Why are there so many castles in Italy?

In order to defend their holdings from invading armies and rival families, the nobility built castles all over the area. Today some are in ruin, but many have been restored to either their original design or following fanciful 19th century creations.



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Germany. The country with the most castles is Germany! It's thought that Germany has around 25,000 castles within its borders.

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Castles could serve as a centre for local government, administration and justice. They were also used by powerful lords to display their wealth and power through lavish architectural styles and decoration. Castles were not only built and used by the crown.

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Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its influence on high culture. During the wars of the Middle Ages, many castles were built to serve as protection, some of which have been restored and are open to visitors.

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Castles were built and existing towns strengthened as centres of resistance to the threat of Muslim expansionism.

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The Romans, who ruled and colonized the territory of current-day Portugal for more than four centuries, built forts with high walls and strong towers to defend their populations.

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Castles could serve as a centre for local government, administration and justice. They were also used by powerful lords to display their wealth and power through lavish architectural styles and decoration.

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In the 13th century, as methods of working with heavy materials began to improve, stone castles began to emerge. Scotland castles were primarily used defensively – to hold power, and to protect communities against invaders.

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There are approximately 3,000 castles scattered all over Belgium, from the northern Flanders region all the way to the southern region of Wallonia.

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Why did they stop building castles? Castles were great defences against the enemy. However, when gunpowder was invented the castles stopped being an effective form of defence. By the end of the 1300s gunpowder was widely in use.

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Scotland has been home to more castles than anywhere else in the UK, with there being around 1,800 castles that have previously, or still do stand today.

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Whilst the exact number is not known, experts have estimated that Germany is home to over 20.000 castles. From castles that look like they come straight out of a fairy tale to medieval fortresses with moats, Germany features some of Europe's most impressive castles and palaces.

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The Czech Republic has the highest castle-density in the world. Get your fix of medieval charm with more than 2,000 around the country to Czech out.

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