Realms of Faerie: Castles

On to the next series! And, to begin our perilous journey through the strange and fantastic realms of fantasy, is...castles galore!

Yes, that's right--castles. Strictly speaking, a castle can be two things {sometimes both}: One, a large building or group of buildings fortified against attack with thick walls, battlements, towers, and, in many cases, a moat; or, two, a magnificent and imposing mansion, especially one that is the home or former home of a member of the nobility.

So, why do castles pop up so often in fantasy? Well, basically, fantasy looks to the past--especially back to the Middle Ages, Medieval times, the era of valiant knights, fair ladies, and, of course, magnificent castles. Not that it has to; in fact, if you've got a fabulous idea for a modern fantasy, go with it! {Less competition, y'know.} But, back to castles, since royals crop up a lot too in fantasy, as I've mentioned in another post {here}, they need a place to sleep. So--voila--castles!

Now there aren't too many ties between Christianity and castles {that is, there could be a lot, but I'm not quite energetic enough to tackle them in the present post!}. So, I'll just post some pictures here that will hopefully leave you gasping in awe, full to the brim of inspiration for that evil tower you've been envisioning for weeks.

And, without further ado, enjoy!