Castles of the World

Castles have been constructed at least since the Bronze Age. Unlike fortified towns, castles were not primarily intended as places for large numbers of people to live, but rather through most of history have housed a small garrison of military professionals, as well as the controlling noble’s family. Castles also became such status symbols that nobles constructed castles as their family homes even when the need for defence was long past.

Illustrated with over 200 colour photographs, Castles of the World examines more than 150 fortifications from across the world, from Cathar castles and Alpine schlo¨sser to Norman keeps and Samurai strongholds. Discover how the 13th-century Eilean Donan Castle in Scotland was destroyed during the Jacobite rebellion of 1719; find out about Marmaris Castle in Turkey, built in 1522 by Ottoman ruler Suleiman the Magnificent to support his attack on neighboring Rhodes; and explore the Mughal-constructed Red Fort in Delhi, home of Muslim rulers from 1648 until 1803, and today a symbol of Indian nationalism.