As I mentioned earlier, this past weekend our studio professor gave us a tour of Vincennes. Notable points on the tour were the Chateau de Vincennes and the "Festival America", which was going on at the time.
We first went to the Chateau, which is a Medieval castle. I know this is going to come as a shock as I am an architecture student, but I've always been fascinated with different styles of architecture. Just in case you happen to stumble upon a castle, here are some tell-tale signs if it is Medieval. (Sidenote: there are a bunch of classifications within "Medieval", I'm just giving you some basics...)
1. The purpose behind a Medieval castle was defense, not just to be an opulent spectacle of wealth and indulgence. If there is no wall, gate, or drawbridge in sight, they might have perished long ago (the Middle Ages are considered to be the 5th to 15th centuries... annnnd a lot has happened since then...). Usually, you will see these things. Other defense devices include: walkways along the top of castle walls, small slits in the defensive walls which enabled knights to shoot arrows at the enemy, moats (or evidence of an pre-existing one), and its location. Smart kingdoms are located on a hill and near a fresh water source (think about it).
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| Approaching the donjon, which is the main tower on the grounds. Here, you'll find everything you need if you're a king or queen in the Middle ages. This is the tallest remaining donjon in Europe. |
