A water castle is a

castle A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...

whose site is largely defended by water. It can be entirely surrounded by water-filled

moat A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that is dug and surrounds a castle, fortification, building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive ...

s (moated castle) or natural waterbodies such as

island castle The island castle, or insular castle, is a variation of the water castle. It is distinguished by its location on an artificial or natural island. It is a typical lowland castle. Because the island on which the castle was erected is separated ...

s in a river or offshore. The term comes from European castle studies, mainly German ''Burgenkunde'', but is sometimes used in English-language popular science books and websites, and is mentioned in other more academic works. When stately homes were built in such a location, or a Wasserburg was later rebuilt as a residential manor, the German term becomes Wasserschloss, lit. "water palace/manor".

Description

Forde-Johnston describes such a site as "a castle in which water plays a prominent part in the defences." Apart from hindering attackers, an abundant supply of water was also an advantage during a

siege A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition warfare, attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity con ...

. Topographically, such structures are a type of low-lying castle. Such a castle usually had only one entrance, which was via a

drawbridge A drawbridge or draw-bridge is a type of moveable bridge typically at the entrance to a castle or tower surrounded by a moat. In some forms of English, including American English, the word ''drawbridge'' commonly refers to all types of moveable ...

and that could be raised for protection in the event of an attack. To some extent these water castles had a fortress-like character. There is a further distinction between: * castles that are protected by artificial water-filled moats or man-made

pond A pond is an area filled with water, either natural or artificial, that is smaller than a lake. Defining them to be less than in area, less than deep, and with less than 30% emergent vegetation helps in distinguishing their ecology from th ...

s, i.e. moated castles * castles whose primary means of protection is from natural water bodies such as river courses, or which stand on islands or peninsulas in a natural marshland, pond, lake or sea.

Island castle The island castle, or insular castle, is a variation of the water castle. It is distinguished by its location on an artificial or natural island. It is a typical lowland castle. Because the island on which the castle was erected is separated ...

s and

marsh castle A marsh or marshland castle (german: Sumpfburg) is a type of lowland castle that is situated in marshy or boggy countryside. It uses the natural inaccessibility of the terrain to its defensive advantage. In contrast to a moated castle, with a ma ...

s are such examples.

Legacy

In many places in

Central Europe Central Europe is an area of Europe between Western Europe and Eastern Europe, based on a common historical, social and cultural identity. The Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) between Catholicism and Protestantism significantly shaped the area' ...

castles that had formerly been fortified changed their role or were converted over the course of time so that they became largely representational and residential buildings. The characteristic moats thus lost their original security function, but were retained in some cases as an element of

landscaping Landscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land, including the following: # Living elements, such as flora or fauna; or what is commonly called gardening, the art and craft of growing plants with a goal o ...

. Today, in monument conservation circles, they are often described as burdensome, cost-intensive "historic legacies" because of the water damage caused to their foundations. As a result, many moats around castles in Germany have been drained, or more rarely filled, especially since the 1960s. In Germany, the ''Wasserburgroute'' or "Water Castle Route" has been established in the triangle formed by the cities of

Aachen Aachen ( ; ; Aachen dialect: ''Oche'' ; French and traditional English: Aix-la-Chapelle; or ''Aquisgranum''; nl, Aken ; Polish: Akwizgran) is, with around 249,000 inhabitants, the 13th-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, and the 28th- ...

Bonn The federal city of Bonn ( lat, Bonna) is a city on the banks of the Rhine in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, with a population of over 300,000. About south-southeast of Cologne, Bonn is in the southernmost part of the Rhine-Ruhr r ...

and

Cologne Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 m ...

which links 120 castles and palaces.''Water Castles Route''
at nrw-tourism.com. Retrieved 12 March 2021.

Examples

Austria

Franzensburg Franzensburg is a medieval style castle in Laxenburg, Lower Austria, Austria. Built between 1801 and 1836, it was named in memory of the last Holy Roman Emperor, Francis II, who died in 1835. Views of the Castle File:Franzensburg - Laxenbur ...

Baltic

Trakai Island Castle, Lithuania - Diliff

* Āraiši (''Arrasch'') *

Trakai Island Castle Trakai Island Castle ( lt, Trakų salos pilis; pl, Zamek w Trokach) is an island castle located in Trakai, Lithuania, on an island in Lake Galvė. The construction of the stone castle was begun in the 14th century by Kęstutis, and around 14 ...

Belgium

Wijnendale Castle Wijnendale Castle ( French: Château de Wynendaele, nl, Kasteel van Wijnendale) is a historic residence in Wijnendale, West Flanders in Belgium which was once a medieval castle. The present buildings largely date to a nineteenth century restoratio ...

Czech Republic

Blatná Castle Blatná (; german: Blatna) is a town in Strakonice District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 6,400 inhabitants. It is known for a water castle in the centre of a pond, and a landscape garden around it. The town cent ...

Červená Lhota Castle Červená Lhota (German: ''Roth-Lhotta'') a château in Červená Lhota village of the Pluhův Žďár municipality, in the South Bohemian Region, Czech Republic. It lies about north-west of Jindřichův Hradec. It stands at the middle of a lake ...

Švihov Castle The Švihov Castle (german: ''Burg Schwihau'') is a water castle, which was built in the Gothic period. It is located in the town Švihov in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. History Švihov castle was built by the House of Rýzmberk ...

Denmark

Egeskov Castle Egeskov Castle ( da, Egeskov Slot) is located near Kværndrup, in the south of the island of Funen, Denmark. The castle is Europe's best preserved Renaissance water castle. History Egeskov was first mentioned in 1405. The castle structure was er ...

Spøttrup Castle Spøttrup Castle ( da, Spøttrup Borg) is a well-preserved medieval defensive castle located northwest of Skive in Jutland, Denmark. History The estate was transferred to the Diocese of Viborg in 1404. It became the property of the Crown in 153 ...

Finland

Kajaani Castle Kajaani Castle (Finnish: ''Kajaanin linna'', Swedish: ''Kajaneborg'', ''Kajaneborgs slott'', older spelling ''Cajanaborg'') was built on the Ämmäkoski island of the Kajaani River in the centre of Kajaani, Finland, in the 17th century. Today, on ...

Olavinlinna Olavinlinna (also known as St. Olaf's Castle; sv, Olofsborg; german: Olafsburg; literally ''Olof's Castle'') is a 15th-century three-tower castle located in Savonlinna, Finland. It is built on an island in the Kyrönsalmi strait that connects the ...

France

Please notice that in French "", literally 'water castle', means

water tower A water tower is an elevated structure supporting a water tank constructed at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system, distribution system for potable water, and to provide emergency storage for fire protection. Water towe ...

. * Château d'Ainay-le-Vieil * Château de la Mothe-Chandeniers * Château de Pirou *

Château du Plessis-Bourré Château du Plessis-Bourré is a château in the Loire Valley in France, situated in the commune of Écuillé in the Maine-et-Loire department. Built in less than 5 years from 1468 to 1472 by Finance Minister Jean Bourré, the principal advisor ...

Château de Trécesson The Château de Trécesson is a medieval castle in the Brittany region of France. It is located in the ''commune'' of Campénéac near the Paimpont forest and on the edge of the military camp of Coëtquidan. It is a private property. It has be ...

Château de Suscinio The Château de Suscinio or de Susinio is a Breton castle, built in the late Middle Ages, to be the residence of the Dukes of Brittany. It is located in the commune of Sarzeau in the département of Morbihan, near the coast of the Atlantic ocean. ...

Château de Sully The Château de Sully, situated between Autun and Beaune (Saône-et-Loire), is the largest of the Renaissance châteaux of southern Burgundy. Paired outbuildings of a more vernacular character face each other across a grassed forecourt, while to th ...

Château de Sully-sur-Loire The Château de Sully-sur-Loire (; en, Castle of Sully-sur-Loire) is a castle, converted to a palatial seigneurial residence, situated in the commune of Sully-sur-Loire, Centre-Val de Loire, France. The château was the seat of the Duke de Sul ...

Germany

Baden-Württemberg

* Bad Rappenau Water Castle *

Inzlingen Castle Inzlingen Castle (german: Wasserchloss Inzlingen), also Reichenstein Castle (''Schloss Reichenstein'') is a medieval castle surrounded by a moat situated in the village of Inzlingen. Inzlingen is located in the district of Lörrach, Baden-Württem ...

Bavaria

Brennhausen Brennhausen (german: Burg Brennhausen) is a castle in the municipality of Sulzdorf a.d.Lederhecke in the district of Rhön-Grabfeld in Bavaria in Germany. It is located the Haßberge Nature Park. Origin of name Houses of Springs Josef Braun e ...

Irmelshausen Irmelshausen is a village in the municipality of Höchheim in the district of Rhön-Grabfeld in Bavaria in Germany. Castle Irmelshausen is best known for its castle and related church. Irmelshausen, on the old border between East and Wes ...

* Kleinbardorf *

Mespelbrunn Castle Mespelbrunn Castle is a late-medieval/early-Renaissance moated castle on the territory of the town of Mespelbrunn, between Frankfurt and Würzburg, built in a tributary valley of the Elsava valley, within the Spessart forest. It is a popular tour ...

Berlin

Köpenick Palace Schloss Köpenick ( en, Köpenick Palace) is a Baroque water palace of the Hohenzollern electors of Brandenburg which stands on an island in the Dahme River surrounded by an English-style park and gives its name to Köpenick, a district of Ber ...

Spandau Citadel The Spandau Citadel (german: Zitadelle Spandau) is a fortress in Berlin, Germany, one of the best-preserved Renaissance military structures of Europe. Built from 1559–94 atop a medieval fort on an island near the meeting of the Havel and ...

Brandenburg

Plattenburg Plattenburg is a municipality in the Prignitz district, in Brandenburg, Germany. It is named after the water castle of Plattenburg which is located in the district. Demography File:Bevölkerungsentwicklung Plattenburg.pdf, Development of popul ...

in the

Prignitz Prignitz () is a ''Kreis'' (district) in the northwestern part of Brandenburg, Germany. Neighboring are (from the north clockwise) the district Ludwigslust-Parchim in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the district Ostprignitz-Ruppin in Brandenburg, th ...

Friedewald Friedewald is a municipality in the district of Altenkirchen, in Rhineland-Palatinate, in western Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous countr ...

* Fürstenau Palace near Steinbach

Lower Saxony

* Fallersleben Castle *

Hülsede Water Castle Hülsede Water Castle (german: Wasserschloss Hülsede) is a water castle in the Weser Renaissance style located in Hülsede in the German state of Lower Saxony between the Süntel and Deister ridges. History In 1310 the Count of Schaumburg enfe ...

Lütetsburg Lütetsburg (East Frisian Low Saxon: ''Lütsbörg'') is a municipality in the district of Aurich, in Lower Saxony, Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most p ...

* Osterburg *

Schelenburg The Schelenburg is a water castle in Schledehausen, municipality of Bissendorf, Lower Saxony, Germany. Built in the Weser Renaissance Weser Renaissance is a form of Northern Renaissance architectural style that is found in the area aroun ...

Wendhausen Castle The Wendhausen Castle is a 17th-century moated castle located in Wendhausen, a community within the municipality of Lehre, Lower Saxony. Description The castle is built in a Renaissance style surround by a large moat. The moat has an oblong s ...

Wolfsburg Castle The Wolfsburg is medieval lowland and water castle in North Germany that was first mentioned in the records in 1302, but has since been turned into a Renaissance ''schloss'' or palace. It is located in eastern Lower Saxony in the town of Wolfsbur ...

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Schwerin Castle Schwerin Castle (also known as ''Schwerin Palace'', german: Schweriner Schloss, ), is a schloss located in the city of Schwerin, the capital of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state, Germany. It is situated on an island in the city's main lake, Lake Schwer ...

North Rhine-Westphalia

* Benrath House in

Düsseldorf Düsseldorf ( , , ; often in English sources; Low Franconian and Ripuarian: ''Düsseldörp'' ; archaic nl, Dusseldorp ) is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in th ...

* Burgau Castle * Darfeld Castle *

Gimborn Castle Gimborn Castle (german: Schloss Gimborn) is a former moated castle situated in a remote valley of the upper Leppe in the municipality of Marienheide in the Oberbergischer Kreis of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. History Gimborn Castle is a cas ...

* Haus Kemnade in

Bochum Bochum ( , also , ; wep, Baukem) is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia. With a population of 364,920 (2016), is the sixth largest city (after Cologne, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Essen and Duisburg) of the most populous Germany, German federal state o ...

* Morsbroich Castle in

Leverkusen Leverkusen () is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, on the eastern bank of the Rhine. To the south, Leverkusen borders the city of Cologne, and to the north the state capital, Düsseldorf. With about 161,000 inhabitants, Leverkusen is on ...

Moyland Castle Moyland Castle (german: Schloss Moyland) is a moated castle in Bedburg-Hau in the district of Kleve, one of the most important neo-Gothic buildings in North Rhine-Westphalia. Its name derives from the Dutch word Mooiland which means "beautiful ...

Bedburg-Hau Bedburg-Hau is a municipality in the district of Kleve in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located approximately 5 km south-east of Kleve. One of its main attractions is Museum Schloss Moyland, a castle with a museum of ...

* Nordkirchen Palace * Rheydt Palace * Dyck Palace *

Vischering Castle Vischering Castle (german: Burg Vischering) in Lüdinghausen, North Rhine-Westphalia is the most typical moated castle in the Münster (region) of Germany. This region has one of the highest German concentrations of castles, palaces and forti ...

* Wilkinghege Water Castle in

Münster Münster (; nds, Mönster) is an independent city (''Kreisfreie Stadt'') in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also a state distr ...

Wittringen Castle Wittringen Castle or Wittringen House (German: ''Schloss Wittringen'' or ''Haus Wittringen'') is a moated castle in Gladbeck, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. History The noble family ''von Wittringen'' was first mentioned in an official docume ...

Gladbeck Gladbeck () is a town in the district of Recklinghausen in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Gladbeck is quite a young town, first recognised 21 July 1919 when it was given town rights. The town established itself around five farming villages, Br ...

Rhineland-Palatinate

Alte Burg (Boppard) Alte Burg, Alteburg or Burgstall Alte Burg refers to the name or nickname of various castles, castle ruins, castle sites and hillforts or ringworks: :Germany * Alte Burg (Altenstein), hillfort site near Altenstein (Maroldsweisach), county of Haßbe ...

Alte Burg (Koblenz) The Old Castle (german: Alte Burg) was a former Elector-owned, substantial water castle in the German city of Koblenz, incepted in the 13th century. It is today reduced to the later (castle house); which houses the city archives. It sits on tall ...

Saarland

Gustavsburg The double city of Ginsheim-Gustavsburg in the northwest of the Groß-Gerau district in the German state of Hesse, has about 16,000 inhabitants. It is part of what is called the Rhine-Main region in Germany which has the city of Frankfurt am Main a ...

in Homburg * Kerpen Castle near Illingen

Saxony

Moritzburg Castle Moritzburg Castle (german: Schloss Moritzburg) or Moritzburg Palace is a Baroque palace in Moritzburg, in the German state of Saxony, about northwest of the Saxon capital, Dresden. The castle has four round towers and lies on a symmetrical art ...

* Hainewalde Water Castle

Saxony-Anhalt

Calvörde Castle Calvörde Castle (german: Burg Calvörde) is located in Calvörde in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. Its existence was first recorded in the late 13th century. In the Late Middle Ages and Early Modern Period it was frequently fought over due t ...

* Köthen Castle * Reinharz Water Castle * Flechtingen water castle

Schleswig-Holstein

Eutin Castle Eutin Castle (german: Eutiner Schloss) in Eutin in the north German district of Ostholstein is the cultural centre and nucleus of the town. Taken together, this castle, Gottorf Castle and Glücksburg Castle, form the most important group of cou ...

Glücksburg Castle Glücksburg Castle (German: Schloss Glücksburg, Danish: ''Lyksborg Slot'') is one of the most significant Renaissance castles in Northern Europe. The castle was the headquarters of the ducal lines of the house of Glücksburg and temporarily served ...

Thuringia

* Kapellendorf Water Castle

Greece

* Bourtzi * Methoni Castle

Hungary

* Sárvár Castle * Tokaj Castle (ruined)

Indonesia

* Taman Sari Water Castle

Italy

Castello Estense The ' (‘ Este castle’) or ' (‘St. Michael's castle’) is a moated medieval castle in the center of Ferrara, northern Italy. It consists of a large block with four corner towers. History On 3 May 1385, the Ferrarese people, driven to des ...

* Castello di

Sirmione Sirmione (Brescian: ; vec, Sirmion) is a comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy (northern Italy). It is bounded by Desenzano del Garda (Lombardy) and Peschiera del Garda in the province of Verona and the region of Veneto. It has a hist ...

* in a broad way,

Venice Arsenal The Venetian Arsenal ( it, Arsenale di Venezia) is a complex of former shipyards and Armory (military), armories clustered together in the city of Venice in northern Italy. Owned by the state, the Arsenal was responsible for the bulk of the Rep ...

Japan

Imabari Castle is a Japanese castle in Imabari, Ehime, Japan. It was the center of Imabari Domain under the Edo Period Tokugawa shogunate and was ruled by a branch of the HisamatsuーMatsudaira clan through most of its history. This castle is well known as o ...

Nakatsu Castle is a Japanese castle in the city of Nakatsu in Ōita Prefecture. It is known as one of the three ''mizujiro'', or "castles on the sea", in Japan, with Takamatsu Castle in Kagawa Prefecture and Imabari Castle in Ehime Prefecture. History Con ...

* Takamatsu Castle

Lebanon

Sidon Sea Castle Sidon's Sea Castle ( ar, قلعة صيدا البحرية, ''Kalaat Saida al-Bahriya'') was built by the crusaders in the thirteenth century as a fortress of the holy land. It is one of the most prominent historical sites in the port city of Sidon, ...

Netherlands

Vaassen, de Cannenburch RM15361 positie2 foto2 2013-08-01 14

Cannenburgh Castle Cannenburg Castle (Dutch Language, Dutch: Kasteel De Cannenburgh) or Cannenburch Castle ( nl, Cannenburch) is a watercastle in the Netherlands. It is situated in Vaassen, a town in the province of Gelderland. History The Guelders, Guelderian fiel ...

Hoensbroek Castle Hoensbroek Castle (Dutch Language, Dutch: Kasteel Hoensbroek) or Gebrook Castle ( nl, Gebrookhoes) is one of the largest castles in the Netherlands. It is situated in Hoensbroek, a town in the province of Limburg (Netherlands), Limburg. This imp ...

Muiderslot Muiden Castle (Dutch: ''Muiderslot'', ) is a castle in the Netherlands, located at the mouth of the Vecht river, some 15 kilometers southeast of Amsterdam, in Muiden, where it flows into what used to be the Zuiderzee. It is one of the better kno ...

Loevestein Loevestein Castle ( nl, Slot Loevestein) is a medieval castle in the municipality of Zaltbommel, Gelderland, the Netherlands. The castle was built by the knight Dirk Loef of Horne (hence "Loef's stein" (stone) house) between 1357 and 1397. Unti ...

* Ammersoyen Castle *

Kasteel Radboud Radboud Castle (Dutch: ''Kasteel Radboud'') is a castle on the east bank of the harbour in Medemblik. Radboud Castle is one of a number of castles in North Holland. The building was commissioned by Floris V, Count of Holland. When exactly it was ...

Brederode Castle Brederode Castle ( nl, Kasteel Brederode), also called the Ruins of Brederode ( nl, Ruïne van Brederode), is located near Santpoort-Zuid. The castle was founded in the second half of the 13th century by William I van Brederode (1215–1285). W ...

Portugal

Belém Tower Belém Tower ( pt, Torre de Belém, links=no, ), officially the Tower of Vincent of Saragossa, Saint Vincent ( pt, Torre de São Vicente, links=no) is a 16th-century fortification located in Lisbon that served as a point of embarkation and dis ...

Slovakia

* Parič Castle (ruined) * Šintava Castle (ruined) * Štítnik Water Castle * Vranov Castle (vanished)

Slovenia

Otočec Castle Otočec Castle (a.k.a. Grad Otočec, in older sources ''Otočič'', german: Burg Werth, ''Burg Wördl'') is a wikt:castle, castle hotel on a small island in the middle of the Krka (Sava), Krka River in Otočec, Slovenia. It is the only water ca ...

Sweden

Älvsborg Fortress Älvsborg Fortress ( sv, Älvsborgs fästning), with its main facility Oscar II's Fort ( sv, Oscar II:s fort) built 1899–1907, is a now-defunct Swedish fortification located at the mouth of the Göta River in the Älvsborg district of Gothenbu ...

* Bollerup * Dybäck Castle *

Ellinge Castle Ellinge Castle ( sv, Ellinge slott) is a castle in Eslöv Municipality Eslöv Municipality (''Eslövs kommun'') is one of 290 municipalities of Sweden, situated in Skåne County in southern Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Eslöv. The ...

Gåsevadholm Castle Gåsevadholm Castle is a castle on an island in the Rolfsån river in Halland, Sweden. Sir John Maclean, 1st Baronet was the Lord of Gåsevadholm. See also *List of castles in Sweden This is a list of castles and palaces in Sweden. In the ...

Gripsholm Castle Gripsholm Castle ( sv, Gripsholms slott) is a castle in Mariefred, Södermanland, Sweden. It is located by lake Mälaren in south central Sweden, in the municipality of Strängnäs, about 60 km west of Stockholm. Since Gustav Vasa, Gripshol ...

Häckeberga Castle Häckeberga Castle ( sv, Häckeberga slott) is a mansion at Lund Municipality in Scania, Sweden. The estate dates back to the 14th century and is located on one of the seven islets of Lake Häckebergasjön. The manor house was built in Fren ...

* Hjularyd Castle *

Kalmar Castle Kalmar Castle ( sv, Kalmar slott) is a castle in the city Kalmar in the province of Småland in Sweden. History During the twelfth century a round defensive tower was built on Kalmarsund and a harbour constructed. At the end of the thirteen ...

* Krageholm Castle * Krapperup Castle *

Kronoberg Castle Kronoberg Castle (Swedish: ''Kronobergs slott'') is a medieval ruined castle (''slottsruin'') located on an island in Helgasjön ("the Helga Lake"), north of Växjö in Kronoberg County, which is named after the castle. The castle ruin is open ...

* Kulla Gunnarstorp Castle *

Landskrona Citadel Landskrona Citadel ( sv, Citadellet or ''Landskrona slott'') is situated in Landskrona, Scania, southern Sweden. Much of the original work is intact. Examples remain of all major parts of the fortification, which is uncommon in such an accessible ...

Malmö Castle Malmö Castle ( sv, Malmöhus, da, Malmøhus) is a fortress located in Malmö, Scania, Sweden. It is owned by the Swedish state and is managed by the State Property Agency. Malmöhus is part of Malmö Museums. History The first castle was ...

* Maltesholm Castle *

Örebro Castle Örebro Castle ( sv, Örebro slott) is a medieval castle fortification at Svartån in Örebro County, Sweden. It was expanded during the reign of the royal family Vasa ( House of Vasa) and finally rebuilt about 1900. Some of the rooms are u ...

* Örup Castle * Osbyholm Castle * Skabersjö Castle *

Stegeborg Castle Stegeborg Castle is a ruined castle in St Anna parish, Söderköping, Östergötland, located on an island in a narrow sound at the bay of Slätbaken. Brief history The oldest part of the castle is a square brick tower in the southeast corn ...

Strömsholm Palace Strömsholm Palace, sometimes called Strömsholm Castle ( sv, Strömsholms slott), is a Swedish royal palace. The baroque palace is built on the site of a fortress from the 1550s, located on an island in the Kolbäcksån river at the west end of ...

Tosterup Castle Tosterup Castle ( sv, Tosterups slott) is a castle in Tomelilla Municipality, Scania, in southern Sweden. It is situated approximately north-east of Ystad. Owners List of owners of Tosterup Castle: *Early 1300s – Axel Eskildsen Mule *1300s � ...

Trolle-Ljungby Castle Trolle-Ljungby Castle ( sv, Trolle-Ljungby slott) is a castle in Kristianstad Municipality, Scania, in southern Sweden. The Renaissance style castle is enclosed by a moat. History The castle is of medieval origins. It is mentioned as belonging ...

Trolleholm Castle Trolleholm Castle ( sv, Trolleholms slott) is a castle in Svalöv Municipality, Scania, in southern Sweden. The estate comprises 110 houses and a total of 12300 acres (5000 Hectare). Originally named Kattisnabbe and later Eriksholm, it has been ...

Vadstena Castle Vadstena Castle ( sv, Vadstena slott) is a former Royal Castle in Vadstena, the province of Östergötland, Sweden. History Vadstena Castle was originally built by King Gustav I in 1545 as a fortress to protect Stockholm from enemies approach ...

Vaxholm Fortress Vaxholm Fortress ( sv, Vaxholms fästning) is a historic fortification on the island of Vaxholmen in the Stockholm archipelago just east of the Swedish town of Vaxholm. The fortress is accessed by the Kastellet ferry, an electrically powered ca ...

* Vegeholm Castle *

Vibyholm Castle Vibyholm Castle ( sv, Vibyholms slott) is a manor house at Årdala, Flen Municipality, Sweden. The main building is located on an island in Lake Båven. History Vibyholm was built between 1622 and 1630 in Dutch High Renaissance style under desi ...

* Viderup Castle *

Vittskövle Castle Vittskövle Castle ( sv, Vittskövle slott also ''Widtskövle slott'') is an estate in Kristianstad Municipality, Scania, Sweden. It has one of the best-preserved Renaissance castles in the Nordic countries. History During the last years of th ...

Romania

* Făgăraş Castle *

Oradea Oradea (, , ; german: Großwardein ; hu, Nagyvárad ) is a city in Romania, located in Crișana, a sub-region of Transylvania. The county seat, seat of Bihor County, Oradea is one of the most important economic, social and cultural centers in the ...

fortress

Switzerland

Bottmingen Castle Bottmingen Castle (german: link=no, Schloss Bottmingen) is a castle in the Bottmingen, municipality of Bottmingen in the Canton of Basel-Landschaft, canton of Basel-Land in Switzerland. It is a Swiss Swiss inventory of cultural property of natio ...

Chillon Castle Chillon Castle (french: Château de Chillon) is an island castle located on Lake Geneva, south of Veytaux in the canton of Vaud. It is situated at the eastern end of the lake, on the narrow shore between Montreux and Villeneuve, which gives acc ...

* Hagenwil Castle *

Hallwyl Castle Hallwyl Castle (german: Schloss Hallwyl; ) is one of the most important moated castles in Switzerland. It is located on two islands in the River Aabach, just north of the northern end of Lake Hallwil in the municipality of Seengen in the canto ...

Wörth Castle The Wörth Castle is a fortification in the Swiss municipality of Neuhausen am Rheinfall in the Canton of Schaffhausen. Geography The water castle is located at the ''Rheinfall'', built on a small island in the Rhein river at the municipality ...

* Wyher Castle

Turkey

Kızkalesi (castle) Kızkalesi ( en, Maiden's castle) is a town in Mersin Province, Turkey. The town, known in Antiquity as Corycus or Korykos ( el, Κώρυκος), is named after the ancient castle built on a small island just facing the town. Geography Kız ...

, formerly Gramvoussa (Greek) and Gorygos (Armenian)

United Kingdom

England

Bodiam Castle Bodiam Castle () is a 14th-century moated castle near Robertsbridge in East Sussex, England. It was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, a former knight of Edward III, with the permission of Richard II, ostensibly to defend the area agai ...

Caister Castle Caister Castle is a 15th-century moated castle situated in the parish of West Caister, some north of the town of Great Yarmouth in the English county of Norfolk (). The castle had a 100 ft (33 m) high tower and was built between 1432 and 1 ...

Herstmonceux Castle Herstmonceux Castle is a brick-built castle, dating from the 15th century, near Herstmonceux, East Sussex, England. It is one of the oldest significant brick buildings still standing in England. The castle was renowned for being one of the f ...

Kenilworth Castle Kenilworth Castle is a castle in the town of Kenilworth in Warwickshire, England managed by English Heritage; much of it is still in ruins. The castle was founded during the Norman conquest of England; with development through to the Tudor pe ...

(moat drained) *

Leeds Castle Leeds Castle is a castle in Kent, England, southeast of Maidstone. It is built on islands in a lake formed by the River Len to the east of the village of Leeds. A castle has existed on the site since 857. In the 13th century, it came into the ...

Scotland

Caerlaverock Castle Caerlaverock Castle is a moated triangular castle first built in the 13th century. It is located on the southern coast of Scotland, south of Dumfries, on the edge of the Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve. Caerlaverock was a stronghold of th ...

Castle Stalker Castle Stalker ( gd, Caisteal an Stalcaire) is a four-storey tower house or keep. It is set on a tidal islet on Loch Laich, an inlet off Loch Linnhe. It is about north-east of Port Appin, Argyll, Scotland, and is visible from the A828 road a ...

Eilean Donan Eilean Donan ( gd, Eilean Donnain) is a small tidal island situated at the confluence of three sea lochs (Loch Duich, Loch Long and Loch Alsh) in the western Highlands of Scotland, about from the village of Dornie. It is connected to the mainl ...

Wales

Caerphilly Castle Caerphilly Castle ( cy, Castell Caerffili) is a medieval fortification in Caerphilly in South Wales. The castle was constructed by Gilbert de Clare in the 13th century as part of his campaign to maintain control of Glamorgan, and saw extensi ...

Beaumaris Castle Beaumaris Castle ( ; cy, Castell Biwmares ), in Beaumaris, Anglesey, Wales, was built as part of Edward I's campaign to conquer north Wales after 1282. Plans were probably first made to construct the castle in 1284, but this was delayed d ...

Notes

References

Citations

General

* Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History (2005). ''Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History'', Vol. 41, Part 1. Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History. * Fry, Plantagenet Somerset (1996). ''Castles of Britain and Ireland: The Ultimate Reference Book''. David & Charles. * Gothein, Marie Luise Schroeter and Walter P. Wright (2014). ''A History of Garden Art''. Cambridge: CUP. * Kaufmann, J. E. and H.W. Kaufmann (2004) ''The Medieval Fortress: Castles, Forts and Walled Cities of the Middle Ages''. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo.

External links

{{Authority control Castles by type