Description
Book SynopsisAn ancient hilltop fortress. A crusader citadel in the West Bank. A fairytale medieval castle fallen into ruin. From ancient times to the end of the nineteenth century, Abandoned Castles explores more than 100 forts, castles and defensive strongholds from all around the globe. From medieval Japanese castles to Spanish colonial forts in West Africa to Norman stone keeps, the book ranges widely across history.
Many have long ceased to serve a purpose, but then, like the crusader castle Krak de Chevaliers in Syria today, their impenetrable walls become the site of more fighting centuries later. Others, such as the Cathar Château de Queribus in southern France, stand high above peaceful coastlines, testament to the wars of the past. Some are beautiful, others brutal, but each tells a story about the way we fought and defended ourselves, and how the building has survived and aged, long after the people it was built by are gone.
With 150 outstanding colour photographs, Abandoned Castles is a brilliant pictorial examination of castles, forts, keeps, and defensive fortifications from the ancient world to the end of the nineteenth century.
Table of ContentsIntroduction
ANCIENT TIMES TO DARK AGES
Eleutherae, Attica, Greece
Danebury, Hampshire, England
Masada, Judea, Israel
Euryalus, near Syracuse, Sicily, Italy
Coria, Northumberland, England
Qal’at al-Bahrain, Bahrain
Palace of Darius, Persepolis, Ira
Circular Tower, Coastal Fortress, Qal’at al-Bahrain, Bahrain
Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, India
Theodosian Walls, Istanbul, Turkey
Qasr al-Hayr al-Sharqi, Homs Governorate, Syria
EARLY MEDIEVAL PERIOD
Coity Castle, Glamorgan, Wales
Yamchun, Wakhan Valley, Tajikistan
Riba de Santiuste, Guadalajara, Spain
Helmsley Castle, North Yorkshire, England
Château de Saint-Ulrich, Haut-Rhin, France
Crac des Chevaliers, Homs Governorate, Syria
Beaufort Castle, Nabatieh Governorate, Lebanon
Araburg Castle, Lower Austria, Austria
Rocco Calascio, Abruzzo, Italy
Govone, Savona, Liguria, Italy
Loarre Castle, Huesca, Aragon, Spain
Dunamase Castle, County Laois, Leinster, Ireland
Drachenfels, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
Clock Tower, Gjirokastër Fortress, Gjirokastër, Albania
Beaufort Castle, Luxembourg
Corfe Castle, Dorset, England
Pendragon Castle, Cumbria, England
Bait Jibrin, Southern District, Israel
Château de Brésis, Gard, France
Belvoir Fortress, Northern District, Israel
Malbork Castle, Poland
Château Gaillard, Eure, Normandy, France
LATE MEDIEVAL PERIOD
Château de Montgilbert, near Vichy, Allier, France
Tintagel, Cornwall, England
Caerlaverock Castle, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland
Château d’Alleuze, Cantal, Auvergne, France
Teczyn, Kraków-Czestochowa Upland, Poland
Château de l’Ortenbourg, Alsace, France
Beaupre, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales
Ogrodzieniec, Krakow-Czestochowa Upland, Poland
Rabi Castle, Bohemia, Czech Republic
Dunnottar Castle, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Château de Montségur, Ariège, Occitanie, France
Carew Castle, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Hammerhus, Bornholm, Denmark
Altenstein, Bavaria, Germany
Auchindoun Castle, Moray, Scotland
Old Wardour Castle, Wiltshire, England
Nakijin Castle, Okinawa, Japan
Château de Quéribus, Aude, France
Frangocastello, Chania Prefecture, Crete, Greece
Tamagusuku, Okinawa, Japan
Olsztyn, Silesia, Poland
Dolwyddelan Castle, Conwy County Borough, Wales
Leamaneh Castle, County Clare, Ireland
Castle Stalker, Loch Linnhe, Argyll, Scotland
Dobele Castle, Semigallia, Latvia
Okor Castle, Bohemia, Czech Republic
Hrusov Castle, Slovakia
Fortress of Asklipio, Rhodes, Greece
Hovenweep Castle, Utah, USA
Takeda Castle, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan
Kilchurn Castle, Loch Awe, Argyll and Bute, Scotland
Nakagusuku, Okinawa, Japan
Zakimi Castle, Okinawa, Japan
EARLY MODERN ERA
Citadelle de Palais, Belle-Île-en-Mer, Brittany, France
Ballycarbery Castle, County Kerry, Ireland
Bourtzi, Methoni Castle, Messenia, Peloponnese, Greece
Palmanova, Udine, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy
Janjira, Maharashtra, India
Bhangarh Fort, Rajasthan, India
Fakhr al-Din al-Maani citadel, Palmyra, Homs Province, Syria
Carbury Castle, County Kildare, Ireland
Mortella Tower, Corsica, France
Dunluce Castle, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Golconda, near Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
Dunluce Castle, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Ardvreck Castle, Loch Assynt, Sutherland, Scotland
Fort San Lorenzo, Colón, Panama
Fort Mahon, Ambleteuse, Pas-de-Calais, France
Krzyztopor Castle, Swietokrzyskie Province, Poland
Fort Paté, Blaye, Gironde, Aquitane, France
Bitchu Matsuyama Castle, Takahashi, Okayama Prefecture, Japan
Minard Castle, Dingle Bay, County Kerry, Ireland
Twizell Castle, Northumberland, England
IMPERIAL ERA
Mow Cop Castle, Mow Cop, Odd Rode, Cheshire, England
Cape Coast Castle, Ghana
Ussher Fort, Accra, Ghana
Fort James, Accra, Ghana
Palamidi, Nafplio, Peloponnese, Greece
Kincasslagh, County Donegal, Ireland
Martello Tower, Bawdsey, Suffolk, England
Carleton Martello Tower, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
Fort Alexander, St. Petersburg, Russia
Fort Union, Mora Valley, New Mexico, USA
Buchanan Castle, Stirlingshire, Scotland
Château de Noisy, Celles, Namur, Belgium
Fort Gilkicker, Gosport, Hampshire, England
Fort Zverev, Kronstadt, near St Petersburg, Russia
Hajmasker Barracks, Hajmasker, Hungary
Bannerman Castle, Pollepel Island, Hudson River, New York State, USA
Fort de Malamot, Mont Malamot, Savoy, France
Fort Richmond, New York City, USA
Gun Turrets, Askold Island, Fokino, Russia
