Castles!- Large Photos

[captmarga]

Bonjour, from your Guest Castelan.

Today we feature Coucy-le-Chateau.


http://www.france-for-visitors.com/north/coucy-le-ch%C3%A2teau.html





This imposing castle featured a huge donjon (yes, as it sounds, a prison).  It is situated near Cambrai, in the northern portion of France.  Cambrai featured in the Norman invasion, and also happens to be where my French ancestors resided in the 1400s.   Unfortunately Coucy was demolished during the war, and only ruins remain.

Capt. Marga

[LadyElizabeth]

Dunlace Castle in Ireland I actually got to visit about a month ago.  It was built a very long time ago, but in the 16th century or so, a huge storm at sea caused a massive wave to crash upon the shore and it took down half the castle.  It was never rebuilt after that, but has stood in ruins since then.  It is said that many died when the event occured, or so said my tour guide.

[captmarga]

Since they aren't the type of castle we are used to seeing, I'll just
post them all as one.  Have fun exploring the various sites!

Apparently Japan has 67 "castles".  Some are ruins, some reconstructed.
This site is nicely set up to categorize them.

http://www.jcastle.info/castle/browse

One of our rennie friends (from Scarborough and other venues) is in Japan
as an English teacher.  After posting on her LJ with photos of "here,
have a castle" it prompted me to find more! 

Whether you are into this style of architechture or not, you must admit
they are still splendid!





Capt. Marga

[captmarga]

Good Morning from your guest Castelan!

Here's a castle (Chateau) I have personally visited.  Having made a
number of trips to France, I never tire of the chateaux around the
countryside.  Many are in the Loire valley, along the river banks (the
Loire, and Cher especially). Now, keep in mind a Chateau may bear the
same name as the community surrounding it, so often you have to really
look and follow the signs to find the actual "castle structure".

http://www.francethisway.com/places/chateauchinon.php

Joan of Arc was at this chateau.  It too has a Donjon, down a long, dark
stone staircase (which you can traverse in part- though I made Curran go down it).  It's mostly in drafty
ruins.

Some Cardinal named Richelieu obtained this and other properties, as they
were too close to his own home holdings... many were destroyed...


 


Capt Marga

[captmarga]

Dunlace Castle in Ireland I actually got to visit about a month ago.  It was built a very long time ago, but in the 16th century or so, a huge storm at sea caused a massive wave to crash upon the shore and it took down half the castle.  It was never rebuilt after that, but has stood in ruins since then.  It is said that many died when the event occured, or so said my tour guide.

Oh, very nice!  Someday Ireland is on the books for travel....Is this a castle ruin where you can get inside, or just look from the road?  Far too many of our travels in France we haven't been able to stop and tour all of the chateaux.

Capt. Marga

[captmarga]

Good ken to ye all this day!

Here be a castle with a fine name and imposing structure!

http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/blackness/blacknesscastle/

It dates back to at least the 1450s, with much reconstruction by King James iV n the 1530's It's said to be haunted as well. Noises in empty rooms, as well as a fully armored knight have been reported.





Enjoy!

Capt. Marga

[captmarga]

Bonjour mon amis.

For my last day as Guest Castelan, we must of course return to my own point of origin, and visit again in France.

This "Castle" is listed among the Chateaux of the Loire valley, but in truth is neither.  This massive structure is in fact the King's Hunting Lodge. Chambord. Yes, the liqueur comes from this region as well.

It's difficult to see the entire structure in one day.  The grounds are huge, the lawn neatly trimmed.  Even though there is much restoration in progress, the sheer size makes visiting tiring for anyone who is not in the best of stair-climbing shape.  Each floor is over two stories high, so at the highest balcony one is dizzyingly high.

There are 440 rooms (not all accessible to the public).  This lodge is actually geometrically built, so that the floorplans themselves are dazzling.  The famous double-helix staircase is amazing to climb (or to race your family up or down as they take the other set of stairs).

It has been undergoing much renovation over the past years.  Since our first visit in 2000 to the last one in 2007, we saw various sections closed, replastered, and reworked.  The great arched ceilings are in tile-sections, many with royal Dragons alternating with porcupines.  Since many have crumbled away, they are in the process of being replaced.

The stables are mostly only walls and the menage.  There is a chapel on the grounds to which services may still be attended. 

The interior walls round the fireplaces are rife with grafitti.  And indeed, some dates back into the 1500's!  We photographed a number that were extremely interesting (including one that looks remarkably like my own family crest, but is over 400 years old!!!)

http://www.glasssteelandstone.com/BuildingDetail/111.php

http://outdoorpasttimes.com/sports/the-spectacular-hunting-lodge-chateau-du-chambord-in-the-enchanting-loire-valley-206/



http://www.castles.org/castles/Europe/Western_Europe/France/france5.htm

All of these photos on the following pages were  taken by myself, my daughter, mother or husband at our last visit in 2007.

http://shadowscastle.net/chambord.html

http://www.shadowscastle.net/chambord2.html






Merci Beaucoup to Dona Catalina for starting this thread!

Capt Marga

[DonaCatalina]

First I would like to thank Capt. Marga for a wonderful job as guest Castellan. She posted some pretty stunning photos!
I especially enjoyed the Chambord information.
But on to today's castle, Montearagón
Dating from the early 1400's, this large castle and monastery complex now is mostly ruins. There is some evidence that this castle is built on the foundations of an earlier Aragonese castles dating to around 1063.

[DonaCatalina]

I was tempted to save this one for December, but today we're visiting Italy to see Castel San Niccolò or the Castle of Saint Nicholas. 

[DonaCatalina]

Birkenfels Castle
Castle of Birkenfels The castle of Birkenfels is a castle built towards 1260 in the forest of Obernai, on the commune of Ottrott by Burkhard Beger.

[DonaCatalina]

Dunscaith Castle in Scotland.
According to legend this castle was built all in one night by the Fae.
Not much remains today.



Artist's rendition

[DonaCatalina]

Appropriately enough; we are going to Romania for Bran Castle
One of the castles owned by Vlad Tepes, Count Dracula. This one was apparently acquired after the death of his wife.
This link will take you to a stunning photo.

[captmarga]

Oh, Bran castle!  And Scottish ruins... I shall travel there tonight in my dreams...

Capt Marga

[Capt Gabriela Fullpepper]

OH must visit Bran Castle

[DonaCatalina]

Better late than never..........
We're going to Wales to visit Chirk Castle
Chirk Castle is a 700 year old marcher fortress, which commands fine views over the surrounding countryside.