The Forbidden City, China
This giant, walled palace in Beijing was constructed by the Chinese emperor for 14 years, starting in 1406. He even had to have a canal rebuilt in order to use it to transport all the necessary materials. The complex was called ‘forbidden’ because the innermost area was solely for the emperor and his family – no one else was allowed; other parts of it, however, were used for official business. The colourful red and yellow buildings were richly decorated and surrounded by a wall and moat. According to legend, soon after completion, three of the buildings were struck by lightning, striking fear in the emperor. But the Forbidden City survived through 500 years and 24 emperors, and it is now a museum.
Don’t miss the most beautiful man-made structures in the world.
Citadel of Carcassonne, France
One of the best remaining examples of a medieval fortified town in Europe, Carcassone in southern France is more of a city than a castle – and, in fact, it is called La Cité de Carcassonne. Looking like something out of Game of Thrones, the site was occupied since before Roman times but expanded in the medieval period, around the 12th century. The castle (or ‘chateau’) inside the city sits within two sets of walls containing 53 towers. Presided over first by the Counts of Carcassonne, it became a royal fortress in the 13th century. The crumbling citadel was another Victorian restoration project that saved an important example of medieval architecture.
Visit the Game of Thrones shoot locations, you may recognise the castles.
Almourol Castle, Portugal
Called the most beautiful castle in central Portugal, Almourol Castle was conquered by the Knights Templar as part of the Christian ‘Reconquest’ from the Moors. We know it was reconstructed after the group took it over in 1171, the date inscribed on the castle door. Spectacularly situated in the middle of the Tagus River, it can be reached only by boat. The castle, with its nine circular defensive towers, maintained an important position on the river throughout the Middle Ages, but it eventually fell into disrepair. Reconstructed in the 19th century, Almourol seemed to embody all the romanticism of the medieval period. Even today, surrounded only by small towns and villages, Almourol seems like something out of the past.