Caernarfon

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Shortened history of the castle:

Caernarfon is the most famous of Wales's castles. It's construction begun in 1283 and it was constructed not only as a military stronghold but also as a seat of government and royal palace.

The castle's majestuosity is no architectural accident: it was designed to echo the walls of Constantinople and the imperial power of Rome. And after all these years Caernarfon's immense strength remains unchanged.

Standing at the mouth of the Seiont river, the fortress dominates the walled town founded by Edward I. Caernarfon's symbolic status was emphasized when Edward made sure that his son, the first English Prince of Wales, was born here in 1284.

In 1969, the castle gained worldwide fame as the setting for the Investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales.

Opening times and additionnal information:

Opening Hours: (last admission half an hour before closing)
1st April to 30th June - 09.30 to 17.00 (daily)
1st July to 31st August - 09.30 to 18.00 (daily)
1st September to 31st October - 09.30 to 17.00 (daily)
1st November to 28th February - 10.00 to 16.00 (Monday to Saturday) and 11.00 to 16.00 (Sunday)
1st March to 31st March - 09.30 to 17.00 (daily)

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

Admission Charge:
Adults £4.95
Reduced rate £4.60.
Family Ticket: £14.50 - admits 2 adults and up to 3 children under 16 years.

Last WE of May : Military life exposition and Escafeld Medieval Society

Altamira (Elche)

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Shortened history of the castle:

The first human settlements in the municipality of Elche date back to the Neolithic period, but Iberian communities really set foot in the fourth century BC.

In 203 BC, Gaius Flaminius, commanding the Roman army, conquered the Iberian settlement.

With the Muslim invasion, the settlement was included within the territory of Teodomiro, enjoying some autonomy in exchange for allegiance to the Islamic power.

Altamira Palace The castle was built in the late fifteenth century by the noble Castilian Cardenas Gutierrez, first lord of the city, having returned to the Crown with the Catholic Kings, making their usual redidencia. However, it is likely to be built on an earlier work of the twelfth or thirteenth century, which form part of the defenses of the walled town Almohad.

In the early sixteenth century the castle suffered frequent Berber raids and the Muslims were expelled in large numbers, finally, in 1609.

During the War of Succession Elche was declared in favor of the Archduke Charles, being sacked by the troops of Philip V.

Opening times and additionnal information:

Summer Opening Times:
Tuesday to Saturday - 10.00 to 13.30 / 16.30 to 20.00 hours
Sunday - 10.30 to 13.30 hours

Winter Opening Times:
Tuesday to Saturday - 10.00 to 13.30 / 16.30 to 20.00 hours
Sunday - 10.30 to 13.30 hours

Anjony

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Shortened history of the castle:

The Anjony castle is composed of a high square building surrounded by four large towers topped with battlements. This fortress dominates the valley of the Doire.

Bernard Johanini obtained in 1351 some rural land in the fief of Tournemire and was knighted in 1360. Having fought alongside Joan of Arc, Charles VII allowed his son to build the medieval dungeon to defend the surrounding country in 1439 despite the refusal of Lord Tournemire. This building is the starting point of a long lasting conflict between the two families (The Tournemire had fought on the side of the Plantagenets...).

During more than two centuries, the families will undertake actions to disable the other in order to regain land and power.

In 1623, a duel between representatives of the two families in front of the castle led to the deaths of three members of each family and in 1643, a marriage occured between Michael II of Anjony and heiress of Tournemire Gabrielle Pesteils, signing the end of the rivalry between the two families.

In the eighteenth century Claude Anjony, not at ease with the discomfort of the dungeon, decides to build another building, backed up to the castle, in Louis XV style backed it (This building was made out of stones coming from the Tournemire's castle, destroyed a few decades earlier).

Opening times and additionnal information:

Guided tours :(length of visit - 1 hour)
- Winter (from the February Holidays to November 15) : from 2pm to 6.30pm (every day)
- Summer (July 1st to August 31st) : Morning at 11am and 11.30am and from 2pm to 6.30pm.

The visit is not free and reservation is mandatory.

Spesbourg

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Shortened history of the castle:

The castle was built in 1246 on the promontory granitic Rothmannsberg at 451m above sea level, overlooking the valley Spesbourg Andlau.

In 1383, the lords Andlau Spesbourg are announced as the new owners of the castle. But these lords transform the defensive medieval Spesourg castle into a palace and as a result, in 1431, Stephen of Bavaria invests Spesbourg who was without defenders. Anyway, a few months later, the castle was retaken by the Andlau head of 2000 men.

During the sixteenth century, the castle is attacked and burned by citizens of Barr because the Andlau lords had bribed one of their fellow citizens.

Certainly rebuilt, it is destroyed again and this time finally abandoned during the Thirty Years War.

After the revolution the castle was dismantled and its stones recovered by nearby residents.

In 1967 it is classified a historical monument.

Opening times and additionnal information:

The castle is open to public, free access.

E-mail : arc-spesbourg@neuf.fr

Paphos

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Shortened history of the castle:

Paphos castle was originally a Byzantine fort built to protect the harbour.

It was rebuilt by the Lusignans in the 13th century, dismantled by the Venetians in 1570 during the Ottoman invasion and rebuilt by the Ottomans after they captured the island in the 16th century.

During its long history, the Paphos Castle was used, as well as for protection, as prison cells, and even as a storage area for salt when the island was a British colony. In 1935 it was declared ancient monument.

The castle as it survives today is relatively well preserved and has a rectangular shape. Its outer dimensions are 33m length and 17m width. The castle has two storeys and is 21 m high.

Many cultural events take place in the square just in front of the castle, while in September the Paphos Aphrodite Festival which presents a different opera every year staged here by world famous artists with the castle building usually acting as part of the scenery.

Opening times and additionnal information:

Open Daily:
08am - 5pm (November-March)
08am - 6pm (April, May, September, October)
08am - 7.30pm (June-August)

Entrance: €1.71 (CY £1.00)

Fort-la-Latte

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Shortened history of the castle:

The existing building has been built during the 13th and 14th centuries on the ruins of a fort built in 937 to defend the entrance of the bay by the invading Normans.

The castle is formerly known as the castle of Roche-Goyon (named for the family to which it belonged), and will take the current name, which is the village that led there, in 1592.

Partially destroyed during the wars of the League, after a long siege in 1597, Vauban strengthened it in the 17th century. It will be equipped with a canon-ball oven and its walls will be further strengthened. From 1690 to 1715, the King of France will take over the cost of restorations and adjustments.

It became property of the state in 1892 because its defensive qualities were weakened and no longer of any use.

Opening times and additionnal information:

April 1st to September 30th: from 10:30 A.M. to 6:30 P.M.
From July 7 to August 27 opening non-stop from 10:30 A.M. to 7 P.M.
From October to the end of March, the castle is open the afternoons during weekends and school Holidays from 1:30 P.M. to 5:30 P.M.

The castle is closed for Christmas and January 1st.

Full fare: 5 €
Students, unemployed (card): 4 €
Under 12 years: 3 €
Under 5 years: free entrance

E-mail : Flalatte@aol.com