Castles!- Large Photos

[DonaCatalina]

Zamek Cmielow is a ruined castle in Cmielow, Poland.
map coordinates 50.892152, 21.518701
It appears in documents in 1388, but rather they apparently relate to an earlier structure. The existing ruins are the remains of a castle built in the years 1519-1531 by Krzysztof Szydlowiecki.

[DonaCatalina]

Zamek Kazimierz is a castle in a small town in Central Poland.
map coordinates 51.323243, 21.951372
The tower, known colloquially as "Tower" or Short Tower was built at the turn of the thirteenth century. According to the writings of John Dlugosz , the larger portion of the castle was built by order of King Casimir the Great in the 40s the fourteenth century.

[DonaCatalina]

Middleham Castle is located in Wensleydale, in the county of North Yorkshire, England.
map coordinates 54.284065, -1.8069
The castle that is there today was built by Robert Fitzrandolph, 3rd Lord of Middleham and Spennithorne, commencing in 1190, near the site of an earlier motte and bailey castle.

[DonaCatalina]

Castle of Braga is a Portuguese fortification and defensive line encircling the ancient city of Braga.
map coordinates 41.551311, -8.423839 and 41.551276, -8.426688
The only remains of this structure are the various gates and towers along its perimeter and the main Keep tower.

[DonaCatalina]

Bolyai Castle is located in Buia, Romania.
map coordinates 45.977849, 24.278625
The castle was documented for the first time in 1296, and probably belonged to the Prince of Transylvania at that time.

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Solovetsky Monastery is situated on the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea of Russia.
map coordinates 65.024444, 35.710556
Solovetsky Monastery was founded in 1436 in the lands of the Novgorod Republic monk Zosima and German, though the first monastic community existed on the islands several earlier. The original fortification appears to have been a fourteenth century keep donated by the King of Russia, either Vasily I or Vasily II (The Blind), who continued to donate money to the monastery for years.

[DonaCatalina]

Château de Vaujours is a ruined castle located in central France.
map coordinates 47.527778, 0.347222
Construction of the castle can be attributed to Hugues VI d'Alluye or to Rotron of Montfort, around 1250

[DonaCatalina]

The Chateau de Montcony is located in the Burgundy region of France.
map coordinates 46.7011 ,5.29121
The moated castle was built in the Twelfth century. It lost most of the curtain walls during a remodeling of 1870.

[DonaCatalina]

This one is for David, a castle turned hotel.
The Schloss Waldeck is a castle in the city of Waldeck in Waldeck-Frankenberg in Hesse, Germany.
map coordinates 51.203819, 9.055761
The hilltop castle was first mentioned in 1120. After Count I of Widekind Schwalenberg Lutrud of Itter's son Volkwin Luitgard married the daughter of Count Poppo I of Ziegenhain, the castle came into the possession of the Schwalenberger family.

[dbaldock]

Nice!  Thank You.

[DonaCatalina]

Maybe David was looking for a castle turned hotel in a warmer climate.
The Castilla de La Suda, or de La Zuda, is located in the city of Tortosa, Spain.
map coordinates 40.814847, 0.52332
The Romans built here first. But today's walled structures were built by the Muslims under the Caliphate of Abderrahman III. After recapture of the city by Count Ramon Berenguer IV in December 1148, the castle became the residence of Moncada and the Templars.

[DonaCatalina]

Hotels are as good a reason to choose a castle as any. According to my daughter, the Polish were among the friendliest to visitors.
Today we are visiting Bytow Castle in Poland, now known as Hotel Zamek Bytow.
map coordinates 54.168487, 17.491900
The current castle was built between 1390-1405, during the reign of the Teutonic Prosecutor James von Reinach. However, the Bytowskie lands were bought by the Teutonic knights in 1329 and including a small castle which they may or may not have razed.

[DonaCatalina]

Castello di Valenzano is located in Valenzo, Italy.
map coordinates 43.628886, 11.882102
The castle dates back to the 10th century and was built during the period when the area was dominated by the Langobards. The castle is now a hotel and convention center.

[DonaCatalina]

Chateau de la Caze is located in the mountains in the south of France.
map coordinates 4.335434, 3.358794
The castl was built in 1489 by Soubeyrane Alamand, bride of the Lord of Monclar. According to legend it was built as a honemoon castle. It is certainly in a dramatic location. Today you can stay in the castle and sample the romance five centuries past.

[dbaldock]

Time for a Field Trip!!!