Feedback on Castle of the Day

[Anna Iram]

Your castle today is so beautiful on the inside. Love that window seat. On the outside, though, it's so bleak. Someone needs to bring it some shrubberies.

What do you suppose the indents at the front were used for?

[Merlin the Elder]

...What do you suppose the indents at the front were used for?

Those roll up. It's the concession stand for all the warriors to get their tankards refilled, fresh arrows, and turkey legs... (sorry...I'm in a mood today...faire in less than a week  )

[Anna Iram]

Ha! That's what it looked like to me too.  

I'm curious, though, if there is another reason. It does look as if it was open at some time.

[DonaCatalina]

Yes, I believe that was a cellar/cow byre that was once open to the outside. With the late conversion it was closed off far a wine cellar. All the entrances to the main keep were originally only on the second floor.

[Merlin the Elder]

Cool time-lapse on today's feature...

[Archer]

DonaCatalina, thanks for your dedication with presenting these works of art/creations from history.  The Castle thread is one of my favorite threads on the forum to view. 

[DonaCatalina]

You are very welcome.
It is enjoyable and educational for me.

[arbcoind]

4/13/12 Castle of the Day...

Like, Like, Like!!

Gina

[Bob of the Lake]

That first photo of Ortenburg Castle with the tents (May 10) looks like they were holding a reenactment of some sort. Very picturesque!

[DonaCatalina]

Actually, they were. 
Die Feldschlacht um die Ortenburg

[Bob of the Lake]

Wow--very impressive! 

[arbcoind]

Dona, thank you for more pics of the reenactment.  Very nice indeed!

Gina

[DonaCatalina]

In 1305, the local abbot sold the monastery to the Livonian Branch of the Teutonic Knights, who began construction of the fortress of Dunamunde.

An attempt by the Order to bring some culture to the region for sure.....lol! For those that don't know it, the Livonian Order was actually a separate entity for awhile and then was absorbed by the Teutonic Order after some rough times, although it still retained much of its autonomy in activities.


See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livonian_Brothers_of_the_Sword
or the book The Teutonic Knights by Urban.

Most of the ordinary people in the Baltic states, Latvia and Estonia in particular, viewed the Livonian Order and the Teutonic Order as oppressors. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._George%27s_Night_Uprising
That antipathy is the reason why so many Order castles were reduced to rubble when the Teutonic Knights lost control of the territories. In 1481 the citizens of Riga attacked Daugavgriva castle and destroyed it in response to the Livonian Knights' efforts to blockade the river in an attempt to ruin Riga's seagoing trade.

[Ian Maxwell]

I haven't gone through the whole thread, just wondering if you've done Caerlaverock Castle in Scotland or the Citadel in Sisteron France?  I've seen the one in Sisteron, very beautiful and defensible and want to see Caerlaverock, my ancestral home.....I'll never be able to prove that one.


Great thread


Ian

[DonaCatalina]

Caelaverock was covered on October 18,2008.
http://www.renaissancefestival.com/forums/index.php?topic=10.msg74059#msg74059

I have not yet covered La Citadelle de Sisteron; but I probably will on the next pass up the alphabet.