It’s a bit of an exaggeration, not every European drives by a 13th century castle on their way to work. The one I pass by is just your run off the mill 11th century castle atop a vineyard.

To me (and I'm Polish) Czech Republic is and always have been a western country. Just a bit unlucky to belong to soviet block - which made people think its east. It was the mostindustrialised country before ww2, with good standard of living for all - comparing lets say United Kingdom. Before Independence - part of Austria - west!

Excellent video, thanks. About the half timbered medieval houses in Germany and Alsace (e.g. Colmar): the pannels are made of a mortar consisting of mud and straw, applied over short staves jammed between the posts of the timber-frame wall. The whole set is covered with a lime render in different colors. Greetings from France.

14:19 The oldest known stepped facades are located in my city of Gent in Flanders, Belgium, and date from the 12th century. They were first built in the Romanesque style. They seemed to have been a way to make a stone Facade more interesting and decorative. It probably also was a way to make these stone façades more distinguished from the back then much more common wooden houses and façades. But that last one is only conjecture... 28:38 These buildings aren't really true stepped facades anymore but are more ornate later iterations in baroque and later styles. After the renaissance the stepped facades became unfashionable and were often replaced with more "fashionable" styles. It isn't until the 19th century and the revival of old styles that step facades came back into use mostly in neo-gothic architecture. 17:35 Medieval half-timbered constructions such as this were a way to build in wood, but still better insulate the building. It's also more flame resistant than full wood buildings. It's basically a structural wooden frame made of high quality wood (the visible beams), and then the holes are filled up with lower quality sticks that are woven into each other like wickerwork. This is then plastered with a loam, clay or plaster, but usually it's a loam mix. The wood allows for (relatively) cheap sturdy construction and the loam has a better heat and cold regulating capacity, so it was a good middle ground between cheaper but more flammable and less insulated wooden buildings, and expensive stone buildings. And concerning other old buildings, I pass over 500 year old buildings on a daily basis, including a 12th century castle located right at the heart of the city. This is a pretty common occurrence in europe. I've lived as a student in a 17th century building, and a few years back bought a small house with my then partner that dated back to the 1870s. It's not that remarkable to us living here in Europe.

Czech Republic is Magical! The cities and country there are simply epic and the people are Legends! ❤

if you go to Mont Saint-Michel someday, just try to avoid the peak season where it is overcrowded. It would waste the magic of the place. As a Frenchman I had the chance and the luck to visit in between a couple of lockdowns during the pandemic. It was deserted by the tourists and really enjoyable.

If Dubrovnik looks a bit familiar, GoT Filmed lots of the on location Kings Landing scenes there. Also, at least in Ireland, I drive past 4 or 5 castles on my route every day.. I'd say most people do, though they are generally much smaller rural ones rather than anything as grand as Conway, though many of the historically important towns and cities (usually on coast or river crossings) would have more major structures, not dis-similar to conway or larger. The closest things you would have are ranch houses / plantation houses and the forts that used to line the frontier. The castles were built by the landowners and regional governers/nobles for basically the same purposes, though obviouslky more focus on defense (or at least the apprearance of it, many "castles" aren't really castles). P.S. Way to go dude (and rip shins) Mont Saint Michel: They are butresses.. You see them allot on high stone walls that are too thin to be self supporting like on cathedrals or curtain walls. It's probably there to support the corner of the monastry on that side of the hill either due to needing more room than the hill provided or the geology was too unstable to build on without it bracing it.

I come from Norwich in England. We have a castle where construction was ordered by William the conqueror after the 1066 Norman Conquest of England. Construction started on our cathedral in 1096. Sadly, some of our other old buildings were destroyed by bombing during the war. Norwich is the most complete medieval city in England.

Finally a video that mentions anything east from Prague and Vienna :) Europe has over 10 thousand castles. Add to that another 50 thousand (or more) Palaces and aristocrat mansions thats like a lifetime of content for that dude.

The material between the wooden lumbers you see in France and even other countries is called "torchis" it's a mixture of clay and straw and somtimes animal hair (horse, cow...) stuck on a chesnut trellis + a cover of lime and mineral pigments it had many qualities, the first one is rather soft and anti-seismic (easy to restore and dangerless), the secund is thermal insulation the third is that is that it is rot-proof non flammable, the fourth is that these wood assembllies were done without any metal nail, that means that a family that had to move for any reason could unmount and rebuild the house at their new adress.

Regarding your question, how long the wood in these old buildings will last before it has to be replaced.. I am no expert in this matter, but once I was inspecting the wooden roof beams of my grandma’s house in Germany, together with an expert/assessor/surveyor. The wooden beams were black as coal and hard as stone, like petrified. The assessor estimated them to be around 500 years old. And he said, if the house does not burn down, they will last another 1000 years. Any wood expert here, who can confirm or debunk this claim?

I have to say I admire your authenticity. Several times (maybe not in this vid, haven't finished watching it yet), I've seen you accidentally dos/ay something an "influencer" might do/say, immediately get disgusted at yourself, and then apologize. Just wanted to let you know it's appreciated.

Thanks for posting this video Connor, I've never seen it before. I hope you get to visit all these places one day!

There is a "living archeology" group in France building a castle using Medieval methods only. Your question regarding stepped rooftops ... Hanseatic League? A plaza is where you set up the monthly faire (WalMart).

What’s in between the timber on the timber framed buildings depends on what region they are in. In Northern Europe it’s usually some sort of willow or straw mixed with clay or/and manure. The building style originates from the romans but went old fashioned further south so most of the buildings still standing are now in Northern Europe.

In Britain, in between the timbers of a house is wattle and daub...wooden strips plastered with a mixture of clay, straw, horse hair and cow s*it. Wooden structures last very well unless they're burnt down. Westminster Halls Hammer Beam roof was built in 1393.

Gdansk -1. 2WW started there (Westerplatte battle) (Gdansk was a free state run by Germans); 2. Solidarity movement started there during Communist era

Great video 👍I think your appreciation of history and a enquiring mind will make you! Tip saying less and observing is the best way forward.

On the step gabled houses: they seem to have appeared in the 12th century in Ghent (Belgium) and spread over the whole Hanseatic League cities, and beyond. The Hanseatic League is definitely worth a video, as it is one of the first international trade organizations.

The commonality of buildings in Europe like a lot of questions can be answered by the three words, Holy Roman Empire.

10:20 - Big deal, I live in walking distance of a 12th century castle. In fact, I don't even need to walk there, I can just look out one of my windows to see it.

The Grand Plas / Grand-Place is the awesome square you are thinking of in Brussels. My son lives in the city and I've visited it often, it's stunning.

Maybe someone said it before. The earliest examples of stair like roofs are from the region of Flanders in Belgium in the 12th century, then came to Germany and then spread out to the north from there. The areas between the beams of the half timbered houses are of stones or wooden braids and clay. And at least in Germany, half timbered houses are a heritage and if you buy one and want to do anything with it (restoring, adding rooms etc.) you have to do that in a specific way to preserve the style. If you ignore the rules you get fined by up to 40.000€

I have been there twice once with my daughter arrived high up on deck of cruise ship it is truly beautiful.

Gdańsk? You may know it from its German name - Danzig. So quite a historically important city - one of the most important cities of the Hanseatic League, the most important commercial city of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Free City of Danzig (after I World War), one of the reasons for the beginning of the Second World War, birthplace of the polish Solidarity (Solidarność) trade union (it helped to destroy communism in Poland and the Warsaw Pact in general).

Think it must have been the Grand Place in Brussels you visited. It is a large square surrounded by ancient guild buildings. Very impressive too. Very interesting video

What you saw in Meteora and in China is I think called 'Karst' scenery, after a plateau in Slovenia/ Croatia. Limestone rock lets water through, leading to odd effects, particularly in warmer areas. Another commenter has rightly said that between the wooden beams of what the English call 'half-timbering' was often 'wattle-and-daub'. This was mud spread over a light framework of something like willow branches. This was then often whitewashed over. Wood doesn't usually survive long in castles, but you never know; at Greensted in Essex rhee is a wooden church dating back to 1000 AD!

17:40: the white thing between wood space is called "Torchis" in french. In english: "a mixture of compressed clay and straw used, especially in former times, for building walls. "cob and thatch cottages""

Even where I stay there is a cathedral and a

San Marino survived because of Garibaldi, one the leaders of the Italian unification movement. He was once sheltered from his enemies in San Marino so when all the small states that was formed after the fall of Western Rome and during the medieval period was united, San Marino was left alone.

I’ve been passed Conway castle many many times the train runs right by.

It has to be made clear that these are his favourite places of those he visited. I’d say that some of these places would on my list definitely be replaced with others.

The stuff inbetween the woodnframe on the houses is called "wattle and daub" 👍

23:40 in 1867 the treaty of London was signed after the Austro-Prussian war, and a diplomatic dispute between France and Prussia. Luxembourg became a fully independent nation. It had been under the control of the Netherlands since 1815 but was also part of the German Confederation. Since 1830 when Belgium broke off of the Netherlands Luxembourg had been divided. To keep control, and minimise French influences, the Dutch king entered Luxembourg into the German 'custom union'. That all ended in 1867. The demolition of the Luxembourg fortifications, which were considered the most impressive in the world at the time, was part of ensuring it's future neutrality.

missing a few places: St. Malo, Lübeck and York for example

17:43 reeds and plaster. Sometimes stone and plaster.

Been to Rhodes ... highly recommend. Julius Caesar went to college there. The Temple of Lindos down the coast is their best classical ruin.

For those who enjoy seeing or visiting castles... When people think of countries famous for having many castles, they usually think of France, Scotland... maybe Italy... For those who may be interested... In Spain, the Association of Friends of Castles has recorded more than 10,000 (in different states of conservation), although it is estimated that the total number could exceed 20,000... And that if we only talk about castles...

San Giminiano is even , where a part of Twilight was filmed!

You are right about the Czech republic being a place connecting Western and Eastern Europe - as we are located right in the heart of Europe, serving as a bridge between the West and the East and because of our history as well - from Prague being the capital of the Roman empire, so on the West, to the 41 years under USSR occupation, so the East... You can find lot of western architecture and a lot of eastern one as well.. Btw. I highly recommend to visit our capital Prague, as it has been listed as the worlds prettiest town in the world in 2021 and that for a good reason.. Czech republic has escaped the bombing campaigns during WWII, you can find architecture from the 9th century to the present day therefore... The whole historic part, which is quite large, is under UNESCO heritage list... Český Krumlov is beautiful and magic as well, but there are many other cities worth visiting - Kutná Hora, Mikulov, Plzeň, Karlovy Vary etc... In general, Czech republic is one huge open air museum, that's why there are 24 million visitors each year (Czech rep. has 10,5 million citizens + currently 524.000 Ukrainian refugees, the highest amount per capita in the EU)

14:53 The first so-called stepped gable buildings were presumably created around the 12th century in Ghent in Flanders (the Dutch speaking part of Belgium, at this time Ghent was at the border between the French county of Flanders and the Landgraviate of Brabant within the Duchy of Lower Lotharingia of the German Kingdom within the Holy Roman Empire. The fashion moved then down the river Rhine to southern Germany (then including Switzerland) and from there to Bohemia, as well as along the coast to the northern German Hanse cities and later the regions ruled by the Teutonic Order. By the way: near Rothenburg are the towns of Dinkelsbühl (about 30 km to the south) and Nördlingen (about 70km to the south) which share not only some of the history, but also the status as well-preserved medieval cities - check them out. 15:18 ... a wealthy business man from Berlin, but of French descent, named Louis Fréderic Jacques Ravené. 17:40 Originally the areas between the timber structures were filled with wickerwork and mixture of straw and clay, which provided pretty good insulation, but not much obstacle to mice tunneling through. Therefore it was in later centuries often replaced by brickwork, which provided however not so good an insulation.

Sir, the material in between the timbers was mostly loam and hay (isolation), the poorer people sometimes mixed it with excrements, BUT .... stinky!!! Today for repair, there are safe nonflammable materials, that looks just the same. Elmar from Germany.

We have our own St Mont Michel in Cornwall in England - literally St Michael’s Mount. It dates back to around the 11th century and was part of the same Benedictine order. It’s in a very similar setting. The castle itself is incredible inside with the waves crashing against the rocks way below you. It must’ve taken a battering in bad weather over the centuries.

The stepped facade originated in Belgium in the 12th century. Nobody knows why, it was just a nice way to build a facade. The style became most popular in the Netherlands. Outside the Netherlands/Belgium, stepped facades were mostly due to contacts with The Netherlands (like in Gdansk). Probably they were houses built by Dutch merchants. As for the old wood in castles, it the wood is on the inside, it is probably still original. It is used in dendrology to date the building and other wood. As for the Germanic half timbered house, its origins are so far back that nobody knows exactly. Earlier forms of this technique have been known from archeologic digs, dating back to the Bronze age. The technique stayed largely the same, only the materials used changed.

32:07 probably buttresses to prevent collapse. Like the buttresses on many medieval churches and cathedrals.

In Guedelon, France, they are building a medieval castle with no modern tool. Since 20 years ago, you can visit the place, seiing the workers...

Bruges/Brugge is more medieval than Brussels. Have a look at ‘we’re building a castle’ at Guédelon. It’s build with only medieval methods and instruments. Quedlinburg is a great medieval town in Germany. Monschau also. Castles are repaired/restored constantly to keep them in good health since they are many ages old

Stunning . 😍

I fish by Conwy castle and we do a motorcycle meet in that car park on the water front, that's where that tiny red house is, "Britain's smallest house" 👍

All these half-timbered houses are with usually oak beams and inbetween wattle and daub

Gdansk wasn’t polish, except for some short periods of time in history, until after ww2.

I work in a house that was built before 1493.

While stepped gables originated a few hundred years earlier in Europe, there appears to be a certain culture in Scotland. Scottish stepped gables are called “corbie-steps” which is Scots for “crow-steps”. I believe it is due to the fact that roofs in Scotland are steeper than most (presumably due to rain and snow) and seems to have started its own category of stepped gables!

The Pyrenees are as old as the Alps and looks in parts similar, I should know, the wife and me traveled there in 2022. Before you visit the Alhambra, you buy your tickets on the internet, otherwise you won´t get in. In certain parts only 7,000 visitors are allowed, and for good reason. This palace is impressive.

The town houses you’re asking about are classic Germanic houses and can be found everywhere there were significant Germanic populations.

If you love history, of course you know Gdansk. Less than a century ago world war 2 began here Half-timbered houses: Not sure if there was one guy who invented them. Between the timber you can habe a mix of straw, clay, mud and calcium. With the step-stone gables. Again who was the first I guess is unknown. Most medieval churches you don't kno the architect of. But its a feature in many renaissance gables. Most inspiring cities were Antwerp, Europes richest city and after the war of independence of the Netherlands (not to be confused with the present Netherlands aka Holland) it became Amsterdam (that was Europes richest city for a periode as well). Most city churches around the Baltic sea are made of Red brikstone. According to some historians the inspiration can be traced back to the cathedral of Lübeck (Leader of the Hanseatic league). Today we know who founded the church, but the architect is unknown

the stepped roof walls are called firewalls (yeah that's the origin). They were build first between row houses to stop fire from spreading. with time the design was continued also on the front and back, to give off a castely look. Dense cities started the trend. Hence Dutch/Paris/middle age cities etc.

This nordic style of architecture is typical for the hanseatic league, which, because of their richess, thrived and could be wayyyy more creative/use more exclusive materials

Ohhh a new one!

there's more places in portugal that could fit the video, but not surprised they didnt appear 😅

Use your arms as you jump up then chuck them back as you tuck your knees in.. Hight and rotation. If I can do it at 36 so can you. 😄 and I live surrounded by castles and mountains on the coast btw.

5:03 I thought I recognised this place, it’s a place used in assassins creed II.

The feeling is mutual Connor. 😘 PS: for the 'step-stone/stairway-architecture; look into the 'Hanze-liga' of countries around the North and East/Baltic Sea. "Step gables are built in the style of the Renaissance. In this style oblique lines are avoided as much as possible (that is why people want to hide the sloping sides of the gabled roof)." No one really knows where it origenated from, but it was built between the 12th and 16th century along the Hanseatic Cities along the North Sea and east Sea. I'll place a link below cause KZfaq seems to remove a comment with a link in it since a few days, weirdly.

World War II began here with the shelling of the Polish exclave of Gdańsk Westerplatte from the German ship Schleswig-Holstein. Have you noticed how much Polish cities were destroyed during WWII? See also Krakow - Poland, Nesebar - Bulgaria.

Any other Brits here who feel ill whenever he calls it "the Chunnel "? 😂

I love that gate in Tallinn with two towers...always shown from one side. Because if you look at it from the other side, you see the huge Burger King right next to it. Also, most photographers edit so as to not show the kebab shop actually in the building that's part of the left tower.

I live in a region of Italy that is roughly 9000 km squared. Something like the Melbourne urban area but smaller. And its like this: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mc5oqceHu7fUoI0.html Subs available in eng.

1867 Treaty of London was after Austrian-Prussian war of 1866. Gdańsk is Danzig, that’s probably how you know it. I lived in Riga just round the corner from the House of Blackheads in 1996-7. Beautiful old town. Check out St Michaels mount in Cornwall. Those things at Mt St Michel are buttresses I think.

Gdansk may be reminding you of the German name of this city - Danzig. Some of the first shots of WW2 were fired here on 1 September 1939.

19:00 Pyrenees

I’m lucky enough to have visited Tallinn old town. It really is stunning. The McDonald’s wasn’t bad either.

Peter Jackson was inspired by Mon Saint Michel to do Minas Tirith in LotR ;)

Gee, the most mainstream places. 😂 How original.

he was talking about the Prague Castle, but didn't even show it, also he can relax with the garbage music, you should watch something more in depth

If you want to imitate the vlogger guy why don't you make a plan to visit a few of these places in the next year or two instead of imitating his handstands and failing. Now that would be more impressive.

Some Anglo-Saxon church roofs are original oak. But not many. That is why open topped castle ruins look that way, their wooden roofs and interiors are long gone. You are thinking of buttresses.

You are on the spot when it comes to similarities between rock formations in China and in Greece. What has happened? Sand remains of sediments from an ancient see. A mixture of sand and ancient animal remains. And it all was subjected to great mases of water reducing the rocks made of those ancient sediments.

there's no need to be jealous, i'm sure that a lot of this european history is your heritage in a way... like most of these structures were built before your european ancestors ever knew about the existence of the new world, so your great great great great great parents were from some of these places

You may consider them 50:50 and I enjoy both presenters. Ryan however still has a problem with pronunciation whereas Rick Steves takes the time and puts the work into finding out how to say them. From a purely consumer point of view I prefer Rick, but not to say that I don't love Ryan's enthusiasm....also Ryan put St Gimingnano in Greece even though his title said it was in Italy, which is where it is. Good aerial footage doesn't cover for basic factual errors.

18:54: Mountains between France and Italie/Suisse = Ardennes -----------Mountains between France and Spain: Pyrénnée :)

Good morning, I am writing from Italy. I have been following your site and especially your videos dedicated to European history and geography for some time. Knowing how much you love European medieval castles, I would like to pay you a tribute by sending you some photos taken in Ferrara, a city located in the Emilia-Romagna region. To which email address can I send them to you? Thank you, Antonella Brandani

18:59 pirineos

11:38 Connor.....if you wanna do gymnastics, go to the gym. You'll only hurt yourself and your dignity trying on film

Hanseatic League houses

👍👍👍👍

ahhaah in my city we have a town hall older then america from the 1600's

The reason why Continental Europe looks so new is because it is... It is such a shame it was destroyed during world war 2 and all the wars before, there is very little left.

they dont teach about Hanseatic League in USA schools?

Good try there at the acrobatics in very limited space. Particularly for someone built like a weightlifter! 😆

To back flip one must be fit, not fat Connor

Pyrenees

San Marino? Saint who founded it, lived during late Christian persecution. Constantine wasn't even Emperor yet. W Roman Empire fell in 476 ... 175 years after San Marino.

Most historians stop to do a handstand mid lecture dont they?? 😂😂 you didn't learn from the exercise ball attempt.

Carcassonne didn't defeat the Inquisition though

I can do that..lmao 😂.

Imagine, Russia wants that all to burn.

Sorry the isle of Rhodes is not medieval or at least its history goes way back to ancient Greece.

German Dutch. style ?...

I know they're not medieval. But Rome & Florence beat all those place. I'm going next June. And I can't wait.

as for the comment that Czech Rep. is a country having both east and west- that's false. It's strictly western, perhaps central. If you want as country that has both it would be Poland or most likely Ukraine with cities like Lviv and Kiev showing a good distinction between "western" and "eastern" Channel is super American focused - they are calling call anything that is before US "medival", wich is not the case. From polish cities it's Toruń that should have made the list, not Gdańsk for medival cities