Apr 24th, 2012 at 10:00AM:
One of England's most besieged castles has turned the ripe old age of 1000 this year.
A new exhibition at Carlisle Castle in Carlisle, England, tells its thousand-year history. Well, approximately a thousand years, since nobody actually knows when the first castle was built here. Like with many great English castles, it got its start with a Roman fort. This fell to ruins and was replaced in ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Castles posts
Carlisle Castle Celebrates 1000th Birthday
Apr 24th, 2012 at 10:00AM:
One of England's most besieged castles has turned the ripe old age of 1000 this year.
A new exhibition at Carlisle Castle in Carlisle, England, tells its thousand-year history. Well, approximately a thousand years, since nobody actually knows when the first castle was built here. Like with many great English castles, it got its start with a Roman fort. This fell to ruins and was replaced in ...Photos Of Cool Cliff Castles
Apr 19th, 2012 at 2:00PM: Nobody minds seeing photos of dreamy castles, especially if the photos are of cool cliff castles. Towering over steep slated valleys and crashing waves, Woman's Day has a great roundup of these kinds of castles on their website here. Featuring castles in Ukraine, Italy, Spain, Tibet, Yemen, USA and India, these photos are the thread with which fantasies are sewn. Knights in shining armor, damsels ...Modern Thieves Loot Medieval Castle In England
Mar 29th, 2012 at 10:00AM: Last week we reported on how thieves and vandals are destroying Britain's heritage. They've struck again. A group of thieves sneaked into the grounds of Helmsley Castle near Helmsley, Yorkshire, at night and stole the lead gutters from the visitor center.
Metal theft is a growing problem and police estimate the lead is worth about £1,000 ($1,595) as scrap.
While the castle itself ...10 reasons to visit Ghana, Africa
Mar 16th, 2012 at 5:00PM: When planning a vacation, it isn't too often you hear people choosing Ghana as their must-visit destination. In reality, there are many unique and worthwhile experiences to be had in this African country. Before I visited, I was unsure what to expect, as I didn't know anyone who had ever been there. However, the friendly people, unique foods, and culturally immersive experiences made me fall in ...Ancient city of Palmyra under threat from Syrian army
Mar 11th, 2012 at 11:00AM:
The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Palmyra may become the latest victim of the ongoing violence in Syria, according to a Global Heritage Fund report.
Palmyra, an ancient oasis city in the desert northeast of Damascus, remained untouched by the conflict until last month, when the Syrian army moved in. According to several reports by refugees since then, units from the army have taken up ...10 historical hostels with unique pasts
Feb 25th, 2012 at 10:00AM: Former prisons, renovated brothels, converted convents; sometimes, you get more than just a cheap bed when choosing a hostel. In fact, with a little research you can find yourself relaxing in the same room a king once did, or dining in a kitchen where soldiers from WWII slept during the war. To help make your next trip a bit more historical, here are ten hostels from around the world with unique ...Mistra: a medieval ghost town in southern Greece
Feb 10th, 2012 at 12:00PM: On a steep hill overlooking the Vale of Sparta in southwestern Greece stands the last capital of the Roman Empire.
In 395 AD, beset by enemies, the empire split into western and eastern halves. The Western Roman Empire was soon overwhelmed. The east flourished. Its capital was at Constantinople, modern Istanbul. Known as the Byzantine Empire, it developed a distinctive style of art and ...Sparta: Greece's ancient warrior city
Feb 8th, 2012 at 10:00AM: After having seen Athens and Corinth, I couldn't resist visiting one of the other great city-states of ancient Greece: Sparta.
Sparta needs no introduction. It's a star player on the History and Discovery channels and that schlocky pseudo-historical film 300. While I wanted to see the ancient ruins where brave warriors once strode, my main reason for going was to explore nearby Mistra, a ...Athens day trip: Acrocorinth, one of Greece's greatest castles
Feb 1st, 2012 at 12:00PM:
Greece is justly famous for its ancient monuments. The Acropolis, Delphi, and other Classical sites are the reason most history lovers come to this ancient land. The medieval period, however, produced many equally impressive monuments and it's a shame they're so often overlooked. Greece is filled with giant castles, remote monasteries, and lovely churches decorated with gold mosaics and richly ...Sandal Castle, Yorkshire, to host medieval battle on New Year's Eve
Dec 30th, 2011 at 3:00PM:
A castle in Yorkshire will be the scene of a reenactment of one of England's most important battles.
The Battle of Wakefield, fought on December 30, 1460, will be reenacted by the Frei Compagnie. Members of the group will not only be fighting it out medieval style, but will also be displaying medieval arts and crafts and talking about life in the 15th century.
Sandal Castle has an ...Belgrade fortress besieged by flowers
Dec 24th, 2011 at 12:00PM:
Belgrade fortress is one of the toughest castles in Europe. In its 2,000 year history its stood against numerous invaders, been destroyed several times, and has always risen from the wreckage.
Despite such a proud history, Belgrade fortress is beginning to crumble from the effects of a combination of coal smoke and fertilizer from the flower beds of the surrounding park.
The website ...Archaeologists blog as they excavate Nea Paphos World Heritage site
Nov 29th, 2011 at 2:00PM:
Archaeologists excavating at the ancient city of Nea Paphos in Cyprus have written about their work and discoveries in a blog.
A University of Sydney team has been working to uncover medieval walls built atop a Classical theater and investigating a public fountain dating to the first century AD, the Cyprus Mail reports.
Nea Paphos is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was founded around 300 ...Amsterdam day trip: Van Brederode castle
Nov 28th, 2011 at 11:00AM:
Amsterdam has plenty of day trip opportunities. Smaller cities such as Delft are a short train ride away and the pretty countryside has many historic attractions.
Ruïne van Brederode is a castle in the town of Santpoort Zuid, about 25 minutes away by train from Centraal Station. From the Santpoort Zuid station, signs lead through quiet, tree-lined streets to the castle. The ...Major tourist site restored in Herat, Afghanistan. Please send me there!
Oct 19th, 2011 at 3:00PM:
While Afghanistan may not be high on your places-to-go list, the government is trying hard to offer more sightseeing opportunities.
A giant citadel overlooking the city of Herat has just reopened after several years and $2.4 million of restoration. The citadel dates back to when Alexander the Great's armies marched across Afghanistan on their way to India in 330 BC. It was used by a ...Tallinn, Estonia, to open secret tunnels crossing the medieval Old Town
Oct 8th, 2011 at 11:00AM:
Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is one of Europe's most beautiful medieval cities, and it's getting an increasing number of visitors. Starting next year there will be more to see as the city opens up secret tunnels from the 17th century connecting the city wall, shown above, to the rest of the Old Town.
Parts of the walkway along the medieval walls will also be opened and some of the wall ...Castles in Greece in danger
Oct 8th, 2011 at 9:00AM: When people think of castles, they usually think of those in Western Europe such as Spain, France, and Germany. Eastern Europe, however, has just as many if not more.
Greece has some of the best, like the castle of Methoni photographed here by Wolfram Sinapius. Having been fought over by the Byzantines, Venetians, Crusaders, Ottomans, and many others, it seems every island and hilltop has its ...Madrid day trip: a classic Spanish castle at Manzanares el Real
Sep 14th, 2011 at 3:30PM:
If you like a good castle, Spain is one of the best countries in the world to visit. One of Spain's finest castles is at the town of Manzanares el Real and makes a good day trip from Madrid.
El Castillo de los Mendoza was built in 1475 for Don Pedro González de Mendoza as both a palace and fortress, although he never actually lived here. It shows an Islamic flair, as you can see from ...Brochs: the prehistoric castles of Scotland
Aug 5th, 2011 at 12:00PM:
In Scotland, the past is still very much present. In rural areas you can hear people speaking Scots Gaelic or Lowland Scots like their forefathers did. There are castles and stone circles all over the region. The most enigmatic remains from the past are the brochs.
Brochs are mysterious drystone towers dating to around two thousand years ago. Built without mortar or nails, they're ...Aberystwyth: Exploring a seaside resort in Wales
Jul 26th, 2011 at 2:00PM:
When deciding where to go for a beach vacation, Aberystwyth in Wales probably isn't the first place you think of. It wasn't ours either. My wife and I picked it on the advice of an English friend who had never been there and about an hour's research on the Internet. We like to travel by the seat of our pants because it usually leads to a great experience. Usually.
Since this will not be an ...Madrid day trip: the Alcázar castle in Segovia
Jul 19th, 2011 at 10:00AM:
As I mentioned yesterday, Segovia makes a great day trip from Madrid. One of the highlights of any visit is the Alcázar, or castle. Rising from the highest point on the promontory on which Segovia is built, it dominates the town and looks impossible to attack. The architects cut away part of the bedrock to make a dry moat cutting off the castle from the rest of the town, so to get in you ...
