Castles, Castles, Everywhere Trivia Quiz

Answer: France

One of the famous castles of the Loire valley, the Château d'Amboise was constructed on a site that had been recognised as having strategic significance from the 1st century CE. The medieval castle was central to the Angevin holdings, but was seized by Charles VII in 1434 when the owners were accused of treason.

As a royal castle it enjoyed extensive renovations over the years, reaching its pinnacle during the reign of Francis I, who had grown up there and loved it dearly. Leonardo da Vinci resided nearby as a guest of the king, and is supposed to have been buried on the grounds of the castle when he died there in 1519.

Answer: Ireland

More commonly called Blarney Castle in English, this is the home of the famous Blarney Stone, reputed to bestow the gift of the gab on anyone who kisses it. This is not as easy as it sounds - the stone is a block of limestone hung in one of the castle's machicolations, so you need to go to the top of the castle and lean backwards over the parapet in order to get your face close to the stone.

There are multiple stories describing the origins of the stone, and why it is considered to bestow eloquence on one who kisses it; none of them has been definitively shown to be true - not surprising, since it was put in place in 1446.

In recent times, the act of kissing the Blarney Stone has been made much less dangerous by the addition of guide rails and crossbars, but it is still not for the fainthearted. Those who prefer to keep their feet on solid ground may enjoy a tour of the castle's gardens, which include a famous poison garden where a large variety of poisonous plants are grown.

Answer: Wales

Caernarfon had a motte-and-bailey castle (one with a keep situated on a central mound called a motte, surrounded by an open area called a bailey, all enclosed in a ditch and paling fence) from the 11th century. When King Edward I of England defeated Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in battle, the castle fell into English hands, and the king started construction of the current stone castle. Due to the ongoing Welsh rebellions against English control, the castle was heavily fortified, and became the centre for English administration of northern Wales for several hundred years. Edward's fourth son (who was to become Edward II) was born there in 1284, and in 1301 became the first heir to the English throne to be invested as Prince of Wales.

The castle was used again for that ceremony in 1911 (for the future Edward VIII) and in 1969 (for Prince Charles, eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II).

Answer: Switzerland

This castle located on an island near the east end of Lake Geneva, near Montreux - maybe you could plan to visit it while attending the Jazz Festival in July. It was built before 1000 CE; the exact date wasn't recorded, but it was in existence in 1005, and guarding access to the Great St Bernard Pass. Over the years it has been used as a summer home, as a prison, as the home of the administrative officer of the region, and as a weapons depot. Lord Byron, who wrote the 1816 poem 'The Prisoner of Chillon' about one of the castle's most famous prisoners, the 16th century monk François de Bonivard, carved his name on one of the pillars in the castle dungeon.

Answer: United States

Unlike most of the castles we are visiting, this castle was not built for military reasons, although the reasons for its construction (and the method employed) are unclear. Edward Leedskalnin left Latvia and settled in Florida around 1923, where he started assembling massive blocks of oolite, a type of coral-based limestone.

The blocks average about 15 tonnes each, and have been placed so skillfully that no mortar is needed to keep them in place. The rock was used to construct not only the buildings and surrounding wall, but also a number of decorative items and furniture.

Answer: England

Dover Castle is the largest castle in England, and has held a key defensive position since it was built in the 11th century. Even before that, it may have had earthworks dating from before the Romans invaded in the 1st century, and was certainly the site of a Roman lighthouse.

After the Battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror's march to his coronation at Westminster Abbey was made by way of Dover, where he burned the castle, then organised its repair and extension. During the Napoleonic Wars extensive tunnels were built, to provide space for the extra troops deployed to the area.

These tunnels were used as a military centre and hospital during World War II. They were at one time considered for use as a nuclear shelter, but the chalky soil did not provide adequate absorptive protection, and the tunnels were in a state of disrepair that made the proposal impracticable.

Answer: Germany

This is one of two castles on hills above the village of Hohenschwangau, both built on the ruins of older castles. Ludwig II of Bavaria grew up in Schloss Hohenshwangau, which his father had constructed. The construction of Schloss Neuschwanstein was his first major architectural project on becoming king.

His passion for the operas of Richard Wagner, governed much of the architectural and decorative detail of the planned castle, the plans of which grew ever more extravagant as time went on. Construction started in 1869, but was far from complete when Ludwig died in 1886.

The completion of the balance was performed on a much simplified scale from his grandiose intentions. Nevertheless, it remains one of the great pieces of German Romantic architecture, and has been used in several movies, including 'The Great Escape' (1963) and 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' (1968).

It is also said to have been one of the inspirations for the Sleeping Beauty Castle, formerly known as Snow White's Castle, in Disneyland.

Answer: Italy

Originally built by the Roman emperor Hadrian to be a mausoleum for the remains of himself and his family, the tomb was converted to a military fortress in 401 CE. The modern name for the structure comes from a story that the Archangel Michael appeared atop the building in 590, and ended a plague. Starting in the 13th century, the building was used as a papal fortress, connected to St Peter's Basilica in Vatican City by an elevated enclosed walkway called the Passetto di Borgo.

The Passetto allowed Pope Clement VIII to escape from the Sack of Rome in 1527, after the troops of Charles V killed most of the Swiss guard outside St Peter's.

The Castel Sant'Angelo was also used as a prison - Benvenuto Cellini was held there - and as a place of execution.

In 1901 it was decommissioned, and turned into a museum.

Answer: Spain

This medieval fortress located in the Spanish autonomous community of Castile and León is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which has had many functions over the years: Castilian royal palace, state prison after the court moved to Madrid, military training centre, and (currently) a museum which also holds military archives.

The first fortification on the site was Roman, but the current structure was in place by around 1120. It was in this castle that Isabella I of Castile was crowned in 1474. Perched on a rocky hill overlooking Segovia, the castle seems to grow out of the rock almost organically.

The uneven terrain contributed to the irregular shape of the castle. Rumor has it that this was a major inspiration for Cinderella's Castle in Walt Disney World.

Answer: Scotland

The ruins of Urquhart Castle, situated on Strone Point on the northwestern shore of Loch Ness, make the perfect vantage point for starting your search for Nessie. These ruins are the remains of a castle that was occupied from the 13th century until it was partially destroyed in 1692 to keep it out of Jacobite hands, and then left to go to ruin in its own time. During the period of use, it featured a number of times in the Wars of Scottish Independence, and in inter-clan conflict between the Macdonalds and the Grants.

In the 20th century the ruins were declared a scheduled monument, and opened to the public. If you are so inclined, you can rent the site for a wedding!