Which country has the best castles? (residential, land, population)

[Hasdrubal]

England castles look too eery for me. Germans are simply majestic on the other side. Spain has some fantastic castles, a lot of them were owned by Templars and weren't destroyed when the Pope and French King Phillip dismantled the Order.

[Leovigildo]

Of course, Spain.
Castille, the land of the castles.
4300 Castles.
In Spain you can find real castles, not refurbished.
Templar castles are still there.
Castle Miravet, a Templar Castle, the castle remains there intact.
Templars were not dismantled in Spain, they simply switched to Spanish orders.
All medieval movies are filmed in Spain.

[Dopo]

Here's one that I've visited

Seoul, South Korea
Gyeongbokgung Palace - built in the 13th century








Second wall (Lower left on the picture above)

[Hengist]

Maybe it's my cynical nature, but when people start raving about castles I remember most were built by invaders who used them to steal land and dominate the local population. They wetre not built to be pretty ruins for tourists. Same goes for country mansions, which are just pretty castles built on the back of the surrounding peasantry.

[Leovigildo]

Hengis

Well, not really.
They are a product of Feudalism.

[chielgirl]

http://www.city-data.com/forum/attac...1&d=1253472337

This is Carcasonne.

YAC, nice photo!

[chielgirl]

Originally Posted by Leovigildo

Of course, Spain.
Castille, the land of the castles.
4300 Castles.
In Spain you can find real castles, not refurbished.
Templar castles are still there.
Castle Miravet, a Templar Castle, the castle remains there intact.
Templars were not dismantled in Spain, they simply switched to Spanish orders.
All medieval movies are filmed in Spain.

Sounds interesting and worth a trip!
For some reason, the Templars are part of my travels. On the Altmuhl River, there's the home of one of the main Templars; I was in Metz and saw a Templar chapel.

Do themes tend to show up in your travels.
They do in mine.

[Hengist]

Originally Posted by SilkCity0416

I never stated that America has mighty fortified Castles like Europe - far from it. I just wanted people to know, that even in the land of McMasions, there are a few Castles, thrown in. And I'm not talking about that White one, that makes everyone sick.

Didn't America go more for forts than castles? Both probably do the same job.

[BlueWillowPlate]

France does take care of its chateau. Chenonceaux is magnificent. So is Villandry.
This is ancient Carcassonne, southwest France.
Linked to the Cathars.
The Cathars were at odds with the Catholic Church.
Carcassonne was besieged in the very early 13th century.

[Leovigildo]

Yes, but Carcasonne was entirely refurbished during the XIXth Century...
It was some sort of Disneyland in the XIXth Century.
For Cathars, you must go to Mont Segur.