Castle of the Moors

One of The Places to visit in Sintra is the 8th-century Moorish Castle, The Castelo dos Mouros (Castle of the Moors). Castelo dos Mouros (Moorish Castle) is a popular tourist attractions in Sintra, a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.




The Moorish Castle is of Moorish origin and little is known of the actual history of The Castle. It is located on a high hill overlooking the village. It is constructed by the Moors possibly between the 9th and 10th centuries. The Moorish Castle's dominant position over the bay of Gibraltar can be fully appreciated from this panoramic view of its surroundings.

The decline of the castle began in the 15th century, when most of the population settled downhill, in today's Old Village of Sintra. The Moorish Castle has two walled segments with a total perimeter of 450 metres. The interior wall has a wall walk, battlements and is reinforced by five turrets. The walls at the north segment took advantage of the natural slope of the hill to prevent enemies from approaching the castle. Near the entrance of the castle is the romanesque Church of Saint Peter.



The area around the church was excavated and revealed the existence of a medieval cemetery with many tombs.

Sydney history

Sydney (Founded in 1788)
Sydney evolved from a penal colony that was populated by British convicts. Some offenses committed by Sydney's first citizens were very slight, such as stealing a handkerchief or borrowing a glove. Out of respect, throughout all of January Sydney still celebrates the January 26th, 1788 landing, when the first convicts were dropped off near the current downtown area.

Sydney, the capital of the New South Wales state, is Australia's oldest and largest city. Its vast metropolitan area covers 4790 square miles (12407 square kilometres), spanning from the Blue Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. Sydney is known to have one of the world's best ports, as Captain Arthur Phillip discovered in 1788 when he reached Port Jackson. After having first sailed to Botany Bay (located immediately south of Sydney's site), which had been discovered and settled by Captain John Cook in 1770, Phillip noted the Port Jackson's excellent natural harbour and moved the entire fleet.

Innumerable coves and bays are found on the Pacific coast near Sydney, along with exquisite beaches that are world renowned for surfing and boating. Australians are great lovers of the outdoors, and there are two magnificent national parks within 25 miles of the city centre.

Though the city's architecture is modern and fairly unremarkable, Sydney is dominated by two exceptional landmarks. The first is the Sydney Harbour Bridge (1933), which arcs high behind the Opera House and links the north shore to the city. The second is the Opera House (1973), designed by Danish architect Jorn Utzon, which houses a concert hall for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra as well as a large theater for opera and ballet and a smaller theater for plays. The Opera House is linked to Hyde Park by Macquarie Street, which is lined magnificently with nineteeth century government buildings. Like its rival Melbourne, which once bested this city in population and importance, Sydney has a few delicate, lacy iron balconies that add florid decoration to the city's buildings.



Like all Australians, many of Sydney's citizens have become great historical researchers, collecting all evidence of its early settlement and tracing their roots through the generations of the city's short life. Though founded by convicts and peopled by women who were badly abused at their arrival, Sydney also attracted citizens who came because the British government was providing free land, convict labour and free capital works. The city still remembers the adventurous spirit of its early settlers.

Australia can seem to be a long way from anywhere in particular, an isolation that made it the last great landmass to be 'discovered' by Europeans. But before Sydney Harbour saw its first billow of British sail, indigenous people inhabited the continent for more than 40000 years, the world's longest continuous cultural history. Hosting the 2000 Olympic Games thrust Sydney into the global limelight, and the city was not shy about stepping onto the stage. The coup of securing the Olympics gripped the city in a late 90s sweat of building activity, the flawless success of the Games infusing confidence and pride. An expansive metropolis of four million folks, Sydney's streets buzz with business conducted in dozens of accents and tongues. Confidence remains, but there's a sense of post-Olympic reflection and cultural re-definition in the air. The ebullient 80s are ancient history and Sydney has surfed the Olympic wave right into the beach -- everyone's catching their breath and waiting to see what will happen next.



Late spring (October to November) and early autumn (March to April) are the best times to visit Sydney. The days are warm and the evenings are mild. Sydney's winters are cool to mild, but summer can be hot and unbearably humid with occasional downpour. Getting around in Sydney is generally convenient and reliable. There are trains, buses and ferries. In Sydney, you will have no problem finding a place to sleep.

History of Melbourne

Melbourne (Founded in 1835)
Melbourne, the capital of the Australian state of Victoria, is located on Australia's southern coast, where it is the nation's largest general cargo port. In Australia, Melbourne is second in area only to its rival, Sydney, the capital of New South Wales. Melbourne is the only one of Australia's six capitals to have been established unofficially by enterprise. A fairly young city, Melbourne was founded by pioneer settler John Batman in 1835, soon after he signed a treaty with the aboriginal natives. Another pioneer, John Fawkner, settled on the Yarra Rivers' banks. There he acquired a large amount of land and established a book-selling business, hotels and a newspaper. Batman died early, ending an active debate over who was the legitimate founder.



Melbourne saw its first immigration wave after gold was discovered nearby in the 1850s. The second wave was stimulated by government programs that supported European immigrants in their attempts to find jobs and learn English. Acting as a haven for people fleeing World War II, the city limits strained eastward. Surrounding Melbourne's service-oriented core, a ring of outers suburbs developed. By the end of World War II, the population had reached 100000. Metal processing, transportation equipment and computer manufacturing greatly boosted the importance of Melbourne's industries, and by 1990, the metropolitan population had grown to 3.1 million.



The city was laid out in a rectangular pattern. Nineteenth century architecture is still evident in the core city, where the Houses of Parliament share space with Anglican and Roman Catholic cathedrals. Some of the best ornate ironwork has been preserved.



Melbourne's population includes a healthy ethnic mix of culturally conscious, politically active intellectuals. With its National Gallery of Victoria, its Victorian Arts Center and the Melbourne Concert Hall, the city is a great supporter of traditional arts. Its extensive parks and grand balconies have preserved an impression of gentility, despite the experimental theater of the 1970s and the proliferation of discos, rock music clubs and a great many pubs.

Pictures of Caerphily Castle

Caerphilly is a Welsh town seven miles north of Cardiff, which is on the Southern coast of Wales. Stretching over an area of 30 acres in the centre of Caerphilly, Caerphilly Castle (Welsh: Castell Caerfili) is one of the largest fortresses in Europe. Caerphilly Castle is the largest castle in Wales, the second largest in Britain (second to Windsor castle). It is built in 1268-1271 by the Anglo-Norman lord, Gilbert de Clare(1243-1295), a powerful, redheaded nobleman of Norman descent.



Flooding a valley to create a third acre lake, Gilbert de Clare set his castle on three artificial islands, the easternmost becoming a great fortified dam while the westernmost became a walled redoubt. Both also defended the central island, the core of the stronghold. There stands a castle complete in itself, with a double "concentric" circuit of walls and four gatehouses, one, the East Inner Gatehouse, large and powerful enough to serve as an independent final refuge. Nearby is the elegant banqueting hall with its fine stone carving.

Often threatened but never taken, this astonishing multiple fortress has been restored after centuries of neglect by the fourth marquees of Bute from 1928 to 1939. When the castle was taken into State care in 1950 it only remained to complete the reflooding of the lakes and the restoration and glazing of the windows of the Great Hall, aided by private donors in 1960. The south dam platform, once a tournament field, now displays full sized working replica medieval siege engine, and the fascinating exhibitions that can be seen in the main outer gatehouse and in the "Lady's Tower" are others interesting features of the castle.

Caerphilly Castle is concentric (castle within a castle) in architecture, with a double moat, surrounded by large but fairly shallow artificial lakes to slow attackers and prevent the undermining of its walls. The castle's most distinguishing feature is the leaning tower.

Malbork Castle

Malbork is the mightiest ot the Teutonic Knights' fortresses and the capital of their independent state until returned to Poland at the end of the 15thC.



It consists of the Upper Castle, the Middle Castle and the Palace of the Grand Master surrounded by common walls and a moat. The main gate has been reconstructed with its portcullis.



Malbork Castle is enormous and has everything a castle should--a moat (dry), drawbridge, portculis, and more.



Despite being almost completely leveled in WWII, the castle has been almost entire restored to its original design.



Malbork Castle, said to be impenetrable, a castle built for defense. In fact it's never been taken over. Only after the Teutons were driven out of Poland and the castle was abandoned, did it ever fall into enemy hands.

See More Pictures of Malbork Castle

Largest Brick Castle

Malbork Castle is the largest medieval castle in Europe. It was built between the XIII and XIV centuries to serve as the home of the Grand Master of the Knights of the Teutonic Order.




The construction of Castle in Malbork began in 1275. Malbork has been since 1309 the capital of The Teutonic Order Of Holy Mary in Jerusalem. Malbork was taken by the Polish army in 1475 and became one of the residences of Kings of Poland until 1772, when it was taken by the Kingdom of Prussia, to be devastated in the years after.

At the beginning of XIX century, after protests of the German society the castle’s demolition has been stopped in 1803 and since 1817 until ca.1940, the Malbork castle has been constantly reconstructed, under the guidance of several important German architects, with the best work done by the team of the historian Konrad Steibrecht in the years 1882-1921.

During the Nazi era, a scene of the official ceremonies of the Hitler’s regime. In 1945, at the end of the WWII, the castle was defended by the Germans against advancing Red Army and during these fights seriously damaged. Additionally, its newly constructed roof burnt in 1959. In the years after, the serious reconstruction work continued to restore the Malbork castle to its previous glory.



One of many castles build in northern Poland by the Teutonic Order of Holy Mary in Jerusalem, a knight’s order limited to the German aristocracy, which was sent there in 1225 by the Pope to convert the local pagan population into Christianity. Today the Theutonic Order capital Malbork (Marienburg) is certainly one of the biggest gothic castles remaining in the world.

Castel Sant'Angelo

Castel Sant'Angelo is also known as The Mausoleum of Hadrian. Castel Sant'Angelo is one of the town's most famous landmarks. It is a towering cylindrical building in Rome. The cylindrical structure built over a square base was built by the Emperor Hadrian to house his remains and those of his family, the future emperors of Rome. It was renamed as Castel Sant'Angelo after the huge bronze angel at its top. The building, located in the rione of Borgo, spent over a thousand years as a fortress and castle, and is now a museum.

In the past, Castel Sant'Angelo was sadly notorious for functions of a much more grave nature. Its courtyards were the scene of executions by decapitation and the heads of the condemned were then hung for days along the bridge as a terrible warning.



Today Castel Sant'Angelo is visited by tourists from all over the world. The Castel Sant'Angelo appeared in Dan Brown's 2000 novel Angels and Demons and also in the film Roman Holiday. The castle has five floors and houses a national Museum. At the bottom there are the winding ramps dating back to Roman times; on the second floor you can still see the prison cells, as well as the storerooms for oil and grain. The third is the military floor with two large courtyards. On the fourth, the papal floor, there are the loggia of Julius II by papal architect Bramante, the papal apartments frescoed by Giulio Romano and painters of Raphael's school, the treasure room, and the room of Cagliostro the famous magician and alchemist who was imprisoned and tortured there in the 18th century. At the very top, right under the huge bronze angel, there is a terrace, where there is also a charming al fresco bar, where you can enjoy a stupendous panorama of the city.


The building of Castel Sant'Angelo consisted of an enormous quadrangular basement, 89 m. per side and 15 m. high. On top was a cylindrical drum (diam. 64 m., height 21 m.) flanked by radial walls. A tumulus of earth planted with trees rose up over the drum. Along the edges were decorative marble statues and at the centre, raised even higher up, was a podium with columns on top of which was a bronze quadriga with the statue of Hadrian.

Iolani Palace

Hawaii's Royal Palace - Official residence of King Kalakaua and Queen Liliu'okalani,
the last monarchs of Hawaii, 1881-1893. Located on South King Street between Richards Street and Punchbowl Street in downtown Honolulu, Iolani Palace is the only royal palace in the United States. It was built by King David Kalakaua in 1883 out of coral block.

Iolani Palace is situated in the capitol district of downtown Honolulu in the State of Hawaii. It was built by King Kalakaua in 1879-1882 and it is one of the most significant historical sites in the Hawaiian Islands. Iolani Palace was thus declared a National Historic Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Two monarchs governed from 'Iolani Palace, King David Kalakaua and Queen Lili'uokalani. The grounds surrounding the palace were originally the site of an ancient Hawaiian temple and former burial site for Hawaiian royalty. Evidence of the sites is still visible and considered sacred by locals. ‘Iolani means “Bird of Heaven”. 'Iolani Palace is the only true royal palace in the United States and the last official residence of the kings and queens who ruled Hawaii. King Kalakaua and Queen Kapiolani completed the palace in 1882. Greatly influenced by King Kalakaua's travels around the world, the palace was the first in the world to be equipped with telephones and electric lights. He commissioned the construction a new 'Iolani Palace, directly across the street from Ali'iolani Hale, to become the official palace of the Hawaiian monarchy. The building was completed in 1882 and served as the official residence of the Hawaiian monarch until the monarchy was overthrown in 1893.



Iolani Palace was opened to the public in 1978 for tours and special events. The palace grounds include: the Coronation Pavilion, 'Iolani Barracks, Royal Tomb, and a gift shop. Today, Iolani Palace is used for only the most formal of state functions and it is still a centerpiece in the hearts and minds of the Hawaiian people.

Pictures of Ruthin Castle

Location: Glwyd Country: Wales
Ruthin Castle is built on a red sandstone ridge 100 feet above the Clwyd valley, overlooking a strategic river crossing.

The name 'Ruthin' comes from 'rudd' or red and 'din', the Welsh word for fort, and refers to the colour of the old red sandstone which forms the geologic basis of the area, and from which the castle was constructed in 1277-1284.

Ruthin Castle, a baronial castle, stands on a sandstone ridge near the head of the Vale of Clwyd (Dyffryn Clwyd), 100 feet above the great marsh (Y Gwernfor). Ruthin Castle consisted of two wards and five round towers originally guarding the inner ward. All that remains are three towers and the ruined double-towered gatehouse. The overgrown walls of the upper and lower bailey can be seen to the left of the photo and the former marshy ground on the floor of the valley can be seen in the background.



Little is known of the history of the town before construction of Ruthin Castle started in 1277. The construction of the castle started around 1277, under the orders of Edward I, who was notable for waging wars in both Wales and Scotland. The castle would have been a strategic advantage to quell uprising in Wales, and originally consisted of 5 round towers, of which only three remain, along with its ruined gatehouse



According to local history, the lordship of Dyffryn Clwyd was given to the Grey family in 1282 after the defeat of Llywelyn effectively ending the principality of North Wales. Up to 1400 the history of the castle had little to note. It was Reginald, now first Baron of Ruthin, who was responsible for re-fortifying the castle, building the Chapel of St Peter and erecting a wall around Ruthin, which was surrounded by Welsh tribes.

During the Civil War period the castle was attacked by Cromwell's troops but managed to hold out against the battery. In 1646 the castle was once again attacked and besieged, the royalist forces surrendering to Major General Mytton in the same year. The castle was then destroyed, possibly on the orders of parliament. The old castle's atmospheric remains are still accessible to guests of the castle. The ruins include the battlements, the whipping pit, drowning pit and the dungeons.

A late 13th century castle on the site of a Welsh fort. Much of the structure of what was once a strong castle has been removed, but the remains were rebuilt in the 19th century as part of a hotel. Ruthin Castle is now an elegant Hotel set in beautiful and extensive gardens.

The castle is reputed to be haunted by a 'Grey Lady' who is seen roaming the exterior of the castle, the battlements, the old Chapel and the Medieval Banqueting Hall. The lady is said to be a murderess and the wife of the castle's second in command, when it was occupied by Reginald de Grey, appointed by Edward I. According to the legend her husband had an affair, and she murdered her love rival with an axe. She was executed for her crime and buried in the area around the battlements, as no local clergymen would allow her to be buried on consecrated ground. Her grave can still be seen today.



The historical town of Ruthin is one of North Wales's most affluent towns. Ruthin is a very pretty market town, unique in North Wales for its number of timberframed buildings. It is located around a hill in the southern part of the Vale of Clwyd - the older part of the town, the Castle and Saint Peter's Square are located on top of the hill, while many newer parts of the town are on the floodplain of the River Clwyd.

Ruthin Castle is set in 35 acres of gardens and grounds, including ruins and dungeons. The hotel offers an atmospheric setting, fine dining and the merriment of the original medieval banquet.

Nice Photographs of Hawarden Castle

Hawarden Castle is an impressive stone motte and bailey fortress, founded by Roger de Clifford. Supported by a large motte are the remains of a round keep, with a hall and a large square tower in the walled bailey.

The name Hawarden Castle is probably better known as the grand stately home of W.E. Gladstone, former British Prime Minister, which is not open to the public. The castle was an important structure during the Welsh struggle for independence in the 13th century. At Easter 1282, Dafydd ap Gruffudd attacked Hawarden Castle, thereby starting the final conflict with Norman England, in the course of which Welsh independence was lost. King Edward I's sense of outrage was such that he designed a punishment for Dafydd harsher than any previous form of capital punishment. Dafydd was hanged, drawn, and quartered.

Hawarden's most significant role in the struggle for Welsh independence came in 1282 when it was attacked by Llywelyn's brother Dafydd ap Gruffydd. Angered by King Edward's seeming lack of respect, Dafydd staged a night siege on the stronghold in the month of March. Although he succeeded in capturing the castle and its constable, Roger Clifford, Dafydd's actions forced his brother Llywelyn to become involved in another rebellion against the crown. By the end of the year Llywelyn had been killed, and Dafydd was on the run, only to be captured and executed the following year. Hawarden Castle was retaken by the English king, never again to be the target of a Welsh uprising.




The stone keep remains of the first Norman motte & bailey castle which was destroyed in 1265. It was rebuilt at the end of the 13th century as one of the new North Wales defences. It was slighted in 1647 during the Civil War, but the keep and part of the walls remain.



Hawarden Castle's history continued to be impacted by warfare and devastation into the mid-1600s, when it saw its final action during the Civil War. At first, it was garrisoned by Royalist troops who maintained control of the structure except for a brief time in 1643, and then until March 1646, when the castle was surrendered to Parliamentary forces. After that time, the castle was slighted and never restored, fated to remain in ruin and later to become part of the estates of nearby Hawarden House, erected in 1752.

Although not as well known as other castles in north Wales, Hawarden, along with the nearby castles of Caergwrle and Ewloe, have their own important stories to tell. Such castles are everlasting symbols of Welsh perseverance and Welsh individuality, and reinforce the fact that Wales is indeed a separate entity, despite it's union with Britain.



Hawarden is rich in history. It contains two castles; one built again by King Edward I, the other the home of William Gladstone, four times British Prime Minister. Another town, Caerwys, claims to be one of the smallest towns in Britain with a Royal Charter. Other notable attractions in Flintshire worth visiting are Ewloe Castle, Bailey Hill in Mold, Point of Ayr lighthouse Leeswood Hall’s ‘White Gates’.

Ewloe Castle

Ewloe, Hawarden, Flintshire
Type: motte
Ewloe Castle Converted to stone by Llywelyn the Great. A D-shaped great tower sat in the upper bailey.

Ewloe Castle lies hidden in woodland. It is an extraordinary Welsh stone keep and bailey castle, founded by Prince Llewelyn ap Gruffydd. It may have been built around 1150 by Owain Gwynedd, Prince of all Wales, but was converted to stone in about 1210 by Llywelyn the Great. The upper bailey has part of its curtain wall and the remains of a D-shaped two-storey keep and the steps of a forebuilding. The lower bailey again has part of its curtain wall, the well and the remains of a two-storey round tower at the far end. Extensive earthworks and rock-cut ditches complete its defence but this sloping site, is tactically a puzzle.

No gate connects the courtyards, both were entered from the north side outside the castle. The communication was only at parapet level. Also the two curtains are not bonded together, they are the result of successive building campaigns. Nothing stands of the inside buildings, which were of timber.



A Welsh castle dating from 1146. The tower was added in 1210 and the curtain wall in 1257. It was abandoned at the end of the 13th century. 6 miles north-west is Flint Castle and 3 miles south-east is Hawarden Castle.

Great part of the keep is collapsed, but the south front still stands to full height. The tower contained a single apartment above a storage chamber, reachable only through a trapdoor. The outer walls rose higher than the two storeys to protect the roof from burning projectiles. On the parapet slots for a hoarding are still visible.




All of us carry within us an image of a castle. Without doubt the fairy-tale image of castle takes root in our imagination early; it is a myth that has been created in the past, over a long period of time. The creation of an image of the classic feudal castle in art began long before these castles became redundant during the period in which the nobility moved down to the plains and when political, social, and economic activity became concentrated in the towns. With this change, hilltop castles became part of the landscape backgrounds in prints and paintings.

The castle, perched on vertiginous crags of impossible heights, became a decorative feature. Only the nineteenth-century Bavarian castles of Ludwig II have more towers and pinnacles. The architectural forms of a castle were already exaggerated in the late medieval period, which revelled in a desire to reach ever higher, using increasingly slender and pointed elements.

From the seventeenth century, depictions of ruins become increasingly common. The castle comes to be resonant with symbolism and fairy-tale attributes. Castles and towers came to be represented in drawings, paintings and prints. Tableware, porcelain, and fabrics were decorated with images of romantic ruins -- which themselves became models for architecture.

After the Baroque period, neo-Gothic aristocratic residences were constructed in the form of castles. Moreover, starting from existing small ruins in their grounds, entire new ruined castles came to be built, becoming ever greater in scale. Thus in the nineteenth century an insignificant artistic phenomenon --- representation of castles, developed into a trend that was to become a dominant architectural style.

Castles in Europe evolved from the first wooden forts made to lodge a garrison to spectacular stone structures able to support a small army for extended times. Each country in Europe developed its own architectural designs copying from that of the castles in other countries.
The race to build castles as the best military defenses, turned into a competition for the most magnificent architectural designs in the world.

History of Boldt Castle

Boldt Castle was constructed by George C. Boldt, who was a Prussian immigrant who made his fortune in the hotel industry, managing luxurious hotels like the New York Waldorf-Astoria. (He invented many modern hotel concepts, and his chef originated the Thousand Islands salad dressing.) He was building the castle for his wife, but when she died suddenly, he halted all work on the castle and never returned to the island. The 120-room castle was derelict from 1904 to 1977, when it was acquired by the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority and opened to tourists.

At the time, the Thousand Islands was a popular summer retreat for the wealthy of New York and Philadelphia. In 1895, Louise Boldt purchased Hart Island in the Thousand Islands. The Boldt's made a number of changes to the island. They reshaped the island into a heart shape, and renamed it Heart Island. Their summer home on the island was one of the largest and most beautiful in the area.



But having the largest and most beautiful home in the region wasn't good enough, and their home was demolished in 1900 to make way for something more grandiose. Their new summer home was to be an immense four story structure with 127 rooms, including 30 bathrooms. Construction proceeded using steel and concrete, with an exterior of light granite quarried 16km away on Oak Island. The overall appearance was that of a French chateau.




The construction of Boldt Castle ceased abruptly in early 1904 after the death of Boldt's wife, Louise Kehrer Boldt. For 73 years, the castle and other stone structures were left exposed to the harsh winter weather and occasional vandals. The Thousand Islands Bridge Authority acquired Heart Island and the nearby yacht house in 1977, for one dollar, under the agreement that all revenues obtained from the castle operation would be applied towards restoration, so that the island would be preserved for the enjoyment of future generations.

In the two decades after acquiring the property, the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority spent some fifteen million dollars for restoration and improvements here, and work continues annually. The initial goal of the restoration of Heart Island was not to finish what hadn't been completed, but to restore the island to the state it was in when construction was halted. Improvements have gone beyond that stage, however; A stained glass dome, marble floor, and grand staircase woodword, for instance, now seen in the main hall, were not original but are modern innovations.



Today, Boldt Castle is accessible by ferry from Alexandria Bay; Gananoque, Ontario; Rockport, Ontario; and Ivy Lea, Ontario; and most of the grounds and buildings can be explored by the public for a fee. The boat-owning public may also dock on Heart Island for free and there is a US Customs and Immigration office on Heart Island. International visitors coming from Canada should have appropriate identification.

Most of the rooms on the first floor of Boldt Castle are now (2006) furnished, but mostly with modern pieces. The basement is mostly poorly lit tunnels that accumulate to a fountain/swimming pool built deep in the ground, which is not accessible to guests.

Most of the rooms from the second floor to the top floor have been left unfurnished, but there are exhibits in some of these rooms and hallways showing pictures and artifacts of the Thousand Islands region during the era in which the Boldts lived. These rooms are also left unfurnished to give the visitor an opportunity to imagine what the castle may have looked like if it had been completed.

Since the restoration, an archway that was originally intended by George Boldt to be the entranceway for boats, has been fully restored, but has a bridge connecting the two sides. Recently opened after renovations is a balcony which overlooks the southern half of the island and Alexandria Bay, NY. There are numerous fountains located around the castle, including one that was originally to be used as a swimming pool in the basement, most of which have statues of lions spitting a continuous stream of water from their mouths.


Two other buildings on the island are the Power House and the Children's Tower; both are open to the public. The Power House was built to hold a generator to supply the island with power, and now is more of a museum of how electric power was obtained in the early 1900s, as well as a few stories of getting tools and equipment to Heart Island during the castle's construction.

The Child's Tower was built as a playhouse for the children of Boldt. It is purposely constructed with slanting and uneven walls, ceilings, and roofs. The public who enter the Children's Tower are able to climb out a doorway and walk on some of the roofs, which are more of balconies and outside portions of the tower, but are slightly slanted and miscolored to seem like the roof.



The island where Boldt Castle stands was named Heart Island by Mr. Boldt, perhaps because of the romantic significance of the name, and in recognition of the physical shape of the island after his modifications. Before then, however, the island was named Hart Island, after the previous owners. The original home which stood on the castle site when George Boldt purchased the island was slid across the ice to Wellesley Island during the winter of 1899, being made a part of the exclusive Thousand Island Club frequented by the very wealthy of the period. That home is now being renovated as a Bed & Breakfast, and has been renamed Hart House in honor of the original owners.

Nice Pictures of Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle, at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. The castle's floor area is approximately 45,000 square metres (about 484,000 square feet). Built for William the Conqueror over 900 years ago to guard the western side of London, Windsor Castle is still a working royal palace. Windsor Castle is the largest inhabited castle in the world and one of the Queens favourite residences.



Originally, Windsor was a simple motte and fortification built for defense purposes by William the Conqueror in 1066. Since then it has been inhabited, restored, or redesigned by Henry II, Henry III, Edward III, the Parliamentarians (used as a prison, mid 17th Century), King Charles I (1649 buried under the Chapel of St George), Charles II (1660), George III (1789), George IV (1828), Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth, and Queen Elizabeth II today.

During medieval times, Windsor castle came under siege several times, once was in 1194 when Price John attempted to take control of the throne when his brother Richard I (known as Richard the Lion Heart) was away during the crusades. Later when John was crowned King the castle came under hostilities from the nobles which lead to the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215.



Henry VIII built the great entry gate which bears his name and the last major building work took place when the tower was raised by George VI to make it the tallest in England. The grounds at Windsor Castle contain one of the best examples of medieval churches in England - St. George's Chapel. The chapel took 50 years to construct and was started in 1475 by Edward IV and is the official home of the Order of the Garter. The Order was founded by Edward III in 1348 and the Garter Knights are selected by the Queen.




The castle did suffer a major fire in 1992. The fire evidently began in the northeast section of the Upper Ward as a spotlight ignited a curtain. The fire spread at roof level to surrounding areas of the castle despite frantic efforts of castle staff and the fire brigade to control the flames. The fire consumed the ceilings of George IV's St. George's Hall and Grand Reception Room and gutted the Private Chapel, the State Dining Room, the Crimson Drawing Room and other smaller rooms. Fortunately, the rooms most affected by the fire were mostly empty of their treasures as they were being rewired. A few priceless artifacts were destroyed, consequently, because they were too large to move and had been left in place. The restoration of Windsor Castle began immediately following the devastating fire. The goal was to create modern Gothic, oiginal in detail and tradition. It was completed 5 years later at a total cost of 37,000,000 English Pounds.




Windsor has stood for nearly a millennium. Windsor remained much the same throughout the 20th century as it had from the time of George IV. It is the only royal castle that has been in continuous occupation since the Middle Ages and is the largest inhabited castle in the world. Almost every century from the 12th to the 19th left its mark on this great fortress. Windsor was on of the first sites chosen by William the Conqueror for the series of fortifications built to protect his new conquest after 1066. It was one of a ring of nine castles built by him around London. William picked a superb site, a chalk outcrop rising to 30 meters (100feet) above the Thames River and commanding splendid views over the countryside for miles around.

Boldt Castle

Boldt Castle on Heart Island, Alexandria Bay, Thousands Islands New York

Boldt Castle, located on Heart Island (New York) in the Thousand Islands of the St. Lawrence River, along the northern border of New York State, is the major landmark and tourist attraction of the region. Boldt Castle is open to the public from the middle of May to the middle of October, and is accessible by private watercraft, tour boats, and water taxis.
Visitors can take scenic boat cruises or take a shuttle boat from Alexandria Bay to get to the castle. For more information about Boldt Castle, visit www.boldtcastle.com


Boldt Castle is a 120 room mansion that was designed by the firm of W. D. Hewitt and G.W. Hewitt, Architects, Philadelphia, Pa., who also designed Druim Moir castle in Philadelphia.

Combining Medieval and Victorian architectural elements, Boldt Castle has six towers and 120 rooms and sits on a dramatic spread of forested land. Best of all is the manse's brooding story, which is even more evocative than the structure itself.



Boldt Castle is located near the 1000 Islands International Bridge,
Maintained by the Bridge Commission it is open to the public during the summer months.

Boldt Castle was built at the turn of the century by multi-millionaire George C. Boldt for his wife, Louise, as a testimony of his love for her. Mr.Boldt invested over $2.5 million to build this replica of a Rhineland castle. He planned on presenting it to his wife on Valentine's Day. Work was underway on the eleven buildings that would comprise the castle complex when in January of 1904 Louise Boldt died, ending the dreams of a lifetime. George Boldt ordered that all work be stopped and for 73 years the Castle and the other structures on the island were left to the forces of nature.

The Thousand Islands Bridge Authority acquired the property in 1977 and decided to preserve it for the enjoyment of future generations. Since then several million dollars have been spent rehabilitating and restoring the castle and surrounding structures.



Main Gate And Child's Tower

Like an ancient landmark of northern Europe, the castle is modeled after buildings of the 16th century, when newly revived classical details were applied to the towered, medieval forms, combining traditional elements with modern features, such as large, plate glass windows and extensive verandas. Rising six stores from the foundation level of the indoor swimming pool to the highest tower room, an elevator served the 120 room mansion. Steel and concrete roofs and floors provided fireproof construction. Massive granite walls were richly ornamented with decorative details of cast terr cotta, and roofs were tiled with the same material.



Powerhouse at Boldt Castle

When people think of castles, they usually think of Europe, and with good reason. The greatest number of castles on earth are in Germany, Great Britain, and France. But there are castles in the U.S., and some of them even look like the real thing, with grand stone walls and tall spires, dramatic parapets, and gothic embellishments.

New York state has a perfectly wonderful citadel, Boldt Castle, the Castle Where Love Died. Each summer some quarter-million people visit Boldt Castle and learn its tragic love story.
Mid-May through mid-October, Boldt Castle can be reached by water taxi, private boat, or tour boat. Onsite visitors can take self-guided tours of Boldt Castle, Power House & Clock Tower, Alster Tower, Hennery, The Arch and Stone Gazebo. There are exhibits inside the structures and a 15-minute video illuminates the lives of George and Louise Boldt. There is a food and beverage concession on the island, and romantics will find scenic vistas galore and benches for picknicking.