I saw on a tv show a year or or so ago about people who were building a castle just like the old days would have them built. No modern tools were being used, including calculating devices, every single issue was took to the extreme to preserve the old ways through construction. The process was estimated to take a very long time. I remember some where along the lines that castles took a year or two to build, maybe less my memory is a little hazy, but the show commented that this castle would take people 10 years+ to build due to the fact that people were not proficent using the old techniques.

I also remember that the castle was to be used as a place for the public to visit.

So does anyone know what I am speaking of. Does anyone know the state of this particular castle? I saw something that made me remember ...

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Thank you.

Hi Christopher,

You may be referring to Guédelon. This is being built with 13th century techniques but has already taken more than 10 years. They estimated 25 years for the build but this may have more to do with a lack of manpower than a lack of skill. Lending a hand at Guédelon is definitely on my to-do list.

Darren

Yep, Guédelon it is :

http://www.guedelon.fr/en/

About 140 kms West of here (though it's a 3 hours drive due to the charming French country roads). This project has stirred quite the debate even before it started, as the French academic medieval community was arguing on wether it made sense on an experimental archaeology level, or not. They argued about the location, argued about the methods, argued about the money (that's the point).

Of course, one can affirm it is not proper experimental archaeology because nowadays safety and work regulations prevent accurate reproduction of medieval working habits (which is a good thing overall), but the same people that disagree with this would have yelled at the first incident if they had followed medieval ways.


Friends of mine used to work there, and I went there twice already, last time was a good 5 years ago ; they must have made significant progress since then. I suspect they cheat from time to time, but that's OK with me if it allow us to get a proper, period-ish medieval castle.

Not sure they'll let you lend a hand, Darren. Their workforce is locally recruited and falls under an employment plan of sorts - to get money from the state.

Still very much worth a visit though.

I wanted to apply at Guédelon a few years back, but sadly my french wasn't good enough. :\

Maybe some you are also interested in a reconstructed motte.
Not as impressive as Guédelon, but always fun to visit.

www.turmhuegelburg.de

I work in the forge there during fairs.

AFAIK, local partnership with crafstman schools.