Castles were usually positioned near a water source, making it easy to fill the moat with water. Some Castles had dry moats that were filled with wooden stakes and other obstacles. Castle moats were often around 12ft wide and 30ft deep and could be even bigger!

To prevent the swamp or marshland to become too dry, or even increase its effectiveness by initiating a flooding. As the fate of most of these constructions who were not real water castles on a river island or a proper lake shows, these castles in swamps or marshes were most often only a temporary phenomenon.

Moats filled with water were usually supplied by a nearby source of water, such as a spring, lake, or river. Dams could be built that would control the level of water in the moat. While some fancy moats may have had stone sides, most moats had simple banks of earth left over from when they were dug.

the Netherlands

Castles could serve as a centre for local government, administration and justice. They were also used by powerful lords to display their wealth and power through lavish architectural styles and decoration. Castles were not only built and used by the crown.

Possibly the most important part of a castle in the time of sieges, the Well meant survival for the inhabitants of the castle even if they had little food. The well could be situated in the courtyard or inside the keep. If the well was outside, a wooden covering usually protected it from the elements.

Castle Features

• Outer defenses.
• Moat.
• Walls (inner and outer)
• Towers (inner and outer)
• Gatehouses, drawbridges and barbicans.
• Inner defenses.
• Baileys or wards.
• Living quarters and support buildings.

Why did they stop building castles? Castles were great defences against the enemy. However, when gunpowder was invented the castles stopped being an effective form of defence. By the end of the 1300s gunpowder was widely in use.

Towards the end of the Middle Ages, castles tended to lose their military significance due to the advent of powerful cannons and permanent artillery fortifications; as a result, castles became more important as residences and statements of power. Comfortable homes were often fashioned within their fortified walls.

A medieval castle keep was a kind of fortified tower that had central importance in the defence of the castle. It also served the purpose of imprisoning political prisoners since it was considered one of the most impenetrable castle parts.

Castles started to lose their value around the same time Cannons came into large scale use. They were replaced by star forts for the most part which allowed for greater resistance to cannon fire, of which they in turn were replaced by underground bunkers with the advent of long range artillery and aircraft. Exactly.

History of Windsor Castle. Over a period of nearly 1,000 years Windsor Castle has been inhabited continuously, and altered and refurbished by successive monarchs.

Many medieval castles were abandoned, usually because they had become outdated militarily. For example, the first wave of castle building in Northern Europe in the 10th and 11th century built mostly wooden motte and bailey castles. By the 13th century, an up to date castle was built of stone not wood.

Changes in lifestyle. One often over-looked reason that lead to the dismay of castles is simply the change in ‘fashion’. People traveled more and more and new architectural styles were admired during trips and then, copied back home. If a French King built this, another King somewhere built a similar place.

Why are there so many castles in Bavaria? Well, it’s partly thanks to Bavaria’s Medieval importance. The (so-called) ‘Romantic Road’, a vital trade route, sliced through Bavaria during Medieval times. This route brought prosperity and wealth – but required protection, too.

13 abandoned castles around the world and the history behind them. Castles may have served as impenetrable fortresses in medieval times, but many have become eerie, crumbling structures. Here are 13 abandoned castles around the world and the stories behind them.

It’s no secret that one of the reasons why there are so many ‘bargain’ châteaux are the exorbitant renovation costs and the relentless maintenance required. Structurally renovating a château could set you back an average of €1,000 per square metre. A medium-sized château can cost around €80,000 a year to maintain.

If you’ve ever dreamed of having your own castle, now’s your chance. Italy is giving away 103 run-down properties, including villas, inns, and castles for free. That means anyone can start building their personal versions of Winterfell, Casterly Rock, or The Pyke.

Bannerman’s castle is a Scottish-style castle that was built on Pollepel Island on the Hudson River in New York City in 1900. New York City bought the castle in 1967 and, although there is a trust in place to care for the building, it remains abandoned.

Built in 1665, Bacon’s Castle, originally known as the Arthur Allen Brick House, is British North America’s oldest brick structure, North America’s only surviving example of Jacobean architecture, and has North America’s oldest, preserved 17th-century English formal garden.

Wales

These Are the 18 Most Enchanting Castles in the World

• Frederiksborg Castle in Hillerød, Denmark.
• Windsor Castle in Windsor, England.
• Edinburgh Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland.
• Himeji Castle in Himeji, Japan.
• Vianden Castle in Vianden, Luxembourg.
• Bran Castle in Bran, Romania.
• Schwerin Castle in Schwerin, Germany.

Castell Coch (Welsh pronunciation: [ˈkastɛɬ koːχ]; Welsh for ‘Red Castle’) is a 19th-century Gothic Revival castle built above the village of Tongwynlais in South Wales. This castle was likely destroyed in the native Welsh rebellion of 1314.

The Best Places in the World to See Castles

• Germany: The Neuschwanstein Castle. Germany: The Neuschwanstein Castle.
• Germany: Cochem Imperial Castle. Germany: Cochem Imperial Castle.
• Germany: The Eltz Castle. Germany: The Eltz Castle.
• Germany: The Hohenzollern Castle.
• Germany: Lichtenstein Castle.
• Germany: Schwerin Palace.
• Wales: Conwy Castle.
• Scotlans: Culzean Castle.