UBBFriend: Email This Page to Someone!
  Castle Quest
  Floorplans And Blueprints
  Plans for Middle Eastesr Castles

Post New Topic  Post A Reply
profile | register | preferences | faq | search

next newest topic | next oldest topic
Author Topic:   Plans for Middle Eastesr Castles
cthulhu
Member
posted 08-16-2000 11:08 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for cthulhu     Edit/Delete Message
I am an adult planning to build a diorama of a Crusades castle siege. Due mostly to a greater limitation of figure sets and poses for the Saracens, I plan to use them as the beseiged, and the crusaders as the attackers.

I will be building the castle from scratch. The problem I am having is in finding plans for any of the castles occupied by the Saracens during the Crusades. There seems to be an almost over-abundance of information on castles in the British Isles, and some information for other European castles, but I cannot find anything more than a smattering of pictures of Saracen castles that never show more than a small portion of one.

If it proves more feasible to find information, I will probably try to depict the siege of a Moorish castle in Spain.

Can anyone out there suggest any good resources for Saracen or Moorish castle plans?

Thank you for any help!

Cthulhu

Levan
Moderator
posted 08-17-2000 05:22 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Levan   Click Here to Email Levan     Edit/Delete Message
OK, so it's not quite what you're looking for - but might be a useful starting point. There's a cut-out model book, aimed at children (around 10-12 years) of a "Crusader Castle":

Make This Model Crusader Castle (Cut-Out Models Series) by Iain Ashman. ISBN 0746024355. Cost's about £6.50 (UK pounds).

I know of other folks who have used similar models quite successfully to form the templates for more sophisticated modelling.

As another possible resource, I have in the past found lots of pictures of Moorish-style castles and Forts in Puerto Rico (San Juan, Casa Blanca, etc).

Levan

cthulhu
Member
posted 08-17-2000 10:37 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for cthulhu     Edit/Delete Message
Thank you for the suggestion. This may well wind up being the best resource available. I think that the "make this castle" sets seem to run close to the right scale, so I may be able to base my plans on that one. I will go and take a look.

Thanks!

cthulhu
Member
posted 08-17-2000 04:05 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for cthulhu     Edit/Delete Message
For anyone looking for the same thing as I am, Marko posted a notice in the Books forum about a book that has photos, plans, and info on Crusader and Saracen castles in the Middle East called "Castles and Churches of the Crusading Kingdom" by T.S.R. Boase, printed 1967.

Good hunting,

Cthulhu

Erik Schmidt
Senior Member
posted 08-18-2000 12:24 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Erik Schmidt   Click Here to Email Erik Schmidt     Edit/Delete Message
What size castle are you looking at depicting, or will you depict just part of it? Two castles which I have visited in the Middle East that I know are of arab construction are Nimrod Castle in the Golan Heights(Israel) and Ajloun Castle in N Jordan. Nimrod is very large and now partly ruined, but I have a low quality plan from a tourist brosure. Ajloun is small but very impressive and also very intact. I don't have plans. Both castles were attacked but never taken by the crusaders.
If you want plans for them, I'm sure you can get them if you are willing to look hard as both castles are well known and Ajloun was undergoing restoration recently.
Best of luck,
Erik

All times are PT (US)

next newest topic | next oldest topic

Administrative Options: Close Topic | Archive/Move | Delete Topic
Post New Topic  Post A Reply
Hop to:

Contact Us | Castles on the Web

Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Version 5.40
© Infopop Corporation (formerly Madrona Park, Inc.), 1998 - 1999.



Castles on the WebHome
Castles on the WebIntroduction
Castles on the WebCastle Quest
Castles on the WebSite of the Day
Castles on the WebCastle Tours
Castles on the WebCastle Collections
Castles on the WebNew Sites
Castles on the WebPopular Sites
Castles on the WebPhoto Archive
Castles on the WebMiscellaneous
Castles on the WebCastles for Kids
Castles on the WebCastle Glossary
Castles on the WebPalaces & Homes
Castles on the WebMedieval Studies
Castles on the WebAccommodations
Castles on the WebTop Rated
Castles on the WebCastle Postcards
Castles on the WebHeraldry Links
Castles on the WebMyths & Legends
Castles on the WebOrganizations
Castles on the WebCastle Books
Castles on the WebAbbeys & Churches
Castles on the WebWeapons/Supplies
Castles on the WebRandom Site
Castles on the WebAdd A Castle Site
Castles on the WebAcknowledgements
Castles on the WebSearch Options
Castles on the WebPlease Help Us!
Castles on the WebPlease Link To Us
Castles on the WebContact Us

Castles on the Web Copyright 1995- | Privacy Policy