Anamur, Turkey Mamure Castle is one of the largest and most impressive castles in Turkey, and one of the best seaside fortifications between Rhodes and Akko. Located along the southern coast of Turkey, this region has been among the most heavily trafficked land and water trade routes since the dawn of history. A major fortress has stood on the site for at least seventeen … [Read more...]
RUMELIHISARI FORTRESS
Istanbul, Turkey Rumelihisari Fortress in Istanbul is arguably the best castle in Europe not constructed by Europeans. Established by the Ottomans in the mid-15th century, it was constructed in a mere two years not for defensive purposes, but rather as an advance base to create a stranglehold on Constantinople. It is most famous for the three gargantuan round towers which … [Read more...]
KREMLINS OF WESTERN RUSSIA (MOSCOW, NOVGOROD, SMOLENSK)
Western Russia The great Kremlins of Russia played an important military role in some of the most exposed regions of Europe. The plains of Western Russia are both extremely fertile and strategically endless, and unlike the rest of Europe almost impossible to defend under the traditional system of feudal castles. Instead Russia focused on the defense of heavily fortified … [Read more...]
AKERSHUS CASTLE
Oslo, Norway Akerhus Castle is one of the oldest and largest medieval fortresses on the Scandinavian Peninsula. Originally built to protect the city of Oslo from the Swedes, it is also one of the oldest castles in Europe still actively used for military purposes, and as such has been exceptionally well maintained over the centuries. Akerhus Castle’s military record is … [Read more...]
WAWEL CASTLE
Krakow, Poland Wawel Castle is the historic, Romantic royal fortress of the medieval Kingdom of Poland. It looms large in the memory of all Poles as the capital of a mighty empire that once stretched across much of northeastern Europe. Renovated on numerous occasions, and still in official use between the two world wars, Wawel Castle has been home to one of Poland’s great … [Read more...]
SALZBURG HIGH FORTRESS
Salzburg, Austria The city of Salzburg in western Austria has been an important military, commercial and religious center since the early Middle Ages. Salzburg was the closest city to Venice north of the Alps, and was consequently a major hub for spreading trade and the Church from Italy into Central Europe. To guard the area and the traffic passing through, the local … [Read more...]
GRAVENSTEEN CASTLE
Ghent, Belgium The castles and palaces of the Low Countries are extremely numerous, and no place in Europe has less standardized architectural styles than this region. Influenced by the French, Germans, English and Scandinavians, Benelux enjoys a wide variety of some of the most beautiful castles in Europe. If there is one stylistic factor common to region was the tendency … [Read more...]
ST. GEORGE CASTLE
Lisbon, Portugal The Castelo de Sao Jorge is the largest and arguably the most magnificent castle in Portugal. Of all the urban castles in capital cities in Western Europe, Sao Jorge is probably second only to the Tower of London in England. Standing in the very heart of Lisbon, the castle and its predecessors have guarded the city since Roman times and perhaps earlier. One … [Read more...]
CASTLES OF THE UKRAINE (AKKERMAN, KAMIANETS-PODILSKYI, LUTSK)
Western Ukraine Western Ukraine was historically one of most fluid frontiers of Europe. This was due in no small part to its use as a highway into Europe for nomadic invaders from Asia. Largely a vast plain with few natural barriers, this part of the continent was almost impossible to fortify. That’s not to say the locals didn’t try. This was especially true during the … [Read more...]
BOURTZI CASTLE
Nafplio, Greece Bourtzi Castle is one of the finest castles in Greece. It certainly has one of the most spectacular settings of any fortification in southeastern Europe. Originally built by the Venetians to protect the city of Nafplio, it stands on an island in the middle of magnificent harbor. Behind it on the shore, the whitewashed, red-roofed buildings of the town loom … [Read more...]