Castelnaud-la-Chapelle

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Shortened history of the castle:

Founded in the twelfth century, its location was chosen knowingly on a hill. The castle dominates Castelnaud, the Dordogne valley and faces his rival, the castle of Beynac.

In the early thirteenth century, the Cathars spread widely in the Southwest of France, including Castelnaud. The Catharism is a reaction to the abuses of the Catholic Church and its wealth (hence its success among the poorest), and has therefore rejected the sacraments Roman.

Thus Pope Innocent III became mad about the Cathars and ordered the crusades (the "Albigensian") in 1209. Simon de Montfort is entrusted as leader of operations: in 1214, he took Castelnaud and submits it to the King of France.

In 1259, the Treaty of Paris ends the ongoing conflict between French and English armies and assigns, with Aquitaine, Castelnaud to Henry III King of England.

With the Hundred Years War, the clashes are often and Castelnaud is taken five times by France, and taken immediately back by the English. The English were finaly defeated in 1442, thrown out of Castelnaud and out of France eleven years later, after the battle of Castillon.

Castelnaud is then enlarged, with various works of fortifications, including the big artillery tower of 1520. However, Castelnaud will never be attacked again, even during the wars of religion.

Restored in 1966, the castle hides now a war museum which includes an impressive amount of weapons of all kinds, a crossbow, culverins and various guns, including the unlikely forefather of a machine gun, swords, spears, armor, chainmail, and siege weapons size like a trebuchet.

Opening times and aditionnal information:

From November 15 until January : 2pm-5pm (except Christmas holiday: 10am-5pm)
February, March and October to 14 November : 10am-6pm
April, May, June and September : 10am-7pm
July, August : 9am-8pm (8.15pm : nocturnal visit)

Fees: Adults - 7.60 Euros, Children (10 to 17 years old) - 3.80 Euros
Free for children under 10.

Beynac

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Shortened history of the castle:

The origins of the castle date back to the twelfth century, when Maynard Beynac had built what was then a dungeon. Perched on a cliff side, 150 m above the Dordogne, Beynac certainly occupied an advantageous position, ideal sightseeing point across the valley.

In 1194, the knight Adhemar de Beynac dies and leaves no direct descendance. The castle falls into the hands of King Richard, in his capacity as Duke of Aquitaine. He leases the castle to his lieutenant Marchadier.

In 1199, King Richard is on the way to defend a restless vassal in Chalus. A tragedy then occurs : "6 April 1199, while besieging the Châlus, King Richard was killed by an arrow that surprised him" (Jean Favier, french historian)

In these troubled times, the castle is still in the hands of Simon de Montfort, in full crusade against the Cathars, in early 13th century.

Beynac will live from very close French-English conflicts, embodied in almost permanent confrontation between Castelnaud and Beynac. Moreover, their respective lords are themselves in competition and seek to assert their own power in the Perigord.

In this game, it Pons Beynac who wins because in 1442 he finaly takes the castle and defeats Castelnaud and the English troops (bringing the Hundred Years War to an end). Beynac becomes one of the four baronies of Périgord.

You will notice that Beynac, devoted entirely to its military function, is provided with thick, impressive walls. Pushing the logic to the defensive end, its architects did not build any window in these walls and were obsessed with digging series of trenches (which don not exist anymore today unfortunately). To hell with comfort, our ancestors were pragmatic people!

Opening times and additionnal information:

The castle is open everyday, all year long, from 10am to 5pm.
Adults: 7 Eur
Children (under 12): 3 Eur

Castelnau-Bretenoux

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Shortened history of the castle:

Its construction took place over several centuries, from the twelfth century to the seventeenth century. Its origin dates back to Hugues de Castelnau, who had built a wall around his area. He is the ancestor of a family line very powerful barony subservient to the counts of Toulouse and who thrives in a region rich in agricultural resources.

In the medieval period, we find the square tower and a stately home. It was then redeveloped in the fifteenth century to accommodate the burgeoning artillery. It will be taken by Henry II but will revert ownership of the barons of Castelnau at the end of the Hundred Years War.

When the last Castelnau died in 1715, the castle is no longer maintained and is deteriorating for nearly two centuries. In 1860, the castle belongs to a Mr. Dubousquet that for a moment the idea to place a monastery. It is a historical monument in 1862 (and later the entire site will be included). In 1895 he was bought by Jean Mouliérat, Parisian comic opera singer, who began its restoration. In addition, Mouliérat is a collector who collects number of furniture and objects of religious art (paintings and sculptures). You can now visit seven parts of this fortress, restored and furnished in medieval style.

Opening times and aditionnal information:

2 May to 30 June: 10am-12.30am and 2pm-6.30pm
July 1 to August 31: 10am-7pm
September and April: 10am-12.30am and 2pm-5.30pm
1 October to 31 March: 10.30am-12.30am and 2pm-5.30pm (closed on Tuesdays)
Last admission 60 minutes before

Closed
1st January, 1st May, 1st November
November 11 and December 25

Full price: 7 €
Reduced price: 4.50 €
groups: 5,50 € (from 20 persons)

Free:
Under 18 (accompanied by an adult)
18-25 years (nationals of 27 countries of the European Union and non-European residents regularly on French territory)
Disabled person and their companion
Jobseeker

Dover

Shortened history of the castle:

Originally the site may have been fortified with earthworks in the Iron Age or earlier, before the Romans invaded in 43 AD.

After the Battle of Hastings in October 1066, William the Conqueror and his forces marched to Westminster Abbey for his coronation. Then he marched to Dover, which had been reported impregnable and held by a large force. But the English, probably afraid of William's army, surrendered without conditions. The Castle was first built, entirely out of clay. It collapsed to the ground and the clay was then used as the flooring for many of the ground-floor rooms.

It was during the reign of Henry II that the castle began to take recognisable shape.

By the Tudor age, the defences themselves had been superseded by gunpowder. They were improved by Henry VIII, who made a personal visit, and added to with the Moat Bulwark.

Opening times and additional information:

Open all year except December 24 -26 and January 1st.
Closed Tues/Wed from November to February
Summer opening times 10am -6pm
Winter opening times 10am- 4pm

Ticket Prices
Adult - £10.30
Child - £5.20
Concession - £8.20
Family - £25.80

Hohenzollern

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Shortened history of the castle:

The first Medieval Castle of Hohenzollern was mentioned for the first time in 1267. However the castle appears to date back to the 11th Century. In 1423 the castle was besieged for over a year by troops from the Swabian Free Imperial Cities and it was completely destroyd in that same year.

In 1454 construction of the second castle began. While this castle was much stronger than the first, during the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) it was captured by Württemberg troops in 1634. Following the Thirty Years' War the castle was under Habsburg control for about a century.

When the last Austrian owner left the castle in 1798 it began to totally fall to ruins.

The castle was rebuilt by Crown-Prince (and later King) Frederick William IV of Prussia, who, in 1819 during a trip to Italy, travelled through southern Germany and was astonished by this particular high site of Mount Hohenzollern.

The Hohenzollern Castle is a monument to the ideals of the German Romanticism movement and incorporated the idealized vision of what a medieval knight's castle should be. In this way Hohenzollern Castle is similar to Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, though without the fantastic elements that cover Neuswanstein.

Opening times and additional information:

Hohenzollern Castle is open all year round
Winter season (1. November to 15 March): 10.00 - 16.30 clock (all day)
Summer season (16. March to 31 October): 9.00 - 17.30 clock (all day)

Exceptions:
09/04/2010 closed from 13:00 clock.
closed 24/12/2010.
31/12/2010 open until 15.00 clock.
01/01/2011 open from 11.00 clock.

Entrance prices

Adults : € 9.00
Groups (20 p.): € 6,00 p.P.
Reduced : € 6.00 (Disabled, pensioners, students over 15, students)
Children : € 4.00 (Children aged 6 to 14 years. Children under 6 are free)
Family & Friends : € 22.00 (2 adults and up to 4 children)

Beaumaris

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Shortened history of the castle:

Beaumaris Castle on the Island of Anglesey is the great unfinished masterpiece of the Welsh medieval architecture. It was built as one of the 'iron ring' of North Wales castles by the English monarch Edward I, to stamp his authority on the Welsh. But it was never finished: money and supplies ran out before the fortifications reached their full height.

Beaumaris is nonetheless an awesome sight, regarded by many as the finest of all the great Edwardian castles in Wales. Begun in 1295, it was also the last. The king's military architect, the brilliant James of St George, brought all his experience and inspiration to bear when building this castle, the biggest and most ambitious venture he ever undertook. In pure architectural terms Beaumaris, the most technically perfect castle in Britain, has few equals.

The name of the castle comes from the 'beau marais' (fair marsh) that Edward chose for a castle and garrison town.

The gate next-the-sea entrance protected the tidal dock which allowed supply ships to sail right up to the castle. Beaumaris is endlessly fascinating. There is so much to see here, the 14 separate major obstacles that any attacker would have to overcome, the hundreds of cleverly sited arrow-slits, the deadly use of 'murder holes' to defend entrances.

This outstanding fortress is a World Heritage inscribed site.

Opening times and additional information:

Opening Hours 2010-2011:

1st March - 31st March - 09.30 - 17.00 daily
1st April to 30th June : 09.30 - 17.00 daily
1st July - 31st August : 09.30 - 18.00 daily
1st September - 31st October : 09.30 - 17.00 daily
1st November to 28th February : 10.00 - 16.00

Closed:- 24th, 25th, 26th December, 1st January

Admission Charge:- Adults £3.60, Reduced rate £3.20.
Family Ticket:- £10.40 - admits 2 adults and up to 3 children under 16 years.