CHAPTER 11

FORTIFIED CASTLE

Afortified castle is a castle that has additional defensive features, such as a perimeter wall. Follow these steps to build an impressive castle with a barbican, or gated entrance building, and a defensive wall. You can adjust the measurements given to make the castle, towers, or walls bigger. The most important measurement is aligning the towers with each other so that connecting walls between them will run straight from one tower to the next.

1. Build four castle towers.

Each tower is 5x5 blocks square and 20 blocks high. The towers should form a square, with each tower 10 blocks from the next. Use colored wool to help you measure. As you build the castle, use a mix of stone bricks, cracked stone bricks, and mossy stone bricks. This will give the castle a timeworn appearance.

2. Build up the castle’s walls.

Use the pattern below to build up the castle walls to 14 blocks high. The longest section of the wall is 5 blocks wide and has 2-block-wide sections at either side. The 2-block sections should be center aligned to the tower wall.

Select which of the four walls will be the front, and create an entranceway that is 4 blocks high and 3 blocks wide.

3. Plan the defensive wall.

The defensive perimeter of the castle will be four towers, connected by high walls with walkways. Use colored blocks to measure the center of each of the four towers, where the four towers will go, and to make sure they will line up with each other. Here, the corners where the center of the towers will be placed will be 18 blocks away from the front of the castle, 10 blocks from the sides, and 13 from the back.

4. Build the outer towers.

Create the four outer towers, one at each corner, using the pattern below. The longest sides are 3 blocks wide. The center of the tower should be the same block as the red wool outline. Raise the towers 11 blocks high.

5. Roof each outer tower.

Roof each tower with a 7×7 platform. Add additional walls one block high, and one block out, on each side as shown.

6. Add detailing to the tower.

Add upside-down stair blocks beneath the tower platforms.

7. Build the barbican.

The barbican will provide entrance to the castle grounds. Build the barbican 11 blocks wide, 7 blocks high, and 6 blocks deep. It should be aligned with the two front towers and center aligned with the castle’s entranceway.

8. Create the barbican’s entranceway.

Create an arched entry-way to the barbican as shown. It is 3 blocks wide and 3 blocks high, with upside-down stairs placed to create the arch.

9. Build the second circular section.

Add defensive walls between all four of the external towers and the barbican. The wall is made of two 5-block-high walls spaced 3 blocks apart. An upper walkway connects the two walls as shown.

10. Finish the castle towers.

On the outside of the four castle towers, add additional 5-block-wide by 4-block-high panels on each side at the top. These will meet diagonally at each side. These panels should extend higher than the inner wall by 1 block.

11. Finish the castle.

Add a roof to the castle, one block below the outer wall. Customize the interior as you like by adding floors, rooms, and halls.

12. Add crenellations.

Add crenellations by placing single blocks, spaced a block apart, to the tops of the castle towers, perimeter walls, and barbican.

13. Add windows.

Add evenly spaced, tall windows to the castle and the barbican, using iron bars to fill them in.

14. Add cobblestone paths.

Add a cobblestone path from the barbican to and around the castle. Add torches outside the castle entranceway and short columns with torches for the cobblestone path. Add iron bars around the inside frame of the castle door as a portcullis.

15. Add detailing to the barbican entrance.

Add iron bars for a portcullis at the inner and outer entrances of the barbican. Add columns with torches outside the outer entrance.

16. Customize the castle.

You’ll now want to go through the castle, defensive walls and towers, and barbican to add rooms, floors, ceilings, staircases, ladders, and any more windows you want. This castle is customized with a moat and bridge just outside the perimeter wall.