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- They Were Surrounded By Moats. The stereotypical image of a castle is surrounded by a moat, usually filled with water and occasionally crocodiles. The crocodiles are a myth, but moated castles do exist.
- The Castle Was One Unit. We know that medieval society was highly stratified. A peasant was a peasant, a noble was a noble, and the two could never swap places.
- They Were Cold. Stone is a bad insulator. Castles, because they’re often built in high-up places, are very windy. And as anyone who’s walked around a castle in the evening knows, they can get very cold at night.
- They Were All Made Of Stone. The castles that have survived into the modern age are made of stone. This makes it easy to think that all castles were made of stone, but that wasn’t necessarily the case.
Life in a medieval castle would have been full of pomp and ceremony, but also very cold and smelly! Discover Medieval castle life - including the toilets!
People also ask
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- Edinburgh Castle: A Volcanic Throne. An extinct volcano serves as the dramatic pedestal for Edinburgh Castle. This fortress, a symbol of Scotland’s past, has been a royal residence for centuries and now safeguards the Scottish Crown Jewels and the Stone of Destiny.
- Neuschwanstein Castle: A Fairy Tale Brought to Life. In the heart of Germany, King Ludwig II of Bavaria commissioned a castle that seems to have leapt straight from the pages of a fairy tale.
- Bran Castle: Where Dracula Resides. Bran Castle in Romania, often referred to as “Dracula Castle”, is a chilling reminder of Bram Stoker’s renowned novel, Dracula.
- Himeji Castle: Japan’s White Heron. Japan’s Himeji Castle, one of the few remaining original castles in the country, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Known as the “White Heron Castle”, it stands as a testament to Japan’s rich architectural heritage and historical past.
- Alcázar of Segovia
- Stirling Castle
- Dunscaith Castle
- Nimrod Fortress
- Craigmillar Castle
- Chateau Laroche
- Convent of Christ
- Carrigogunnell Castle
- Arundel Castle
- Neuschwanstein Castle
Segovia, Spain
“I think for me it would definitely have to be a castle in Spain, the Alcázar of Segovia. A couple of years ago I lived in Spain for a couple of months and was able to make a day trip by rail to Segovia and fell in love with the city. I have no idea if this is true, but it’s said that the Alcázar actually inspired Walt Disney to include similar looking castles in his animated films and eventually the ones at the various Disneyland parks. The Alcázar is such a strange looking castle, it looks...
Stirling, Scotland
“My favorite castle is Stirling Castle, in Scotland. Historic Scotland has their headquarters there, as they believe it is the best castle in Scotland. They have just completed a renovation of the royal suites, which involved hand-weaving new tapestries, which took something like 20 years to accomplish. I used to walk by it on my way to work, and the castle was a friendly companion, marking my way.”— dmacknet
Isle of Skye, Scotland
“Lived on Skye for a while. Lots of little castles for local lords. Most were built on the edges of cliffs, jutting out into the sea. Two or three story, single room castles with a ditch dug in front and wooden drawbridge. There was one at bottom of garden, almost totally ruined, but rich with primroses, bluebells, and heather. The best preserved was Dunscaith Castle, at Tarskavaig. Nothing fancy but very evocative of how hard and vulnerable life was then.” — hilaryanderson
Nimrod Fortress National Park, Israel
“I’m a big fan of the fortress of Nimrod in Israel. Nimrod Fortress. Also in Israel, and even weirder—as much UFO as castle—is Herodium.” — davidplotz
Edinburgh, Scotland
“As I live in Edinburgh, I have to give a shout out to Craigmillar Castle, the bastard child of Scottish castles. It would seem a vast amount of ink and blood has been spilt over fawning over the ‘Capital’s Jewel.’ Poor wee Craigmillar barely gets a mention and nary a footnote when it comes to recognising its place in the country’s history. Hopefully, the filming of Mary, Queen of Scots and The Outlaw King on its premises will change that. If you want to avoid the hordes of tourists and thron...
Loveland, Ohio
“Ok, maybe not the greatest, but certainly unique and unexpected with a quirky story is the Loveland Castle. Also known as Chateau Laroche, it is located in the U.S. in Loveland, Ohio (a burb of Cincinnati).” — jdsmith70
Tomar, Portugal
“The Templar castle in Tomar, Portugal, is incredible.” — jtyler
Clarina, Ireland
“I’ve explored dozens of ruins over the years, of all of those, my hands down favorite has been Carrigogunnell in Ireland. Set out in a farmer’s field, it has seen no modern renovation or attempts at commercialization, but is still rich with spooky hallways, rooms, and stairways. One tower has a single remaining step from its original spiral staircase 10 or 12 feet up. Well beyond that, the stairs resume, in between there are openings to chambers that can no longer be accessed. With this, the...
West Sussex, England
“Arundel Castle can be found on the south coast of England in between Brighton and the Isle of Wight. When I was there, I felt the knights could come galloping around the corner any minute. I felt I was stepping back in time. Magical!” — bee9
Bavaria, Germany
“No one has mentioned the most famous castle in the world, Neuschwanstein Castle, in Bavaria, Germany. It was used as the model for the first Disney Castle in California.” — Beta
- Eric Grundhauser
Feb 17, 2023 · Shutterstock. What life in a medieval castle was like depended greatly on whether or not the lord (or lady) of the castle was there. Karen Dempsey of the University of Reading says that while castles were homes of the nobility, many weren't the family's permanent residence.
Castles aren't just used by kings and queens. Discover more about the people who lived and worked in castles, from the Lord and Lady to the unfortunate servant who had to clean out the cesspit.
A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars usually consider a castle to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble.
