Castle Question

[Tom Chaney]

I've noticed an architectural feature of the Disney castles that baffles me. Consistantly, there is a small "apendage" tower attached to the main (tallest) tower. Why? Let's look at some pictures:

Here's Sleeping Beauty's Castle at Disneyland, Anaheim. See the small tower at the top righthand side of the tallest tower?

Hong Kong

Paris

Tokyo

Walt Disney World in Florida

Finally...begging indulgence from MiceChat... here's a closeup of this feature again in Anaheim. You not only can clearly see the small tower attached at the top left side of the main tower (it is now on the opposite side since we're looking at the castle from the back)... you can also see it has a distinctive cross-shaped window. Does this represent a chapel? Who is the castle expert among us who can fill in the missing information?

(an edit added to this post): Disney modeled Sleeping Beauty's castle after the castle in Neuschwanstein. Here's a photo of the original.

[Fantasmico!]

i'm thinking balance in design? better composition perhaps? just a thought. i don't think the purpose would be more than good design.

[Tom Chaney]

i'm thinking balance in design? better composition perhaps? just a thought. i don't think the purpose would be more than good design.

Possibly... but it seems to me that the tallest tower would have a cleaner line without the appendage.

[BigPigletFan]

Wow that's crazy! I never noticed that. Something I will notice this fall when I miss the pink castle.

[RX-24]

That appendage on the side of the large tower is the "little knights room" way to many stairs to walk down just to use the potty

[BugsBunny]

I believe that the windows in the shape of crosses were used by archers.

[MckyCrzy]

That appendage on the side of the large tower is the "little knights room" way to many stairs to walk down just to use the potty

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[travelmom]

I guess they all keep true to the original design, by including this room?
Perhaps a guard tower of some sort, or a damsels tower?

[Circarama]

That's where they locked up Rapunzel after she snuck out with Prince Phillip while Aurora was sleeping. She was such a hussie...

[AmandasDad]

It could very well be the chapel. In the middle ages is was common to have the chapel as an antechamber to the castle proper. It was also customary for nothing to be above the chapel so as to not be disrespectful to God. Now, having it at the top of the castle was not always done and it would be hard to get to for any but the resident of the tower.

Taking all that into account, the original bavarian castle is a 17th or 18th century stylized version of a medieval castle. While there may be the slit windows for archers (called loopholes) it is highly unlikely that any archery was done in the age of gunpowder.

It is most definately not the privvy. Higher ups would have used a chamber pot and those lower down would have used garderobes, little rooms of wood mounted over the edge of the castle walls. THey'd have a bench with holes in it to do your business over the edge. Much like a latrine in a primitive campground only more communal.

- AmandasDad