Product Description
An on-going, avid interest in ancient fortresses suggests wide appeal for this excellent collection of photographs and detailed line drawings of castles of the western world. An exhaustive, painstakingly researched study of their construction, architecture, siting, purpose and remains, this superb archive focuses on more than 200 structures--from temples, palaces and walls of ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, to Romansque strongholds of the Normans and Gothic edifices of the crusaders and Teutonic knights, to lavish palaces built in Italy, France, England, Germany, Austria, and Scandinavia. Included are such famous castles as the romantic Chillon in Switzerland, the Krak des Chevaliers in Syria, the walled cities of Tarascon and Carcassonne in France, the fortified island of Mont St. Michel, the Palace of the Popes at Avignon, as well as other fortresses and towers in Arabia, Sicily, Denmark, Spain, Portugal, Scotland, Ireland, and elsewhere. Of great interest to architectural historians, this volume will also fascinate anyone intrigued by these magnificent citadels of long ago. Unabridged republication of the edition published by Thames and Hudson, 1958. 240 illustrations, including 98 plans and drawings.
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Customer Reviews (4)

A classic book about 'real' castles.
This is a very well written, detailed book about 'real' castles, rather than the 19th century 'fantasy' castles such as Neuschwanstein and the Brighton Pavilion. It traces the development of the castle-fortresses of Europe from ancient times to the rise of gunpowder. So any castle built from the Renaissance onwards is not included in this book. And rightly so, since the subject of the book is the medieval fortresses of (mostly) Northern Europe.

A real highlight of the book are the reconstructions and ground plans of lesser known German castles of the early middle ages. This information is just not available in the English-speaking world. As other reviewers have mentioned, the photos are not in colour, but this is meant to be a source book for those interested in researching castle forms, not a pretty coffee table book. The old black and white photos are stunning, typical of the black and white photography of the 1940's and 1950's. I found this an advantage, since the castles are photographed without the modern intrusions that have occurred since the 1960's and 1970's. With plenty of colour photos of castles available in other books, or even online for free, I don't see how this would cause a problem for anyone wanting colour photos. One must bear in mind this book is a reprint of one published in 1958. As such, it is typical of books from that era.

Chapters include the castles of Italy, France, Spain and Portugal, Germany, Austria, Britain and the Low Countries. As I mentioned earlier, the inclusion of lesser known castles, such as those of Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, are particularly appreciated by the reader.

If you're interested in the development of the castle as a fortress-palace with detailed information, ground plans, beautiful black and white photos and excellent reconstruction drawings in pen and ink, this book is for you. I think people looking for information on castles with fantasy role playing in mind, this is better than any gaming book on castles around. For me this is better than any large, pretty coffee table book on the Loire Chateaux or Neuschwanstein.

Not a "coffee-table" book...More like a reference or history book.
The title should be called "The History of Castles" (but that title was already taken by a better book).There is a great deal of text (about 1/2 the pages) detailing the development of castles from Roman & other origins up until the age of gunpowder.Its true that there are NO color pictures.Half of the illustrations are detailed sketches of basic floorplans, sectionals, or reconstruction images.The other half of the illustrations are mostly outside pictures of castles.Although the pictures are adequate, they do seem dated and often boring, as another reviewer mentioned.There is only one picture of each castle mentioned, which is never enough to do it justice.This is a book written by a scholar and for a scholar.Don't get this book if you are looking for world-famous castles like Neuschwanstein, Chambord, Sintra, etc.They are not in there.Actually, after reading my own review, I'm going to give the book only 2 stars instead of the 3I was planning on giving it.

A Disappointment
I ordered this book as a surprise for my son's 15th birthday. I only wish that Castles of the Western World had been a "peek-inside book." The front cover aside, there are no color pictures (which is not a bad thing, but the photos displayed are quite dull). I am no professional photographer, but the subjects of black and white photos must be composed and presented artfully, but the pictures in this book are not. This book has all the appeal of an old textbook--without the requisite dust.

Castles are my thing!
I love castles and these are just absolutely beautiful. They give you the feeling that you want to live in them - bar the drafty rooms, etc. Also, they make you wonder who might have lived in them and what kind of history the castles have. If I ever have the good fortune to travel to any of these places, I would most definitely look up these castles. ... Read more

Product Description
Perched high on a headland that rises sheer-sided above the North Sea, Scarborough Castle occupies one of the most dramatic castle sites in the country. This natural fortress, inhabited for nearly 3000 years, was developed in the twelfth century as an important royal castle by Henry II. Its defences were strengthened by later monarchs, and Scarborough Castle played a prominent role in national events throughout the Middle Ages and Tudor times. A lengthy siege during the Civil War of the seventeenth century left the great tower of the castle as the magnificent shell which still dominates the skyline today. This guidebook traces the history of the castle and headland from earliest times to the present day, and includes a guided tour of the impressive remains. ... Read more

Product Description
Adventures in ArchitectureCastles and Knights

By Victoria Salley and Andrea Ferraro

Images of castles and castle ruins immediately call to mind knights in armor, colorful tournaments, jousting, boar hunting, and dark dungeons. But what was life in a medieval castle really like? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellent photography
I bought this book for my father as a Christmas gift, and he loved it.My family comes from the Friuli area of Italy, and we felt that the map at the back of the book was excellent as it included small towns as well as big towns and cities.Very inclusive.It's a fun book to keep on your coffee table to look at whenever you have a spare moment.It's great to show other people from Friuli when they come over to visit.I never knew there were so many castles in the Friuli area, and the photography was great.After looking at the pictures, it is also interesting to read the heritage and culture that surround these castles.The author and photographer obviously worked very well together.I am very glad to have this book.

Romance & Reality
As stated in the title, this is a book about the history of the castles ofFriuli.However, Ulmer's discussion will also be of interest to anyonelooking for general information about castles.His intention is to debunkthe "myth" of the castle by showing how the romantic image ofmedieval castles contrasts with historical reality.Personally, I like themyth just fine, and Ulmer's excellent argument has done nothing to diminishthe fantasy for me.On the contrary, I find it easy to balance thehistorical data with the romantic ideal when I look at Affara's exceptionalphotography.In fact, I bought this book based solely on the photographyand only later read the text to increase my enjoyment of those beautifulpictures. The photos include aerial views of both restored castles andruins, details of architectural features, and restored interiors withfurnishings. I would recommendthis book to anyone interested in thehistory of medieval castles, to anyone who appreciates breathtakingphotography, and above all to anyone who likes a little reality with theirromance.

Must have book
This large heavy book is superb reading. It contains many full page photos of absolutely breathtaking buildings & to a lesser their interiors. Mirimare , near Trieste is enchanting. The text is written from the point of view of the historical development of the castle. Contains muchinformation for the right minded person. Makes a great coffee table bookand conversation piece. ... Read more

Product Description
This guide to castles is one of a series of guides designed to introduce Britain's range of historic buildings, gardens and other sites of interest to the general reader. Each volume presents 100 places of interest in a gazetteer format, with maps, directions and opening times. Each book features six tours which examine sites in more detail, while the introduction provides a historical background to the area. ... Read more

Product Description
This book tells the long story of man's presence on the Castle Rock from its beginnings in the Bronze Age, through the Rock's great eminence as a fortress, royal palace, treasury and arsenal, up to the late 20th century when Edinburgh Castle has become one of the most visited places in Scotland. ... Read more

Product Description
The castles of Pendennis and St Mawes were built by King Henry VIII. They were part of a chain of coastal forts created when Spain and France threatened to invade England in the 16th century. For more than four hundred years Pendennis Castle played a vital role in the defence of Cornwall, seeing action during the Civil War in the 17th century and then again in the Second World War. On the other side of the Fal estuary, elegant St Mawes Castle is the most perfect and ornate survivor of King Henry VIII's forts. This beautifully illustrated new guidebook provides a full tour and history to both remarkable sites. ... Read more

Product Description
Portchester Castle's remarkable history begins in the 3rd century when the Romans built a fort here to combat attacks by barbarian pirates. In the 5th century, it was transformed into a Saxon stronghold, or burgh, to protect this part of the coast from Viking raids. After the Norman Conquest in 1066, a castle was built inside the Roman walls. It later became a royal residence. Occupied until the 17th century, it was converted into a prison during the Napoleonic wars. This newly updated guidebook contains a tour of the castle buildings and the Roman fortifications. It also gives a vivid account of the extraordinary history of the castle and its occupants. ... Read more

Product Description
Whether you're planning your first seige, building a fortress or just looking for a way to escape the peasants below, "Castles: A Very Peculiar History" is full of tips, tricks and horror stories from the castle-building trade. We can't all match up to the combined beauty and danger of the Tower of London, but in this title you'll learn who developed the world's first flat-pack castle, the difference between donjeons and dungeons (it's important, trust us) and even the best time of year for a siege. Discover how a fortress was brought down by forty pigs and even how to use a common plant to defect lightning! Gasp in horrible glee at the many horrid substances poured onto beseigers through those dastardly trebuchets (there are things worse than boiling hot oil!). From the keep to the bailey, "Castles: A Very Peculiar History" is all you need to learn how to build, manage and defend a mighty fortress. ... Read more

Product Description
The village of Castle Acre is an extraordinary, rare survival of a Norman planned settlement, full of impressive sights. It has a castle with some of the most spectacular earthworks in England, and one of the most picturesque and best-preserved monastic sites in the country. This new guidebook to "Castle Acre Priory and Castle" contains a richly illustrated tour and history of priory, castle and settlement, complete with colour photographs, plans, reconstruction drawings and eyewitness accounts. ... Read more

Product Description
Glowering over the city, Carlisle Castle is built on the site of a Roman fort at a crucial location where roads to Scotland and across northern England meet. A military base for some 900 years, it was the last castle to be besieged in England, when the Duke of Cumberland overwhelmed Bonnie Prince Charlie's Jacobite garrison there. This new guidebook contains a beautifully illustrated tour and history, complete with colour photographs, plans, reconstruction drawings and eyewitness accounts. ... Read more