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Castles, broadly defined can probably be traced back to prehistory. The word CASTLE is derived from the Latin castrum, a fortified military camp usually surrounded by a palisade and a ditch. However, a castle is most often associated with the western Middle Ages and is more strictly defined as a large fortified stronghold inhabited by a lord [o.t. Castles of the World]


Travel Agents / Tour Operators

 Arche Tours  -  Architectural Travel
The Art & Architecture of Bilbao & Barcelona, Barcelona Style: Design Inspiration, Berlin: Building the New City, The Magic of Bruges, Antwerp and Brussels: An Architectural Journey from Medieval to Art Nouveau,  The Treasures of Istanbul & Northern Greece, Prague: Ancient City with Modern Accents, Art & Design in Provence, Classical Provence: Love Among the Ruins, The Glasgow Style: Mackintosh & the Arts & Crafts Movement in Scotland & Architectural Treasures of Edinburgh, Sicily: Archaeological & Architectural Splendors, Masterpieces of Southern Spain: Granada, Corboda, Seville, Tuscany: Hidden Architectural Jewels, Villas & Gardens of Florence & Tuscany, Palladian Villas of Veneto, The Architecture of Venice
 Carefree Italy
Charming self catering villas, castles, farmhouses and apartments, in the most delightful areas of Italy.
 Castles of the World  -  brochures




Travel Guides / Related Books

The Best-ever Book of Castles (Best-ever...  
Together, England, Scotland and Wales retain one of the most impressive and biggest collections of castles anywhere in the world. The author presents a historic guide to these ancient buildings and 130 colour and black and white illustrations.
Castles in Medieval Society: Fortresses in England, France, and Ireland in the Central Middle Ages 
In this title Charles Coulson overturns many of the traditional assumptions about the nature and purpose of castle building in the Middle Ages. He demolishes the traditional belief that castles were overwhelmingly military in their function, showing how this was simply one aspect of a more complicated whole. He sets out to recreate the medieval understanding of castles as symbolically fortified places of all kinds, from ancient walled post-Roman towns and prestigious religious enclaves to transitory campaign forts. Going back to the original sources, Dr Coulson proposes a new and more subtle understanding of the function and symbolism of castles as well as insights into the lives of the people who inhabited them. Fortresses were only occasionally caught up in war, but constantly were central to the ordinary life of all classes: of the nobility and gentry, of widows and heiresses, of prelates and clergy, of peasantry and townspeople alike. This text presents and explores this broad social panorama.


Links 

 Castles of the World
Affordable Tours, Architecture, Bibliography, Build your own Castle, Castles for Kids, Castle Resources, Crosses & Icons
 Castles on the Web
 Haunted Castles and Hotels - Denmark, England an France
 Historic Royal Palaces
The Historic Royal Palaces Agency was created in 1989 to manage the unoccupied royal palaces. In April 1998 all the activities of the Agency were transferred to a Royal Charter Body with charitable status.
It is responsible for the care, conservation and presentation to the public of: HM Tower of London; Hampton Court Palace; Kensington Palace State Apartments and Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection; the Banqueting House, Whitehall and Kew Palace with Queen Charlotte's Cottage.
 La Sabranenque  -  in Saint Victor la Coste, a typical southern French village
o Summer Volunteer Sessions
On-going restoration of Mediterranean architecture. June through September.  
o Volunteer & Visit
Restoration work coupled with visits of the region. March, April, May, October.
 The Castles of Britain
From the ruins of old Sarum to the gothic majesty of Eastnor this web site contains features, pictures and links to over 200 of Britain's finest castles spread out from the profusion of defence structures placed strategically along the south coast to the clan held remote wilds of Scotland.


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