Friedberg Castle, Friedberg, Germany

The Friedberg castle was subsequently built to serve as a border security and customs post for the Duchy of Bavaria and Swabia, but put the town in opposition to the free city of Augsburg. It was built between 1257-1264 by Duke Ludwig II.

The castle was the cause of the first burning of Friedberg by Augsburg in 1396. The town was subject to the many frequent wars between Swabia, Bavaria and Augsburg.

A revival in the town's fortunes came when, in 1568, the Duchess Christine chose Friedberg castle as her seat following her husband's death. The town became the centre of Bavarian court life, but was short lived when the town was ravaged by the plague in 1599. More suffering came as the town was sacked twice by the Swedes during the Thirty Years War. After the war only the town hall, castle and city walls were left standing.

The castle is situated on a spur of and has an unusually deep moat. Since the renovation in 1982, Friedberg castle has been a museum.

User Reviews

Henrik Ritz (2 years ago)
The museum is new and excellent. There are three main parts on the first floor : the town's local watchmakers, a prehistoric and roman age section and a section of the last few hundreds years. On the ground floor you can find the history and collections of local artists. Unfortunately taking photos is not allowed at all in the museum. The museum cafe has tasty cookies and cakes and coffee and other drinks also. Books in german and postcards available in the museum shops.

Valentine Gogichashvili (2 years ago)
Newly renovated castle with a perfectly organized museum dedicated to the city history, watches, and pottery.

Giorgio Syro (2 years ago)
Not much to see, just a rebuilded unimpressive "palace". The only worth watching is the museum with old hand made watches, if anyone has an interest to that kind of things.

Dave Laycock (2 years ago)
Nice, informative. The cafe has a small selection of cakes and drinks. There is an elevator.

Carmel Agius (Nenu) (2 years ago)
Amazing, state of the art museum, about the unique and intricate craftsmanship of watches in Friedberg from the 1800's. Most attractive is also the archeological display of the old history of this Bavarian town.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Honza Soukup

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Angelokastro

Angelokastro is a Byzantine castle on the island of Corfu. It is located at the top of the highest peak of the island"s shoreline in the northwest coast near Palaiokastritsa and built on particularly precipitous and rocky terrain. It stands 305 m on a steep cliff above the sea and surveys the City of Corfu and the mountains of mainland Greece to the southeast and a wide area of Corfu toward the northeast and northwest.

Angelokastro is one of the most important fortified complexes of Corfu. It was an acropolis which surveyed the region all the way to the southern Adriatic and presented a formidable strategic vantage point to the occupant of the castle.

Angelokastro formed a defensive triangle with the castles of Gardiki and Kassiopi, which covered Corfu"s defences to the south, northwest and northeast.

The castle never fell, despite frequent sieges and attempts at conquering it through the centuries, and played a decisive role in defending the island against pirate incursions and during three sieges of Corfu by the Ottomans, significantly contributing to their defeat.

During invasions it helped shelter the local peasant population. The villagers also fought against the invaders playing an active role in the defence of the castle.

The exact period of the building of the castle is not known, but it has often been attributed to the reigns of Michael I Komnenos and his son Michael II Komnenos. The first documentary evidence for the fortress dates to 1272, when Giordano di San Felice took possession of it for Charles of Anjou, who had seized Corfu from Manfred, King of Sicily in 1267.

From 1387 to the end of the 16th century, Angelokastro was the official capital of Corfu and the seat of the Provveditore Generale del Levante, governor of the Ionian islands and commander of the Venetian fleet, which was stationed in Corfu.

The governor of the castle (the castellan) was normally appointed by the City council of Corfu and was chosen amongst the noblemen of the island.

Angelokastro is considered one of the most imposing architectural remains in the Ionian Islands.

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