Gothic style in architecture: description and photo examples. Gothic castle in the Vladimir region

Castles in Europe were built over many centuries. The masters of these architectural masterpieces have ranged from cruel rulers such as Count Dracula to romantic dreamers such as Ludwig II, who built Neuschwanstein Castle. We bring to your attention the rating of the most beautiful castles in Europe.

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Castles in Europe were built over many centuries. The masters of these architectural masterpieces have ranged from cruel rulers such as Count Dracula to romantic dreamers such as Ludwig II, who built Neuschwanstein Castle. In their possessions, the kings not only rested after a successful hunt, but also hid from enemies. To date, only a small number of castles are inhabited by descendants of noble families, while the rest of the castles have film sites and museums. We bring to your attention the rating of the most beautiful castles in Europe.

1. Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany

The most fabulous and luxurious castle today is the German Neuschwanstein, which translates as "New Swan Rock". Located in the southwest of Bavaria, near the city of Füssen, the castle was built in 1883 by the romantic king Ludwig II. A castle was erected on the site of two fortresses, on top of a high cliff. Ludwig II dreamed of his castle from a young age, but only at the end of his life was he able to realize his old dream. The king ordered the rock to be blown up in order to free up a site for the construction of his "fabulous palace". The construction of the castle began in 1869 and continued until 1886, although the castle was never completed. Ludwig II did not spare money for the construction, so the best sculptors, architects, painters and wood carvers worked on the construction and decoration of the castle. And to this day, Neuschwanstein can be said to soar in the clouds, and its fabulous appearance and luxury of the interiors amaze the imagination.There is an opinion that it was Neuschwanstein Castle that was taken as the basis for the construction of the Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland Paris.

2. Pena Castle, Portugal

Pena Castle, built in the style of European romanticism, is one of the main decorations of Portugal. The palace is located near the city of Sintra on a hilltop overlooking the sea. Previously, on the site of the modern castle, there was a medieval chapel dedicated to Lady Pena. The chapel was built in the 15th century after the Virgin Mary appeared to King John II. Later, 18 monks built a small monastery near the chapel. However, in the 18th century, the building was badly damaged by lightning and earthquakes. However, only in the 19th century, King Ferdinand II of Portugal decided to build a summer residence on the ruins of the monastery. Ludwig von Eschwege, the architect of the project, used different architectural styles in the construction of the castle - Manueline, Gothic, Renaissance, Oriental and Moorish styles. Ferdinand and the queen made changes to the project throughout the 12 years of construction. In the park around the castle, there are not only European plants and shrubs, but also exotic species.

3. Chenonceau Castle, France

In the valley of the Loire River, there is a luxurious French castle of Chenonceau. Due to the fact that the castle was mainly owned by ladies, it is popularly called the "ladies' castle". On the site of the modern castle, there was once a fortress of the de Mark family, surrounded by water channels. However, in 1512, Thomas Boye, the court quartermaster of King Francis I, bought the de Mark estate and built a castle in its place, which to this day delights numerous tourists with its unique beauty. However, Thomas Boye kept the donjon that once belonged to the de Marks. The first owner of the castle of Chenonceau was the wife of Thomas Boyer, Catherine. After her, Diane de Poitiers, the favorite of King Henry II, was in charge of the castle, but after the death of the king, his wife, Catherine de Medici, took possession of the castle. Each of the owners of the castle contributed to the creation of its current image. Currently, the owners of the castle of Chenonceau are the Meunier family. The castle has a museum wax figures, where you can see its famous owners, as well as their eminent guests, such as Rousseau and Voltaire.

4. Usse Castle, France

Another of the most beautiful castles in the Loire Valley is Usse Castle, according to some reports, it was he who was taken as the basis by Charles Perrault when creating the castle of the sleeping beauty. The castle was built at the direction of Count D'Usset in the 15th century. However, already in 1485, the owners of the castle sold it to the court king, Jacques d'Epinay. The next owner of the castle, Vauban equipped a huge park with a terrace around the palace. Also in different times the royalists owned the castle, and even Francois Rene de Chateaubriand and Voltaire. The eminent owners of the castle are also reminded of his interior decoration. For example, wine is still stored in the cellars, which is made from a rare Chenin Blanc grape variety, which grows only in the town Belvedere. And in the castle stables there is a museum of furniture and horse-drawn carts that once belonged to great medieval families. Also, the interiors of the castle of Usse are decorated with gold, silk and forged elements.

5. Prague Castle, Czech Republic

Prague Castle is not only one of the most beautiful castles of Eastern Europe but also the largest in the world. The history of the castle began with a small church built here in the 9th century. A few centuries later, a Romanesque palace grew around it, and already in the 14th century the palace was rebuilt for the king into a Gothic castle. After a rather long period of time, a terrible fire destroyed most of the fortress. Then on its territory buildings were erected in the style of the Renaissance. Currently, there are many museums on the territory of Prague Castle, you will need a lot of time to visit them all.

6. Levenburg Castle, Germany

In the German city of Kassel is no less beautiful castle Levenburg (or Lvov). And although he does not have beautiful story is in great demand among tourists. The construction of the castle, begun at the end of the 18th century, ended at the turn of the century, in 1800. The castle is made in a medieval style and has a drawbridge over a moat filled with water. However, the interiors of the castle also show the traditions of the Middle Ages. Bronze statues adorn Levenburg Castle, there are weapons and armor, an altar and gambling tables. Although outwardly the castle looks like a castle of the 14th-15th centuries that survived many battles. However, this is only an appearance, and artificially created. Not far from the castle is a huge armory, which displays exhibits dating back to the 17th and 17th centuries. There is also a chapel with the grave of the creator of the Levenburg castle.

7. Glamis Castle, UK

Located in the UK, Glamis Castle is not only one of the most beautiful in Europe, but also shrouded in a veil of mystery and many mysteries. According to several legends, ghosts can be found in the premises of the castle. Externally, the castle looks majestic and calm. Glamis is surrounded by an Italian park with beautiful beech alleys. Fir and deciduous groves speak of its "royal" origin. However, according to one of the legends, the owner of the castle hid members of the Ogilvy family in one of the rooms of the castle, asking him for protection from their enemy, the Lindsay family. However, several decades later, the inhabitants of the castle began to hear knocks on the door and discovered a secret room with skeletons in it. It is said that the knocking continues to this day. According to another legend, in another secret room, Earl Strathmore and his friend always play cards as a punishment for doing it on Sunday. The ghosts of Lady Janet Douglas, who was burned for witchcraft, the spirit of an unknown Gray Lady, the ghost of a page boy also roam the castle. Despite the sinister legends, tourists like to visit Glamis Castle, because here you can see antique furniture, sculptures, works of art, and rare books.

8. Vajdahunyad Castle, Hungary

In Hungary, in Budapest, there is another exquisite and luxurious castle in Europe - Vajdahunyad. The castle was built by the famous architect Ingats Alpar in 1896-1908. Previously, on the site of the modern castle, there was a wooden "Historical Pavilion", erected in honor of the Millennium of Hungary. Since the people of Hungary really liked the pavilion, it was decided to rebuild it from stone. Thus, the Vajdahunyad castle was born, combining in its appearance mixture of Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Romanesque elements. Now the building of the castle houses the Agricultural Museum. In the park located near the palace, there is a statue of Anonymous, who created the chronicle early history Hungary "Gesta Hungarorum".

9. Hohenwerfen Castle, Austria

Initially, Hohenwerfen Castle, located just 40 kilometers from Salzburg, was a strategically important object for the protection and defense of the city. Then, in the 11th century, only through a small pass it was possible to cross the mountains. Therefore, it was in this place, between the mountains of Hagen and Tenen, above the Salzach valley, that the prince gave the order to build a castle - a fortification. The erected fortress, which perfectly fit into the mountain landscape, was destroyed, rebuilt over the next few centuries, it was burned by the peasants during the uprisings and they restored it after they were suppressed. Today, visitors to Hohenwerfen Castle have the opportunity not only to dine in a romantic tavern and explore the collection of weapons, but also to admire the flights of falcons in the falconry center located here.

10. Peles Castle, Romania

Many tourists believe that Peles Castle is the most beautiful castle in Eastern Europe. In addition, Peles is the pride of the Romanian town of Sinai. The architecture and interiors of the castle are dominated by the German Renaissance style, although the presence of other styles can also be traced. The castle was built of wood, marble and brick and includes one hundred and sixty rooms. Several Romanian monarchs are buried in the castle, including Carol I, who died here in 1914. To date, a museum has been opened in Peles Castle, the largest and most interesting exposition of which is the Great Armory. Not far from Peles there are two more noteworthy castles - museums: Pelisor and Foisor. All these castles are owned by the Romanian royal family.

“The rarest noble estate”, “Gothic castle in the Vladimir region”, “a unique object of the history of Russia” - numerous authors of publications gave this place many definitions. And what is surprising - they did not exaggerate a bit.

Khrapovitsky's estate followed in the direction indicated by the Soviet authorities...

In the fate of the estate, everything is striking, from its creation to death.

Retired hussar colonel Vladimir Semenovich Khrapovitsky inherited the estate from his grandfather in 1884. It was in such a neglected and overgrown state that it led him to the idea of ​​selling timber. Hiring the best foresters, Khrapovitsky was so successful in this business that he made a good fortune and even received a medal from the Ministry of Agriculture.

Instead of a dilapidated landowner's house, Vladimir Semenovich decides to build a luxurious palace and castle ensemble. He ordered the design of the estate to the famous architect Pyotr Boytsov, who specialized in creating estates in the Neo-Gothic style.

By 1889, Boitsov erected a manor house in Muromtsevo in the spirit of medieval castles, surrounding it with a cascade of ponds and outbuildings - hunting lodges and a carriage house.

The timber merchant's income was so high that he brought his own railway line to the estate, overgrown with infrastructure, to transport the timber. A stationmaster's house, a post office, a telegraph office, a school, a bathhouse and the Khrapovitskaya station appeared here. In 1906, another wing with a massive tower was added to the manor house, which organically fit into the original Gothic design.

The project of the estate was implemented taking into account all the technical achievements of that time: the castle was equipped with water supply and sewerage, its own telegraph station, central heating was installed, all buildings and the park were illuminated with electricity, and palm and boxwood trees grew in greenhouses.

Manor buildings were located on the territory of a huge park. In the shade of firs, cypresses and pines, there were platforms for sports games. Curved alleys were decorated with magnificent statues, and along the paths stood fashionable garden furniture - armchairs and benches. Marble, furniture, weapons, porcelain, Khrapovitsky ordered all decor items exclusively from royal suppliers.

Not far from the house, Khrapovitsky built a manor temple, which was decorated with wall paintings by students of the Vasnetsov school.

The legend says that the idea of ​​a stylized medieval estate at Khrapovitsky arose after a trip to France, where Vladimir Semyonovich was fascinated by the beauty of ancient castles.

In response to a remark by a French official that there was nothing like it in Russia, Khrapovitsky made a bet that he would build his own castle.

A little away from the manor house, Vladimir Semyonovich erected a barnyard, which, according to legend, resembled a small copy of the Frenchman's castle, which offended Khrapovitsky's pride. When the French offender arrived in Muromtsevo, Khrapovitsky took him to the barnyard.

After listening to the admiration of the foreign guest, who took the building of the stables for a castle, the landowner laughed in response: “Thank you! But my horses live here, and my estate is a little further.

“When there was a revolution, Khrapovitsky was wounded, he crawled through an underground passage and crawled to the station, where he boarded a train and drove to France, where he died in a nursing home in poverty”

Do not be afraid of the abruptly changed style of the story. This is the phrase of the boy-guide deciphered from the recorder. There are a huge number of them, this is a kind of local business. I would even say almost a small racket. The tour will be held for "how much you give, someone gives 500, someone gives a thousand."

We bargained for 250 rubles and do not regret it at all. We have an amazing audio recording. Nine minutes and 13 seconds of selective nonsense. It is pointless to ask questions, all the information was told by "the older guys and there was some kind of book."

Well, that is, at first I was still trying to understand why there was an exit from the prayer room to the kennel. And he questioned the mahogany slats, they were plastered anyway. But after the Soviet government, which seized the estate, but forgot to take the station with the train to France before that, he stopped looking for logic in the boy's story.

But the guide showed us a bunch of things that we did not pay attention to. Fragments of surviving tiles, rollers on which a "crystal chandelier made of pure crystal" descended, and floors that give beautiful reflections on the walls "when they were poured with water."

The basement where old books were stored, a room with goldfish in the floor under ten-centimeter glass, fireplaces and the same underground passage to the church and the station along which the wounded Khrapovitsky was crawling.

Not really. Trying to save the estate from looting, Khrapovitsky described all his valuables and property, handed them over new government and almost empty-handed he emigrated to France. After that the castle was plundered.

AT Soviet time the castle housed a forest technical school and the building was in a more or less normal condition. But after he moved in 1977, it was abandoned. There was no security, come in whoever you want. A couple of fires did their job.

The alleys of the park are overgrown, most of the park of the estate was given to the private sector for development, the buildings were almost completely destroyed, only a few of them miraculously survived.

The fate of the owner of the castle is no less tragic - in 1928, V. S. Khrapovitsky died in a nursing home in the French city of Menton.

History has preserved the amazing correspondence of Elizaveta Ivanovna, Khrapovitsky's wife, with former peasants. There were several letters to the USSR, but they decided to answer the last one.

Letter from E.I. Khrapovitskaya

Dear peasants!
I appeal to you with a request: collect as much money as you can and send it to me. You own the land of my husband Vladimir Semyonovich Khrapovitsky, who died in poverty. I am left now alone without any means for the most poor life. I am already 68 years old, I am sick and old, I cannot work.
I am happy that now you own the land, and we did not have children: all the same, my husband's desire was to leave the land to the peasants.

I appeal to your good heart, I ask you to help me, God will not leave you. Enclosed is an envelope with my address.

May God save you all.
Elizaveta Ivanovna Khrapovitskaya.
Tell us what happened to our Muromtsevo estate. Write to me in detail about this, I am with you with all my heart.

Mrs. Khrapovitskaya to France:

Extract from the minutes of the general meeting of citizens of the village of Likino, Sudogodsky volost, Vladimir district and province, dated May 26, 1928. 120 people are present at the meeting, 27 of them are women. Listened: the received letter from France from Khrapovitskaya E.I. (former landowner) in the name of the citizens of the village of Likino for financial assistance. Decided to send the following letter.

We have received your letter. Having discussed it at a general meeting of citizens of the village of Likino, we give the following answer to “Your Honor”.

Ten and a half years have passed since we expelled you and your kind from our country. During this time, we have learned enough to manage the state and how to build our lives. Where earlier arbitrariness and oppression of the landowners and their henchmen reigned, we have the former estate of Muromtsevo (to which peasants were not allowed a mile away). An agricultural technical school has been opened there for several years, in which the children of workers and peasants study.

Yes, and you can’t list everything, for which you, Mrs. Khrapovitskaya, should help. We can't even define it, and we'll just say, "Fly away from us to... (profanity)"

Only such unscrupulous people like you are capable of shedding crocodile tears at times.
Regarding the fact that your late husband, as you write, still wanted to bequeath his lands to the peasants, we answer: "The legend is fresh, but hard to believe."

We got these lands for ourselves even without your blessed will. Your husband is a little late to write it.

We also inform you that with your letter you have resurrected the memories of oppression and all the bullying done by you and those like you.

Do not contact us again.
On behalf of the general meeting of citizens of the village of Likina: Bystrov, Gurov, Gurov, Kalinin, Ivanova.
May 26, 1928

Photos of the Soviet era and now.

How to get to: follow the navigator to the city of Sudogda, then follow the signs. 220 km from Moscow.

In the summer of cars do not push through. Entry is free, inside is relatively clean, there is little chance of getting into something, but it’s still better to take the shoes that you don’t mind.

For the first time, Gothic architecture struck the imagination of a resident of one-story Europe in the 12th century. Very soon, this style filled, in one form or another, all of Europe, leaving its indelible mark on the appearance of European castles.

Gothic castles today remain one of the most attractive tourist sites, showing the face of a bygone Europe.

Neuschwanstein Castle reminds of the times of the Kingdom of Bavaria and Ludwig of Bavaria. Probably, never before have Gothic castles been as beautiful and perfect as Neuschwanstein. Thanks to this castle and a number of others, Ludwig of Bavaria earned the nickname "Fairy King". From a distance, it seems like a toy, but close up it amazes with its perfect and fine architecture.

Neuschwanstein Castle

A truly impregnable Gothic castle of Dracula, which is in the town of Bran, in Romania. It was put at the expense of the local population in the fourteenth century, for which they were exempted from paying taxes. Bran Castle is associated with the legendary commander Vlad the Impaler, better known as Dracula. The surroundings of the castle were a favorite hunting ground for Vlad the Impaler.

Bran Castle

Medieval castles today can be found almost throughout Europe. Especially a lot of them in Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Italy, France. A real medieval fortress looks like the abbey of Saint-Michel, whose powerful walls stand on a small island, at an altitude of 80 meters above sea level. Its pointed towers stretched into the sky, as if wanting to reach the one to whom the monks of the abbey pray.

Abbey Saint-Michel

It cannot be said that the castles of Europe are the only example of Gothic architecture. Gothic castles in Russia are also very majestic and amaze with their architecture. True, Gothic came to Russia relatively late, along with the name of Felten Yu.M. At the same time, Russia inherited from East Prussia whole line Gothic castles that can be seen today in the Kaliningrad region.

It is unusual to see this in Russia. The castle needs urgent restoration.

According to legend, V. Khrapovitsky, traveling around France in the 1880s, was delighted with medieval castles. To the remark of the French that there is nothing of the kind in Russia, V. Khrapovitsky found a peculiar answer: he made a bet that he would build a castle. Inviting French friends to his estate a few years later, the owner demonstrated to the surprised guests not just a castle, but a "Gothic" palace with a park and a cascade of ponds near the main house. This is how this magnificent ensemble arose, which still strikes with its scope and amazing freedom of spatial solution. I don’t dare to call it “eclectic” (although this term is firmly rooted in relation to the buildings of this era). The sophistication and even quirkiness of the composition does not at all destroy the integrity of perception, on the contrary, it creates the impression of harmony. The brilliant stylizations of the architect P.S. Boytsov, although formally remain within the framework of eclecticism, are in many ways close to the Art Nouveau that was emerging at that time. In particular, this applies to the horse yard, or rather, the equestrian palace, standing a little further away, since in terms of scale and representativeness this building may well compete with the main manor house .. "

If you have seen other creations of Boytsov - Barvikha, Uspenskoe or Vasilievskoe, then in Murom you will recognize his hand.
The castle is by far the largest of his works.
Look at the old photographs in the photo album showing what the Khrapovitsky estate looked like before the revolution. Once in front of the main house there was an Italian garden with a complex water cascade on the terraces, regular parterres, fountains of the French garden. Even in the richest estates, such a water extravaganza was a rarity.
Remains of this water system can still be found today. In front of the main house, views of gradually collapsing retaining walls former ponds, in some places completely overgrown with bushes.

The castle itself was very dilapidated and abandoned. A few decades ago, the picture was different. Before the war, a machine and tractor technical school was located here, and in the 1950s a rest home settled in the building. But as a result of the fire, the roof collapsed, the floors were damaged