Castles of the World

[Beazy]

There're many beautiful castles in England (Leeds, Dover ...). What you need to take is a BIG bag of money to visit these. 20 or 29 £ to enter is not rare. The most expensive visits I've made in my whole life for European equivalents. Nothing compares with the prices you have to pay in UK (but I haven't visited every european castle ).

When you visit these castles, are you allowed to roam freely inside or are they mostly guided tours?


Unfortunately, I don't have a bag of money, but I should have enough to visit three of four castles.
Was there a castle you visited that blew you away with architecture or size?

[Symphonic]

We dont have any sweet castles in the US. =o[

There are a few good ones!

Look up: Boldt Castle (New York)
Grey Towers Castle in Philadelphia (Modeled after the Alnwick Castle in England)
Castello di Amorosa (In California, built starting around 1995, actually)

But I know what you're saying, we don't have truly medieval castles like England does.

[klogaroth]

This castle near me is one of my favourites. It's called Lever Castle, and you might think it was a ruined medieval castle. It was actually worked on between 1912 and 1925, as an intentionally ruined replica of Liverpool Castle, which was demolished in 1726. It's a testament to the ridiculous excess of late 19th century and early 20th century industrialists. Lord Lever, the guy behind the castle, being the guy who founded the "lever" part of what is now Unilever.

[Deleted]

Thats a monestary, not a castle I think

I've visited it and its one of the most impressive buildings I've ever seen tough

[Strear]

When you visit these castles, are you allowed to roam freely inside or are they mostly guided tours?


Unfortunately, I don't have a bag of money, but I should have enough to visit three of four castles.
Was there a castle you visited that blew you away with architecture or size?

You can wander freely ! I think the crown castle, being still " active " is something rare and to be seen. If it was about french castle I could tell you more, but about british ones, most I visited were ruins. British guys, help that future visitor

[Deleted]

Oh, here's a castle ruin. This is Borgholm castle, the castle that protected the Kalmar strait which seperates the Swedish island Öland from the mainland from pirates, Danes, the Hansas etc.



What makes the Borgholm castle much more interesting however is its shape.

Does it look familiar? That's because Borgholm castle's shape was the indirect inspiration for the commando key on every Mac keyboard.



True story!

[Noradin]

Thats a monestary, not a castle I think

I've visited it and its one of the most impressive buildings I've ever seen tough

Most of the castles in here are palaces anyway, so why not list a fortified monestary?

[Crispin]

Oh, here's a castle ruin. This is Borgholm castle, the castle that protected the Kalmar strait which seperates the Swedish island Öland from the mainland from pirates, Danes, the Hansas etc.



What makes the Borgholm castle much more interesting however is its shape.

Does it look familiar? That's because Borgholm castle's shape was the indirect inspiration for the commando key on every Mac keyboard.



True story!

Looks more like a WW2 bunker tbh.

[Deleted]

Looks more like a WW2 bunker tbh.

Yeah, it used to have spiral roofs and everything, but it burned down in 1806 and no one has bothered to build it up again since Öland stopped being of any strategic importance once Sweden conquered the Scanian provinces.

[Kalis]

Does it look familiar? That's because Borgholm castle's shape was the indirect inspiration for the commando key on every Mac keyboard.



True story!

Apparently that isn't true. The designer of the Apple command key saw the symbol in a book and used it, then afterwards she was told it was based on the castle, but it was in use as a symbol in Nordic countries before the castle was built and was chosen as a representation of cultural heritage.

[Deleted]

Apparently that isn't true. The designer of the Apple command key saw the symbol in a book and used it, then afterwards she was told it was based on the castle, but it was in use as a symbol in Nordic countries before the castle was built and was chosen as a representation of cultural heritage.

Doh. Just looked it up and you're right.

[Kalis]

Doh. Just looked it up and you're right.

I like that a symbol on something representative of modern culture is tied into something representative of ancient culture (albeit unwittingly), rather than based on some random castle.

It's better than what many people do with ancient symbols, where they use them to forward an agenda by tying it in with the past.

[Slant]

I'd watched 28 Days Later the night before I visited so all I could think of is how easily you could defend it from a zombie horde. So it would be good for that I guess

Hmmm.... watch World War Z... THOSE zombies would invade Schwanstein in no time. And that's even a rhyme!

- - - Updated - - -

Versailles, the biggest castle in the world (but not habited) :

Versailles is a palace, not a castle. Zero defense, all show off and comfort.

Otherwise Buckingham would be in this list, or Schönbrunn, etc.

[Puupi]

What makes the Borgholm castle much more interesting however is its shape.

Does it look familiar? That's because Borgholm castle's shape was the indirect inspiration for the commando key on every Mac keyboard.



True story!

Not a true story.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Looped_square

[segara82]

I am shocked nobody mentioned Castle Wyvern!

http://gargoyles.wikia.com/wiki/Castle_Wyvern

On a more serious note the Hohensalzburg Castle, Austria is quite impressive and one of the largest in the world.
Sadly my company-net stops me from linking a nice picture.

[Deleted]

Cardiff castle is my favorite though could be cause i live in cardiff

[Strear]

Cardiff castle is my favorite though could be cause i live in cardiff

Oh ! We missed it ! Only visited DR Who Experience ... I regret

[Tuor]

Another picture, of my local Castle. The clock tower marks the old main gate to the city.


EDIT:
An ancient draw signing the tower.

There, how the tower looks today.


And a bonus video of border castles in the portuguese districts of Bragança, Guarda and Castelo Branco (my home town).

[StayTuned]

There, how the tower looks today.
And a bonus video of border castles in the portuguese districts of Bragança, Guarda and Castelo Branco (my home town).
[video=youtube;t-NIW2KSU4U]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-NIW2KSU4U[video]

Bro have you checked the date of this thread?

@Shadowferal

[Shadowferal]

LOL...You called?

O..okay: