Castles in the Sky

Most castles started as a fortress in top of a hill. The earliest ones were made out of wood so all that remains today are the holes or post markings where they once stood.
The stone castles still remain even though many are in ruins.
A castle wasn't designed to be pretty, instead it's features protected the many people living inside. Some of these castles were so overcrowded that germs were everywhere.
The castle could be an icon for the type of government established within and around them. Feudalism was a crude way of grouping people together to protect each other. The lord of the castle was a term that came much earlier than a king or queen title. It was all about land ownership - the primary source of survival.
I do love the romantic, fantasy version of the castle. These stories make history seem so clean, so glamorous. We can look at the castle now and think romance and heroism instead of seeing them as icons of protection against war.

This print can be purchased on ebay. Here is the link:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/254096795422