What is the safest part of a castle?

What other rooms were there in a Medieval castle? At the time of Chr tien de Troyes, the rooms where the lord of a castle, his family and his knights lived and ate and slept were in the Keep (called the Donjon), the rectangular tower inside the walls of a castle. This was meant to be the strongest and safest place.

What was the most secure part of a castle called?

The Curtain Wall is a strong wall built around the outside of the castle. It protected the keep and the bailey from attack. There were only a few doors in the walls around the castle, and they were usually very tall so that attackers couldn't climb over them! The motte was a mound of dirt that the castle sat on.

Why is the keep the safest place in a castle?

With its extra thick walls and protected entrance, the keep was generally the safest place in a castle during the siege warfare of the 11th and 12th century CE.

Where is a castle most vulnerable?

Gatehouses were often the most vulnerable part of a castle and therefore special efforts were made to defend them, this included murder-holes for dropping heavy objects onto the heads of attackers, metal bars or portcullises that could be lowered in front of wooden gates or drawbridges that could be raised against ...

What was the safest part of the castle defensive feature?

The area on top of the castle wall is known as the battlements. From here the castle garrison could mount its defence. The battlements feature crenulations (the up and down part of the wall). These gave the defenders a safe place to fire arrows.

Names and terms of a medieval CASTLE's parts

What is the most attacked castle?

Over the centuries around 23 different siege attempts were made on Edinburgh Castle – making it the most besieged place in Europe. The castle witnessed a number of efforts, including a siege which saw a group of men scale the castle rock and one that lasted only 30 minutes.

What is the most attacked castle in the world?

Speaking of canons, it is important to note that Edinburgh Castle is one of the most attacked places in the world. In other words, battles were waged, walls were destroyed, and the castle changed hands repeatedly throughout the course of 26 documented sieges over 1,100 years.

What is the weakest part of castle?

The Gate. The entrance was often the weakest part in a castle. To overcome this, the gatehouse was developed, allowing those inside the castle to control the flow of traffic. Gatehouses were inside the wall and connected with the bridge over the moat, but they were more than just doorways.

What is the strongest part of a castle?

keep, English term corresponding to the French donjon for the strongest portion of the fortification of a castle, the place of last resort in case of siege or attack. The keep was either a single tower or a larger fortified enclosure.

What castle has never been taken?

Castle of Zafra, Campillo de Duenas

It holds the distinction of never being conquered. It also holds the distinction of appearing in “Game of Thrones” in three episodes.

Where did servants sleep in castles?

Most domestic servants would have slept in shared chambers in either the cellars or attics of the castle buildings. There might also be simple buildings outside the castle for herdsmen, mill workers, wood-cutters, and craftspeople such as rope-makers, candle-makers, potters, basket-weavers, and spinners.

How did people stay warm in castles?

Castles weren't always cold and dark places to live.

But, in reality, the great hall of castle had a large open hearth to provide heat and light (at least until the late 12th century) and later it had wall fireplace. The hall would also have had tapestries which would have insulated the room against too much cold.

Where did soldiers sleep in castles?

They'd be commanded by the constable or castellan, who stood in for the owner and lived in his own rooms (there's a Constable's Gate at Dover Castle). The soldiers slept in a dormitory.

How deep are castle walls?

The height of walls varied widely by castle, but were often 2.5–6 m (8.2–19.7 ft) thick. They were usually topped with crenellation or parapets that offered protection to defenders.

What are the best defense for a castle?

What weapons attacked a castle?

Fire - Early castles were made of wood, so they were easy to attack by setting fire to them. Battering ram - A large log that was hit against the castle walls to weaken them. Catapult - Catapults, or trebuchets, threw large stones and burning objects at the castle.

What floor is best for castle?

So, while stone, rugs, and pressed dirt were used for flooring in castles, the top pick was hardwood. It was elegant, but still incredibly durable and easy to maintain. It's the same reason why hardwood is a favorite among homeowners today.

What castle has the thickest walls?

Beaumaris Castle on Anglesey is generally considered the finest example of a concentric castle in Europe. It has been a World Heritage site since 1986. The ruined Flint Castle is the only British castle with two donjons. It is famous for having the thickest walls (7 m / 23 ft) of any castle anywhere.

How many castles are still standing?

The Importance of Castles in Europe

There are more than 10,000 medieval castles and their remains in Europe.

What was the worst job in a castle?

Gong Farmer. When it comes to horrible jobs in a castle, gong farmer has to win the prize. Gong farmers, also known as nightmen, were responsible for cleaning out human excrement from the cesspits within the castle walls.

What is the best castle never built?

Beaumaris on the island of Anglesey is famous as the greatest castle never built. It was the last of the royal strongholds created by Edward I in Wales – and perhaps his masterpiece.

What is the most impenetrable medieval castle?

Burghausen Castle – an impenetrable fortress

For more than a thousand years, the castle has been watching over the surrounding area as a prime example of a Gothic fortification.

What is the oldest castle left?

Windsor Castle was the official residence of the late Queen Elizabeth II. It is the world's oldest continuously occupied castle.

Why are most castles destroyed?

Castles, in particular, were instruments of war and occupying or levelling them was the goal of invading armies. In many cases, the castles were then taken over by the victors and re-purposed, but many were dismantled, particularly when the structure could no longer repel attacks by cannon.

What is the biggest surviving castle?

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Prague Castle is the biggest castle complex while Wikipedia describes Windsor Castle as the largest inhabited castle.