castles

Style of Eye

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Style of Eye - September 2007

castles

September 26th 2007 00:22

I do love a good castle. Not that I’ve actually seen many in the cold hard flesh, so to speak. I’ve been to England so I’ve seen a few. But I’d love to see some Spanish castle magic, or some Japanese fortresses. One day.

So many castles are in ruins. But it adds character to them. Like a crinkly old man showing his battle scars and spinning yarns. Then there are the modern castles built by people with too much money and too much power and not enough taste. And the castles look ‘orrible.

But for the most part, you can’t go wrong with a castle. They’re the Land Rovers of architecture; sturdy, practical, mechanically sound, powerful workhorses that have lasted the distance, and garnered much respect along the way. It’s an odd analogy, but it’s early in the morning for me. I’m still on my first coffee.

I’ve always enjoyed medieval design, and as a boy I was fascinated by the idea of a moat, with hungry crocodiles swimming in it. What a glorious defence system. Pull up the drawbridge and no one can get to you, and if they try, well, chomp, chomp, chomp. Certainly back in the day this was a foolproof way of remaining isolated from any enemy that was trying to invade your stronghold. These days, unfortunately, a moat wouldn’t really be good for much, apart from being home to frogs and fish.

I enjoyed the Gormenghast books by Mervyn Peake as an adolescent (although I never finished them). That castle was an imaginative feat in itself. I would dream of exploring it, becoming lost, entering some alternate universe, and having wild, hair-raising adventures. Castles are good for those kinds of mischief.

I’ve written a movie set in a castle; a diabolically-charged castle, home to a succubus and her minion. It’s set in the northern region of Spain. Y’see I really do love my Spanish castle magic (even though I’m half English, part Bavarian). My castle was a kind of hybrid, a monstrous fusion of Gothic exteriors and Tuscan villa interiors, which shifted and changed; a sentient manifestation of the demon princess whose lair it was.

I’d love to visit the famous Bran castle that was once visited by Vlad the Impaler. The story goes that he stayed a few nights in the Romanian castle, which gave inspiration to author Bram Stoker, who concocted his brilliant novel Dracula around the idea of a bloodthirsty count holed up in a castle.

Castles are inspirational. Countless songs have been sung about them, they’ve featured in all manner of movies, both dark and light, and we see them in travel brochures luring us to the Black Forest or some windswept highland plain in Scotland. Eventually all the ruins will have crumbled away forever. But at least we have photographs to remind us of their rugged beauty and architectural brilliance.

Some spectacular homes there, huh?! Perhaps a little drafty in the winter, but hey, one makes those concessions when you've got the lay down your arms, fuck off best weekender in town! Excuse my French. Actually they've built some fine examples too. I guess my three favourites here would be Kruezenstein, Castel del Monte and the Spanish castle second from bottom. Mind you that red isle "cervena" is pretty impressive. But, hey they're all magnificent in their own defiant way.

Image of Dolwyddelan Castle courtesy of Wales Directory

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Posted By: Raoul Duke - Category: architecture

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Comment by jon

September 26th 2007 00:47

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Love a good castle myself. My favourites are the old run-down ones where some old crusty aristocrat still lives in a tiny corner while the rest crumbles down around them.

Comment by Raoul Duke

September 26th 2007 01:09

Style of Eye

Jon, hear, hear! Vivid images spring to mind!

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