkshire for his favorite of Gavaston Pier, he not only personally argued the plan created by London Mastener Khu Tichmashevsky - probably made in the form of a picture - but also demanded regular reports on construction . From the mid-XVI century, a new group of professionals called engineers have increasingly begun to take on a role in developing plans and build fortifications. They had technical knowledge about the use and power of cannons, both to protect and attack the castles.
Tip: Plan a loophole to ensure a wide angle of attack. Give them a form in accordance with the weapon used: archers with large onions are needed big slopes, crosses - smaller.
You will need thousands of people. And it is not necessary to all come by goodwill.
For the construction of the castle, tremendous efforts were required. We have no documentary evidence of the construction of the first locks of England since 1066, but from the scale of many castles of that period it becomes clear why in some chronicles it is argued that the population of the British was under the courtyard of the construction of castles for their Norman conquerors. But from a later time of the Middle Ages, some estimates with detailed information reached us.
During the invasion of Wales in 1277, the King Edward I began building a castle in Flint, the northeastern part of Wales. It was raised quickly thanks to the rich resources of the crown. One month after the start of work, in August, 2300 people were attracted to the construction, including 1270 landcraft, 320 woodcutters, 330 carpenters, 200 masonry, 12 kuznetsov and 10 coals. All of them were driven from the surrounding lands under armed escort, we looked so that they would not delete from construction.
Periodically, foreign specialists could be attributed to construction. For example, millions of bricks to restructure the Tatterscholl Castle in the county of Lincolnshire in the 1440 sides, there was someone Bvlin "Docheman", or Dutchman, that is, "Netherlands" is obviously a foreigner.
Tip: Depending on the size of the labor force and the distance she had to overcome, it may be necessary to ensure their accommodation in place of construction.
An unfinished castle on the territory of the enemy is very vulnerable to attacks.
To build a castle on enemy territory, it is necessary to protect the construction site from attacks. For example, you can escalate with wooden fortifications or a low stone wall. Such medieval protection systems sometimes remained after building a building as an additional wall - as, for example, in the Castle of Bolomaris, the construction of which was started in 1295.
A safe connection with the outside world is also important for the delivery of building materials and a provisional. In 1277, Eduard I stopped the canal to the Polau River directly from the sea and to the location of his new castle in Rudlan. The outer wall, built to protect the construction site, reached the berths on the banks of the river.
Safety problems may occur when a cardinal restructuring of an existing lock. When Heinrich II rebuilt the Dover's castle in the 1180s, all work was carefully planned so that the strengthening ensure the protection for the entire repair. According to the preserved decions, working with the inner wall of the castle began only when the tower was already quite repaired in order for the guard could be on duty.
Tip: Building materials for the construction of the castle are large and voluminous. If possible, it is better to carry them on the water, even if you have to build a dock or channel for this.
When building the castle, it may have to move the impressive amount of land, which costs weekly.
Often they forget that the strengthening of the castle was built not only at the expense of architectural techniques, but also due to the design of the landscape. Huge resources were highlighted for the movement of the Earth. The scale of land works by Normanov can be recognized outstanding. For example, according to some calculations, the mound, erected in 1100 around the castle of the Shles in Essex demanded 24,000 people-days.
Some aspects of working with the landscape required serious skills, especially the creation of pivons with water. When Edward I rebuilt the London Tower in the 1270s, he hired a foreign specialist, Walter Flander, to create a huge tidal RVA. Drank drank under his leadership cost £ 4,000, a stalking sum, almost a quarter of the value of the entire project.
With an increase in the role of guns in siege art, the Earth began to play an even more important role as the excorpor of cannon shots. What is interesting, the experience in moving the large volumes of the Earth allowed some engineers, experts on strengthening, to find a job as a designer of the gardens.
Tip: Reduce time and cost, digging a stone masonry for the walls of the castle from the pvv around it.
Thoroughly embody a bricklayer to life.
Using the ropes of the desired length and the pegs could be designated the foundation of the building on the ground in full size. After duplicate docks for the foundation, work on a stone masonry began. To save, the responsibility for the construction was pinned on the senior bricklayer instead of the Masteur Mason. Masonry in the Middle Ages were usually measured in childbirth, one English genus \u003d 5.03 m. In Warcuerte, in County Nameberland, one of the complex Bashers stands on the lattice from childbirth, perhaps in order to calculate construction costs.
Often the construction of medieval castles was accompanied by detailed documentation. In 1441-42, Tatbury Castle Tower in Staffordshire was destroyed, and the plan of her successor was drawn up on Earth. But the prince of Stafford for some reason remained dissatisfied. Master Bricklayer King, Robert from Westerley, was sent to Tatbury, where he held a meeting with two senior bricklayers for development new Tower in a new place. Then Westerley left, and in the next eight years a small group of workers, including four younger mason, built a new tower.
Senior Masonicians could involve to confirm the quality of work, as was in the Cooling Castle in Kent, when the Royal Bricklayer Heinrich Yevel estimated the work carried out from 1381 to 1384. He criticized deviations from the initial plan and rounded the estimate down.
Tip: Do not let Master Bricklayer to cheat yourself. Make it to make such a plan so that it is easy to make a estimate.
Finish the construction of complex fortifications and specialized wooden structures.
Until the XII century, the strengthening of most castles consisted of land and bric. And although later the advantage was given to stone buildings, the tree remained a very important material in medieval wars and fortifications.
Stone castles prepared for attacks, adding special combat galleries along the walls, as well as the shutters that could be closed between the gaps between the teeth to protect the castle defenders. All this was done from the tree. Heavy weapons used to protect the castle, catapults and heavy crossbows, Springldi, were also built of wood. Artillery was usually developed a highly paid carpenter-professional, sometimes called the title of engineer, from Latin Ingeniator.
Such experts were non-herds, but could result in gold with gold. Such, for example, happened in 1266, when Keniluert Castle (Kenilworth) in County Warikshire resisted Heinrich III for almost six months with the help of a catapult and water protection.
There are records about hiking locks that are fully made of wood - they could be transported with them and arreed as needed. One such was built for the French invasion of England in 1386, but the garrison captured him together with the ship. According to the description, it consisted of a wall of a 20 feet height and 3,000 steps long. Every 12 steps were a 30-foot tower capable of shelter to 10 soldiers, as well as in the castle there was unspecified protection for the shooters.
Tip: Oak wood over the years is becoming stronger, and it is easier to work with it when it is green. The top branches of trees are easy to transport and give them the form.
8) Provide water and sewer
The most important aspect for the castle was effective access to water. It could be wells supplying certain buildings, such as a kitchen or a stable. Without a detailed acquaintance with medieval mines, it is difficult to give them due. For example, in the Castle of Biston in County Cheshire there is a well depth of 100 m, the upper 60 m of which are lined with trees.
There are some evidence of the existence of complex water pipes that delivered water in the apartment. In the Tower of the Duffe castle there is a lead pipe that delivers water around the rooms. It was fed from the well using a winch, and possibly from the rainwater collection system.
Effective elimination of waste of human life was another problem of castle developers. Restrooms gathered in one place of buildings so that their mines would be emptied in one place. They were placed in short corridors, delayed unpleasant odors, and were often equipped with wooden seats and removable covers.
Today is the opinion that the restrooms were previously called "wardrobes". In fact, the lexicon for the designation of the toilets was extensive and colorful. They were called gongs or gangami (from the Anglo-Saxon Word, which denoted "place where to go"), secluded corners and jacks (French version of John).
Tip: Ask the Mason Masters to plan comfortable and secluded sites outside the bedroom, following the example of Heinrich II and Dover's castle.
The lock not only should be well protected - its inhabitants, possessing high status, demanded a certain chic.
During the war, the castle must be defending - but he also serves luxurious home. The noble Lords Middle Ages expected their dwelling, both comfortable and richly furnished. In the Middle Ages, these citizens traveled together with the service, things and furniture from one residence to another. But home interiors often had fixed decorative features, for example, stained glass windows.
Henry III tastes in the setting are written very carefully, with interesting and attractive details. In 1235-36, for example, he ordered his hall in the lock Winchester was decorated with images of the world map and the Wheel of Fortune. Since then, these decorations have not been preserved, but in the interior there remained a well-known round table of King Arthur, created, possibly between 1250 and 1280.
A large castle area played an important role in a luxury life. Parks were created to exercise hunt - jealously protected by the privileges of aristocrats; Gardens were also in demand. The description of the construction of Kirby Makslo castle in Lestershire said that his owner, Lord Hastings, began to break the gardens at the very beginning of the castle building in 1480.
In the Middle Ages also loved rooms with beautiful species. One of the rooms of the XIII century room in the castles of Leeds in Kent, Corf in Dorset and Cheprestou in Monmotshire was named with gloritets (from Fr. Gloriette is a diminutive from the Word of Glory) for their magnificence.
Tip: The interior of the castle should be quite luxurious in order to attract visitors and friends. Entertainment can win battles without having to expose themselves to the dangers of combat.
When large landowners appeared in Europe, they began to make themselves the fortified estates. House, household buildings, barns and stables surrounded high wooden walls. In front of them, a wide ditch was usually digging, which took water from the nearest reservoir. So the first locks appeared. But they were fragile, as the tree began to rot with time. Therefore, the walls and buildings needed to be constantly updated. In addition, such buildings could easily be treated.
The first real knight locks from stone, which are well known and in our time, began to build at the end of the first x centuries. In total, 15 thousand such structures were built in Europe. Particularly fond of similar buildings in England. On these lands, the construction boom began during the time of Wilhelm of the Conqueror in the second half of the XI century. Stone structures rose at a distance of 30 km from each other. Such proximity was very convenient in the event of an attack. Equestrian detachments from other locks could quickly go to the defendant.
In the X-XI centuries, protective stone structures consisted of a high multi-tier tower. She was called donzhon And he was a house for the knight and his family. It also kept products, servants, armed guards lived. A prison was arranged in which prisoners contained. In the basement, a deep well was digging. It was filled with soil waters. Therefore, donzhon residents were not afraid to remain without water in the case of a long siege.
From the second half of the XI century, Duzhons began to surround with stone walls. From this time, the defensive capabilities of the castle increased significantly. The enemies first had to overcome high durable walls, and then more and master the multi-tier tower. And it was very convenient to pour on the heads of the invaders a hot resin, let the arrows and throw big stones.
The most active construction of reliable stone structures has been deployed in 1150-1250. It was for these 100 years that the greatest number locks. The kings and the rich venery were built by majestic structures. Small nobles were erected small, but reliable stone fortresses.
At the beginning of the XIII century, the tower began to do not square, but round shape. This design was more resistant against throwing machines and taran. In the 90s of the XIII century, they abandoned one central tower. Instead, she began to do a lot of towers, and surrounded their 2 and even 3 rows of walls. Much more attention was paid to the strengthening of the gate.
Previously, knight locks defended only heavy sash and the rising bridge must be moat. Now, they put a powerful metal grille behind the gate. She could go down and climb, but called hers. Her tactical advantage was that through her it was possible to shoot onions on the attackers. This innovation completed barbican. He represented a round tower located in front of the gate.
Therefore, the enemies first had to master her, then overcome the lifting bridge, break the metallic grid of the Hers, and only after that, overcoming the fierce resistance of the defenders, penetrate the inner territory of the castle. And on top of the walls, builders did stone galleries with special holes outward. Through them, the deposited were shot from the onions and lily on the enemies a hot resin.
Medieval knight castle and its defensive elements
In these practically impregnable stone fortresses, everything obeyed maximum security. But about internal comfort care much less. There were few windows, and they were all narrow. Instead of stalks, used ladies or guts of cows, bulls, buffaloes. Therefore, in the premises even in a bright sunny day stood twilight. There were a great set of various stairs, corridors and transitions. They created drafts. And this affected the health of residents in the best way.
The rooms were fireplaces, and smoke went through chimneys. But it was very difficult to protrude the premises made from the stone. Therefore, people have always suffered from lack of heat. The floors were also stone. They were covered on top of a hay and straw. Furnished were wooden beds, benches, cabinets, tables and chests. On the walls hung hunting trophies in the form of stuffed and weapons. And in such a decoration, the families of the nobles with their servants and security lived.
Attitude towards comfort and convenience began to change at the beginning of the XIV century. Knight castles began to build bricks. Accordingly, they became much warmer. Builders stopped making narrow window peres. They expanded significantly, and the mica replaced the multicolored glass. Walls and floors were covered with carpets. There was carved wooden furniture and porcelain dishes, brought from the east. That is, the fortresses turned into quite aware of accommodation.
Castles have retained such important functions as storage facilities for products. They had basements and cellars. Grain, smoked fruits, fruits, vegetables stored in them. There were stocks of wine, a fish was lying in wooden barrels. Honey was kept in clay jugs, filled with wax. Salo was arranged in stone tanks.
Hall and corridors lit by oil lamps or torches. In the residential premises used candles from wax or bass. A separate tower was intended for the hay. He was kept for horses, which at that time was a lot. In each fortress there was its bakery. Bread baked daily for the Lord and their servants.
Simple people settled around these majestic buildings. In the event of an attack of enemies, people hid at strong walls. They also covered their livestock and property. Therefore, gradually around the knightly castles began to appear at the beginning of the village, and then small towns. Markets and fairs were arranged right under the walls. The owner of the fortress did not mind at all against it, since such events enlisted him a good profit.
By the XVI century, many knightly castles were completely surrounded by residential buildings. As a result, they lost their military defensive importance. At that time, powerful artillery began to appear. It reduces the importance of strong and high walls. And gradually once unpleasant fortresses turned only to the place of living of rich people. They were also used for prisons and warehouses. Nowadays, the former majestic buildings became history and cause interest only among tourists and historical specialists.
