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Author
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Topic: The Highest Castle?
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Moe
Member
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posted 05-08-2001 04:30 PM
  
What and where is the highest medieval castle (I mean like up into mountains) which was lived in by royalty/aristocrats? |
Peter
Member
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posted 05-09-2001 12:07 PM
A good question Moe.
And to be honest, I don't know.
Most of the higher castles were built for protection, or as a retreat. Being over high meant they were not really accessible.
Here in North Wales we have 'Dinas Bran' (Crow Castle), built in Iron Age defences.
This is above the town of Llangollen, and the River Dee.
I've been up there just the once, and that was once too many !
Many of these castles had very short usage, and because of their position tended to be of the cruder type. A place were no one of any real 'blood' would want to stay for long.
Hope some of the others come up with examples for us.
I would think central Europe and the Alps contain good examples ? |
A Knight
Senior Member
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posted 05-09-2001 04:25 PM
I've often seen Castell Dinas in Brecknock quoted as the highest castle in the UK - 450m.------------------
Andy Knight
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Moe
Member
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posted 05-09-2001 04:57 PM
I'm basically in need of a good example on this because I'm doing research. Thus far, the castle has got to be in existence at present and not just ruins. Perhaps a castle on a hill which serves as a headquarters for the region around it (don't know whether that makes sense or not, lemme know).
One thing is for sure, ain't no castle here in South East Asia! |
Erik Schmidt
Senior Member
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posted 05-09-2001 06:47 PM
Just what do you define as a castle? I think there are quite a few fotifications in the Andes which would qualify.
As for Europoean castles it would have to be one in the Central Europoean Alps(Switzerland, France, Austria or Italy).
Andy, it's funny that you say 450m for the highest in England. Most of the lakes of central Switzerland are above 400m.
The castle of Tarasp(SE Switzerland) is at 1402m. Possibly the highest extant castle in Switzerland, built atop a "hill" which itself lies in the alps.Erik |
Moe
Member
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posted 05-10-2001 05:07 AM
My definition of a castle, albeit a romanticized version of it, would be a dwelling. A good example would be Hever Castle in South England which in my opinion is just awesome.
Another would be Warwick Castle.
Both of which I had the opportunity to visit whilst there studying (wish did more of that!)
Anyway, I'll try to come up with a good description of what I'm actually looking for but nevertheless thanks for your valuable info Erik.
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Merlin
Senior Member
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posted 05-10-2001 07:48 AM
Sorry that I have to correct you, Eric. But Tarasp isn't the highest castle in the swiss alps. I'm not absoultely sure if this one's it, but Castle Guardaval in the upper Engadine valley, near to the village of Madulain, is about 1700 m above sea level. But: It's in ruins. But then there are the watch-towers at the old pass-ways, sometimes also named castles. Some of them are even higher up (f.e. Spaniola near Pontresina, about 1850 m).Merlin [This message has been edited by Merlin (edited 05-10-2001).] |
Erik Schmidt
Senior Member
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posted 05-11-2001 06:19 PM
Merlin, I didn't say it was the highest castle in the Swiss alps, but that it might be the highest intact castle. I thought you would have done better than a ruined castle, for sure, Merlin. 
I know there are many ruins well above the height of Tarasp, but that was the only one I could think of which was still intact as that is what Moe is looking for.Moe, I notice you give Hever Castle and Warwick Castle as examples. What aspects of these castle are you particularly interested in?
Don't forget that many of the highest castles were places of refuge built in extreme and difficult terrain and not likely to have developed into palacial style dwellings in the subsequent centuries like the castles you mention. Therefore many of them are now ruined. Erik |
Moe
Member
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posted 05-12-2001 12:31 AM
OK then. Finally this is going somewhere I'm seriously getting all theis great feedback. Gee thanks guys.
So what is the best example of a palacial style dwelling/castle in the most extreme and difficult terrain in existent today? (Clue, it may be up in the mountains/hills, or ion an island on the lake etc etc?
(Another clue, it must not have been renovated in the past two centuries, just for the sake of living in it i.e. it must have been lived before?)
Shoot I'm kickin' meself for making you guys do this but again, thanks fellas.
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Erik Schmidt
Senior Member
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posted 05-13-2001 12:18 AM
On an island in a lake doesn't sound too extreme to me. Extremely wonderful perhaps!
I'm afraid I don't know too much about palacial dwellings.
How do you define "most extreme and difficult terrain"?
I think your getting a bit silly now! Erik |
Moe
Member
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posted 05-13-2001 04:20 PM
You know that fairy tale castle somewhere in Germany I think built by this prince I think whom everybody thought was silly and crazy and it sits atop this stone mountain or something (it kinda look like that Disney Castle), well, was it difficult to get up there by the time it was ready for occupation?
And it was a palacial dwelling, wasn't it?
When I went up to Scotland (shoot! I can't remember the name of the place) there was this little castle-like place on an island on a lake. It seemes kinda extreme to me cos somebody said that one could only get there when the water was high enough or smething like that.
Similarly, in Istanbul there is a castle/fort on an island in the Bosphorus Sea. |
Erik Schmidt
Senior Member
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posted 05-13-2001 11:28 PM
Neuschwanstein is the one in Germany you're thinking of. I have no idea how hard it is to get to, but it could be what you're looking for as it was certainly a palacial dwelling, nothing to do with a real castle though. Ask on the "Individual Castles" forum about it's ease of access/location, I'm sure there are people who could tell you.
I don't remember a castle on an island anywhere close to Istanbul. The Bosphorus Straight(not a sea), runs between the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara, so you may be thinking of somewhere else. I have sailed about half it's length and visited a couple of the castles along it, as far as I know there are no islands in the Bosphorus Straight, nor does my map show any.
If you're into island "castles", what about Mont San Michael is France. It was reliant on a causeway which could be used only during low tide.
Another form of extreme environment are deserts. There are a few fortified palaces in the Jordanian desert, although most are now partly ruined. I'm sure there are other examples, but I'm not much into palaces so I don't know.Erik |
Merlin
Senior Member
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posted 05-15-2001 09:24 AM
Neuschwanstein doesen't fit in your category, because you said «not renovated in the past two centuries». Well, Schloss Neuschwanstein is not even that old. Maybe Castle Ortenstein (swiss alps) fits better in. It's shape was changed for the last time in the early 19th century, it stands on a very high cliff above the Rhine and it's still inhabited today (guarded by two very big and frightening dogs that barked like mad when I once tried to visit the place). Here's the link: http://www.swisscastles.com/Graubuenden/ortenstein.html And then there's still Tarasp, that Eric alredy mentioned:
http://www.swisscastles.com/Graubuenden/tarasp.html ( Sorry, Eric, that I didn't read your post carefully enough!) [This message has been edited by Merlin (edited 05-15-2001).] |
penelope
Member
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posted 06-09-2001 12:32 PM
Moe I can't remember the name but the castle was owned by the Van der Hause family, it's in the German mountains along the Rhine, and AandE.com should have something because the castle was part of a series done on the great castles of europe a few years ago. |
penelope
Member
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posted 06-10-2001 10:28 AM
Found 3d website with what you're looking for. http://www.3dphoto.net/stereo/world topics/castles.html |
Merlin
Senior Member
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posted 06-11-2001 01:11 AM
German mountains along the Rhine? Some hills, maybe... |
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