Scaligero Castle in Sirmione, Italy - Patrons' Edition
Added 2024-01-20 17:26:48 +0000 UTCSo, there are eight buildings called Scaligero Castle in Italy. They were built by the Scaliger family, who ruled over Verona and were not very creative at naming castles. I mean, being fond of your own last name is fine, but maybe mix it up a little.
This is the Scaligero Castle in Sirmione, which has a very unusual feature: a fortified port. The port once held a fleet which the Scaligers used to control Lake Garda and its waterways. It's mostly a fortification rather than a noble residence, so it's fairly utilitarian in design, with most of the castle being defensive structures. The only two buildings inside are a barracks and a tower.
If you're looking for a way to use this map in your game, allow me to suggest pirates. That's what I'd use it for and something tells me I'm not alone there.
Next, I'll be drawing a map I've been looking forward to making for a while now: the Château de Brézé. This is a French castle that looks like it was made for RPGs. There isn't one photo that can explain this place, so let me walk you through it:
- This is the Château from above. Note the dry moat surrounding it.
- At the bottom of the dry moat, the walls of the moat are lined with tunnels and caverns. Here's a photo of these. Here's another.
- Some of these lead to very long tunnels. A lot of them are interconnected. And a lot of them predate the castle, having been dug as an underground settlement in the 1100s.
- So, to recap: people dug tunnels, creating an underground settlement. 400 years later, someone built a castle over that settlement. Then, they dug more tunnels. This place is unbelievably fascinating.
So, that's the place I'm going to draw for you. I've been wanting to draw the Château de Brézé for years and it is time. Wish me luck.
Download from Google Drive here (under NEWEST PATRON CONTENT).
Comments
I’m going to go ahead and put this on my list of maps I plan to submit to the Cartographic Congress. Be warned it’s a long list, it’ll be 2026 before I get to the current end and put Chillon Castle forward, so someone else might beat me to it.
Silas
2024-01-26 21:13:04 +0000 UTCNo worries, just chuck it into the ideas bucket. I haven't visited Sant'Angelo yet, or Château de Brézé, but both seem like very worthwhile destinations for the future. Thanks!
mirjirj
2024-01-23 11:30:17 +0000 UTCNot bad! The crypts underneath are really cool. It looks like there are floor plans available, so I might do it at some point, although, since I'm drawing the second of three castles in a row right now, it definitely won't be soon. Have you seen the Castel Sant'Angelo? If so, we can check that one off the list before too long.
Milby's Maps
2024-01-22 15:26:49 +0000 UTCYou keep making maps about the places that absolutely fascinated me when I was visiting them as a kid during family vacations. I love it! One thing that's missing is Chillon Castle. I had a blast exploring that one and had almost the entire layout memorized at the time. I'm pretty sure it would make a nice map, so it might be worth taking a look at that one. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chillon_Castle
mirjirj
2024-01-22 10:04:30 +0000 UTCNo problem! Sorry it doesn't have a chapel, but I'm sure you'll work something out.
Milby's Maps
2024-01-21 20:48:21 +0000 UTCI'm planning a Fantasy-Horror game to take place during the Crusades, and this will make an AMAZING Templar fort in the middle of an oasis in the Holy Land. Thank you!
Andrew Jones
2024-01-21 19:03:23 +0000 UTCHey, no problem, glad you like it!
Milby's Maps
2024-01-20 17:37:47 +0000 UTCLove it! Thank you!
F. Wagner
2024-01-20 17:35:34 +0000 UTC
