Water castle explained

A water castle, sometimes water-castle, is a castle where natural or artificial water is part of its defences.^{[1] [2]} It can be entirely surrounded by water-filled moats (moated castle) or natural waterbodies such as island castles in a river or offshore. The term comes from European castle studies, mainly German Burgenkunde.^{[3] [4] [5]} When stately homes were built in such a location, or a Wasserburg was later rebuilt as a residential manor, the German term becomes Wasserschloss, lit. "water palace/manor".

Description

Forde-Johnston describes such a site as "a castle in which water plays a prominent part in the defences."^[1] Apart from hindering attackers, an abundant supply of water was also an advantage during a siege. Topographically, such structures are a type of low-lying castle. Such a castle usually had only one entrance, which was via a drawbridge and that could be raised for protection in the event of an attack. To some extent these water castles had a fortress-like character.

There is a further distinction between:

• castles that are protected by artificial water-filled moats or man-made ponds, i.e. moated castles
• castles whose primary means of protection is from natural water bodies such as river courses, or which stand on islands or peninsulas in a natural marshland, pond, lake or sea. Island castles and marsh castles are such examples.

Legacy

In many places in Central Europe castles that had formerly been fortified changed their role or were converted over the course of time so that they became largely representational and residential buildings. The characteristic moats thus lost their original security function, but were retained in some cases as an element of landscaping. Today, in monument conservation circles, they are often described as burdensome, cost-intensive "historic legacies" because of the water damage caused to their foundations. As a result, many moats around castles in Germany have been drained, or more rarely filled, especially since the 1960s.

In Germany, the Wasserburgroute or "Water Castle Route" has been established in the triangle formed by the cities of Aachen, Bonn and Cologne which links 120 castles and palaces.^{[6] [7]}

Examples

Austria

• Franzensburg

Baltic

• Āraiši (Arrasch)
• Trakai Island Castle

Belgium

• Wijnendale Castle

Czech Republic

• Blatná Castle
• Červená Lhota Castle
• Švihov Castle

Denmark

• Egeskov Castle
• Spøttrup Castle

Finland

• Kajaani Castle
• Olavinlinna

France

Please notice that in French "", literally 'water castle', means water tower.

• Château d'Ainay-le-Vieil
• Château de la Mothe-Chandeniers
• Château de Pirou
• Château du Plessis-Bourré
• Château de Trécesson
• Château de Suscinio
• Château de Sully
• Château de Sully-sur-Loire

Germany

Baden-Württemberg

• Bad Rappenau Water Castle
• Inzlingen Castle

Bavaria

• Brennhausen
• Irmelshausen
• Kleinbardorf
• Mespelbrunn Castle
• Schloss Reichersbeuern

Berlin

• Köpenick Palace
• Spandau Citadel

Brandenburg

• Plattenburg in the Prignitz

Bremen

• Blomendal Castle
• Schönebeck Palace

Hamburg

• Bergedorf Palace

Hesse

• Friedewald Water Castle in Friedewald
• Fürstenau Palace near Steinbach

Lower Saxony

• Fallersleben Castle
• Hülsede Water Castle
• Lütetsburg
• Osterburg
• Schelenburg
• Wendhausen Castle
• Wolfsburg Castle

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

• Schwerin Castle

North Rhine-Westphalia

• Benrath House in Düsseldorf
• Burgau Castle
• Darfeld Castle
• Gimborn Castle
• Haus Kemnade in Bochum
• Morsbroich Castle in Leverkusen
• Moyland Castle in Bedburg-Hau
• Nordkirchen Palace
• Rheydt Palace
• Dyck Palace
• Vischering Castle
• Wilkinghege Water Castle in Münster
• Wittringen Castle in Gladbeck
• Lembeck Castle

Rhineland-Palatinate

• Alte Burg (Boppard)
• Alte Burg (Koblenz)

Saarland

• Gustavsburg in Homburg
• Kerpen Castle near Illingen

Saxony

• Moritzburg Castle
• Hainewalde Water Castle

Saxony-Anhalt

• Calvörde Castle
• Köthen Castle
• Reinharz Water Castle
• Flechtingen water castle

Schleswig-Holstein

• Eutin Castle
• Glücksburg Castle

Thuringia

• Kapellendorf Water Castle

Greece

• Bourtzi
• Methoni Castle

Hungary

• Sárvár Castle
• Tokaj Castle (ruined)

Indonesia

• Taman Sari Water Castle

Italy

• Castello Estense
• Castello di Sirmione
• in a broad way, Venice Arsenal

Japan

• Imabari Castle
• Nakatsu Castle
• Takamatsu Castle

Lebanon

• Sidon Sea Castle

Netherlands

• Cannenburgh Castle
• Hoensbroek Castle
• Muiderslot
• Loevestein
• Ammersoyen Castle
• Kasteel Radboud
• Brederode Castle

Poland

• Lidzbark Castle
• Oporów Castle
• Szydłowiec Castle

Portugal

• Belém Tower

Slovakia

• Parič Castle (ruined)
• Šintava Castle (ruined)
• Štítnik Water Castle
• Vranov Castle (vanished)

Slovenia

• Otočec Castle

Sweden

• Älvsborg Fortress
• Bollerup
• Dybäck Castle
• Ellinge Castle
• Gåsevadholm Castle
• Gripsholm Castle
• Häckeberga Castle
• Hjularyd Castle
• Kalmar Castle
• Krageholm Castle
• Krapperup Castle
• Kronoberg Castle
• Kulla Gunnarstorp Castle
• Landskrona Citadel
• Malmö Castle
• Maltesholm Castle
• Örebro Castle
• Örup Castle
• Osbyholm Castle
• Skabersjö Castle
• Stegeborg Castle
• Strömsholm Palace
• Tosterup Castle
• Trolle-Ljungby Castle
• Trolleholm Castle
• Vadstena Castle
• Vaxholm Fortress
• Vegeholm Castle
• Vibyholm Castle
• Viderup Castle
• Vittskövle Castle

Romania

• Făgăraş Castle
• Oradea fortress

Switzerland

• Bottmingen Castle
• Chillon Castle
• Hagenwil Castle
• Hallwyl Castle
• Wörth Castle
• Wyher Castle

Turkey

• Kızkalesi (castle), formerly Gramvoussa (Greek) and Gorygos (Armenian)

United Kingdom

England

• Bodiam Castle
• Caister Castle
• Herstmonceux Castle
• Kenilworth Castle^[8] (moat drained)
• Leeds Castle

Scotland

• Caerlaverock Castle
• Castle Stalker
• Eilean Donan

Wales

• Caerphilly Castle^[9]
• Beaumaris Castle

References

General

• Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History (2005). Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History, Vol. 41, Part 1. Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History.
• Forde-Johnston, James L. (1979). Great Medieval Castles of Britain. The Bodley Head .
• Fry, Plantagenet Somerset (1996). Castles of Britain and Ireland: The Ultimate Reference Book. David & Charles.
• Gothein, Marie Luise Schroeter and Walter P. Wright (2014). A History of Garden Art. Cambridge: CUP.
• Kaufmann, J. E. and H.W. Kaufmann (2004) The Medieval Fortress: Castles, Forts and Walled Cities of the Middle Ages. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo.
• Lepage, Jean-Denis (2023). Dictionary of Fortifications: An Illustrated Glossary of Castles, Forts and Other Defensive Works from Antiquity to the Present Day. Barnsley, UK and Havertown, PA, USA: Pen & Sword Books.

Notes and References

1. Book: Forde-Johnston, James L. . Great Medieval Castles of Britain . 1979 . Bodley Head . 978-0-370-30236-2 . en.
2. Lepage (2023), p. 331: "Water castle: A medieval castle in which natural or artificial water was part of the defences."
3. Kaufmann & Kaufmann (2004), p. 229.
4. http://www.theworldgeography.com/2012/08/12-wonderful-water-castles.html 12 Wonderful Water Castles
5. Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History (2005), p. 44.
6. https://www.aachen-tourismus.de/en/discover/sights/details/water-castle-route/ Water castle route
7. https://www.nrw-tourism.com/a-water-castles-route Water Castles Route
8. Book: Fry, Plantagenet Somerset. 1980. The David & Charles Book of Castles. David & Charles. 89.
9. Book: Fry, Plantagenet Somerset. 1980. The David & Charles Book of Castles. David & Charles. 89.