标签 城堡 下的文章

洛阿雷城堡，西班牙韦斯卡 Castle of Loarre, in Hoya de Huesca, Aragon, Spain (© Sebastian Wasek/Alamy)

Floating in time

The castle of Loarre we show you today is a Romanesque jewel that has remained suspended in time for almost a thousand years near the Spanish side of Pyrenees mountain range. It was built by king of Navarre Sancho ‘the Great’ in the 11th century and there’s no other equal or better preserved fortress of that style in all of Europe.

Once finished, in 1070, it became an unbreakable bastion that played a crucial role in the “Reconquest” of the Aragonese territories occupied during the Arab invasion three centuries before, since it was in the battle frontline and mounted on a rocky hill that made it impregnable. From there Sancho’s grandson troops took back the city of Huesca and managed to advance near Zaragoza. And once the battleground had moved further in the south, the castle became a monastery, was expanded two times and surrounded finally by an outer wall to protect the population settled at its feet.

Today, Loarre is a protected national monument that can also be visited. And actually 100,000 people do it every year. If you like epic cinema, you will surely recognize this place, as it has served as stage in several films, like for instance 2005’s “Kingdom of Heaven” directed by Ridley Scott.

罗卡马杜尔，法国 Rocamadour, France (© Rrrainbow/Getty Images)

A city, a cliff, a canyon…and cheese

Gazing down the lush Alzou river valley at the vertically-oriented village of Rocamadour, you won't be surprised some regard the medieval French town as a holy site: Its beauty alone is mystical. The gorges of southwestern France are home to numerous striking historic hamlets built along and atop their steep edges. But Rocamadour is special as a stop for thousands of pilgrims on the Way of Saint James, a UNESCO-recognized traditional route through France and Spain that still draws journeyers both pious and secular. The town's cliff-top sanctuary and the black-painted Madonna statue within have been purported to have healing powers. If you're drawn to more earthly sources of good health, though, Rocamadour also lends its name to a delicious, locally crafted goat cheese.

As we end on that cheesy note, why not test your dairy IQ with today's quiz?

伊夫城堡，法国马赛 Château d'If in Marseille, France (© Boris Stroujko/Shutterstock)

A prison fit for a count

Château d'If, off the coast of Marseille, France, was built beginning in 1524 as a fortress by King Francis I because of the tiny island's steep cliffs and strategic location. While the 'château' never gained notoriety defending the ancient port (since it was never attacked), it did become famous as a prison. Surrounded by treacherous currents—like Alcatraz in San Francisco—it gained a reputation starting in the late 16th century as a dumping ground for powerful political and religious prisoners. As far as official records go, none of the prisoners condemned there ever escaped.

However, there is one famous tale of an escape from the château by one Edmond Dantes, the titular hero of the 1844 Alexander Dumas novel 'The Count of Monte Cristo.' And though he is a work of fiction, you can visit Edmond Dantes' cell on the lower level of the prison. The nearly perfectly preserved castle is just a short ferry ride from the docks of the old port of Marseille.

苏格兰高地上的厄克特城堡和内斯湖 Urquhart Castle and Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands (© AWL Images/Danita Delimont)

A monster view in Scotland

People love a good mystery. Maybe that's why we've been fascinated by mythical creatures like the Loch Ness monster for nearly 1,500 years. We're looking at Urquhart Castle, a ruin founded in the 13th century, with Loch Ness behind it. As the legend goes, on August 22, 565, an Irish priest named Columba confronted 'Nessie' and commanded the 'water beast' away. Since then, people have claimed to spot, or even photograph the Loch Ness monster, as well as Bigfoot, the chupacabra, the yeti, and other creatures around the world. This subculture practices cryptozoology—the study of hidden animals. Are any of these beasts real? Probably not, but why spoil the fun?

雾中的卡斯特诺城堡，法国佩里戈尔 (© Infografick/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

斯诺多尼亚国家公园多尔威泽兰城堡，英国威尔士康威 (© Sebastian Wasek/Sime/eStock Photo)

旧圣胡安的圣费利佩海角城堡，波多黎各 Castillo del Morro in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico (© grandriver/Getty Images)

The old guard at Old San Juan

This photo shows a different side of Castillo San Felipe del Morro on the coast of Old San Juan in Puerto Rico. Spanish colonists had the fortress built to control entry to the harbor of the settlement they called 'Ciudad de Puerto Rico’'—which, translated to English, means 'rich port city.' Castillo del Morro was held by Spain from 1539 to 1898, when the United States seized control after the Spanish-American War. Today it's a World Heritage Site and a major attraction for visitors to this, the oldest part of one of North America's oldest capital cities.

In September 2017, Puerto Rico was devasted by the landfall of Hurricane Maria, which wreaked havoc the landscape, people, and livelihoods of this US territory. One thing the people of Puerto Rico have encouraged since that terrible natural disaster is to come visit. With an economy based heavily on tourism, it's a way to rebuild the island's economy and to see some amazing colonial sites, as well as the bounty of its tropical Caribbean environment.

法国塔恩河沿岸的Castelbouc城堡和塔恩峡谷 Castelbouc and the Gorges du Tarn along the Tarn River in France (© Stefan Schurr/Westend61/Offset)

Bidding summer adieu

Today, on the traditional end of the French summer season, we're featuring the wild beauty of the Gorges du Tarn, a canyon formed by the Tarn River in south central France. The Tarn Gorge is about 33 miles long and, at points, almost 2,000 feet deep. It's a popular spot for tourists, especially kayakers and rock climbers. History buffs also find much to explore, including the castles and villages built along—or even carved into—the canyon walls, like Castelbouc in today's image.

静谧而伟大
英国，基尔亨城堡

一场文化狂欢盛典
满满的苏格兰风情

15世纪中叶，坎贝尔家族在苏格兰西部高地建造了这座城堡。在此后很长一段时间里，基尔亨城堡都经受住了无数次改建和战争，但在1760年的一次闪电袭击中，这座城堡并没有经受住考验，到1770年时屋顶坍塌，城堡成了废墟。不过没关系，夏天你可以徒步旅行来这儿探险。文/时尚旅游

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