Castle Time

One of the stereotypical things you’ve got to do while in Europe is see a castle right? I’ve been here over 2 months and saw my first one this weekend. You see my brother was here and when we went into city on Wednesday we walked down to the river and I pointed out King John’s castle and I realized I hadn’t been there and that Spencer hadn’t seen a castle wither. So plans were made and we went to King John’s Castle on Saturday.
Before I get to the pictures here some cool facts about the castle::

-Built in the 13th century on King’s Island

-King John of England ordered the building of the castle

-King John had it used as a stronghold, an administrative headquarters, a barracks, and a prison

-The Great Siege of 1642 devastated the castle. Most of this damage was done by siege mines

-When there was a housing shortage in Limerick (centuries after the castle was in proper use) there were houses built in the courtyard

-There have been many Viking artifacts found during excavation
           Why it this you ask?? Welllll before the Brits came…. The Vikings built a stronghold on Inis
           Sibhtonn (now known as King’s Island) in 922. Thanks to the Anglo-Normans the stronghold was
           burnt to the ground in 1174. The castle construction started a few decades later.

-Despite having his name King John never visited the Castle

Now onto the best part…. Pictures of my very first castle experience::

^Me with King Louis XIV...I'm going for the regal look^

^Courtyard^

^Gallows^

^Old garrison^

Cheers,