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Castles of the World

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Robust, romantic and imposing, castles capture our imagination when we were children and continue to hold interest throughout our lives. From Europe to Haiti, from India to Japan, Castles of the World explores forts, strongholds, towers and citadels from the ancient world up to the 20th century. Entries range from well-known examples such as Corfe Castle in England, the crusader stronghold of Krak des Chevaliers in Syria and the romantic palace of Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, to lesser-known curiosities such as the Genoese Fortress in the Crimea, Rudkhan Castle in Iran and Morro Castle in Havana. Arranged chronologically, each entry includes a striking colour photograph and expert text briefly telling the story of the castle's history. Built, rebuilt and expanded many times, castles often don't just tell us about one period in history, but about many different times. They offer us layers of history and sometimes mystery, too. With 200 outstanding colour photographs, Castles of the World is a beautiful examination of worlds gone by.

224 pages, Hardcover

Published April 14, 2019

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47 people want to read

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Phyllis G. Jestice

31 books5 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
Profile Image for Nataliya.
987 reviews16.2k followers
May 27, 2023
Castles are fascinating, and those who disagree just need to take a look at one. I can’t help but admire their historically majestic presence, even if the reasons for their existence — wars and bloodshed and oppression — do not paint humans in any kind of a favorable light. Nevertheless, castles possess that imposing gravitas that can’t help but capture the imagination.



This is a book I’d love to have in a glossy hardcover copy because those photos of castles (well, castles and citadels and manor houses and even some modern vanity projects by people with too much money and free time) are just gorgeous. Organized by time periods (ancient times to 700 CE, 700 - 1200 CE, 1200 - 1500 CE, 1500 - 1750 CE and 1700 CE - present), it shows a wide range of geographical locations, from Europe to Morocco to Tibet to Japan, and - in what I can only assume a sarcastic attempt at tongue-in-cheek humor - even Hearst Castle in California.



It’s a coffee table book though, and you need to go elsewhere to get more information besides name of the castle, location, time period, a brief history and at times an anecdote (hey, I’m still morbidly fascinated by the idea of biological warfare in Middle Ages when Karlštejn Castle during a 1422 siege had corpses and 2000 cartloads of manure were flung over the walls to cause disease among the defenders).



A good collection of quite a number of castles, although I was often wishing to see a few more photos of each specific castle - some are very interesting - rather than mostly one photo of a variety of them. More in detail exploration of fewer places, I suppose, although that’s just my personal preference and by no means the goal of this book.



4 stars. Very enjoyable.
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Thanks to NetGalley and Amber Books for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Also posted on my blog.
Profile Image for Natalie  all_books_great_and_small .
3,148 reviews172 followers
June 1, 2023
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Castles of the world is a beautiful photographic history guide of some amazing castles. The book starts with the earliest castles across the world and moves on to more recent ones.
The photography was beautiful and I enjoyed every single photograph! There was minimal information about these castles but if you wanted to learn more I'm sure a Google search would help you find more out.
I wished I could see more photos of quite a few of the castles featured.
Another great book that is great to keep and refer back to again and again or even have on your coffee table for display and a conversation starter.
Profile Image for Christine.
7,236 reviews572 followers
June 4, 2021
Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley

Dr Jestice’s book about castles is coffee table book instead of a substantial or academic history.
It’s a good coffee table book, mind. The pictures are stunning. The paragraphs that accompany each picture provide something interesting detail about each castle. The selection of castles is broken down by construction period, and why the book starts with predominately European ones that changes radically as the book the progresses (though the definition of Castle is somewhat elastic).
Overall, a good book with stunning pictures that will give you a list of places to visit.
Profile Image for BAM doesn’t answer to her real name.
2,040 reviews456 followers
June 20, 2023
This may be a coffee table book? But I LOVED IT! Sooo many castles many of such that we don't really think fit in that category. AND there were pics of every single one presented. I can't stand when the book discusses a topic and only allows pics of half of them. I would have enjoyed this book if it had been twice as large, which I know is quite possible. In fact I think I do own other castle books...just looked I have a book on the Tower and I have two books about German castles alone. I think I might do some research and find more books on this topic.
Oh and I'm fairly certain this was an NG book so I do thank the publisher and author for the copy.
Profile Image for Jaime.
1,804 reviews310 followers
May 29, 2021
A very interesting book that reviews the stories behind some amazing castles across the world. I admit prior to reading this book when someone would mention “castle” I immediately thought of Scotland. Now after reading this book I understand that while Scotland has amazing castles and tons of ruins, there are breathtaking castles all over the world.

Also, as a product of Generation X - nowadays when one sees a huge home being built they believe it’s grandeur is a sign of a family status or a boasting of wealth. Historically, as this book points out castles were built as strongholds to protect families within and to defend against would be invaders. Historically the amount of land, dwellings, and ability to provide and secure safety of inhabitants was the sign of a “rich” man and great leader. Castles were a very big part of not only housing prominent families but also a place where others were able to go and seek refuge or security during unstable times. The structure of the castle along with its surrounding curtain walls, gaits, and portcullis all were meant to defend attacks and thwart future attacks due to impenetrable designs.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend to anyone who is fascinated by castles.

5 stars
Profile Image for Nicki.
1,461 reviews
June 10, 2021
This was a fab book full of photos and fascinating details from castles from around the world. It’s not just full of the usual suspects, but of castles I’d never heard of from Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, Turkey, Iran and more. In the digital copy I had via the NetGalley app the photos didn’t always meet up with the text, but I’m sure in the finished book it will be perfect and make the book even more interesting. If castles are your thing and you can’t get away because of Covid this would make a great treat, maybe even a good Father’s Day gift?!
Thanks so much NetGalley and Amber Books for my digital copy via the NetGalley app.
Profile Image for Carla.
7,655 reviews178 followers
June 22, 2022
I am a huge history buff, so when I go away, I try to visit any castles around, even those that are tumbling down. This book drew my eye with its amazing photos. The book is set up chronologically with the oldest castles up to the newest. There are descriptions and some history of the castles that go along with the amazing photographs. Dr. Jestice also highlights castles from around the world, so not just the ones we hear of in the UK. I enjoyed this book and recommend it to those who love history like I do. It would make an amazing coffee table book in hard cover format.
9,097 reviews130 followers
May 25, 2021
I think this will work as a surprising hit for many people who would never expect to find themselves browsing a book on this subject; for many a reader with specialist knowledge this will still look superbly attractive, and will like as not win them over too. What we have is a potted visual history of castles, for this goes in chronological order from some of the oldest extant remains up to the Victorian era and beyond. We're not told a huge amount about castles as such – any one trip to any one featured here would tell us more about the architectural specifics, the needs of the inhabitants, and so on – but the tiny captions that we get tell us collectively just enough for us to hear their story. And they're often handily on the right-hand page, allowing said expert to look at the image on the left only and play 'guess the chateau' with herself. (This reader was more than chuffed to recognise a certain colour of brick meant Poland.)

Very pleasantly, the contents aren't stuck to the big and most photogenic examples, and cover all corners of the world (a very early entry is in South Korea, while we also touch on Venezuela and Ghana). All invaders and all defenders get a quick mention. There will be some people buying this sight unseen unaware of just how little text there is, and it has to be noted I'm reviewing this because the large coffee-table hardback has now been given this publisher's standard second edition, which is the size of a routine photograph print. But that being out there, this has to get a recommendation.

Partly as, while I've been to several of the sites here – having explored twelve and clapped eyes on five more, in fact – there is a lot that was new to me. There's a great image of a huge Iranian metropolis almost, gigantic processional arcaded corridors en route to the highest of highest, that an earthquake finally put paid to in 2003. There's a citadel where the Lighthouse of Alexandria once stood, which recycled some of the stones of the latter. We have a fort in Oman whose building was done in piecemeal over twelve centuries. And in my ignorance I'd not heard of any of them. That depth is what I thank this publication for, however niche castles would normally be in my reading material. A strong (if not fortified) four stars.
Profile Image for Morris.
964 reviews174 followers
February 6, 2022
This is a visually stunning book that is also filled with ample historical information. It’s also a fun way to see the world without leaving your reading nook. Recommended!

This unbiased review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
Profile Image for Kaye.
4,362 reviews73 followers
May 26, 2023
Beautiful photo book of castles from around the world. I have visited many castles in Europe and was happy to see some of them represented in this book. I hadn't thought about other places like South Korea or Iran as having castles. The book itself is divided by time periods. Each castle has one or more photos and a brief description of the castle and its country. I'd forgotten that Windsor Castle in England, which doesn't seem all that old, actually dates to the 11th century.

This book, while not a tour guide, definitely added some castles to my travel bucket list. I only wish is that some of the photos were of a high resolution. (Modern photography is spoiling me.) This would be a great book on your coffee table or a gift for the traveler or historian in your life. Thank you to NetGalley and Amber Books for a temporary ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Jane Miller.
446 reviews10 followers
June 15, 2021
With more than 200 colorful pages of castles/citadels and a brief description of each one’s history, this book is one of the most thorough I’ve seen of its kind. I gained so much insight into the past. I learned how some of the castles/citadels were built, why they were built, why a particular location was chosen, who served while they stood, when some of them were destroyed and then rebuilt and what some of them were used for then and now. Despite my understanding that all castles were built for protection as fortresses, I learned that some were built to be palaces or hunting cabins and intended to show wealth. One was noted to have held slaves and another to have been a concentration camp. One castle was built on a man-made island that had been constructed from layers and layers of wood. As some one who has lived in Europe and visited several castles I had no idea of the number and variety of castles that existed across the world. While many of the well known ones are quite elaborate, others were built from cardboard or wood and quite simple. I was fascinated to see the detail shown in some of the photos of Castles (or what remained of them) dating back to the Bronze age and up to the present. Some were views of the inside, others were views from the top, some were up close and others from a distance to show the large expanse of the entire castle. Among the locations highlighted in this book are: Albania, Belgium, Cuba, Egypt, Ghana, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Korea, South Korea, Spain, Moroco, Ukraine, Lithuania, Russia, Romania, Tibet, Macedonia, Yemen, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates.
I highly recommended this book to others that are fascinated with castles, history and travel. I know I have added many to the list of places I will visit in the future.
Profile Image for J Earl.
2,342 reviews112 followers
June 15, 2021
Castles of the World by Dr Phyllis G Jestice is a beautiful coffee table book that offers a wider range of castles than many such books. The information for each is brief but interesting, just the right amount for a book emphasizing the photographs of the castles.

Unless you've made a point of traveling the world visiting castles, there will be quite a few you probably haven't been to. My experiences have been mostly limited to Europe and some of the Middle East, so this book introduced me to not only castles I missed in those areas but some of the examples from around the world.

One thing this book did for me, which I love, is it made me look up a number of things, from architecture specific to different locales to information about particular castles. I truly appreciate a coffee table book that piques my interest enough to serve as a springboard for me to delve deeper into aspects I find intriguing.

Definitely a wonderful addition to the library for travelers, arm chair travelers, and those who love books with great photographs and interesting background on each castle.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
Profile Image for Kathryn.
1,554 reviews47 followers
May 19, 2021
I love castles. I have been to many of them, but somehow only nine that made the cut for this book. I was honestly surprised to find that a few of the castles featured are in cities I have been to but somehow missed the castle. This book provides a brief overview of castles in ancient times, early medieval period, late medieval period, early modern period, and modern era. The overview is then followed by picture after picture of castles from that time period. Each castle as a brief description including its name, location, and historical significance. This book added a whole bunch of places to my bucket list and would be a wonderful gift for any world traveler.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amber books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
539 reviews
June 14, 2021
Would you like to live in a castle? I certainly would! This book makes it possible for you to imagine living in one. Magnificent panoramic pictures of castles and interesting, well-researched 'potted' histories' of castles make this an excellent book for castle-lovers, or for those needing a short introduction to the history of a particular castle. This has pictures of the classic 'fairy tale' European castles, but it also has Middle Eastern, African and Asian castles. It is a beautiful coffee table book.

I won't see a castle any time soon, unfortunately. This book by Dr Phyllis G. Jestice is the next best thing!
I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

EDITION Paperback
ISBN 9781838860981
PRICE £9.99 (GBP)
Profile Image for Mellissa Bushby.
Author 3 books49 followers
May 28, 2021
Oh my, this was wonderful! A concise and fascinating collection of info, the castles in this book will take your breath away.

The imagery is beautiful, and I like the idea of setting them out according to age, it makes for an interesting timeline. I will be rather sad when my review copy fades away, I will have to grab hold of a hard copy, which is something I'd recommend to anyone looking for a lovely gift or a dip into a world of mystery and marvels.

Thanks to Net Galley, Avon and Dr Phyllis G Jestice for my ARC.
Profile Image for Tracy.
261 reviews22 followers
June 15, 2021
Four and a half stars rounding up.

Beautifully illustrated coffee table book about castles from all lands and all times... from ancient ruins to medieval fortresses to modern palaces. I wish there was more detail in the captions about the area and history of each castle, however, they are clear and interesting, with enough information to catch your interest. This book would make a great gift for anyone who loves history, travel, or gorgeous architecture.

I am extremely grateful to Netgalley and Amber Books for the opportunity to read and review “Castles of the World”.
Profile Image for Lady.
1,102 reviews17 followers
August 8, 2021
A wonderful photograph book showing many wonderful castles from around the world with short introductions to each castle picture. I loved reading this book so much the pictures were brilliant and I loved the stunning pictures and the layout of this book. Its a great introduction to learning able some of the most spectacular castles still standing from around the world. Im just loving getting this photograph books that you can look back on time and time again. This would make a beautiful coffee table book that other people will come and look through and makes brilliant talking points

189 reviews2 followers
May 24, 2021
Dr Phyllis G Jestice has collated a wonderful visual history of castles. The book is divided into five distinctive

ages. We are able to see how a castle meant power and prestige, how it defended and dominated an area.

The beauty and magnificence that we see only add to the enjoyment..

The amazing high-quality photographs in a wide variety

of geographical settings. all around the world, is a true feast for the eyes, I would like to visit each and every

magnificent one.
Profile Image for Jan.
6,531 reviews100 followers
June 2, 2021
Fascinating! The choices of photographs of castles from all over the world and the brief histories of each is absolutely full of wonder. Some are in ruins, some only neglected for a century or two, some partially restored, and one even houses three museums. I LOVED it! What a delightful visual escape.
I requested and received a temporary digital ARC of this book from Amber Books Ltd via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Profile Image for Catherine.
845 reviews6 followers
June 10, 2021
This is the perfect coffee table book. Lots of fascinating castles shown in beautiful pictures. Accompanying the image is a description of each building. I found myself reading the book and mentally making a note of those i have visited and all those i want to go to. Perhaps the publisher could include a checklist within the book.]
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to receive this ARC.
Profile Image for Laura S.
571 reviews
June 4, 2021
Beautiful photography , makes me want to go an explore all these beautiful places. Captions were a little dry for me, but my historical obsession comes from a more immersive experience rather than facts. Really interesting to see how castles progressed over the years and the designs and how the differ in different countries
Profile Image for Lorena.
858 reviews23 followers
May 29, 2023
In this fascinating 224-page photography book, medieval historian Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice provides an overview of more than 150 castles from around the world. The castles are organized into five time periods, from ancient times to the modern era. Each location typically gets a photograph or two with an informative caption.

I loved being able to compare castles from such a variety of times and places, although I found myself craving more detail about each site. Maps showing where the sites are located would have been a welcome addition. Use this to start your exploration of castles. If a photograph catches your interest, you can research that site more yourself. You could also use this book to inspire future travel plans. Some of these photographs certainly piqued my curiosity, and I would love to be able to visit some of these places in person.

Note that the flexibound book is only 6.5 by 5 inches.

Thanks to Amber Books for providing me with an ARC through NetGalley. I volunteered to provide an honest review.
333 reviews13 followers
June 18, 2023
Although I’m not a history buff, I do love looking at and visiting castles. It probably comes from the fact that I live near some fine examples in the north east of Scotland.
I enjoyed this book, it was filled with spectacular photographs of castles from all over the globe. Part of what I like about these castles is that I find myself totally blown away by the fact that people had built such impressive structures at a time when there were none of the equipment that we have today. And knowing that makes me view these historical buildings with complete awe.
If you like history, or like me, you just like castles, then you will like this book.
I would definitely recommend this book.
My thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for gifting me this book. I’m leaving this review of my own volition.
Profile Image for Tissie.
345 reviews20 followers
June 28, 2021
CotW, written by Phyllis G. Jestice, is a visual travel among castles. From the oldest, built to withstand actual attacks, to the modern and more decorative ones, Jestice put together an informative book, filled with pictures and cultural tidbits. It might be a niche topic, but it sure is interesting. Built atop of hills, surrounded by moats, sometimes only reachable by boat, in the general imaginary they’re a stronghold; visiting them, even by proxy, feels like taking a step in the past.

[Keep reading @ Bookshelves & Teacups]
1,602 reviews14 followers
June 3, 2023
This book is 226 pages of stunning castles from all over the world. It's simply amazing that time and man have not destroyed so many of these castles, even some dating back to ancient times. The first castle in the book is the Citadel of Jerusalem, or David's Citadel, the history of which dates back at least 2000 years. More modern castles are still occupied and visited today. Castle lovers may want to use this book to plot out a course through Europe and other locales in the world to visit them. This is a book that you may want on your bookshelf to study it and dream of times past over and over again.
Profile Image for Karen Mace.
2,395 reviews86 followers
June 6, 2023
A stunning book!! Full of spectacular locations and awe inspiring buildings!! This was just a joy to read and imagine myself living in a castle!! And just fascinating to see the variety of styles of castles there are around the world, from ancient times to modern interpretations, and each with their own charm and beauty.

The photography is perfection! It really captures the castles and their surroundings, and the information on each goes in to more details of the history of them including why they were put in certain positions, from those surrounded by moats to those high up on mountains.

Profile Image for Ryan.
5,754 reviews34 followers
July 30, 2021
When I pick up a book like this, I expect beautiful sweeping pictures that take the reader to new locations. And instead this seems to be full of blurry pictures, out of focus pictures, and pictures that look old. The information is great, but pictures just make this feel like I picked up a book from the 80s at the local library. The other thing is it’s not always easy to tell which pictures are which of the castles. This especially is true when there are interior shots of the castles.
Profile Image for Michelle.
117 reviews
June 6, 2023
If you're looking for a gorgeous coffee table book about historic castles, this is a great option.

Jestice takes readers on a journey from the earliest castles in the middle east and Asia, to modern castles across Europe and even the United States. The photographs are the centerpiece of this book, with enough information provided to orient readers and offer an insight into how and why these structures were build.

Follow along on a beautiful journey through history.

Highly recommend!
Profile Image for Ashley (Red-Haired Ash Reads).
3,378 reviews181 followers
May 30, 2021
Rating: 3 stars - I liked it

This was a fascinating look at castles around the world. It makes me want to travel overseas even more. With over 200 pages of photographs of castles this book is a must have for anyone interested in castles, history, or traveling.

*ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.*
Profile Image for Helen.
Author 29 books210 followers
June 4, 2023
A wonderful book about castles throughout the centuries from all over the world. The photos are stunning, and while there is a short description about each one, it is the photos that make this book so special. It would make a fantastic gift for anyone who loves castles, and is a joy to browse through. Highly recommend.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews

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