American Reacts to How to Build a Medieval Castle | Medieval Castle Guédelon | Europe To The Maxx

[@sebastiendoquin918]

Every four years, and for the last twenty years, my wife and I have been going to St Fargeau to see the evolution of the Château de Guedelon, it's a fantastic work and our History!!! from the north of France (town of Cambrai).

[@ItsCharlieVest]

very cool

[@first-dooblette6911]

​@@ItsCharlieVestin France WE have near of 45 000 castle

[@first-dooblette6911]

​@@ItsCharlieVestno, excuse me, for the bolts on the wheel, they are indeed modern bolts. At the time this did not exist but they were required for safety reasons. It is the only thing modern on the construction site.We are not going to quibble over bolts😉

[@cjlmoni]

@@first-dooblette6911 Exact. Imposés comme certain cordage.

[@Elvebriel98]

i remember visiting this castle as a child, and spending half a day observing and speaking with a stone cutter. Still one of the best weekend in my life

[@FanNy-ku6wt]

The squirrel cages, the scafoldings, the ropes are all made on site. Also they have to respect the safety rules of 2024, so sometimes they use modern equipment for security, and only when it's required by law. But you summed it up pretty well. The point is not really to finish the castle, it's more about the whole process of building it and rediscovering how to do it.

[@nicolasmignot1517]

I visited this castle with my school, that was 20 years ago, at that time there was one the foundations, and I bought a wooden sword at the gift shop.

[@jarls5890]

Heavy ceramic/terra-cotta/concrete roof tiles are found all over Europe. They are not typically fastened down at all. On the back end of the tile there is a lip that rests on the horisontal wood truss on the roof (so the tile cannot slide off the roof). One truss for each horizontal row of tiles. The next row of tiles is rested on the next wood truss - but the distance between the wood trusses are slightly less than that of the tile itself. So this row will partially rest on the row below it. This means you have to lay the tiles from the bottom edge of the roof to to the top. - one row overlaying the row below Each row thus is held down by the weight of the row above it (and its own weight...they are quite heavy!). And the row above that by the row above that. So it becomes sort of an interlocking system. But it is flexible enough that it is possible to pull out a single tile and insert a new one if needed - very easily. The only row that is perhaps fastened (with a nail through a small hole at the back of the tile) would be the top row, near the crown of the roof. also the U shaped tile at the very crown of the roof may be nailed down in the same way. Naturally such a roof is very heavy and you need to make sure that the roof construction can hold such a weight + potential snow fall on top of that. Many countries have regulations on how steep a roof must be for it to support a tiled roof. Too flat and you may not be able to put tiles on it (risk of collapse with snow). There are of course variations - stone slate roofs - wood tiles - terra-cotta and mortar - etc. Advantage of all these roofs over more "modern" types of roofs is that they can hold for a very long time.

[@telmobrito519]

as someone that worked in construction in normandie for a while i can tell you that its more 60% of the tiles that are nailed because of the wind, if not you would lose a good portion of your roof every storm.

[@pandaradio8431]

the ropes are made on site (as seen very early on .. the 3 turning wires at 1:14), the tiles have a bump on them they hook them on the rafters the weight of the tile above it keeps it in place.

[@ItsCharlieVest]

ok i must have missed that part or somehow it didn't register that they was also making the ropes and its interesting how that alone holds the tiles in place

[@pimgrim1]

@@ItsCharlieVest c'est à 1' et 14 secondes

[@n0rmal953]

No, you were right. In longer documentaries they explain that they must keep somewhat modern safety standards. Because they don’t want people dying. So the ropes used to lift heavy things are modern ropes rated for the weight. Same with the scaffolding with the nets. And they added a “ stop” to the wheel. They do use homemade ropes for different projects that are safer.

[@Hey.Joe.]

@@n0rmal953 And of course modern safety shoes with steel toe cap like those I saw in this video, for safety reasons.

[@kerouac2]

I've been to Guédelon 3 times, about once every three years and am mesmerized each time.

[@thomasstroh-uu2mj]

In Germany every year tfey make a 1 hour TV report about the castle where they explain anything they do. The main reason why they are building this is because no one had known how to build this stuff anymore. So they decided to try. At first they traveled all over Europe to look at castles for details. They also interviewed many craftsmen for every little piece of knowledge about tools and stuff. They also looked at several hundred years old reports from Konstruktion site in museums. One time they experimented weeks to figure out how to close windows. They tried anything from oiled paper to cloth to hide before they used Pergament. They also build a water mill and a bakery just to learn how to do. This way they recover piece for piece the lost knowledge of the old times. The TV report is always a highlight to watch. And the craftsmen are well known experts now for repairing and restoring old buildings from the middle ages. When you see this it's even more mind blowing when you see the 20.000 castles all over Germany

[@first-dooblette6911]

Nice,but in France we have near 45 000 castle 💪😉

[@thomasstroh-uu2mj]

@@first-dooblette6911 OK but you are also twice as big as Germany

[@Ustamika]

germany 358000 square km france 552000 square km that's not double france just have way more strategic places for castles and more war history too

[@HrLBolle]

In southern Germany there is a similar project named "Campus Galli" underway with the goal of building a monastery based off of the St. Gallener Klosterplan

[@LeSarthois]

I visited the catle works with school in the early 2000's. It was fascinating. And of course much less advanced than now. And you're right, it's about the journey. It's not just about pretending to be the middle ages, it's about using the known techniques. For example you might have noticed there are no moat around the castle. Of course since it's still being built, they may not dig them now, but I remember asking back then and they told us that since at that time, such a castle wouldn't have a moat, then Guédelon likely won't have a moat. For the "locally made" it's true in most cases, and since this would be a small landlord acstle, it would be also true, but even in those years, national and international trade existed already. For the terracotta tiles, they just sit there. And you may like to know it is still a very common way to cover a roof in France today. If you see a roof with flat orange, terra-cotta tiles, it's still made the same. Slate are nailed since they don't feature the notches of terracotta tiles. "mechanical" terracotta tiles looks more elaborate and can be nailed down but the point is that they are interlocked so they are not always nailed down. Not sure how canal tiles are held, it's one type of tile I have no experience with.

[@qiqi2692]

We went there 8 years ago : if you ever travel to Europe : must see !! It’s like waking right into a movie ! But for real ! They love building there so much , they don’t want it to end ! They are thinking and talking for years already , that when the castle is finished , they want to build an abbey ( next to it ) . In any case, the site is already attracting so many tourists for years, they must make a ton of money out of it too …

[@PeterOConnell-pq6io]

Have watched a series of videos following how the castle has emerged from its foundations up over the ~25 year span of this epic experimental archeology project. Fantastic!

[@coffeetoffee3669]

Hello, i am French and I have visited Guédelon twice. It has been magical to see the progress of the castle! The permits for the construction were difficult to obtain, because they use medieval methods of construction but had to have modern security for the workers and the safety of the visitors. The French laws are very strict. That is why they have to use ropes and other modern equipment. The roof tiles are made of terracotta and are held by the weight of the tiles above.

[@FanFictionneer]

Belgian here, and I visited Guédelon back in 2012. It was super impressive back then and it clearly still is now. Amazing to see the progress they've made.

[@mecha-sheep7674]

Experimental archeology is a really fun science. They were able to learn a LOT of things thanks to this project. For example, how many stones can be crafted per day by one stonemason with that era technology (answer : a lot more than we could imagine) ?

[@Muck006]

There was a similar project for the olympic games, where the historians had a bunch of former olympic athletes live under the same conditions as in ancient Greece. It was called "Die Helden von Olympia" (in german) and broadcast by Arte (german-french media corporation). Lots of well-muscled and oiled up grown men ... Sadly I only saw it broadcast once (10 episodes IIRC) and there arent any copies on the internet (at least not that I can find).

[@happyslappy5203]

There are about 44,000 chateaux in France, just over one for each of the 36,000 French municipalities. If you want to visit one chateau a day, it will take 120 years.

[@SuperLn1991]

To be fair, in english Castle is only for fortified castle (chateau fort en français) . The number 44 000 includeds manor houses and palaces that American/british don't consider being a castle.

[@DanielGondol]

You're absolutely right. It is all about how they figure it out, how techniques are revived and not so much about the finished product. It is not that far from being finished and i genuininely fear that a lot of the fascination will be gone once it will be. I really really hope that they will have a concept around life and crafts in the 13th century once this is finished. I had a great time there.

[@IRACEMABABU]

In an interview, the head of projet lady told that it's and endless journey, since they aren't in a hurry and they already have plans to construct what was surrounding such a castel : a village, farms, etc... and they are strongly supported by archeologists because it's a formidable oportunity for them to understand how things were made and validate the right guesses about it.

[@LeSarthois]

@@IRACEMABABU In addition to the surrounding buildings, there will also be advanced craft for the castle interior. If I remember, we have found recently that castles of those eras (I think Guédelon is meant to be a 1200-1250 castle) did had tapestries - it's just that none survived to tell us they existed and there were no testimonies of them. So they will have different craft to learn.

[@dutchyjhome]

In The Netherlands and probably in more European countries we don't glue roof tiles at all. we put them together in a loose way that no water can leak through and the wind can play with the roof tiles so the way you put them up there is not the way they'll end up laying in the end. Roof tiles will have to settle. And when they have done so, you can throw any wind to the tiles, they will not be impressed by the wind.

[@dutchyjhome]

@@benjiro8793 Thank you, this is what I meant, but you could not have explained it better! 👍😄

[@arnodobler1096]

The journey is the target!

[@clymtc]

thank you for looking into this project, absolutely fascinating. I think you are right about the bolts being modern, but they do have a rope maker on site, so the ropes may be new - but authentic. The roof tiles have a little "projection" which holds them onto the laths and stops them slipping down, their weight holds them in place, but you would expect a nail every so often but, not being a medieval roofer, I am not an expert!

[@MichaelCoIIins]

More about the roof tiling system,... not a bother brother I got ya :D Clay tiles are indeed just sitting there, its that simple :) Modern tiles have a grove on the edges that let them sit just a bit snugger, but that’s it.

[@ItsCharlieVest]

i don't know much about clay tiles because around here they use the roof shingles that are nailed down, thanks

[@MichaelCoIIins]

My dad was a tile roofer, so kinda grown up with that crap :D ngl it’s a art Most common are the red or black glazed river clay tiles. Also used is lay stone, in thin slats.

[@first-dooblette6911]

no, excuse me, for the bolts on the wheel, they are indeed modern bolts. At the time this did not exist but they were required for safety reasons. It is the only thing modern on the construction site.We are not going to quibble over bolts😉

[@dh1ao]

exactly, that's why the cloth aren't high medieval as well. Safety shoes for instance. The trousers are also not historical correct. Nevertheless they do an amazing job and I really love the field of experimental archaeology. Btw. some french historians here? I always wondered is the architecture a mixture between French/English style and german castles? I mean Guedelon has a palace and not a keep I see on british (since 1066 William :) ) and french castles.

[@tubekulose]

I've been following this magnificent project for about ten years by now via documentations. I'm pretty sure I'm gonna visit Guédelon some day. 🙂👍

[@ronaldderooij1774]

Burgundy stretched from the Swiss border included parts of France and Germany and included the Benelux countries. In fact, it was the Mary of Burgundy that granted the Netherlands (the States General) some great priviliges in 1477 that was the embryo of what later will become the Netherlands. As for the castle, I learned from another documentary that they even make their own pottery on site. They use clay from the surroundings. The best clay is compacted on the road, so potters were notorious for digging the roads up. That is where the word "pothole" comes from.

[@An-Ma]

Some good knowledge there, thanks🌷👍!

[@DidierB2]

you mix 2 areas : - duchy of bourgogne - county of bourgogne

[@SiqueScarface]

6:20 Every stone has a structural pattern. You have to look for that pattern and then set your holes in a way that they connect a strain within the stone. With softer stone, you can often see that it was already broken once, but forged together again by natural forces, which injected for instance streams of water rich in iron ions. Then you can see a dark black line. Along this line, the stone will split.

[@celinem871]

I visited the castle the exact day you released that video, this place is amazing !

[@HrLBolle]

1:30 some disciplines that had been forgotten over time as alternative or more secure ways of doing things came about, have been rediscovered because of Guédelon castle

[@SiqueScarface]

16:20 Indeed, the shingles are not glued or otherwise fastened. They just hold under their own weight and under the weight of the shingles layered upon them. All they have are little cogs on their backside to hook on the wooden cleats.

[@chucku00]

Modern-day Burgundy is way smaller than the region that had the same name in middle ages. I happen to live there (Nièvre département), it's as beautiful as it is rural : lots of small villages, beautiful landscapes, many châteaux (older and smaller than around Paris or in the Loire valley) and old mansions. This region also has a mountain range (Morvan).

[@tobiaskuschill4633]

we visited guedelon last year, and it was a great experience. will definitely do that again.

[@jensschroder8214]

The roof tiles are only placed on top. But always with an overlap to the next roof tile. The weight holds it in place. If a roof tile breaks, it can easily be replaced.

[@drumstyle45]

I am French and with primary school we went there it was really interesting And impressive of course when I went there it only had a tower and a piece of wall .there were even sheep and other farm animals, stone cutter

[@mihiec]

Hi. I watched a longer documentary about this castel. They make all their ropes and , bolts . As well food, clothes, There is lot of movies about this castel. Is amazing

[@n0rmal953]

2:22 just a precision, there was a kingdom, a duchy and county of Burgundy depending on the period and they moved around a lot and doesn’t correspond exactly to the modern Burgundy region. Though the Frankish burgundy was approximately in the area.

[@BasKeurprins]

Only visited once, couple years ago. Can absolutely recommend, awesome open air museum for all ages.

[@gerbentvandeveen]

In the Netherlands we have the Bavaria bootjard. At Lelystad.

[@benjaminlamey3591]

At the end, it is experimental archeology. the first purpose is to build a castle like they were doing it back in the time to rediscover the techniques and tools and validate the theory. they created the story behind the castle and the lord of Guedelon, in order to make it fit the techniques. they did not use the same for a high lord than for a small baron back in the days. The ropes were probably weaved on site. you can fidn several documentaries on guedelon, all parts.

[@HornedMagpie]

If you want more in depth info BBC did a mini-series called Secrets of the Castle where a couple of historians/archeologists live there for a season (iirc). You should be able to find it here on yt :)

[@gandigooglegandigoogle7202]

Amazing frenchies!

[@Stuparod]

The DW guy - isn't one of the Guidelon people - who put out MUCH longer detailed videos. I'm thinking of going there next year - as I was a cathedral mason 30 years back, so could add a few stones. Nice reaction vid.

[@paxillusinvolutus5213]

I can highly recommend you watch a series of BBC programs charting farm life from various time periods. Starting with ‘Tales from the Green Valley’ 1600’s, ‘Victorian Farm’, ‘Edwardian Farm’, ‘Wartime Farm’ (2nd world war), ‘Tudor Monastery Farm’, and the last program in the series (I think) was filmed at Guedelon called ‘Secrets of the Castle’. It’s the BBC of course so you may not get away with reacting to it.

[@WienerVL]

In Austria we also have some "Castlebuilder"!

[@volro]

Tom Scott made a really funny & interesting video about Guédelon ! Must watch

[@ItsCharlieVest]

Tom emailed me before when I did a reaction to one of his videos. He doesn't care for people reacting to his stuff, so I'm going to respect that. I love his channel though and watch his videos and will look for that one to watch. Just unfortunately, I can't react to it

[@palantir135]

They had to keep to modern safety rules so in some places, modern technology is used, like the bolts. They made their own ropes as you could see at the start of the video. I’ve seen a long documentary about the building of this castle.

[@TheZapan99]

Guédelon is so unique that they even refuse to sell souvenirs, there is no gift shop to be found on the site. However, you can participate in any workshop you like, and they're glad to explain their trade to you hands-on, so if you manage to weave a basket, chisel a bas-relief on a stone slab or turn a clay pot, then it is yours to take home for free at the end of the day, because you worked for it!

[@SuperLn1991]

I went 3 weeks ago and they had a very big souvenir shops with stuff they make themselves (mostly linen and such) and also books, toys, etc..... sadly I couldn't buy anything because they had thunder that night and none of their machine worked and I had no cash.

[@first-dooblette6911]

hi, I live 4.5 hours by car from Guedelon and I already laid my stone in 2015😉. If you are interested, they have an official KZbin channel (Guedelon nous construisons un château...) which shows you all the trade. Good viewing😉

[@Muck006]

*Concerning ROOF TILES* You see the large number of "4 by 2" battens? The roof tiles are simply HOOKED ONTO THEM (since they are made from fired clay you can give them a small "hook" in the back). If you have slate shingles ... you nail them (pre-drilled holes) to the battens, which is a newer technique, since nails were EXPENSIVE in medieval times. Oh and you START AT THE BOTTOM, so the higher layer overlaps the lower one, keeping the water on the outside.

[@PeterSchmidt-l4p]

This type of reconstruction is often used by archaeologists - be it for a medieval castle, a Neolithic pile house, Stone Age tools or clothing, Bronze Age furnaces, etc.! This type of archeology is also called “experimental archaeology” - it tries to find out which technology was most likely used based on the material used and different methods (compared to the archaeological finds)! “Ötzi”, the ice mummy from the Alps, was like the Holy Grail of archaeology! His equipment (clothing, shoes, weapons - especially the copper axe), his stomach contents and his tattoos gave science unexpected new insights into life (as well as technical and medical knowledge) in Europe, around 5,000 years ago! DNA analyzes provided information about origin, appearance, possible ancestry and related ethnic groups!!!

[@MrLittle3vil]

Rooftiles on modern day houses are not glued or attached to anything. They just lay them on top of each other.

[@armelle6936]

every thing is made on site , the tool, the rope,and the cuisine for workers , and the clothes of workers . in medieval age, villages were build around cathedrale or castle consctruction site . workers lived there , with their family . it s how villages rised and apperaed , around big construction site , because it taked hundred of years to build a castle or a cathedrale

[@TIEfichter]

There is one thing they can not go around which medieval workers did not have to obide by, and that is safety regulations... That's why they sometimes have to use modern bolts and such.

[@micade2518]

Here, Charlie, get to know about (modern) beautiful Burgundy, in France: "Burgundy: Profoundly French" - Rick Steves' Europe

[@qualitytraders5333]

DW = Deutsche Welle = German Wave. A German public, state-owned international broadcaster. In Europe we don't use shingles but clay or ceramic tiles. You really should look at a couple of videos about building a European house. There are many.

[@feurigessiegelstuck233]

Small correction: this isnt a "small" castle. This is actually a pretty average sized castle. Most castles wouldnt've been bigger than that

[@mrsiborg]

I can see this castle appearing in many movies.

[@squall046]

Goonies !!!!? 💯💯💯 Hi from France ! 🤜

[@jankrusat2150]

The have to obey modern health and safety rules though, like steel toed safety boots, safety goggles or safety harnesses and modern scaffoldings to catch roofers should they slip on the roof.

[@ItsCharlieVest]

that makes sense though but its cool how the actual work is being done in the original way!

[@FanNy-ku6wt]

In fact the scaffoldings too are made like in medieval times and have been certified. Except from that I agree with you.

[@jankrusat2150]

@@FanNy-ku6wt In the beginning you see some modern aluminium scaffoldings with catch nets-at the roof edge.

[@FanNy-ku6wt]

@@jankrusat2150 No; I don't see them. There are wood scaffoldings with nets in the beginning and each time we see them. Like I said, their scaffoldings have been certified as safe by the competent authorities. That's not my take, it's what the builders said in another video. There is no aluminium scaffolding in this video. That wouldn't make sense considering the point of the project.

[@DidierB2]

i went to Guedelon last friday (08/08/2024) the water mill is out of use cause not enough water....

[@juliem8381]

They need a windmill, New project 😊

[@jimloontiens9275]

some of the weight bearing ropes are modern (for safety reasons)

[@DJarr216]

About a month ago I actually came across a 5 part documentary of this castle on youtube, each part being roughly 1 hour long. The channel i found it on at first didn't have a playlist for these 5 parts, but then i found that another channel had uploaded the same 5 part documentary as single video. Here's the link to the nearly 5 hour long supercut with all 5 parts in it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hp_bcoWMqdNpo5Isi=eF6AaygwbqVtHik5

[@MiaHerssens]

Modern ropes and bolts are certified for safety reasons

[@SiqueScarface]

4:20 From the balance sheets, we know that such a castle was indeed built by only 30 people, who managed to erect it within a 20 year time period. And that's one of the things the historians wanted to find out: Do the medieval account books hide the actual dimension, or can they be trusted?

[@denisdonadio9682]

Bonjour, le chantier de guedelon est une promenade familiale qui plonge le visiteur au moyen âge qui contrairement à ce que l'on nous enseigne, n'était pas du tout un âge sombre. La preuve est dans nos châteaux et cathédrales.

[@first-dooblette6911]

if you look at their channel you will see that it is they who make their bolts,that the ropes are made on site with their own sheep😉.They made their own water mill to make flour, then 🍞😉 Everything Just like in the Middle Ages

[@thijsouwens6568]

Hey! I've been following your channel for a while now, thanks for all the interesting content! When are you planning to come to the Netherlands / Europe? And would you do that for a holiday, or really move? Greetings from Aalten, Netherlands

[@jean-noelthomas]

The only difference s security accessories. safe shoes, helmets, because life is more important now... Everything, include cement, ils made around the castle.

[@morphilou]

there are still 45,000 castles in france + or - good condition i live in the marne ==> marne + haute marne + aube + ardenne = champagne there are already more than 30 castles in very good condition near me ^^ many are not in a strategic point There are more castles in France than in the rest of the world.

[@SuperLn1991]

That's not true, actually. In English the word "castle" is the french version of "château fort" while in French "château" include the chateau fort but also manor houses, palaces etc.... . If like other countries we only count "châteaux forts", we come after Germany .

[@daphnelovesL]

Reenactment of the battle of Grolle in 1627: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYPUloVjgaeDfJo I have been there twice. The Dutch rebellion against the Spanish in the 80 years of war.

[@bikesfrench8524]

France has 40,000 period castles on its territory. 😊

[@SuperLn1991]

Actually no, we have more than 40 000 castle + manor house + palaces. What they call castle in English are only what the french call "chateau fort", not others. So, Versaille or Fontainebleau aren't castles.

[@bikesfrench8524]

​@@SuperLn1991????

[@bikesfrench8524]

There are 45,000 castles in France according to the latest census by the architects of buildings in France.

[@brigetoun]

c'est passionnant n'est ce pas ? et les tuiles sont fabriqués à Guénelon avec méthodes anciennes comme les peintures et les étoffes (tonte, filage laine, tissage), les cordes aussi etc...pour les fenêtres le verre est reùplacé par du papier tendu et huilé

[@Muck006]

DW is one of the PUBLICLY FUNDED german broadcasters ... they used to be RADIO only, but they are producing a lot of stuff for YT ... and a lot of them are cringe. There is a 5-part documentary on Guedelon called "Secrets of the Castle", which explains each craft in far greater detail.

[@bobdebeul9547]

is not burgondy but bourgogne

[@SuperLn1991]

It is burgondy. Bourgogne is the french name, but the british name is Burgundy . Old names were Burgunda and Burgonde. Bourgogne is only the modern french name.

[@bobdebeul9547]

@@SuperLn1991 stop your bullshit the world was never Anglo-Saxon, you don't respect history..if I think like you you don't live in the USA but in nouvelle France

[@bobdebeul9547]

@@SuperLn1991 and you , you live in new france , usa is only the modern english name

[@SuperLn1991]

@@bobdebeul9547 Well... I don't, what make you think I'm American?! I live in modern France, in a territory that was then part of the Duché de Bourgogne, so Burgundy, but not part of the modern Bourgogne region.

[@bobdebeul9547]

@@SuperLn1991 are you dutch?, your answer is like a play on words...i like your job

[@TIEfichter]

I wish I could join in horse handling and transport, but it's mandatory to speak french and there is no way, so that's prety sad.

[@SuperLn1991]

The visit isn't guide and they give people documents in several langages

[@cleochabrou9869]

Guedelon is a countryside lord type of chateau !!! small lord, not very powerful !!

[@fabianstriebeck8054]

everything on that site was made there with medieval methods, nothing modern.

[@mauertal]

NOPE.........the BIGGEST actual Medieval Construction is..........CAMPUS GALLI.........

[@pinkunicorn3373]

...which began after Guédelon. The biggest project remains the castle!

[@mauertal]

@@pinkunicorn3373 WHO is interested, which project began earier? Fact is....Campus Galli needs final 10 times more material and it will need MANY decades to finish the procect!

[@Siegdrifa]

He said, biggest medieval CASTLE. Campus Galli is a monastory, not a castle.