While one might think of Europe as the go-to place to see castles, there are also a great number of castles in Africa to explore. From the Castle of Good Hope in South Africa, to the Fasilides Castle in Ethiopia, these 15 castles are sure to intrigue the architecture and history buff in everyone.
Does Africa have castles?
Africa’s castles may not be as “traditional” as those in Europe but they’ve got history, beauty and unique personality in spades.
Where are there castles in Africa?
African castles worth visiting
- Citadel of Qaitbay – Alexandria, Egypt. …
- Fasil Ghebbi – Gondar, Ethiopia. …
- Fort Jesus – Mombasa, Kenya. …
- Castle of Good Hope – Cape Town, South Africa. …
- Duwisib Castle – Lüderitz, Namibia. …
- Fort Santa Cruz – Oran, Algeria. …
- Elmina Castle – Cape Coast, Ghana. …
- Fort Amsterdam – Kormantin-Abandze, Ghana.
19.06.2019
Are there any castles in Kenya?
Tafaria Castle is located in rural Kenya on a hill, next to the scenic Aberdare ranges overlooking the Laikipia plains and Mt Kenya. Eunice and I founded the Castle in 2012AD to transform this village where I grew up.
What is the oldest castle in Africa?
Elmina Castle
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
| Official name | Elmina Castle (St. George’s Castle / Fort St. Jorge) |
| Location | Elmina, Central Region, Ghana |
| Part of | Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions |
| Criteria | Cultural: (vi) |
Are there real castles in America?
Bettendorf Castle, also known as Vianden Castle, Fox River Grove, Illinois, built in 1931–32. Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina, 175,000-square-foot (16,300 m2) Châteauesque style mansion built 1889–95 for George Washington Vanderbilt II. It is the largest privately held home in the United States.
Who made the first castles?
The first castles were built by the Normans
The great age of castles began almost 1,000 years ago and lasted for nearly 500 years. The Normans introduced the first proper castles, starting with the wooden Motte and Bailey castles, to England following their victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
What is the biggest castle in Ghana?
Cape Coast Castle is the largest of the buildings which contains the legacy of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Where is Gondar found?
Located in the Semien Gondar Zone of the Amhara Region, Gondar is north of Tana Lake on the Lesser Angereb River and southwest of the Simien Mountains, and located 2133 meters above sea level.
…
| Gondar | |
|---|---|
| Gondar Location in Ethiopia | |
| Coordinates: 12°36′N 37°28′ECoordinates: 12°36′N 37°28′E | |
| Country | Ethiopia |
| Region | Amhara |
Who built European castles?
European Castle History: Who built the first castles? The first castles were probably constructed in Europe in the 800s. However, from the 10th century onwards, it was the Normans who started to build castles with particular vigour. The Normans hailed – unsurprisingly enough – from Normandy in France.
What is the oldest castle in the world?
The oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world, Windsor Castle is a royal residence located in Berkshire, England. Originally built in the 11th century by William the Conqueror, the lavish castle has been used by succeeded monarchs ever since.
Where is the largest castle in the world?
The Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork (Polish: Zamek w Malborku; German: Ordensburg Marienburg) is a 13th-century Teutonic castle and fortress located near the town of Malbork, Poland. It is the largest castle in the world measured by land area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Who is the owner of Tafaria castle?
George Tafaria Waititu is the founder of Tafaria Castle, a medieval-style resort and country lodge built on a hill overlooking the Aberdare Range, Laikipia Plains and Mount Kenya.
What church was in Elmina Castle?
The castle became the headquarters of the Dutch West Indian Company on the Dutch Gold Coast. Between 1637 and 1774 the Dutch rebuilt and enlarged the castle; turning the old Portugese church into an auction hall, founding a Dutch chapel and strengthening its defences.
Is Cape Coast Castle the same as Elmina Castle?
Built in 1482 by Portuguese traders, Elmina [formerly Saint Georges] Castle was the first European slave-trading post in all of sub-Saharan Africa. … Elmina and its sibling, the cape coast castle have almost every thing, from their designs, structure, history and raison d’etre in common.
How old is Elmina Castle now?
539c. 1482