13 Craziest Medieval Structures That Are 1,000 Years Old

know about some of the most impressive medieval structures around, including castles that were built nearly one thousand years and a cathedral that, for centuries was the world’s tallest building.

Meet the Bizarre Medieval Structures here:

1. Wells of cathedral

When the present Wells Cathedral was constructed sometime around 1175, it was the first cathedral to be built entirely using the new Gothic Style that was brought from France. The first phase of building took around eight decades to complete.

300 statues that were built during its original construction remain to this day. Architects and observes widely recognize the Wells Cathedral as one of the most beautiful of all of the English Cathedrals. It's one of the famous ancient structures.

Opening hours: 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM

2. Guildhall of London

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of London’s Guildhall is its breathtaking medieval great hall which is regularly used for grand ceremonies. The building was undertaken in 1411 and completed in 1440. The Great Fire of London in 1666 didn’t affect the Guildhall too much, though partial restoration from slight damage would be required.  

Opening Hours: 9.30am - 5pm

3. Eltz Castle

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Amazingly, this castle is still owned by a branch of the same family that lived there in the eleven hundred's a full 33 generations ago, the Eltz family.

 In 1268 the Eltz brothers had a dispute, and the family split the castle in three, with each sibling building their own fortified living quarters. These separate building co-existed for hundreds of years.

Finally, in the early 1800s, the House of the Golden Lion had outlived the other families and was prosperous enough to unify the castle.

Opening hours:9:30 am–5:30 pm

4. Mont Saint Michel Abbey

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Today, the medieval island community of Mont Saint Michel has an epic Abbey at its apex and is connected to France’s coast via a single 2500 foot highway and footbridge. It's one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country and millions visit annually.

In medieval times the monastery protected the French from the invading English repeatedly during the Hundred Years’ War and thanks to state of the art fortifications for its time was never seized.

After the French Revolution, the island became nothing more than a dilapidated prison until prominent figures like author Victor Hugo launched a recovery campaign.

Their efforts were rewarded when the prison closed in 1863 and again when Mont Saint Michel was declared a historical monument in 1874. Restoration efforts have been ongoing for years and have made the island an extremely impressive, beautiful site.

Opening Hours: 9:30 am–6 pm

5. Lincoln Cathedral

Also Read: 6 Most Strangest Monuments Around The World

One of the most impressive Gothic structures on the planet Lincoln Cathedral lies in the town of Lincoln, England. Bishop Remigius started work on the Cathedral in 1072.

An earthquake would partially destroy the Cathedral in 1124 leaving only the West Front, which has been preserved to this day. When a replacement tower with a spire was added to the Lincoln Cathedral, it became the tallest building in the world and would hold this title for the next 238 years until the spire collapsed in 1549. It was not rebuilt.  

Opening Hours: 7:15 am–6 pm

6. Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia is one of the most splendid scrapes of medieval architecture in Europe. In modern-day Istanbul, which was used to be the capital of the magnificent Byzantine Empire, Hagia Sophia is distinguished in the sense that it highlights the Roman heritage of Byzantine architecture, its traditional Eastern flavor along with its Christian and Oriental influences. This building has a large central dome along with several half-domes on the edges. The exterior of the building is prepared using many marble pillars, while the interior is decorated with some of the most prestigious Byzantine art, mosaics, and colorful stones. The basic structure of Hagia Sophia was mostly built during the reign of Emperor Justinian in the 6th century and during that time, it was the largest church in the whole of Christendom. Most of the church building is still intact and it is used as a museum in contemporary-day Istanbul.

7. Speyer Cathedral

Speyer Cathedral in Germany is one of the exceptional surviving examples of medieval Romanesque architecture. Cathedral originally belongs to the 11th century and is an example of the first-class Romanesque creation. Crypt in the Cathedral is the largest Columned Hall crypt built in Romanesque style everywhere in Europe and has beautiful polychrome curved structures. There is also a double-chapel on the southern side of the building in the Cathedral. Speyer Cathedral is believed to be one of the perfect examples of medieval architecture in Germany and known to be one of the largest medieval buildings, specifically because of its proportions.

8. Doge’s Palace

The late medieval was a flourishing economic focal point with far-reaching artistic, thoughtful, and creative activities. It is also mirrored in medieval Venetian building design. One of the most historic examples of ancient Venetian architecture is Doge's Palace, which traditionally was a residential building of the Doge's supreme authority in the Republic of Venice. The Palace saw many periods of construction during the 12th century and later in the 13th and 14th centuries. The construction of the building involved a giant courtyard, plenty of chambers for council members and several apartments for Doge only, where he acknowledged public to guests. Although much of the vast architecture of Doge's Palace is in a medieval manner. Some parts have been integrated after the 15th century, which flashes rejuvenation and post-Renaissance architectural styles.

9. Temple of Hera

Italy, 550 B.C. Basically enclosed by 40 stone columns (originally made of wood) the exterior is styled in the Doric form of the low-lying Temple of Hera was constructed on the southern slopes of Kronos hill, furnished with three noticeable interior chambers. The inner walls ruined the worship regions for several Greek gods, spaces which subsequently became the house for a few Rome's ancient remains. It features one of the best medieval architecture styles. The temple consists of a limestone base which extends its boundaries from east to west, way lengthier than it's expansive. Meanwhile, the mud bricks shaped the upper portion with woods and interior of the temple is embellished with terracotta. Disastrously, mostly the temple was devastated in an earthquake occurred in the 4th-century AD.

10. Gobekli Tepe