These castles are an expression of the political environment of their time, like the steep walls of the Fair Castle of the Rock in Normandy, which was built by England’s King Richard I to guard his territory from the French.

Castles also often symbolize the wealth and excess bestowed on elites, such as the Jahangir Mahal in India, which was a lavish fortress built for a guest who spent only one night there.

Nevertheless, these remains of a bygone era are a treasure waiting to be rediscovered by each new generation, even as they slowly decay.