Medieval castles were actually not just big fortresses with massive stone walls. These were brilliantly designed fortifications in which many witty and creative ways were used to protect the inhabitants of the castle from attacking enemies. Literally everything - from the outer walls to the shape and location of the stairs - it was very carefully planned to ensure maximum protection of the inhabitants of the castle. In this review about little-known secrets, hid in the design of medieval castles.

Almost every castle surrounded the ditch filled with water. It is usually assumed that it was an obstacle to the storming troops, but in fact it was not the main function of the RVA.

Castle Vissering in Germany. The castle consists of an external defensive courtyard, protective gateways, a lifting bridge, perched through ditch, the main building and chapel.

One of the biggest problems of the inhabitants of the medieval castle or fortress was that the invasion army could proceed the tunnels under the fortifications. Not only that the enemy could get inside the castle under the ground, so tunnels could also lead to the collapse of the castle walls. I also prevented this, because the tunnel, punked under the moat, inevitably poured with water and it collapsed.

Nesvizh Castle. Belarus.

It was a very effective deterrent against laying tunnels. Often darts were laid around the outer wall of the castle, but between the outer and the inner walls.

Concentric circles defense

It was extreme effective method Protection for residents of a medieval castle, which looked like a number of obstacles surrounding the castle.

Castle Gorosterwitz. Austria.

As a rule, there were such obstacles (as far as the castle ranges), the outdoor and federal field, the outer wall, ditch, interior Wall, Dongon Tower. The attacking army had to overcome each of these obstacles in turn. And it took a lot of time and effort.

Main Gate.

The main goal of the castle was often the most dangerous place of the entire structure, because if necessary, they could turn into a deadly trap.

Castle ELTC in Germany.

They often led to a small courtyard, at the other end of which there were also more gates equipped with an iron-loving grille. If the strikers broke out through the first gate and turned out to be in the courtyard, the lattice was lowered, after which the aggressors were trapped.

Swirzhsky castle in the village of Svirt Lviv region. Main goal.

At the same time, in the walls of the courtyard there were small holes through which the defenders could shoot from the onions and crossbows in the opponent's warriors trapped.

Hidden secrets of stairs

Staircases in medieval castles were actually very thoughtful. First, they were almost always screw, very narrow and built clockwise.

Banding staircase in a worldly castle. Belarus.

This meant that attacking opponents that climbed up the stairs (and one by one, because the stairs were narrow), it was very difficult to fight, because they had a sword in his right hand. And since the wall was always located on the right hand, they did not have opportunities for Zamaha. The defenders of the wall of the spiral staircase were on the left hand, so they had more opportunities for Zamaha.

Staircase with reverse reverse and uneven steps in Vallenstein Castle in Germany.

Another original feature of the stairs was that they were uneven steps: some were very high, and others - low. Defenders of the castle, being familiar with the local stairs, could quickly rise and go down on them, and the attackers often stumbled and fell, substituted under the blow.

Secret moves

Many castles were secret moves that served various purposes. Some of them were made so that the inhabitants of the castle could escape in the event of a defeat, as well as that during the siege, the defending were not cut off from food supplies.

Koretsky castle in Ukraine.

Secret passages were also led to secret cameras, where people could hide, the food was stored and (which was quite often) an extra water well was pulled out.

Primary castle in Slovenia.

therefore medieval castle It was much more than just a big glamorous palace with massive stone walls around him. It was a building developed up to the smallest details, in order to protect the inhabitants. And in every castle was full of their little secrets.

Still, medieval architects were geniuses - they built castles, luxurious structures that were also extremely practical. Castles, unlike modern mansions, not only demonstrated the wealth of their owners, but also served as powerful fortresses, which could hold defense for several years, and at the same time lives in them did not stop.

Even the fact that many castles, surviving wars, the blows of the elements and the carelessness of the owners, still stand entire, says that the housing is not invented. And they are insanely beautiful and as if appeared in our world from pages of fairy tales and legends. Their high spiers are reminded of times when the beauties were fighting for the hearts, and the air was impregnated with knight and courage.

Castle Rayhsburg, Germany

The thousand-year castle was originally a residence of King Germany Conrad III, and then King France Louis XIV. The fortress was burned by the French in 1689 and would have sunk in the fly, but the German businessman acquired her remains in 1868 and spent most of his wealth to restore the castle.

Mont-Saint-Michel, France

Swallow nest, Crimea

At first, on the rock of Cape Ai-Todor was located small wooden house. And the current appearance of the "swallow nest" received thanks to the oil industry by Baron Steingeel, who loved to relax in the Crimea. He decided to build a romantic castle, which resembles medieval structures on the banks of the Rhine River.

Castle Stalker, Scotland

Castle Stalker, that in translation means "falcon hunter", was built in 1320 and belonged to the McDugal clan. From this time, his walls experienced a huge number of strip and wars, which affected the condition of the castle. In 1965, the owner of the castle became Colonel D. R. Stewart from Allvard, who personally, together with his wife, family members and friends restored the structure.

Castle Bran, Romania

Bran Castle is the pearl of Transylvania, the Mysterious Fort Museum, where the famous legend about the column Dracula - Vampire, a murderer and the governor Vladzhesh was born. According to legend, he spent the night here during the periods of his campaigns, and the forest surrounding the castle Bran was a favorite place to hunt the chain.

Vyborg Castle, Russia

The Vyborg Castle was founded by the Swedes in 1293, during one of the Crusades to Karelian Earth. He remained Scandinavian until 1710, when the troops I threw the Swedes far and for a long time. From this time, the castle managed to both be a warehouse, and a barracks, and even a prison for the Decembrists. And nowadays the museum is located here.

Castle Cachel, Ireland

Cashel Castle was the residence of the Kings of Ireland a few hundred years to the Norman invasion. Here in the V century n. e. He lived and preached Holy Patrick. The walls of the castle witnessed the blood suppression of the revolution by the troops of Oliver Cromwell, who burned soldiers alive here. Since then, the castle has turned into a symbol of the cruelty of the British, the present courage and the resistance of the spirit of the Irish.

Cylkurne Castle, Scotland

Very beautiful and even a little terrible ruins of Kilhurn castle are located on the shore of the picturesque lake Eyv. The story of this castle, unlike most castles of Scotland, proceeds quite calmly - there were numerous graphs here, which replaced each other. In 1769, the building suffered from the impact of lightning and soon it was finally left, how remains to this day.

Likhtentein Castle, Germany

Built in the XII century, this castle was destroyed several times. He was finally restored in 1884 and from those castle became the place of filming for many films, including for the painting "Three Musketeers".

There are few things in the world more interesting than the Knight's castles of the Middle Ages: these majestic fortresses breathe evidence of distant ears with grandiose battles, they saw the most perfect nobility, and the most pious betrayal. And not only historians and experts of military affairs are trying to solve the secrets of ancient fortifications. The knightly castle is interesting to all - the writer and the man in the man, the avid tourist and a simple housewife. This, so let's say a massive artistic image.

How the idea was born

A very troubled time is in addition to big wars, the feudals constantly led disassembly with each other. In the neighborhood, it was not boring. The aristocrats strengthened their dwellings from the invasion: initially only ditch before the entrance and the wooden frequency will be supplied. As the siege experience gained, the strengthening became becoming more powerful - so that the ram was withstanding and the stone nuclei were not afraid. In antiquity, the Romans were surrounded by a trap-troops on vacation. Stone structures began to build Normans, and only in the 12th century the classic European knightly castles of the Middle Ages appeared.

Transformation into a fortress

Gradually, the castle turned into the fortress, he was surrounded by a stone wall, in which high towers were built. The main goal is to make a knightly castle inaccessible to attackers. At the same time be able to observe the entire district. The castle must necessarily have their own source. drinking water - Suddenly the long siege will have to.

The towers were built in such a way that any number of enemies can even hold as long as possible. For example, - narrow and so cool that the warrior, going to the second, can help the first nothing can be a sword or a spear. And it was necessary to climb them against a clockwise, so that the shield is not covered.

Try to enter!

Imagine a mountain slope on which the knightly castle is erected. Photo attached. Such structures were always built at height, and if there was no natural suitable landscape, made a bulk hill.

Knight's castle in the Middle Ages is not only knights and feudalists. Around and around the castle there were always small settlements, where all sorts of artisans settled and, of course, warriors guarding the perimeter.

Running along the road is always facing the right side to the fortress, the one that cannot be covered with a shield. There is no high vegetation - not to hide. The first obstacle - ditch. It can be around the castle either across the castle wall and plateau, even sickle, if the terrain allows.

The separation rsive are even within the castle: if suddenly the enemy managed to break through, the movement would be very difficult. If the rocks of the soil rock - ditch and do not need, the sub-wall is impossible under the wall. Earthy shaft right in front of the moat was often with a frequency.

The bridge to the outer wall is made so that the defense of the Knight Castle in the Middle Ages could last for years. It is lifted. Either the whole or extreme segment. In the raised position - vertically - this is an additional protection for the gate. If part of the bridge rose, the other was automatically lowered in the ditch, where the "Wolf pit" was placed - surprise for the most metering strikers. Knight's castle in the Middle Ages was not a hospital for all in a row.

Gate and Shuttle Tower

The Knight's castles of the Middle Ages are most vulnerable to the gateway. You were prompted to enter the lock in the side wicket along the lifting datrop, if the bridge is already raised. The gate themselves were most often not built into the wall, but were arranged in the short-lived towers. Usually bivalve, from several layers of boards, were trimmed with iron to protect against arson.

Castles, drowsy, transverse beams, across back in the opposite wall - all this helped to hold out in the siege for quite a long time. Behind the gate, also the iron or wooden powerful grid was usually descended. That was so equipped with knightly castles of the Middle Ages!

The short-term tower was arranged so that the guarding of her guards could learn from the guests of the visit and, if necessary, treat the arrow from the vertical loophole. For a real siege there were built-in and holes for boiling resin.

Defense of the knightly castle in the Middle Ages

The most important defensive element. It should be high, thick and better if on the base under the tilt. The foundation under it as deep as possible - in case of the subpople.

Sometimes there is a double wall. Next to the first high is an inner small, but impregnable without fixtures (stairs and sixteen, which remained outside). The space between the walls is the so-called Zwinger - is shot.

Outer Wall Upstairs is equipped for the defenders of the fortress, sometimes even with a canopy of bad weather. The teeth on it existed not only for beauty - for them it was convenient to hide in full growth to recharge, for example, crossbow.

Bolds in the wall adapted and under the archers, and under the crossbars: narrow and long - for onions, with an extension - for crossbow. Bowls - pinned, but turning ball with a slot for shooting. Balconies were built mostly decorative, but if the wall is narrow, they used them, retreating and giving passing the rest.

Medieval knightly towers were almost always built with convex towers in the corners. They performed out for shooting along the walls in both directions. The inner side was open to the enemy, penetrating on the walls, did not fix inside the tower.

What's inside?

In addition to Zwingers, other surprises could be expected at the gate of the unwanted guests. For example, a small closed courtyard with braces in the walls. Sometimes the locks were built from several autonomous sections with powerful inner walls.

It was necessarily inside the castle yard with the farm - a well, bakery, a bath, a kitchen and donjon - the central tower. Much depended on the location of the well: not only health, but also the life of the deposited. It happened that (remember that the castle if not just on the elevation, then on the rocks) it was more expensive than all the other castle buildings. The Turing Castle of the Cuffhoiser, for example, has a well for more than one hundred forty meters deep. On rocky breed!

Central Tower

DONZHON - the highest construment of the castle. From there, observing the surroundings. And it is the central tower that is the last refuge of the besieged. The most reliable! Walls are very thick. The entrance is extremely narrow and located at high altitude. The staircase leading to the door could be drawn inside or destroy. Then the knightly castle can still hold a siege for a long time.

At the base of the donzhon was a basement, kitchen, pantry. Next, they walked floors with stone or wooden overlaps. The stairs were wooden, with stone overlaps they could be burned to stop the enemy on the approach.

The main hall was posted on the whole floor. Heated fireplace. Above usually located family rooms of the castle owner. There were small stoves decorated with tiles.

At the very top of the tower, most often open, the platform for the catapult and the most important thing - the banner! Medieval knight locks differed not only by knighthood. There were cases when the knight and his family donzhon did not use for housing, building a stone palace near her (Palace) near her. Then the Donjon served as a warehouse, even a prison.

And, of course, every knightly castle necessarily had a temple. Mandatory inhabitant of the castle - Capellan. Often he is - and the clerk, and the teacher, in addition to the main work. In the rich castles of the temples were two-story so that the Lords do not pray next to the mobile. Within the temple, the generic tomb of the owner was equipped.

As the seas and rivers provided a large overview for tracking and attacking in foreign invaders.

The supply of water allowed to save the pivans and ditches, which were an indispensable part of the lock protective system. The locks also functioned as administrative centers, and the reservoirs helped facilitate taxation of taxes, because the rivers and the sea were important shopping waterways.

Also, the locks were built on high hills or in rocks rocks, which was difficult to attack.

Stages of construction of the castle

At the beginning of the construction of the castle in the ground around the location of the future building, Rips were digging. Their contents folded inside. It turned out a mound or a hill called Mott. On him later, the castle was built.

Then the walls of the castle were constructed. Often, two rows of walls were often erected. The outer wall was below the internal. It was the towers for the castle defenders, a lifting bridge and a gateway. On the inner wall of the castle, the towers used to be used for. Basement rooms were intended for food storage in case of siege. The platform that the interior wall was surrounded was called "Bailey". On the site was the tower where the feudalled feudal. Castles could be complemented by extensions.

What castles did

The material from which the locks were manufactured, depended on the geology of the area. The first locks were built of wood, but later as building material Steel stone. In construction, sand, limestone, granite were used.

All construction was done manually.

Walls of locks rarely completely consisted of a solid stone. Outside the wall was made of cladding from the treated stones, and from its inside, it was laid out uneven shapes and a different size. These two layers were connected with lime solutions. The solution was prepared right at the place of the future structure, and with it also blended stones.

Wooden forests were erected at the site of construction site. At the same time, horizontal beams stuck in the pockets done in the walls. From above across them clashed boards. On the walls of the castles of the Epoch of the Middle Ages, you can see square recesses. This is the marks from the scaffolding. At the end of construction, building niches were filled with limestone, but over time he fell off.

The windows in the castles were narrow holes. On the tower of the castle, small openings were made in order for the defenders to let the arrows.

What did locks manage

If it was about the royal residence, experts were hired for construction throughout. So the King of Medieval Wales Edward first built his ring locks. The bricklayers cut the stones on the blocks of the right shape and size using hammer, chisel and measuring. This work required high mastery.

Stone locks were expensive. King Edward almost ruined the state treasury, spending 100,000 pounds on their construction. In the construction of one castle, about 3,000 workers were involved.

The construction of castles left three to ten years. Some of them were built in the zone of hostilities, and more time was required to fulfill. Most castles built by Edward are still standing.

For some reason, at the mention of the word "fairy tale", medieval castles and fortresses arise in front of the mental look. It may be because they were built in those long-standing times when the wizards were fluent in the fields and meadows, and fire dragons flew over the mountain peaks.

Be that as it may, and now, looking at the surviving beds and fortresses, the princesses and evil fairies, sings over the magic drugs, are university. Let's look at once a luxurious housing for the power of it.

(It. Schloß Neuschwanstein, literally "New Swan Stone") is located in Germany, near the town of Füssen (Fussen). The castle was laid in 1869 by King Ludwig II, Bavarian. Construction completed in 1891, 5 years after the unexpected death of the king. The castle is gorgeous and attracts with its beauty architectural forms of curious tourists from around the world.

This is the "Dream Palace" of the young king, who was never able to see her embodiment in his full magnitude. Ludwig II, Bavarian, the founder of the castle, ascended to the throne too young man. And being a dreamy nature that represented itself with a fabulous character Loangrin, he conceived to build his castle to hide him from the harsh reality of Bavaria's defeat in Union with Austria in 1866 in the war with Prussia.

Understanding from state concerns, the young king demanded too much from the army of architects, artists and master people. Sometimes he put a completely unreal period, to comply with the 24-hour Masonic and Stolyarov. During the construction, Ludwig II was increasingly delved to his invented world, for which he was later recognized as crazy. The architectural project of the castle was constantly changing. Thus were excluded for guests and added a small grotto. A small audience hall was transformed into a majestic throne room.

A century ago, Ludwig II, Bavarian tried to hide from people behind the walls of the medieval castle - today they come with millions to admire his fabulous refuge.

(It. Burg Hohenzollern) - an ancient castle-fortress in Baden-Württemberg at 50 km south of Stuttgart. The castle is built at an altitude of 855 m above sea level on the top of the Mount Hohenzollerne. Until our days, only the third castle has been preserved. The medieval castle fortress was first built in the XI century and completely destroyed after taking, at the end of the exhausting siege by the troops of the cities of Schwabia in 1423.

At its ruins in 1454-1461, a new fortress was built, which served as a refuge house of Hohenzollers for the thirty-year-old war. In connection with the complete loss of the fortress of strategic importance, by the end of the XVIII century, the castle could noticeably doused, and some parts of the building were completely dismantled.

The modern version of the castle was erected in 1850-1867 for the personal indication of the King Friedrich Wilhelm IV, who decided to fully restore the generic castle of the Prussian royal house. The construction of the castle was led by the famous Berlin architect Friedrich Augustus Stüler. He managed to unite new, large-scale castle buildings in the neo-neo-style and a few preserved buildings of previous destroyed locks.

(Karlštejn), built by the decree of the Czech king and Emperor Charles IV (named after his honor) on a high limestone rock over the river Berounka, like a summer residence and place of storage of the sacred relics of the royal family. The first stone in the foundation of the castle Karlstein was laid close to the Emperor by Archbishop Arnoght in 1348, and already in 1357 the construction of the castle was completed. Two years before the end of the construction of Karl IV settled in the castle.

The step architecture of the Karlstein castle, the tower of the Capella Large Cross, is found quite often in the Czech Republic. The ensemble includes directly the castle itself, the Church of the Virgin Mary, Ekaterininskaya Chapel, the large tower, the Mariana and the well tower.

The majestic head tower and the imperial palace, in which the king's relatives were located, transfer tourists to the Middle Ages, when the Czech Republic rules mighty monarch.

Royal Palace and Fortress in the Spanish city of Segovia, in the province of Castile and Leon. The fortress is built on a high rock, over the fusion of Eremma rivers and clammeres. Such a good location made it almost impregnable. Now it is one of the most recognizable and beautiful palaces of Spain. Built initially as a fortress, Alcazar was in its time and the Royal Palace, and the Prison, and the Artillery Royal Academy.

Alcazar, former in the XII century a small wooden fortress, was later rebuilt into the stone castle and became the most impregnable defensive structure. This palace became famous for the great historically significant events: Coronation of Isabella Catholic, her first marriage with King Aragon Ferdinand, the wedding of Anna Austrian with Philip II.

(Castelul Peleş) was built by King Romania Carolem I near the city of Sinah in Romanian Carpathians. The king was fascinated by local beauty, which bought the surrounding lands and built a castle for hunting and summer holidays. The name of the castle gave a small mountain river, which took place nearby.

In 1873, the construction of a grandiose structure was launched, under the leadership of the architect Johann Schulz. Together with the castle, other necessary for a comfortable life of the structure were built: the royal stables, houses for guarding, a hunting house and a power plant.

Thanks to the power plant, Peles became the first electrified castle in the world. Officially, the castle opened in 1883. At the same time, central heating and lifting elevator were installed in it. Fully construction was completed in 1914.

It is a symbol of a small city-state San Marino on the territory of modern Italy. The beginning of the construction of the fortress is considered to be ... N.E. Guaita is the first of the three fortresses of San Marino, built on the peaks of Mount Monte Titano.

The structure is two rings of fortifications, the internal retained all signs of the Forts of the era of feudalism. The main entrance gates were located at an altitude of several meters, and it was possible to go through them only on the lifting bridge, currently destroyed. The fortress was restored many times in the XV - XVII centuries.

Well, here we looked at some medieval castles and the fortress of Europe, of course, not all. The next time we will admire the fasteners on the tops of impregnable rocks. There are still so many interesting discoveries ahead!