Building a 21st Century Castle Using Only Medieval Techniques From 800 Years Ago

By | June 17, 2016

For the last two decades, a group of archaeologists, architects, carpenters, and other master builders have been working together to construct a realistic 13th century castle, exclusively using local materials and medieval building techniques. The project—highlighted in a short video from Great Big Story titled “Building a Medieval Castle in Modern Times” — is projected to be completed in a total of 25 years.

“No one has ever built, in the modern world, castles from the 13th century,” Martin explains. “So, from the first stone to the last tile, we have to learn.”

Learn more about the project below.

The project hopes to provide valuable historical insights and possibly solve some historical mysteries. Participants in the project hope to learn more about daily life in medieval times by living it themselves, as well as to become more informed about medieval architecture and technology. And, according to the Guédelon website, they'll also be doing some good by promoting sustainable building practices. Their methods show how much can be achieved with local materials and traditional building techniques.

H/T Great Big Story