Castles   Castles were originally built to protect rich landowners, and the most well-known were built in Britain and northern Europe. Pictured at the right is Edinburgh Castle in Scotland, a classic example of a double walled castle perched high above the surrounding territory.    The castle created an impressive symbol, but also housed the owner's army, and could be used to hold down conquered territory. Castles also served to intimidate and strike fear into the local people, so the noble could stay in power. They were designed protect the inhabitants, and to fight from, and every feature had a purpose.   Visit the pages below to find out more about castles. The History of British Castles ... Why were they built? Why did they become obsolete? Parts of a Castle ... A description the different parts that made up most castles. Dungeons ... Dungeons and torture ... not for the faint of heart! Attacking a Castle ... Find out how castles were attacked, sometimes successfully. Defending a Castle ... See how castles were designed to repel attackers, and why they were effective. Castles in Canada? ... The layout of two famous Canadian forts imitated successful castle design! More information about British castles can be found at the excellent site The Castles of Britain. We urge you to visit them, and find out more about castles, and about life in medieval times. Main Page