Castles, Abbeys and Old Ruins

[philster]

Found out what it is now via the wonders of internet.

"Just below La Verna is the village of Chiusi, which was governed with the hamlet of Caprese for 6 months (late 1474 to early 1475) by the assigned podestà (mayor) from Florence, an impoverished minor nobleman named Ludovico Buonarroti. This brief term of office was just long enough for Ludovico's second son to be born in the house of the podestà at Caprese on March 6, 1474. The baby was christened at the local church of San Giovanni as Michelangelo Buonarroti. Caprese has never forgotten it and has even changed its name to Caprese Michelangelo after the boy grew up to become one of the greatest artists the world has ever known. His birthplace above the town and the nearby small castle have been converted into a small, and not terribly engrossing, museum about Michelangelo's career called the Museo Michelangiolesco (tel. [phone]; open daily 9:30am-6:30pm, closed Mon in winter). Admission is 3€ ($3.45) adults, 2€ ($2.30) ages 7 to 14, free for children under 7. Later in life, Michelangelo wrote to Giorgio Vasari, "If my brains are any good at all, it's because I was born in the pure air of your Arezzo countryside."

So it's a museum now. Figures

[Shan]

I was thinking the same thing, Elliot.

Just from looking at the pictures, it makes me want to see more. I would love to walk the halls and through some of the rooms of these old castles. In a way it would kinda be like walking through history.

I've tried to imagine the feeling one would get walking down some of these hallways, through some of the rooms, or just walking up to the door of one of them, but I can't even come close to what it would actually feel like. And to think people actually lived in these or are living in them. It is beyond my imagination.

Shan

[philster]

And this is apparently it: the Museo Michelangiolesco

It's not much to look at, but it's something I guess.

[Shan]

Pictures, Phil, pictures.

Were there any pictures where you found that info?

Shan

[philster]

There's a picture at the link I posted just above your post - did you not see it?

[Shan]

I think we were posting about the same time, because your link was not there when I started the post asking for pics if you had them.

You just type faster than I do and get yours in first. ;D

Shan

[Shan]

Maybe the castle was destroyed.
Or maybe that was a small part of it and all that is left.

It's an interesting idea though and would have been really cool if it had still been standing.

Shan

[philster]

Who knows, but it's a cool factoid in any event ;D

Didn't expect Michelangelo to be born in a ruined castle.

[Glance A'Lot]

Shan - as to those events, I have visited a number of the smaller ones, both as a little boy and taking my kids later. I have never had the opportunity (yet) to go to Kaltenberg, as I lived in other parts of Germany.

Kaltenberg as site is not one of the great castles - probably because that is so, it is somewhat preserved and has spacious surroundings able to house the event.

And on those pics, there are many, some are nothing special, but some really are awesome photographs.

What I enjoy - the lively atmosphere they're conveying. It's like real life RPG/Fantasy - for kids it is a world of wonders. Stories they read become tangible. Visions of characters became real. The demons haunt you in your dreams...

To Eliot's Krak des Chevaliers - that's a classic. The best example of 'modern fortress building' of the 11/12th century, because it was state of the art when build, and has not been altered to suit more modern warfare later. And a lot of techniques developped there found their way into central European fortress building.
It's high on my list of 'to see' items

I'll give you a rest Shan , for a short while, to catch up.

[Shan]

You are very lucky Glance to have had the opportunity to visit such places and your kids are also lucky that they could visit them too.

I looked at some more of the pics last night, but I want to go back and let the girls see some of them. I think they will really enjoy seeing what things could have been like back then.


And I will catch up.

Shan

[philster]

I've been in plenty of castles too...

...if you count RPGs! :-D

[Shan]

I've been in a bunch of those too, but they are the same. Somehow they just aren't the same.

Have you every been to a real one?

Shan

[philster]

I've been to Disney Castle, does that count? ;D

[philster]

But in all seriousness, my father's family, the Giles family, is descended from an old Norman family that settled in Bowen in the County of Devan in Great Britain after the Normans had defeated the King of the Saxons, Harold, at the battle of Hastings in 1066. They were supposed to have a castle there somewhere (could be ruined or even not be there anymore, I don't know).

My mother's family, the Davis family, (harder to trace) is descended from an equally old Welsh family. I've always wanted to go to either England or Wales to explore my heritage a bit more, and possibly find some traces of my forefathers. I'd be delighted if they still had some old property somewhere.

In 1743 a grant was made in America to my ancestral grandfather, Jacob Giles, of 100 acres called Elberton Place Manor in Baltimore, Maryland, and he and his family moved over here and bought a county place called Rigsbyes Hope on the Sesquehanna River, so maybe that'll be the start of my journey on at least one front...

[Shan]

No, the the Disney Castle doesn't count.
I've been there too and it didn't even come close to some of these.

Wow, Phil, wouldn't it be cool if you found out your family still owned an old castle somewhere?

Does your family still own the property in Maryland? From what you said I take it that you have never been there.

Shan

[philster]

Nope, never even been over there. I think it's more of a historical mark right now.

Jacob's son Aquila Giles (my great great six times grandfather) would eventually serve under George Washington as United States Marshall after the war in 1792. He was the captain of Troop of Horse in 1789, Lt. Colonel of Militia of Kings County in 1795, and would eventually become Special Justice of the Peace of New York in 1810.

Heh, that's part of why we know so much about my family's history in America, because Aquila was so successful. Because of Aquila's success and his close friendship with President Washington, we also have a tradition of naming at least one boy every generation George Washington Giles. I have a cousin named that even now.

But anyway, I'm kinda running the thread off topic here... unless you count manors as an interest here.

[Shan]

Don't worry about that. I can bring it back on topic easy enough with a single post. ;D

I think that is cool about your family naming someone George Washington in every generation.

Do you know anything else about the property in Maryland (like what was done with it, was a big house built on it , stuff like that)?

I know nothing about my family's background. No one has ever had enough interest to do any kind of heritage trace.

Shan

[philster]

No clue, honestly.

My uncle Don would probably know. I'll ask him if I ever get the opportunity again.

[Shan]

If you ever do find anything out, I'd be interested in knowing.

And if you ever find you're an hier to a castle in Europe, I am going to be super jealous. ;D

Shan

[philster]

shantara said:

If you ever do find anything out, I'd be interested in knowing.

And if you ever find you're an hier to a castle in Europe, I am going to be super jealous. ;D

Shan

Too many Giles and Davis for that to happen

I think