Welcome to Bedtime History. Hello, this is Breck.

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Imagine standing at the edge of a misty hilltop as the sun rises behind towering stone walls.

A drawbridge creaks open across a deep moat and the sound of horse hooves echoes through the gate.

Inside, flags flutter from tall towers and the smell of bread baking drifts from the kitchen.

Knights train in the courtyard, servants rush about with chores, and a royal feast is being prepared in the grand hall.

This isn't just a fairy tale, it's a real place from the past, the castle.

For centuries, castles stood proudly across the landscape like sleeping

giants. Some were built to guard kingdoms and keep out enemies. Others were home to powerful lords and

ladies, filled with music, laughter, and the clang of armor. Whether you're dreaming of daring battles,

secret passageways, or royal

banquets, castles hold the key to amazing stories from long ago. Let's step through

the gates and explore the real history behind these legendary stone fortresses. Castles are

some of the most famous and exciting buildings from history. They bring to mind images

of kings and queens, knights in armor, grand stone towers, and moats filled with water.

Castles were not just fancy homes, they were strong fortresses, built to protect people during

times of war, and to show power during times of peace. For hundreds of years, castle stood as

symbols of strength, safety, and royal pride across Europe and other parts of the world.

The first castles began to appear in Europe around the 9th and 10th centuries. At that time,

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