Most people tend to confuse castles with palaces, and it is not hard to see why since they look similar. The difference is that castles were mainly used for defense while palaces were dwelling places for royalty members. After the 16th century, castles became obsolete. According to How Stuff Works, they became obsolete once cannons, mortars, and guns were invented and improved. Most castles were built before the 16th century, yet they have been able to last until today. We will focus on the castles you didn't know were in South Carolina. By learning about these castles, you will understand why they were built and what makes them attractive. Here are five castles in South Carolina you should visit today.
5. The "Castle," Beaufort, Beaufort
Dr. Joseph Johnson built this structure in the 1850s. Since this structure is a mansion, it is not quite a 'true' castle. According to Explore Beaufort SC, the structure was nicknamed 'the castle' because of the moat-like effect caused by the Beaufort River flowing beside it. Before the structure was completed, it was used as a military hospital by Union Troops. As the Civil War continued, more deaths occurred. As a result, part of the castle was used as a morgue. The structure was not just used for the military. For instance, Joseph used this castle to hide his valuables because he felt Yankee forces would invade his castle. Today, you can pay an entrance fee of only $2 to explore it. The castle overlooks several villages near the Atlantic Ocean. You will roughly take 2 hours to explore the entire castle.
4. Gassaway Mansion, Greenville
The Gassaway Mansion is the largest private residence in the Upstate. It is a 40-room house built by Walter L. Gassaway and his wife, Minnie Quinn Gassaway. Minnie used the mansion mainly for entertainment activities like card parties and ballroom dancing. However, the castle was useful to the Gassaway family because it allowed them to supervise their 110-acre estate, which had a dairy and a working farm. This castle is known for its eclecticism. According to the National Register, the castle blends neoclassical and neo-Gothic elements such as two rooftop patios, a Palladian window, and a castellated tower. Currently, this castle is mostly used for wedding venues. You will be allowed to visit this castle when you are invited to a wedding in this venue. As of now, the castle isn't open to the public for tours.
3. Castle Mugdock, Sullivan's Island
This castle dates back to 1372 when Sir Patrick Graham owned it. Patrick bought the site from the Earl of Lennox in the mid-thirteenth century, and it is likely the same time he began building this castle. The castle was constructed on the rocky promontory, which overlooks Loch Mugdock. Additionally, it has a rectangular arrangement with a curtain wall that connects four square towers on each corner. Its curtain wall was built to enclose a large area and incorporate gun loops. Patrick kept on rebuilding this castle since it was constantly attacked when he participated in the wars of 1641 and 1645. The last time this castle was renovated was in 2009. This castle has two conspicuous buildings: the Romanesque Summer Hall and the Gothic-style Winter Hall. The Summer Hall overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and houses seven bedrooms. As for the Winter Hall, it contains twenty-seven-foot ceilings and a private terrace that overlooks Fort Sumter.
2. Castle Pinckney, Mt. Pleasant, Charleston
This castle began to play second fiddle to Fort Sumter in the mid-nineteenth century. By this time, Fort Sumter was built with cannons with a high shooting range, while this castle had no such weapons. As a result, the castle was relegated to a storehouse for federal property in case South Carolina decided to secede. South Carolina ended up seceding in 1860 and became a dwelling place for the lieutenant, an ordnance sergeant, four mechanics, and thirty laborers. Since it was inefficient to defend them, the state seized the castle and became a house for prisoners. However, the castle quickly became crowded, so others had to be transferred to the Charleston City Jail. Presently, the state owns the castle, so it is not open to the public. If you want to see a glimpse of the castle, you will have to take a boat ride from Fort Sumter.
1. Old Jail Castle, Walterboro
The structure was built by J. and B. Lucas of Charleston between 1855 and 1856. In this era, Gothic designs were popular, which explains this castle's Gothic design. The builders were able to design the building with the help of two architects, Edward C. Jones, and Francis D. Lee. At the time, the architects were highly sought after. They were largely responsible for designing churches, courthouses, college buildings, and private residences throughout South Carolina. Although mainly a jailhouse, its design resembles a scaled-down, fortified castle. Its front façade has turret-like structures, crenelated parapets, and a central tower above the main entrance. The main entrance is shielded by a central pointed archway entrance and an extended, enclosed porch with buttresses. The structure is easy to spot since it is only a few blocks away from restaurants, shops, and antique stores on East Washington Street. People find it bizarre that this structure was built in a region deemed non-criminal. Some people have guessed that it was built for the sake of showing off. A portion of this castle is open to the public since it hosts the Colleton County Probate Court.
It is no surprise that few people know about these South Carolinian castles. You wouldn't blame them since they commonly think of castles as fictitious structures. Others assume that they were destroyed during wars. However, you have to understand why the castles last to this day. Remember, they were used to shield people from danger. Therefore, there is no way that they would build weak castles. So, if you have never seen a castle in South Carolina, consider any of the five. However, we have mentioned that some castles are not open for public viewing. For such castles, you should only view them from afar. The last thing you would want is a lawsuit for trespassing.
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Written by Liz Flynn
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Watu wengi huchanganya majumba na majumba ya kifalme, na si vigumu kuona ni kwa nini, kwa kuwa yanafanana. Tofauti ni kwamba majumba yalitumiwa hasa kwa ajili ya ulinzi huku majumba ya kifalme yalitumiwa kama makao ya watu wa kifalme. Baada ya karne ya 16, majumba ya kifalme yalianza kutumiwa. Kulingana na How Stuff Works, zilikuwa zimepitwa na wakati wakati wakati makombora, makombora, na bunduki zilipovumbuliwa na kuboreshwa. Ngome nyingi zilijengwa kabla ya karne ya 16, lakini bado zimeweza kudumu hadi leo. Tutazingatia majumba ambayo hujui yalikuwa katika South Carolina. Kwa kujifunza juu ya majumba hayo, utaelewa ni kwa nini yalijengwa na ni nini kinachoyafanya yawe yenye kuvutia. Hapa kuna majumba matano huko South Carolina ambayo unapaswa kutembelea leo. 5. Uwe na mtazamo mzuri. "Kijiji cha Beaufort, Beaufort, Marekani, kilijengwa na Dakt. Joseph Johnson mnamo 1850.""" Kwa kuwa jengo hilo ni jumba la kifahari, si ngome ya 'kweli.' Kulingana na Explore Beaufort SC, jengo hilo liliitwa 'ngome' kwa sababu ya athari kama ya mtaro inayosababishwa na Mto Beaufort unaotiririka kando yake. Kabla ya muundo huo kukamilika, ulitumiwa kama hospitali ya kijeshi na Vikosi vya Muungano. Vita vya wenyewe kwa wenyewe vilipoendelea, vifo viliongezeka. Kwa sababu hiyo, sehemu ya ngome hiyo ilitumiwa kama chumba cha kuhifadhia maiti. Jengo hilo halikutumiwa tu na jeshi. Kwa mfano, Joseph alitumia ngome hii kuficha vitu vyake vya thamani kwa sababu alihisi kwamba majeshi ya Yankee yangevamia ngome yake. Leo, unaweza kulipa ada ya kuingia ya dola 2 tu ili kuichunguza. Ngome hiyo inaelekea vijiji kadhaa karibu na Bahari ya Atlantiki. Inachukua masaa mawili kuchunguza ngome nzima. 4. Uwe na uhakika Gassaway Mansion, Greenville The Gassaway Mansion ni makazi makubwa ya kibinafsi katika Upstate. Nyumba hiyo yenye vyumba 40 ilijengwa na Walter L. Gassaway na mke wake, Minnie Quinn Gassaway. Minnie alitumia jumba hilo hasa kwa ajili ya shughuli za burudani kama vile karata vyama na dansi ya ukumbi wa dansi. Hata hivyo, ngome hiyo ilikuwa muhimu kwa familia ya Gassaway kwa sababu iliwaruhusu kusimamia shamba lao la ekari 110, ambalo lilikuwa na kiwanda cha maziwa na shamba la kazi. Ngome hii inajulikana kwa sababu ya mambo yake mbalimbali. Kulingana na Usajili wa Kitaifa, ngome hiyo ina mchanganyiko wa vipengele vya neoclassical na neo-Gothic kama vile vyumba viwili vya paa, dirisha la Palladian, na mnara wa castellated. Kwa sasa, ngome hii hutumiwa hasa kwa ajili ya mahali pa harusi. Utakubaliwa kutembelea ngome hii wakati ukialikwa kwenye harusi katika mahali hapa. Kwa sasa, ngome hiyo haijafunguliwa kwa umma kwa ajili ya ziara. 3. Uwe na mtazamo wa kweli Castle Mugdock, Sullivan's Island, ni ngome ya Uingereza iliyojengwa mwaka 1372 na Patrick Graham. Patrick alinunua eneo hilo kutoka kwa Earl wa Lennox katikati ya karne ya kumi na tatu, na inawezekana wakati huo huo alianza kujenga ngome hii. Ngome hiyo ilijengwa juu ya mwamba ulio juu ya ziwa Loch Mugdock. Kwa kuongezea, ina mpangilio wa mstatili wenye ukuta wa pazia unaounganisha minara minne ya mraba kwenye kila kona. Ukuta wake wa pazia ulijengwa ili kufunika eneo kubwa na kuingiza vifungo vya bunduki. Patrick aliendelea kujenga ngome hii tangu iliposhambuliwa mara kwa mara wakati alishiriki katika vita vya 1641 na 1645. Mara ya mwisho jumba hilo lilirekebishwa mwaka 2009. Ngome hii ina majengo mawili yenye kutokeza: Jumba la Majira ya joto la Kiromani na Jumba la Majira ya baridi kali la mtindo wa Gothic. Jumba la Majira ya Kiangazi linaangalia Bahari ya Atlantiki na lina vyumba saba vya kulala. Kuhusu Jumba la Majira ya Baridi, lina dari lenye urefu wa futi ishirini na saba na ua wa kibinafsi unaoelekea Fort Sumter. 2. Uwezekano wa kupata Ngome ya Pinckney, Mlima Pleasant, Charleston Ngome hii ilianza kucheza fidla ya pili kwa Fort Sumter katikati ya karne ya kumi na tisa. Kufikia wakati huo, Ngome ya Sumter ilikuwa imejengwa kwa makombora yenye umbali wa juu wa kupiga risasi, ilhali ngome hii haikuwa na silaha kama hizo. Matokeo yakawa kwamba ngome hiyo ilibadilishwa kuwa ghala la mali za serikali ya shirikisho iwapo South Carolina ingeamua kujitenga. Jimbo la South Carolina lilijitenga na Marekani mwaka 1860 na kuwa makao ya Luteni, Kamanda wa Jeshi, mafundi wanne, na wafanyakazi thelathini. Kwa kuwa haikuwa rahisi kuwalinda, serikali ilichukua ngome hiyo na kuifanya kuwa nyumba ya wafungwa. Hata hivyo, gereza hilo lilijaa watu upesi, kwa hiyo wengine walilazimika kuhamishwa hadi Gereza la Jiji la Charleston. Kwa sasa, serikali inamiliki ngome hiyo, kwa hiyo haifungwi kwa umma. Ikiwa unataka kuona ngome hiyo, utahitaji kusafiri kwa mashua kutoka Fort Sumter. 1. Uwe na mtazamo wa kweli Old Jail Castle, Walterboro, ilijengwa na J. na B. Lucas wa Charleston kati ya 1855 na 1856. Katika enzi hiyo, miundo ya Kigothi ilikuwa maarufu, jambo linalotoa ufafanuzi wa muundo wa Kigothi wa ngome hii. Wajenzi waliweza kubuni jengo hilo kwa msaada wa wasanifu-ujenzi wawili, Edward C. Jones, na Francis D. Lee. Wakati huo, wasanifu-ujenzi hao walitambuliwa sana. Walikuwa na daraka kubwa la kubuni makanisa, mahakama, majengo ya vyuo vikuu, na nyumba za kibinafsi kotekote South Carolina. Ingawa hasa ni gereza, muundo wake unafanana na ngome yenye ngome iliyochongwa. Sehemu yake ya mbele ina miundo inayofanana na mnara, mipaka yenye nguzo, na mnara wa katikati juu ya mlango mkuu. Mlango mkuu umefunikwa na mlango wa katikati wenye upinde wenye ncha na ukumbi uliofungwa ulio na nguzo. Jengo hilo ni rahisi kuliona kwa kuwa liko umbali wa mawe machache tu kutoka mikahawa, maduka, na maduka ya vitu vya kale kwenye Barabara ya Mashariki ya Washington. Watu huona ni jambo la ajabu kwamba jengo hili lilijengwa katika eneo linalodhaniwa kuwa lisilo na uhalifu. Watu fulani wamedhani kwamba lilijengwa kwa ajili ya kujionyesha. Sehemu ya ngome hii ni wazi kwa umma tangu ni mwenyeji wa Colleton County Probate Mahakama. Haishangazi kwamba ni watu wachache wanaojua kuhusu majumba hayo ya South Carolina. Huwezi kuwawalaumu kwa kuwa kwa kawaida wao huona majumba ya kifalme kuwa majengo ya kuwaziwa. Wengine hudhani kwamba ziliharibiwa wakati wa vita. Hata hivyo, ni lazima uelewe kwa nini majumba hayo yamedumu hadi leo. Kumbuka, zilitumiwa kuwalinda watu kutokana na hatari. Kwa hiyo, haiwezekani kwamba wangejenga majumba dhaifu. Kwa hiyo, ikiwa hujawahi kuona ngome katika South Carolina, fikiria yoyote kati ya hizo tano. Hata hivyo, tumetaja kwamba majumba fulani ya kifalme hayawezi kuangaliwa na watu wote. Kwa ajili ya majumba kama hayo, unapaswa kuyaona tu kutoka mbali. Jambo la mwisho unalotaka ni kesi ya uvunjaji wa marufuku. 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