Standing in the town of Helsingør on the northeastern tip of the Danish island of Zealand, Kronborg castle is a Renaissance fortification that defends the strategic sound of Øresund, a body of water between Denmark and Sweden which is only 2.5 miles wide at its narrowest point. Kronborg is the setting for William Shakespeare’s play … Read more
Castello di Malpaga is a gorgeous place to visit when in Bergamo. It is the kind of place where you can learn about the local history and traditions, and at the same time enjoy a number of truly unique activities that are fun for adults and children alike. I have had the chance to visit … Read more
Europe is one of the most diverse continents on the planet with regard to food, language, culture, and more; yet, it is also incredibly diverse with its range of castles and their various architectural styles and histories. This list will present the 50 best castles in the whole of Europe, providing the highlights of each … Read more
The Normans were originally Viking raiders, primarily from Denmark, who gained land in northern France at the beginning of the 10th century. Scandinavian warbands had been using the French river system to travel inland in the late 9th century, even attacking Paris in 885 and 886. It was the defeat of the Viking leader Rollo … Read more
Castles began to emerge in Europe as early as the 9th century, but the first structures that we can truly call ‘castles’ were motte-and-bailey fortifications. These were the earliest iterations of the castle in the Medieval period, a building that would later develop the imposing stone towers and thick walls which we are so familiar … Read more
William the Conqueror was the Norman duke who captured the crown of England in 1066, ending Anglo-Saxon kingship on the island and ushering in a new age of feudal society imported from continental Europe. Not only did this change bring a system of societal organisation based on land ownership and obligatory service, but it also … Read more
Best Castles in Latvia Neighbouring the Baltic Sea and other northern European countries, Latvia is a country with a range of influences, as well as an extensive history of regional invasions, both in recent history and centuries past. There is only really one major city in Latvia, Riga, which is an up and coming tourist … Read more