NORTHERN BURGUNDY, France — Deep in a forest of France's Burgundy region, a group of enthusiasts is building a medieval castle the old-fashioned way — that is, with tools and methods from the late ...

In the ninth and tenth centuries, castles were often built of wood and easily burned down by enemies. As unrest spread across Europe and warfare began to change, castle designs had to adapt. Looming ...

Guédelon is a “modest castle” in France, which authentic historical craftspeople are building. Stone is rarely used to bear weight in buildings today, but it was the best option in the 13th century.

A fanciful 19th-century retreat sits on an island known as the Rock in Lough Key, in County Roscommon. Beneath the building lie the remains of a castle belonging to the MacDermots, one of medieval ...