Castle timeline

When the 48 castles, fortresses and walled cities of the atlas were built — from the 10th century onward. Dates marked “c.” are approximate. Tap any name for its full story and map.

10th century (2)

c. 900Château de Chinon · France — Earliest: 10th century; major works 12th century
c. 900Rocca Calascio · Italy — Started: 10th century; major additions: 13th century

11th century (3)

c. 1020Loarre Castle · Spain — Early 11th century (c. 1020s)
1077Hohensalzburg Fortress · Austria — Founded: 1077; expanded 11th–17th centuries
c. 1090Walls of Ávila · Spain — c. 1090–12th century

12th century (14)

c. 1100Castel Beseno · Italy — Medieval origins (12th–13th centuries); major expansions 16th century
c. 1100Castle of Diósgyőr · Hungary — Earlier castle: 12th century; Gothic rebuild: 14th century (reign 1342–1382)
c. 1100Château de Castelnaud · France — Founded: 12th century; major rebuilds 13th–14th centuries
c. 1100Château de Chillon · Switzerland — 12th–13th centuries
c. 1100Cité de Carcassonne · France — Major medieval fortifications: 12th–13th centuries
c. 1100Dubrovnik City Walls · Croatia — Major phases: 12th–17th centuries
c. 1100Edinburgh Castle · Scotland — Main stone castle: 12th century (1100s); expanded over later centuries
c. 1100Marksburg Castle · Germany — Early 12th century origins (1100s), later expansions
c. 1100Óbidos Castle & Walls · Portugal — 12th–14th centuries
c. 1100Ramparts of Provins · France — 11th–13th centuries
c. 1100Rock of Cashel · Ireland — 12th–13th centuries
c. 1100Spiš Castle · Slovakia — 12th century origins; major expansions 13th–15th centuries
c. 1150Kalmar Castle · Sweden — 12th-century origins; Renaissance rebuild 16th century
1180Gravensteen · Belgium — Built 1180 (12th century)

13th century (12)

c. 1200Rothenburg ob der Tauber Walls · Germany — Major walls: 13th century (with later additions)
c. 1200St Andrews Castle · Scotland — Late 13th century onward
c. 1200Visegrád Citadel · Hungary — Key tower: 13th century; curtain walls: 14th century
c. 1200York City Walls · England — Main medieval walls: 13th–14th centuries (earlier Roman origins)
1230Eilean Donan · Scotland — 13th-century origins; rebuilt 1919–1932
1230Urquhart Castle · Scotland — 13th–16th centuries (earlier fort on site)
1269Blair Castle · Scotland — 13th century onward; Georgian remodelling
1270Bothwell Castle · Scotland — Begun late 13th century
c. 1270Caerlaverock Castle · Scotland — Built from c. 1277 (13th century)
1270Dunvegan Castle · Scotland — 13th century onward; remodelled 19th century
c. 1274Malbork Castle · Poland — c. 1274–1406
1283Conwy Castle · Wales — 1283–1287

14th century (10)

c. 1300Dunnottar Castle · Scotland — Mainly 14th–16th centuries on an earlier site
c. 1300Dunrobin Castle · Scotland — Medieval origins; remodelled 1845 in French-château style
c. 1300Muiderslot · Netherlands — c. 1300 (around 14th century)
1326Pfalzgrafenstein Castle · Germany — 1326–1327
1348Karlštejn · Czechia — Founded 1348 (14th century)
c. 1350Tantallon Castle · Scotland — Mid-14th century (c. 1350)
1370Glamis Castle · Scotland — 14th-century origins; rebuilt 17th century
1374Craigmillar Castle · Scotland — 14th–15th centuries
1380Cawdor Castle · Scotland — Central tower late 14th century; later ranges
c. 1380Doune Castle · Scotland — Late 14th century (c. 1380s)

15th century (4)

c. 1400Corvin Castle · Romania — 15th century
1440Castle Stalker · Scotland — Tower house, mid-15th century
c. 1450Kilchurn Castle · Scotland — Built c. 1450; expanded 17th century
c. 1450Stirling Castle · Scotland — Main buildings 15th–16th centuries (earlier origins)

16th century (1)

c. 1500Walls of Lucca · Italy — Major construction: 16th–17th centuries (began mid-1500s)

17th century (1)

c. 1600Elvas Fortifications · Portugal — 17th–19th centuries

18th century (1)

1746Inveraray Castle · Scotland — Built 1746–1789 (Gothic Revival)