Cross-posted from the old forum:
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/the_coff...-t856.html
This is a thread about all the places where our monarchs and noblemen have lived over the years . During the Middle Ages, they usually lived in castles, which tended to be heavily fortified, as they served as centres of administration and symbols of power, in addition to being royal and noble residences. Over the course of several centuries, a wide variety of defensive techniques emerged to ward off invaders (including the magnificent concentric castles, consisting of multiple layers of defence). The differences between the various types of castle towers are explained here by YouTube user Shadiversity (whose channel also has its own thread, over here):
He does ramble a bit - so, just to clear it up:
Anyway, some castles were used for hundreds of years - although, the beginning of the end came in the 15th century, with the arrival of cannons which could breach stone walls. Extra defences were added to deal with these; however, these turned castles into uncomfortable places to live, so they were largely abandoned after the 16th and 17th centuries (here in England, the last time castles were used was in the English Civil War, after which many of them were deliberately destroyed to prevent them from being used again). After this, the state's defensive functions tended to be taken over by dedicated forts where no nobles lived and worked - but those are a matter for another thread .
Of course, castles aren't the only places where the elite of society have lived over the centuries. Many kings and emperors have lived in palaces, which differ from castles in that they lack defensive structures, but still serve as spectacular symbols of power and prestige. Then you have country houses, which also lack any defensive capability; however, some of these are still designed in the style of castles. One example of this, which was mentioned in the original thread on the old forum, is Cholmondeley Castle: a country house which is designed as a 'mock castle'. Perhaps they wanted to scare off potential invaders, or perhaps they just liked the style of castles .
So, which are your favourite castles? Have you been to any yourself?
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/the_coff...-t856.html
This is a thread about all the places where our monarchs and noblemen have lived over the years . During the Middle Ages, they usually lived in castles, which tended to be heavily fortified, as they served as centres of administration and symbols of power, in addition to being royal and noble residences. Over the course of several centuries, a wide variety of defensive techniques emerged to ward off invaders (including the magnificent concentric castles, consisting of multiple layers of defence). The differences between the various types of castle towers are explained here by YouTube user Shadiversity (whose channel also has its own thread, over here):
He does ramble a bit - so, just to clear it up:
- The 'keep' is the central, most fortified part, where the most important rooms (like the royal chambers and the Great Hall) are located;
- The 'great tower' or 'donjon' is the tallest tower (which may be built on top of the keep, or may be entirely separate from it);
- A 'turret' is a smaller side-tower;
- A 'gatehouse' is what it sounds like: the towers above the main castle gate .
Anyway, some castles were used for hundreds of years - although, the beginning of the end came in the 15th century, with the arrival of cannons which could breach stone walls. Extra defences were added to deal with these; however, these turned castles into uncomfortable places to live, so they were largely abandoned after the 16th and 17th centuries (here in England, the last time castles were used was in the English Civil War, after which many of them were deliberately destroyed to prevent them from being used again). After this, the state's defensive functions tended to be taken over by dedicated forts where no nobles lived and worked - but those are a matter for another thread .
Of course, castles aren't the only places where the elite of society have lived over the centuries. Many kings and emperors have lived in palaces, which differ from castles in that they lack defensive structures, but still serve as spectacular symbols of power and prestige. Then you have country houses, which also lack any defensive capability; however, some of these are still designed in the style of castles. One example of this, which was mentioned in the original thread on the old forum, is Cholmondeley Castle: a country house which is designed as a 'mock castle'. Perhaps they wanted to scare off potential invaders, or perhaps they just liked the style of castles .
So, which are your favourite castles? Have you been to any yourself?
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