History of Castles

11 Features of a Stone Keep Castle

The stone keep castle is the image most of us will have of what a medieval castle should look like. A product of Norman design, they were built to withstand attack while radiating power and prestige. Although the size and shape could vary, there are common features you would expect to find within a stone keep castle.

11 common features of a stone keep castle are:

The keep
Battlements
Spiral staircase
Arrowslits
Raised entrance
Curtain walls
Gatehouse and drawbridge
The bailey
Buttresses
Great Hall
Garderobes

The Tower of London’s White Tower is the most famous stone keep (source), with the fortress later transformed using a concentric design.

Warwick, Dover, Goodrich, and Windsor castles are further examples of stone keep castles. In this article, I shall look at 11 features of a stone keep castle that help provide its distinctive appearance.

Tower of London, famous stone keep castle — The Tower Of London, the most famous example of a stone keep castle

1. The Keep

The fortified keep was the core of the castle, sometimes built on a raised mound called a motte. This was primarily the residence of the noble who owned the castle, but it was also the last refuge if the outer walls were breached.

Therefore, the keep needed to combine luxury befitting a noble lord and his family, and practical measures for defending this inner sanctum.

The keep was a free-standing stone tower, built on the highest spot in the area. The first floor of the keep housed the kitchen, while the upper floors contained the living quarters. While the outer walls could be meters thick, the inner walls were much thinner.

Stone keeps replaced previous wooden structures. The first benefit of this was they were less susceptible to fire. Besiegers couldn’t set the keep ablaze as easily and wait for the inevitable abandonment by its occupiers.

Secondly, the strength of the stone allowed for the keep to be built with taller designs. Not only did this provide greater visibility across larger distances for its defenders, but it also offered an increased wow factor.

Potential local rebels would never have seen such a construction. Stone keep castles were designed to show the wealth and power of its nobility, an imposing presence to suppress any would-be opposition.

The table below shows the floor plan you might expect in a typical three-story stone keep.

Room Function	Location
Food stores	Basement
Arms stores	Basement
Well	Basement
Kitchens	Ground Floor
Great Hall	First Floor
Chapel	First Floor
Private Chamber	First Floor
Solar	Second Floor
Private Chambers	Second Floor

The stone keep of Blarney Castle in Ireland — The stone keep at Blarney Castle in Ireland

2. Battlements

The Keep was where you headed when the outer walls looked like they were about to be penetrated by an attacking force. Therefore, they needed a design to help stave off an attack and protect its inhabitants.

At the top of the keep were the battlements. This comprised an additional stone wall built on top of the keep for defensive purposes.

From the battlements, archers could fire their arrows down upon an invading force. Anything could be dropped down on enemy soldiers below, so long as it was considered heavy enough, hot enough, or sharp enough to stop them in their tracks and consider retreating.

The battlements ran the width of the keep to ensure all angles were covered.

Battlements would also be designed along the castle’s outer walls and outer towers.

As with the battlements protecting the keep, the outer battlements were defensive structures that aimed to prevent the castle grounds from being breached by an enemy force.

The following video takes you on a walk around the battlements of the stone keep at Arundel castle.

3. Spiral Staircase

Anyone who has visited a medieval castle must have queried why the stairs spiral. They always seem so cumbersome to climb and for some reason seem to tire you out faster than regular stairs.

However, as with every aspect of a castle, there would have been logic in the design.

The popular theory is that as most staircases spiral clockwise, they were designed this way for defensive reasons. On the basis that most people are right-handed, this theory suggests clockwise stairwells would make it harder for the attacker to use his sword.

The walls would be tight to their sword arm as they climbed the stairs. The assailant would also have a more restricted view around corners.

The problem with this theory is that not all spiral staircases were clockwise (source). A spiral staircase is not exactly easy to fight on for a defender coming down them either.

Indeed, some castles had both clockwise and anti-clockwise stairs. A simpler explanation could be that spiral staircases took up less precious room when constructing a keep.

4. Arrowslits

Another feature of a stone keep castle that always grabs your attention is the arrowslits. These thin, vertical apertures in the defensive walls could vary in size and height depending on the defender’s preferred type of bow.

The arrowslits provided enough room to shoot out while being thin enough to offer the archer cover from enemy archers. The inner walls around the arrowslits tended to be narrower and cut back. This allowed more room for the archer, which translated into a wider field of view.

Early stone keeps tended to be square or rectangular.

However, this created blind-spots and an unforeseen weak point in a seemingly impregnable structure. Circular keeps helped to remove blind spots, providing defenders with an all-around view from within the keep.

Arrow slit at Monsaraz Castle in Portugal — An arrow slit at Monsaraz Castle, Portugal

5. Raised Entrance

If you think that going up steps to enter a stone keep as a modern-day visitor is a little inconvenient, that’s the point of the design. Every feature of a medieval castle’s design was carefully considered and improved upon where necessary.

The entrance to the keep is built into the first floor, not the ground floor.

Therefore, steps were necessary leading up to the entrance. These may have been wooden, but more often stone. These steps were another potential hurdle and hindrance to any attacking force looking to fight their way up into the keep.

Over time, some keeps had more elaborate entrances built with the steps enclosed within walls to offer further protection to defenders looking to defend entry to the stone fortress.

6. Curtain Walls

A stone keep castle’s first line of protection is provided by its curtain walls. These stone walls extended around the castle site, enclosing the keep and the inner courtyard. They were interspersed with defensive towers and usually lined with battlements.

For any opposing force, breaching the curtain wall was the first port of call. Until the introduction of the trebuchet, the combination of the outer curtain walls and inner keep made medieval castles all but impregnable. These outer walls could be 20 ft thick.

For an attacking force, the better option was to besiege the castle. Patience was required here, waiting for the starving defenders to surrender before any relief could arrive.

7. Gatehouse and Drawbridge

Stone keep castles had one point of entry and exit, and that was over the drawbridge. The castle would often be surrounded by a protective water-filled moat.

A stone keep castle could also be surrounded by a dry ditch instead, with a steep bank leading up to the castle curtain walls.

Whichever protective element surrounded the castle, the single access point was a lowered drawbridge. Once the drawbridge was raised under the threat of an attacking force you needed to be sure you were sheltering on the right side of the walls.

The gatehouse from which the drawbridge was lowered or raised was not a particularly formidable obstacle in stone keep castles. This was particularly so with the early forms of these castles.

The stone keep was the main defensive fortification. As castle design moved away from stone keep castles toward concentric designs, the gatehouse became a more prominent defensive feature.

Chains and winches were used to operate the drawbridge from the gatehouse. Before drawbridges, a simple wooden bridge was built over the moat for access. The bridge could be removed when the castle was under threat from an invading force.

8. The Bailey

This was often a lively part of the castle grounds.

The bailey was the inner courtyard between the stone keep and the outer walls. When an aggressor is heading toward town, the locals would try and shelter in the bailey.

This offered protection provided the outer walls held firm.

The bailey was also the heartbeat of the working domestic castle. This was where the stables were located as well as animal pens. Sheds built against the inside of the outer walls housed the workshops where craftsmen worked, as well as the stores.

In the original motte and bailey castles, there was usually an inner and outer bailey. The outer bailey would contain the workshops, stores, animals, and kitchen.

Once the larger stone keeps were built, the kitchen and food stores could be moved from the bailey and located on the ground floor of the fortified keep. This offered more protection for vital supplies during a siege.

9. Buttresses

When stone replaced wood as the primary building material, the additional strength meant the keep could be four stories high. This allowed more spacious living quarters and for more storage of essential supplies within the keep.

Norman stone keep castles often used buttresses to add support and strength to these imposing buildings. Buttresses are the stone structures you see projecting from the walls of a stone keep.

Never ones to miss out on a trick, buttresses offered another function beyond the practical. As well as adding strength to the keep, buttresses could be designed to add a further wow factor if they were elaborate in design.

Projection of power was an important function of the Norman stone keep castle. They were designed to impress as well as suppress the locals. Any additional touches such as elaborate stone buttresses added to this impression of wealth and power.

The White Tower at the Tower of London is an example of a famous stone keep built with buttresses.

They help form the design and image of the Tower that we know and love today, but would have added to its projection of power during the early days of Norman rule.

10. Great Hall

The Great Hall was another area designed to show off wealth and power. This was off-limits for most locals. The hall was there to impress visiting nobles, local rivals and, fingers crossed, royalty who might honor the castle with their presence.

The Great Hall would be ornately decorated and furnished. The decor needed to match the feasts it staged.

This was the main room within a castle, the pride, and joy of the castle owner. Not only would people eat here, but it was also where guests were met and where the business of the castle was run.

The size of the great hall was determined by the size of the stone keep.

However, a grand fireplace, wall coverings, and a coat of arms of the lord of the castle tended to be standard. The wealthier the owner, the more ornate the hall might be furnished.

At the end of a large feast or gathering, the great hall may also be required to act as one large dormitory where people could sleep.

When a castle’s primary function went from defensive fortification to a residence for a noble family, even more attention and money was spent on a luxurious Great Hall.

The Great Hall of Edinburgh Castle — One of the most famous Great Halls – that of Edinburgh Castle

11. Garderobes

For all the effort to make the living quarters of a stone keep castle fit for nobility, medieval plumbing was not quite up to the mark yet.

If you have wandered around a stone keep and noticed a small chamber cut into the wall containing a bench with a hole, then you have located one of the castle loos.

These chambers hung out away from the keep wall. The hole in the bench was just that, a hole. Beneath was a cesspit or sometimes just the moat, into which the waste dropped.

Toilet chambers could be enclosed for privacy. They are termed garderobes, which can be a little misleading as this French word usually means a wardrobe or a storeroom. However, it has also come to mean a private chamber or privy over time.

Garderobes are not the most glamorous feature of a stone keep castle. However, they were a practical and essential, if somewhat unpleasant sounding, solution.

9 Famous People To Be Executed At The Tower of London

The thought of the Tower of London can still send shivers down the spine to this day. Originally built as an imposing fortress, the Tower became a prison for many famous historical names across the centuries. For some, it was their final port of call, doomed to execution on Tower Green, or just beyond the walls at Tower Hill.

Nine famous people executed at the Tower of London were:

Anne Boleyn
Thomas Cromwell
Catherine Howard
Lady Jane Grey
Thomas Wyatt the Younger
Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex
Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury
Thomas More
Josef Jakobs

The list largely strikes as a who’s who of Tudor times. In this article, I shall look at how each famous name on the list rose to prominence, how they fell out of favor and how their final grisly moments panned out.

Tower of London executions — The Tower Of London has provided a list of executions like a ‘Who’s Who’ of Tudor times.

1. Anne Boleyn

Anne Boleyn is undoubtedly the most famous of the historical figures executed at the Tower of London. The second wife of the notoriously tetchy Henry VIII, she would find out just how precarious a position being a King’s spouse could be in Tudor times.

She spent her early life at the French court before returning as a lady-in-waiting to the Queen and future rival, Katherine of Aragon. She soon caught the roving eye of the King, as had her sister Mary before her.

Henry was completely enamored by Anne. He set about finding a way to divorce Katherine of Aragon, putting in motion England’s split with Rome. Anne Boleyn was crowned Queen at Westminster Abbey in June 1533 and gave birth to the future Queen Elizabeth I three months later.

However, the King’s eye began to rove again, spurred by the lack of the all-important son born to Anne. Her previous ally, Thomas Cromwell, helped bring charges of adultery. This included incest with her brother George (source), and Anne was doomed.

On May 9^th, 1536, Anne Boleyn was accompanied by four ladies in waiting as she was taken to Tower Green. Anne’s status saw her executed within the walls although a large crowd was allowed to gather to watch.

One final mercy awarded to his wife was the King having a French swordsman brought in, who severed her head in one swift swipe of the blade. This video looks at the spot where Anne Boleyn was executed.

Anne Boleyn is buried in the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula within the Tower grounds.

2. Thomas Cromwell

They say what goes around comes around. Many historians see Cromwell’s hand behind the downfall of his former ally in religious reform, Anne Boleyn. Four years after Anne Boleyn’s execution, Cromwell was following her to the executioner’s block.

Thomas Cromwell rose from being born the son of a blacksmith and brewer to becoming the powerful chief minister to Henry VIII. He was always looked down upon by the nobility, many of whom did not like the religious reformations he was helping to push through. You did not rise to power in Tudor England without making enemies along the way.

The King’s faith in his chief adviser was starting to wane not long after Anne Boleyn’s execution. The Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion against religious reform, and Henry’s disappointment in Cromwell’s choice of Anne of Cleeves as the King’s fourth wife, further marked his card.

Cromwell’s enemies in the nobility saw the chance to remove their nemesis. Cromwell was arrested on vague charges of treason and heresy.

There was no trial. Cromwell was sentenced by an act of Attainder. Despite his pleas of innocence to the King, Thomas Cromwell was beheaded on Tower Hill on July 28^th, 1540.

3. Catherine Howard

On the day Thomas Cromwell was losing his head, his former boss was marrying wife number five, Catherine Howard.

In this ongoing Tudor drama, the young queen would sadly go the way of Anne Boleyn. She is the second beheaded in the divorced, beheaded, died rhyme used to recall the order of Henry VIII’s wives.

Wives	Dates	Children	Status
Catherine of Aragon	1485-1536	Mary	Divorced
Anne Boleyn	1500-1536	Elizabeth	Beheaded
Jane Seymour	1508-1537	Edward	Died
Anne of Cleeves	1515-1557	None	Divorced
Catherine Howard	1521-1542	None	Beheaded
Katherine Parr	1512-1548	None with Henry VIII	Survived

When Anne of Cleeves was pushed to one side, Henry VIII returned to a familiar theme. His eye fell on one of the displaced Queen’s ladies-in-waiting. Henry was now middle-aged and losing the looks he was famed for in his youth when he married the much younger Catherine Howard.

While the King was renowned for his mistresses, his Queen had to be above moral reproach. The King may have forgiven Catherine for the lovers she had that he was unaware of before their marriage. However, an accusation of an affair with the courtier Thomas Culpepper during the marriage sealed her fate.

Catherine Howard was beheaded on February 13^th, 1542. The unforgiving Henry also had her maid Jane Boleyn, sister-in-law to Anne, executed for her role in facilitating the alleged affair with Culpepper.

4. Lady Jane Grey

The execution of Lady Jane Grey is the most heart-rending of them all for me. She was a pawn in her family’s ambition and a reluctant Queen.

Her crime was being born into the royal line and becoming a figurehead in a supremacy battle between the protestant and catholic parties within England.

The dying 15-year-old King Edward VI nominated his cousin Lady Jane Grey as Queen in 1553. She was protestant, and Edward did not want his catholic half-sister, Mary, from taking the throne. However, under his father’s acts of succession, Mary was the rightful next in line.

Lady Jane Grey was Queen for just nine days, earning the unwanted record of shortest reign ever. Here is a frieze of the coronation of Lady Jane Grey from the wall of the Supreme Court in Parliament Square in London:

Mary deposed Lady Jane Grey as Queen but took pity on her situation. Mary imprisoned her protestant rival in the Tower, refusing advice to have her executed.

Unfortunately, the Wyatt Rebellion against Queen Mary involved Lady Jane Grey’s father. The Privy Council pushed Mary to execute Jane, and Mary reluctantly agreed.

Lady Jane Grey went to Tower Green on February 12^th, 1554, an hour after her husband’s execution. She read Psalm 51 before asking the executioner to ‘despatch her quickly.’ She was just 17 years old.

This image below shows

5. Thomas Wyatt the Younger

Thomas Wyatt the Younger could have faced the cruelest and most brutal execution. Treason was punishable by hanging, drawing, and quartering, from which any guilty party desperately hoped to have the sentence commuted to beheading.

Thomas Wyatt was sentenced for his role in the rebellion of 1554 which took his name and indirectly secured the fate of Lady Jane Grey.

The son of the famous court poet of the same name, he was vehemently opposed to the marriage of the Catholic Queen Mary to the Spanish King, Philip II.

The rebellion was based on uprisings in various parts of the country. The failed plot almost implicated the future Queen Elizabeth I, who spent time in the Tower under suspicion of knowing about the plot.

Thomas Wyatt the Younger denied he plotted to kill Queen Mary, but was sentenced to death. On April 11^th 1554, he suffered a traitor’s death.

However, unlike other rebels who suffered the full horrors of being hung, drawn, and quartered, Wyatt’s was commuted to beheading.

His body was then quartered and his severed head placed on a gibbet in St. James as a warning to other would-be rebels.

6. Robert Devereux, 2^nd Earl of Essex

Being the Queen’s favorite was no guarantee of avoiding the executioner’s block. Robert Devereux, 2^nd Earl of Essex, was a favorite courtier of Queen Elizabeth I.

However, favoritism brings resentment and enemies at ambitious courts. One misstep can soon see a dramatic fall from grace.

Robert Devereux was the great-grandson of Anne Boleyn’s sister, Mary. Devereux replaced his father at court following the death of the first Earl of Essex. He was a dashing and witty courtier, a breath of fresh air in what could be a stuffy inner circle.

The Queen enjoyed Devereux’s flirtatious nature and it was evident Devereux was a favorite of hers. However, he was ambitious and impulsive. The Queen would occasionally banish him from the court for his misdemeanors, before welcoming him back.

However, after leading a disastrous military campaign in Ireland, Devereux foolishly involved himself with a coup aimed at removing the Queen’s counselors.

He was arrested for treason before receiving one final favor from the Queen. His execution in 1601 was commuted to beheading rather than hanging, drawing, and quartering.

7. Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury

Margaret Pole was the niece of Edward IV and Richard III. She was a lady-in-waiting to Catherine of Aragon and a governess to the future Queen Mary. In short, she had some pretty impressive nobility credentials. This did not prevent the most brutal of executions.

She was also a stoic Catholic in a time of religious upheaval. It was her unwavering support for her son, Reginald Pole, which would see her nobility stand for little.

Pole fled to France in 1532 to avoid persecution for his religious beliefs and was made a Cardinal in 1536. He would later become Archbishop of Canterbury during Queen Mary’s reign.

Unfortunately, his would-be persecutors turned their attention to his brothers and mother who remained in England. Margaret Pole was imprisoned in the Tower of London for treason, where she remained for two years before her execution.

Margaret Pole’s execution in 1541 is one of the most brutal and hideous. It is said an inexperienced axeman needed 11 blows of the blade to complete the job on Tower Green.

In 1886, she was beatified as a martyr by Pope Leo XIII, and her ghost is one of those reportedly seen haunting the Tower grounds.

8. Thomas More

Thomas More remains one of the most famous names in English history. It is a name associated with piousness, fortitude, and the willingness to sacrifice personal freedom for your beliefs.

Thomas More was a close friend as well as adviser to Henry VIII. Of all the people who lost their lives to the executioner during his reign, Thomas More probably hurt the most.

As with much at the time, More’s fall from favor centered on the King’s move away from papal Rome. When Henry announced his supremacy as the head of the church in England, More resigned as Lord Chancellor.

More could not defend the split from Rome or support Henry’s annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon.

More further stood firm to his faith when he refused to swear the Oath of Succession. This led to his arrest in 1534 and he stood trial the following year for high treason. This was never going to be a trial that the lawyer More could win. His fate had already been sealed.

The ‘man for all seasons’ was beheaded at Tower Hill on July 6^th, 1535. Two weeks earlier, his friend Bishop Fisher suffered a similar fate for not swearing the Oath of Succession. Both severed heads were displayed as warnings on London Bridge.

Here is a short video of the trial and execution of Thomas Moore from the TV series Wolf Hall:

9. Josef Jakobs

This may not be as famous a name as others, but Josef Jakobs is a hugely significant part of the history of the Tower of London. Jacobs left his mark on history as the last person executed at the Tower of London.

Executions at the Tower ceased in the late 18^th century. However, they returned during times of war in the 20^th century as a punishment for spying. 11 enemy agents were executed by firing squad during the first world war at the Tower’s miniature rifle range.

During the second world war, Josef Jakobs was parachuted into Britain on a spying mission. The unfortunate Jakobs broke his ankle on landing and after trying to endure the pain, finally needed to attract attention.

It was fairly obvious Jakobs was a German spy, and he was sentenced to death. Jakobs sat in a chair for his execution due to his injury (source).

Five bullets struck Josef Jakobs, one through the heart. With that burst of gunfire, the Tower of London witnessed its final execution.

Neuschwanstein Castle and its beautiful story

The Neuschwanstein castle has as much awesomeness as its history. On one part we see a medieval-style castle with neo-Gothic inspiration and Romanesque designs. But when you discover that it is the object of a person’s fantasies the whole story becomes more interesting.

The foundation for the Neuschwanstein castle was laid by King Louis II who was also nicknamed the Mad King Ludwig but the building couldn’t be concluded in his lifetime.

The King had grown up in a Hohenschwangau castle with epic decoration drawn from historical, legendary, and poetic sources.

So when he became king, he aspired to build something more legendary, and grander to serve as his palace. Unfortunately, he didn’t live long enough to see the castle complete.

A Brief History of the Neuschwanstein castle

The construction of the Neuschwansteincastle started in 1869 shortly after Louis II became the king of Bavaria.

It was originally named the New Hohenschwangau Castle and modeled after the castle where the new king grew up but with grander and more elaborate composition.

Some say the King’s original idea was to create a real version of a fairy tale castle that would leave fans awestruck; he succeeded partly in doing this. In 1886, the castle was opened to the general public upon King Ludwig’s death.

Here are some of the most asked questions about the Neuschwanstein castle:

1. Where is the Neuschwanstein Castle and How can I get there?

The castle is located at Neuschwansteinstrate 20, 87645 Schwangau, Near Fussen in Allgau, Germany.

If you drove down, it is advisable to park at the village of Hohenschwangau before you move on (the parking facilities are often run by private individuals so it may cost you a little amount of money).

Directions: Take the A7 motorway, when you get to the end of the road, follow the B17 and you will start seeing signs on the direction to go. There is also public transport available.

2. How old is the Neuschwanstein castle?

The Neuschwanstein castle is at least 136 years old.

The site where the castle sits today had 2 smaller buildings which were demolished in 1868 to make room for the building of the new castle.

It was eventually opened to the public in 1886 in the memory of King Ludwig and has since then undergone a series of maintenance and renovations until its current state was attained.

3. Most alluring wonders of the King’s Bedroom

You will remember that the Neuschwanstein castle was built for the King’s private residence which explains why there is an amazing King’s bedroom behind its walls.

Eight (8) out of the ten people who visit the Neuschwanstein castle mention the King’s bedroom as one of the best sites to see.

It has a leitmotif drawn after the Legend of Tristan and Isolde (a romantic tale about King Meliadus’ Prince – Tristan.

The story states that Tristan returns to form a battle fatally injured, but was saved by Isolde who used magical herbs to heal him. The duo falls in love and insists on getting married despite being from two enemy tribes but were faced with a new kind of challenge when King Marke desired Isolde for marriage.

The lover’s tales end with sorrow as they died in each other’s arms).

You can find beautiful Leitmotif of the lovers, their pictures, and carvings scattered all around. The room also has a beautiful chandelier and a tiled stove.

The King’s bedsit at the corner of the room with blue silk coverings, with unimaginably artistic embroidery. It is a must-see.

4. What is the Neuschwanstein Castle known for?

The castle is known for quite a handful of features that leaves visitors awestruck, such as:

The portraits, carvings, and leitmotif were drawn after legends and stories. Walking into its halls, one would experience tens of stories through the amazing art and interior designs.
The amazing blue-blacking turrets of Neuschwanstein castle also make it distinguishable and extremely beautiful. The castle sits at a cliffside, making it almost surreal; it is a great site to see and this attracts many tourists.
It has a rich history and it is one of the most toured castles in the world and has attracted at least 61 million tourists so far).
The castle is about 213 feet tall and measures about 65, 000 square feet. About 100 rooms were initially planned but only 14 have been completed to date (those are open to the public)
It is the inspiration for some of Disney’s fairy tales such as Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty. Many visit just to see the closest real version of what their favorite fiction castles look like.
The 13 feet tall chandelier and murals of the Throne room are more than epic.

5. What is the meaning of Neuschwanstein and how did it get its name?

The name Neuschwanstein is the German for New Swan Stone Castles.

It was named after the Swan Knight Lohengrin (of the Lohengrin legend), one of King Ludwig’s favorite characters and the designer (Richard Wagner) inspiration.

6. Who owns the Neuschwanstein Castle?

The castle is owned by the Bavarian State, while Hohenschwangau is owned by the descendants of Ludwig II.

7. Nearby hotels you can lodge in

Are you considering a visit to the castle? Here are some of the nearby hotels you can lodge in:

Villa Ludwig in Hohenschwangau
City Fereinwohnung Fussen
Vitalhotel Wiedemann
Luitpoldpark-Hotel
Hotel Ruchti, etc.

There are many hotels in Hohenschwangau and Fussen, you should carefully check their facilities and your budget in choosing any of your choices.

8. Getting to the Neuschwanstein Castle by Train – The nearest Train Station

The nearest train station to the Neuschwanstein castle is the Fussen train station which is 5km away.

9. Distance to the Neuschwanstein from some parts of Germany

Munich – Fussen

By road, it is about 117.6 kilometers apart and will take you about 1hour 50 minutes to travel. If you are traveling by train, it will take you about 2 hours 50 minutes. The average cost of a travel ticket per hour is £57.

Frankfurt – Fussen

From Frankfurt, Germany, it is about 425.7km to reach the Fussen by road. That may take about 4hours 30 minutes to reach your destination.

From Fussen, it is about 20 minutes bus ride to arrive at Schwangau, where the castle is.

Entry Fees

Adult: £15

Children: free (if under 18 and accompanied by parents)

Seniors (over 65 years of age): £14

Pupils & companions of disabled people: free

You can purchase the tickets online with an extra charge of £2.50 or from the Hohenschwangau ticket center if you choose the latter option, you have to get your ticket before proceeding to the castle, otherwise, you won’t be allowed to go in.

Tickets are personal and cannot be exchanged.

10. Best Time to Visit the Neuschwanstein Castle

The castle opens all week long, from 9:00 am until 10:00 am every April to October 15 and from October 16 to March 15 it is open for 6hours between 10:00 am till 4:00 pm. They however close up for Christmas and New Year Celebration for four days; December 24-25 and on the 31st to January 1st.

When was the first castle built?

Today, castles are emblems of power, prestige, and history.

They remind us of an era when peace was won by war, and a time when royalty depended on the ability to conquer more lands. In more contemporary times, diplomacy is elevated beyond the ability to conquer but in earlier times, powerful men took what they could, and whenever they cared, they left a castle behind to prove it.

History reveals that the first castle in the world was built in the Roman Legionary camps in the earliest century BC (that is 100 – 200 BC).

In medieval Europe however, it was not until the era of King William the Conqueror in 1066 that the first castle was built.

It suffices to say that although the United Kingdom currently houses most of the world-renowned castles of recent times, castles are borrowed ideas from the Roman Empire and not indigenous/ originated in England.

Why Castles were built?

To understand when castles were first built, it is crucial for us to pry into why they were built because, although the timing differs, the original purposes for castles are the same.

Castles were built as a symbol of authority, a home for a noble, and thirdly, a semi-fortress for security purposes.

Fortresses: these were first built by the Romans as a military defense base from where attacks can be launched, and reinforcement could be sent. When Gaius Marius became the consul in 108 BC, Rome was at war with Numidian king Jugurtha, so he recruited males under the age of 45 into the roman legionary camps and they built fortifications for the army.
Castles: from building fortresses, there was the need for less militarised structures that could serve as a home for nobles, which could also be strong enough to stand a siege. It was on this basis castles were created.
Palaces: The use of palaces is more recent as they were stationed deep inside cities, outside the danger zones, and decorated suitably for the King and his family. They were not designed for offensive purposes but for comfort.

The first set of castles was the built-in form of an oppidum (molded earth that is built like a hill surrounding a city merely as a fortification), and eventually, they graduated into a habitable structure reserved for the noble lords.

When did humans start building castles?

Most of the world’s renowned castles in England were built from 1066 onwards, when King William, a warrior, and conqueror nursed the ambition to unite England.

He traveled far and wide to conquer and dominate new territories. Due to his military might, he succeeded and built a fortified castle as a symbol of his domination.

The castles were usually made from the earth and as such were easy to complete.

Before moving on to conquer another territory, he’d place the castle under the supervision of a noble lord/ knight/ warrior loyal to the crown. As time went on, the lords expanded the castles, replaced them, and built new ones.

It is recorded that at least 1500 castles were completed in the medieval era alone.

In Rome, the oldest standing castle is the Castel Sant’Angelo which was built in 135-139 AD by Emperor Hadrian. It is now connected to the Vatican City and forms part of the holy city.

Who invented castles?

History did not accord us with the information of who invented castles.

It is unclear who should have the credit, the king who ordered the building, or the laborers who supervised the structures to what they perceived would interest the noble lords. As such castles cannot be credited to any particular person.

However, it is safe to say that castles originated from Rome and in England, the developers of original castles and castles designs were the Normans.

Today, there are various types of castle types and categories such as:

1. Medieval Castle

2. Motte-and-Bailey

3. Stone Keep

4. Square Stone Keep

5. Round Stone Keep

6. Shell Keep

7. Concentric Castle

8. Victorian Castle

9. Elizabethan style

10. Jacobean architecture, etc.

A brief overview of the first castles built in different parts of the world.

Country: Syria

Name: The Citadel of Aleepo, Syria.

Year: 3000 BCE

Partly standing

Country: England

Name: Berkhamsted Castle

Year: 1067 (partly standing)

Pioneer owner: Robert Mortain

Country: Ireland

Name: Killyleagh Castle in Downpatrick, County Down

Year: 1180 (Standing)

Pioneer owner: Norman knight John de Courcy

Country: Scotland

Name: Castle Sween in Knapdale, Argyll

Year: 1100’s

Pioneer owner: The MacSweens

Country: Wales

Name: Castell Carn Fadryn

Year: 1188

Pioneer owner: Owain Gwynedd

Why are castles not built anymore?

From the 18th century onwards, the building of castles has dwindled significantly. It is safe to state that the reason is that castles are no longer as relevant as before.

Here are some of the reasons why castles are no longer being built in recent times;

With the introduction of guns, firearms, and bullets, castles became irrelevant for defensive purposes. Although some stone castles were fortified against bullets, it was much inefficient and as the nature of assault changed, the nature of defense had to also change (Remember castles were built for their defensive nature).
It is overly expensive to build such a structure today: In older times, all the lord or noble needed was men/ manpower who would willingly do the hard work for cheap compensation. Some offered no more than protection or a couple of coins for the day’s work, or food, or permission to farm the nearby lands. Today, materials for building such are way costlier and the labor too. When it has no defensive relevance, people started seeing fewer reasons to invest in a castle, when one could simply build a palace or a villa as the case may be.
Change of Values; today, the wealth of royalty or nobility is no longer measured by the vastness of their castles/ place of abode but rather by their influence, political relevance, and how deep their pockets are. Wealth is now quantified by money and money’s worth as opposed to castles, hence royalty do not fancy the building of new castles
The decline in neighborhood wars: not only did the nature of assault change, people became more diplomatic in dealings, and territorial wars reduced significantly, also weakening the relevance of castles.

Today, the older castles are being refurbished and maintained for historical and tourism purposes whilst the contemporary styles of the building are built for comfort and relaxation as opposed to for defense purposes.

What Is The Smallest Castle In The World?

The smallest castle in the world is much smaller than the average person believes and located in an unusual part of the U.K. It’s intriguing!

The smallest castle in the world is called Molly’s Castle. The locals are also calling it “Molly’s lodge”. This castle is only 800 square feet of interior space smaller than standard British bungalows and cottages. It’s so tiny that it only has one bedroom, bathroom, compact kitchen, living room, and dining room.

molly's lodge, molly's Castle — Jennifer Luther Thomas / *Molly’s Lodge* / CC BY-SA 2.0

Molly’s castle is truly remarkable; to know more about it, keep reading further.

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Where is the smallest castle?

The tiniest castle in the world is situated in the Costwolds. If you’re not familiar with the Cotswolds, it is an incredibly picturesque area in the southwest of England.

We say picturesque as it’s home to rolling hills, meadows, and U.K. valley. But most importantly, it holds the world’s most miniature castle!

Molly’s castle was initially constructed in the 1830s by a famous British architect called Edward Blore.

This man was not just any architect, though; he also was recruited to finish the extensions for the royal residence of Buckingham Palace later in the 1840s for Queen Victoria.

In a stunning gothic revival build, he also helped design the beautiful government office in Sydney, Australia.

The world’s smallest castle was commonly kept as a guesthouse for noblemen back in the 1800s. It later got made into a deer hunting property on Weston Park Estate.

Today Molly’s Castle stands as a grade II listed building and is a fully functional home.

Smallest Castle in Europe

If you’re travelling around Europe and want to look for the smallest castle, you will have to pay a visit to Hermit’s Castle on the north coast of Scotland.

It’s situated on the western headland of Scotland in a settlement called Achmelvich. It sits on top of Helmets rock overlooking gorgeous turquoise blue seas and white sands.

The reason it’s the smallest castle in all of Europe is that it covers less than 10 square meters of area. Due to this size, there’s a lot of scepticism about Hermit’s and Molly’s being the smallest in the world.

Hermit’s castle was constructed in the 1950s by a British architect called David Scott. Rumours have it that the architect created this castle as he wanted to escape the burdens of modern life, so he headed to a remote part of Scotland.

The castle was built in the brutalist style consisting of small windows, storage shelves, a bed, and a hearth with a chimney. Ironically the concrete structure wasn’t satisfying for its architect, and he abandoned it after one weekend of staying in it.

During the 1970s, this castle got vandalized where someone removed the windows and door. As a result, today, the castle only has a concrete shell remaining.

Smallest Palace in World

When you imagine Russia, you think of grand places, rich interiors, and noblemen and women. But, on the contrary, a famous Russian Tsar (King) known as Peter had a cabin commonly referred to as the world’s smallest palace.

world's smallest palace in st petersburg Russia — world’s smallest palace

The story of it is pretty amazing.

This famous Tsar helped capture a Swedish fortress in Neva River during 1703. Following this, he decided to build a city around the castle. After some time making it, he decided to give it the name of St Petersberg, which became the go-to place in Russia.

While the city was spectacular, he needed his residence. So Peter had a cabin built in three days which sat on the banks of the Neva River.

If you visit the cabin today, it may look like a log cabin and look tiny, covering 710 square feet. However, inside, it boasts traditional and regal Deutsch and Russian architecture design, making it no ordinary cabin and more like a palace.

This building looks royal by having the wooden walls painted with red oil to look like brick. Similarly, it contains no fireplaces or chimneys as its sole purpose was to be used in warm weather.

Later on, this cabin got renovated in the 1840s by Nicholas I converting the bedroom into a chapel and adding iron rails.

What’s the biggest castle in the world?

If you want to travel to the largest castle in the world, then by land alone, it’s Malbork Castle on the banks of the Nogat River in Poland.

Malbork Castle, the worlds largest castle

This castle is so big it was built across a site of 1,539,239 square feet! It was built in the 13th century, and today, it stands as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The castle is a typical medieval fortress, and back in the 14th century, it once stood as the world’s largest brick castle. The purpose of this castle was to strengthen the control of the Teutonic Order.

It was also the largest fortified building in Europe and nearly took half a century to convert it from a house to a castle.

Today you can visit Malbork castle, and it’s one of Poland’s most popular tourist attractions. The best time of year to visit this castle is during early fall.

There’s plenty of stuff to do at Malbork castle; in addition to touring it, you can dress up in costume, explore the gardens, and more. On average, it takes around 4 hours to view the castle.

Final thoughts

While we’ve been talking about the smallest castle in the world, it’s essential to know that the ancestors didn’t build these castles to be small. Instead, historically castles have been made large to serve as a big defence structure to protect the land and buildings they ruled.

Typically large castles allowed those who inhabited them to attack from different sides.

The small castles you see today were still built for this purpose, but the reason they were small was often due to the lack of funds or scarce resources available at the time.

Plus, many knights moved out of their small homes into slightly bigger fortified castles as a form of social mobility.

If you are enjoying articles about castles, we have more for you!

Here at castle tourist, you can find out whats is the tallest, strongest or biggest castle in the world. Also, why do castles have dungeons, turrets, moats or portcullises?

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Why Were Castles Built on Hills?

The hilltop castles are incredibly gorgeous, but why did the ancestors build these fortresses so high?

Due to the high altitude, building castles on a hill offered a significant defence advantage during the sieges and easy control of the surrounding lands in peaceful times.

Of course, there were some other reasons for constructing them as high as possible.

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What are the advantages of building a castle on a hill?

Hilltop castles nowadays attract visitors for their architecture and history and the hike needed to reach it.

Obviously, the hike wasn’t what came to the kings’ minds when building a castle but military advantages.

Military advantages

Why were Castles built on the hills? — Edinburgh Castle

From the defence perspective, the advantage of being on a natural stone mound made these castles almost impregnable during the siege.

For example, at Edinburgh Castle, the only way armies could reach the walls is by assaulting the main entrance, also called the gatehouse.

At almost 360 degrees, the castle’s walls are standing on a steep rock about 20m high, leaving no chance for the soldiers to climb.

That’s why you have probably noticed the gatehouses are the most armoured parts of the castle.

Another benefit of having the hard rock as a castle foundation was that it excluded any possible digging underneath the castle during the siege.

A tactic that King John I used to take down the tower’s wall at Rochester Castle.

They dug a tunnel and laid the fat of 40 pigs right under the walls, which worked out as a medieval type of dynamite.

The archers benefited from the castle’s high altitude as they could shoot much further than their opponents, which had to get dangerously close to the walls.

An archer shooting down from a castle wall — picture by cascatz on pixabay

Moreover, The same principles applied to the catapults and ballista within the castle’s walls.

The higher position also helped spot the marching enemy troops further away, allowing civilians to gather behind the castle walls and soldiers to prepare.

The other less obvious advantage of a hilltop castle was that the enemy spies couldn’t use anything to climb higher than these buildings to see what people in the court were up to.

Control

Why Were Castles Built on Hills? — Dover Castle

In peaceful times, the Kings invested heavily in their mighty homes to show their power and supremacy over their lands.

It is well visible for miles ahead and from every street of surrounding villages. It clearly stated who is in charge.

Moreover, the King could go out on the balcony and see pretty much what everyone was up to in their kingdom.

Strength and stability

They were erecting the strongholds on top of a rocky hill that gave extra stability. It ensured that the building wouldn’t sink over the years under its weight.

A strategy dates back to the Roman Empire, where they built strongholds on hills all over Europe, including England and Wales.

Gorgeous castles on the hill that you can visit

Luckily we inherited many hilltop castles that are well preserved and open to the public today.

Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

Edinburgh Castle a castle on the rock in Scotland — Edinburgh Castle

One of the most iconic buildings in Scotland, Edinburgh castle proudly stands on the hill in the heart of the Scottish capital.

There is evidence that humans have occupied the mound since at least the Iron Age.

Edinburgh Castle served as a royal residence between the 12th and 15th centuries and then as a military garrison for the following centuries.

The turbulent past of Edinburgh castle made it worldwide famous for being the most besieged castle in Europe.

From the bloodiest battles to the enemy sneaking during the night, Edinburgh Castle went through a total of 23 sieges.

Because of its impregnability, you will often come across articles where Edinburgh is called the strongest castle in the world.

For the whole of Edinburgh Castle’s portfolio of events, you can check out our article on what makes Edinburgh Castle so famous?

After exploring Edinburgh city, tourists head uphill to the castle, making it one of the most visited castles in Scotland.

If you are planning on visiting Edinburgh Castle, there are lots of tours available on TripAdvisor.

Lindisfarne Castle, England

Lindisfarne a Castle a castle on the hill in England. — Lindisfarne Castle

In just two hours southwest of Edinburgh, another formidable castle sits on top of the hill protecting the Holy Island.

Lindisfarne is a 16th-century castle located on the border where major clashes between English, Scottish and Viking armies were going on.

English built the first fortress around 1550 on top of a volcanic plug known as Beblowe Crag.

The fortified building was erected shortly after Henry VIII’s death and reshaped during Elizabeth I’s reign.

Today the castle is in the care of the National Trust. It is open to the public and occasionally hosts weddings in non-pandemic times.

Exploring Lindisfarne is unique in contrast to the rest of the English castles in the way you have to get to it.

You only can access the Holy Island between the tides through the causeway when the water is low.

The causeway to Holy Island — Picture by Neil Howard on Flickr.com

So make sure you allow yourself plenty of time when visiting Lindisfarne castle, not to get stuck overnight on the island.

Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany

Neuschwanstein Castle in germany — Neuschwanstein Castle

One of the most famous castles on the hill in the world, which at least ones you might have come across in books, magazines, TV shows or movies.

The gorgeous Neuschwanstein Castle!

However, some people don’t like to call it a castle as it has nothing to do with the Middle Ages, when “the castles” we use to know and admire appeared.

Neuschwanstein Castle is a 19th-century romantic eclecticism palace on a rugged hill above Hohenschwangau southwest Bavaria, Germany.

According to the statistics, before the COVID pandemic started, 1.6 million people a year were visiting Neuschwanstein.

Probably you guessed it by now, why.

Indeed, the iconic logo’s design and Walt Disney’s castles had their beginnings here. Here at Neuschwanstein, Mr Disney got inspired by its stunning architecture.

Suppose you’re excited too and plan to visit Neuschwanstein. In that case, we have a quick guide article on what to expect at Neuschwanstein, and you might consider checking before you go.

Hohenzollern Castle, Germany

Hohenzollern Castle a castle on the hill in Germany — Hohenzollern Castle

In Germany, the country with the most castles globally, the hilltop castles and palaces are also great.

This time we didn’t want to skip the most Instagrammable one, Hohenzollern Castle.

Unlike Neushwantain Castle, Hohenzollern’s history dates back to the 11th century when germans build the first castle on site.

Between the 11th and 15th centuries, Hohenzollern swapped hands and have been destroyed and rebuilt several times.

Although the current building with its gothic architecture, King Frederick William IV of Prussia built it between 1846-1867.

If you find yourself in Stuttgart, it’s worth checking breathtaking Hohenzollern Castle.

Castle Svevo, Italy

Castle Svevo, a castle on the hill in Italy — Photo by foto daniel on flickr.com

Also called Castello Svevo Rocca Imperiale is a 13th-century hilltop castle that Frederick II built for defensive purposes.

It was a strategic stronghold designated to control the ancient Via Appia-Traiana and the whole gulf of Taranto.

The castle withstood a Saracens in 1664 that destroyed the city of Rocca.

In the following centuries, the castle Svevo experienced several upgrades and modifications that shaped the castle we see today.

Making your way uphill through the old town of Rocca Imperiale makes the trip particularly memorable.

By the way, that is not the most comfortable hike you have encountered, but the castle and the surrounding view from the top are worth it.

Orava Castle, Slovakia

Orava Castle a castle on hill in Slovakia — Photo by wulfgeist74 on flickr.com

While Neuschwanstein gathers all the glory, there are way more castles hidden in the rest of the world and especially in the eastern part of Europe.

One of these underrated medieval gems is Orava Castle, a 13th-century military building in Slovakia.

It’s believed that the early settlements inhabited the mound before the Middle Ages. Yet, the first documented building people built in 1267.

Through the centuries, it served as an administrative and residential building for numerous aristocrats and noblemen.

In the courtyard of Orava Castle, Slovakia

In 1556 Thurzo Family embarked upon a major restoration project, resulting in new supporting walls, a new palace and a chapel, a bastion within the tunnel, a gatehouse and a gate tower.

In 1800 Orava Castle was put up in flames for several nights and days. However, Francis Zichy shortly repaired and reconstructed it.

Today, Orava Castle is the most famous and gorgeous castle in Slovakia, open to the public in non-Covid times.

Final Thoughts

Today we are thankful for this building being on the hills, as it makes our castle’s trip more enjoyable.

Yet, our ancestors built them primarily as an ultimate shelter that will keep the unwanted outside as much as it could.

If you made it this far through the article, we can’t thank you enough!

You might consider checking more articles on our blog section that respond to many questions about these stunning medieval buildings.

Find the best castles to visit next

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Lists o top castles around the world.