10 Most Amazing Moats In The World

A moat is a deep artificial ditch, built as a line of defense around a castle or even an entire town. Here’s a list of 10 beautiful moats found around the world

1. Bodiam Castle, East Sussex, England 

This beautiful castle was built at the end of the 14th century. The castle was built by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge in order to defend the area from French invasion during the Hundred Years’ War. The moat surrounding the castle is on average only 1.5 meters (5 ft) deep but reaches a maximum of 2.1 meters (7 ft). The castle is about two hours drive from London. Here’s the official website with visitor information

 

2. Muiderslot Castle, Muiden, Netherlands 

Muiderslot is one of the most famous castles in the Netherlands and is located just 15 km (about 10 miles) from Amsterdam. The castle was built in the 14th century on top of a 13th century castle. and surrounded by a moat. The castle served as a prison during the 18th century and today it’s a museum. Click here for the official site

 

3. Forbidden City, Beijing, China 

The previous two moats surround beautiful castles, but they are rather small. On to much larger moats, the Forbidden City in the center of Beijing was the Chinese imperial palace from the 15th century to early 20th century. The large complex of almost a thousand buildings is surrounded by a 7.9 meters (26 ft) high wall, and a moat 6 meters (20 ft) deep and 52 meters (171 ft) wide

 

4. Château du Plessis-Bourré, Écuillé, France 

The Chateau du Plessis-Bourre is located in the Loire Valley, about 3 hours drive from Paris. Built in just 5 years during the 15th century, this moat surrounded castle changed very little over the years. Click here for the official site

 

5. Caerlaverock Castle, southern coast of Scotland 

The Caerlaverock Castle is a triangular shaped moated castle. First built in the 13th century, the castle was ruined and reconstructed many times, but kept it’s original shape. Today the castle is a popular tourist attraction. Click here for the official site

 

6. Leeds Castle, Kent, England 

Originally built in the 12th century, the castle we see today is mostly from the 19th century. The castle is built on an island in a small lake, that acts as a natural moat. During the 13th century the castle was a favorite residence to King Edward I, and in the 16th century Henry VIII used it as a residence for his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. Today the castle is open to the public. Here’s the official site

 

7. Caerphilly Castle, Caerphilly, Wales 

This 13th century medieval fortification in South Wales saw many battles. The castle is surrounded by artificial lakes and considered to be the most elaborate water defenses in Britain. The castle and its moats are among the largest castles in Britain. As expected, today the castle is a tourist attractions. See official site here

 

8. Matsumoto Castle, near Tokyo, Japan

Located about 3 hours drive from Tokyo, the Matsumoto Castle is the oldest and one of the most famous castles in Japan. Also known as the Crow Castle, the castle is surrounded by walls and moats. The castle was built at the beginning of the 16th century and was used till mid 19th century

9. Fort Bourtange, Bourtange, the Netherlands

A beautiful star shaped fort surrounded by an artificial moat with a similar shape. The fort was built in 1593 in order to control the only road between Germany and the city of Groningen. The fort experienced its final battle in 1672 and was converted to a village in 1851. Today Fort Bourtange serves as a historical museum. Click here for the official site

 

10. Egeskov Castle, Funen island, Denmark 

This 16th century castle is often mentioned as Europe’s best preserved Renaissance water castle. It is located in a small lake with a maximum depth of 5 meters (16 ft) that acts as a natural moat. Originally the only access to the castle was with a drawbridge. Today most of the castle is open to the public, and it is home to several museums. Here’s the official site