Where is this castle with 365 rooms? – Italy – “Non plus ultra” (Latin for “nothing further beyond”) is inscribed on the palace wall of the Castello di Sammezzano in Tuscany. Believed to have been originally constructed in the 900s, the palace contains 365 rooms! The Castello di Sammezzano once sat on a 450-acre property … Read more
In which U.S. state can you find this abandoned castle on a river? – New York – Many train passengers traveling north from Manhattan have passed the ruins of a castle on a tiny, rocky island about 60 miles north of the city and wondered what, exactly, they were looking at. The structure is known … Read more
In which African country can you find this medieval castle? – Ethiopia – In Africa, traditional medieval castles are sparse, which is what makes the fortress known as Fasil Ghebbi in Ethiopia all the more intriguing. The present-day city of Gondar once served as the capital of Ethiopia from the 17th through the 19th centuries, … Read more
Where is this castle that was abandoned before construction finished? – Poland – You might be surprised to learn that the construction of this castle started in 1979. Zamek Łapalice (Łapalice Castle) is located in northern Poland near the Baltic port city of Gdańsk. An artist named Piotr Kazimierczak envisioned the fortress with 12 towers … Read more
In which country can you find a castle designed for left-handed people? – Scotland – Scotland’s Ferniehirst Castle is a haven for lefties. The 16th-century castle, located near the town of Jedburgh and the English border, is designed for the left-handed. Typically, spiral staircases in medieval castles were built with defense in mind. When ascending, … Read more