What eventually made castles obsolete?

After the 16th century, castles declined as a mode of defense, mostly because of the invention and improvement of heavy cannons and mortars. This artillery could throw heavy cannonballs with so much force that even strong curtain walls could not hold up.



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After the 16th century, castles declined as a mode of defense, mostly because of the invention and improvement of heavy cannons and mortars. This artillery could throw heavy cannonballs with so much force that even strong curtain walls could not hold up.

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A medieval castle was the fortified home of an important person, such as a lord or king. The medieval period, also called the Middle Ages, lasted from the 5th century CE to the end of the 15th century. During this time, many castles were built in Europe and the Middle East.

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The castlellated form seems to have gone largely out of fashion by the 16th century as the spread of powerful artillery led to the development of squat blockhouse-like forts (see the Military Structures selection guide), although many castles continued in use, mainly as residences, for many centuries.

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It seems that from about the 1500s and onward, nobles and royals stopped building castles for both residential and defensive purposes and preferred to build palaces with little to no defensive utility for their residences while purely military installations such as star forts replaced the castles of the middle ages.

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Castles, in particular, were instruments of war and occupying or levelling them was the goal of invading armies. In many cases, the castles were then taken over by the victors and re-purposed, but many were dismantled, particularly when the structure could no longer repel attacks by cannon.

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Castle of Zafra, Campillo de Duenas It holds the distinction of never being conquered. It also holds the distinction of appearing in “Game of Thrones” in three episodes.

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Castles Today Most were in Europe -- there were 10,000 in Germany alone. Although improvements in military technology and the expense of castle construction brought the age of castles to an end, some were built so well that they survive to this day. Some castles are merely ruins, while others have been restored.

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Especially in Europe, castles are bought and sold like any other property. Of course they come in various states, from bold renovation projects to modernised chateaux that are ready to live in.

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The entrance to the castle was always its weakest point. Drawbridges could be pulled up, preventing access across moats. Tall gate towers meant that defenders could shoot down in safety at attacks below. The main gate or door to the castle was usually a thick, iron-studded wooden door, that was hard to break through.

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The natural ventilation inside the castle was achieved through five main elements: the large pool in the garden at the front, the fountain located on the ground floor, the two ventilating chimneys and large wet sheets hung beneath the ceilings of the various rooms on the upper floors.

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Converted into a donjon around 950, Château de Doué-la-Fontaine in France is the oldest standing castle in Europe.

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And indeed, the White Heron Castle, as it is sometimes called for its wing-like roofs and white walls, still stands today with its medieval foundations still wholly intact. It has survived the strife of the Muromachi period, the bombing of Himeji during World War II, and even catastrophic earthquakes.

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Castle Drogo is a country house and mixed-revivalist castle near Drewsteignton, Devon, England. Constructed between 1911 and 1930, it was the last castle to be built in England. The client was Julius Drewe, the hugely successful founder of the Home and Colonial Stores.

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