FORTE CULTURA Tourist Guide Book

34 \\ TOURIST GUIDE BOOK EXPERIENCE CULTURAL HERITAGE TRAVEL ARCHITECTURE FORTIFIED CASTLES Hohenzollern fortified castle [DE] While bows and arrows dominated during the thousand years of the Middle Ages, military conflicts were waged with cannons and handguns from the 15th century onwards. The defences of the cas- tles were no match for that. Many castle owners in central Europe were forced to convert their castle ramparts and towers to enable cannons to be positioned and firearms used. Historical building structures gained elements of bastion fortress construction. Interesting combinations of medieval and modern fortress archi- tecture emerged, which are often not recognisable at first glance. Many fortified castles are located in southeastern Poland and Baden-Württemberg. The Hohenzollern dynasty of the German emperors built their family seat, Hohenzollern Castle , 150 years ago as the last fortified castle. Today it is a tourist attraction with a wonderful view of Swabia. In Hungary in particular, centuries of battles with the Turks gave rise to heavily fortified castles, which today, however largely throne above the landscape as ruins. Fortified castles on the undulating hills of northern Italy, such as in Emilia-Romagna, present a particularly charming archi- tectonic picture. Fortified castles The Middles Ages meet the modern era – modernisation of disused defensive structures FURTHER FORTIFIED CASTLES Austria Emmendingen Castle Hochosterwitz Castle Hohenwerfen Castle Hungary Hollókő Castle Slovakia Nitra Castle Czech Republic Šternberk Castle Germany Bornhagen Castle Burghausen Castle Leibertingen Castle Neuffert Castle Querfurt Castle Middle age castle, amended and reconstructed with newer fortified elements after appearance of firearms.