Kinloch Castle, Isle Of Rum, United Kingdom

Kinloch Castle is a late Victorian mansion built as a private residence for Sir George Bullough, a textile tycoon from Lancashire whose father bought Rùm island as his summer residence and shooting estate. Construction began in 1897, and was completed in 1900. Built as a luxurious retreat, Kinloch Castle has since declined. The castle and island are now owned by Scottish Natural Heritage, and part of the castle operates as a hostel.

Kinloch Castle is protected as a category A listed building, and the grounds are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland, the national listing of significant gardens.

References:

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Palaces, manors and town halls in United Kingdom

User Reviews

Simon Russell (2 years ago)
Fantastic to visit and learn the amazing history.

Milena .Kusnierova (3 years ago)
Interesting castle with colorful history on the most beautiful island.

Mark Lamont (3 years ago)
Castle is exceptional, tour guide is also very friendly and informative. The history inside the castle and the artefacts inside are one of a kind. The orchestrian, Steinway Piano, Lion pelt and numerous and enormous stag heads await your arrival in the main hall itself. The halls and the many rooms inside are filled with incredible objects worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. The building itself is made from red Arran sandstone, and is very porous which means the castle will not survive forever in-fact is showing signs of dampness already. A true one of a kind place and is a situated in a fantastic community with unbeatable views.

John Brimm (3 years ago)
Untouched History. Ross was an amazing guide and provided info that you will not find in the history books!

Sari Jacobsen (3 years ago)
Yes, sadly is a little run down but the caretaker does an excellent job on the little guided tour. An example of the bottomless pit of extravagance produced by the industrial era of GB although not always in great taste. Interesting architectural design especially the turret staircase and butler's servery off the dining room. Would have been spectacular in it's prime. Worth a visit on the Calmac 3 isle circuit.

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Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba

The Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba, also known as the Great Mosque of Córdoba and the Mezquita is regarded as one of the most accomplished monuments of Moorish architecture.

According to a traditional account, a small Visigoth church, the Catholic Basilica of Saint Vincent of Lérins, originally stood on the site. In 784 Abd al-Rahman I ordered construction of the Great Mosque, which was considerably expanded by later Muslim rulers. The mosque underwent numerous subsequent changes: Abd al-Rahman II ordered a new minaret, while in 961 Al-Hakam II enlarged the building and enriched the Mihrab. The last of such reforms was carried out by Almanzor in 987. It was connected to the Caliph"s palace by a raised walkway, mosques within the palaces being the tradition for previous Islamic rulers – as well as Christian Kings who built their palaces adjacent to churches. The Mezquita reached its current dimensions in 987 with the completion of the outer naves and courtyard.

In 1236, Córdoba was conquered by King Ferdinand III of Castile, and the centre of the mosque was converted into a Catholic cathedral. Alfonso X oversaw the construction of the Villaviciosa Chapel and the Royal Chapel within the mosque. The kings who followed added further Christian features, such as King Henry II rebuilding the chapel in the 14th century. The minaret of the mosque was also converted to the bell tower of the cathedral. It was adorned with Santiago de Compostela"s captured cathedral bells. Following a windstorm in 1589, the former minaret was further reinforced by encasing it within a new structure.

The most significant alteration was the building of a Renaissance cathedral nave in the middle of the expansive structure. The insertion was constructed by permission of Charles V, king of Castile and Aragon. Artisans and architects continued to add to the existing structure until the late 18th century.

Architecture

The building"s floor plan is seen to be parallel to some of the earliest mosques built from the very beginning of Islam. It had a rectangular prayer hall with aisles arranged perpendicular to the qibla, the direction towards which Muslims pray. The prayer hall was large and flat, with timber ceilings held up by arches of horseshoe-like appearance.

In planning the mosque, the architects incorporated a number of Roman columns with choice capitals. Some of the columns were already in the Gothic structure; others were sent from various regions of Iberia as presents from the governors of provinces. Ivory, jasper, porphyry, gold, silver, copper, and brass were used in the decorations. Marvellous mosaics and azulejos were designed. Later, the immense temple embodied all the styles of Morisco architecture into one composition.

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