A Man’s Facts are His Castle
Sunday
In the UK, the first generation of castles was made of wood, which was cheaper and easier to build with. However, being vulnerable to rot and fire, wood was eventually replaced by stone, and most surviving castles are of this material.
Monday
Germany leads the word in number of castles, with about 25,000. However, the crown for castle density goes to Wales, with the most per square mile of any country.
Tuesday
The word “dungeon” derived from the French term for “great tower,” since the tower was the most secure part of the castle. Royalty and valuables resided there. Eventually, the nobles opted for nicer personal quarters and prisoners were eventually kept most securely down below, though many modern scholars dispute that dungeons were quite as crowded and miserable as popular culture suggests.
Wednesday
England’s Windsor Castle has the title of being both the largest occupied castle and the longest occupied castle, having been one of the royal residences since being built in the 1070s.
Thursday
Neuschwanstein castle in Germany’s Bavarian Alps is likely the most “fairy tale” looking castle, inspiring the “Sleeping Beauty” castle at Disneyland. However, it is a mere 154 years old, and was not built for defense, but as a private and very pricey refuge for a reclusive king who drowned before it was completed.
Thursday
Gunpowder was one of several factors which led to the decline of the castlebuilding era. By the 15th and 16th centuries, the gunpowder-propelled iron balls used for cannon shot could wreak such damage on stone castle walls that this type of fortification became increasingly obsolete, even as new designs were developed to better withstand cannon fire.
Saturday
In our modern era, castle renting is big business, from the familiar Medieval-era grey blocky structures to chateaus and villas. Some castles are even staffed and catered.