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The Forecourt

Castles, Trakai

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The forecourt was started to build later. The construction was carried out under difficult conditions, almost in a lake and a moor. Its towers were built on the edges of the island on the solid ground, all the structures are connected by several rows of logs, and the defensive walls remain in place to this day. The construction of the castle is believed to have been carried out by local craftsmen. After the towers and walls of the narthex were built, the casemates were added.

The gate tower was 5 even stories high and next to it, there were 4 more towers for cannons.

The round corner towers had to accommodate a very large number of cannons. It was an innovative solution, especially considering that gunpowder weapons were still very imperfect at the beginning of the 15th century. The construction of the forecourt marks the start of the building of round and low towers for the cannons.

In the Russian annals of 1428, a cannon pulled by 40 horses is mentioned.

The Island castle kept pace with the castles of the Western European Monarchies. It was inhabited even in winter and had a hypocaust heating system, which made it possible to heat the floors of the living quarters. Large stones and boulders were placed to heat up the floors and the warm air rose to the top. The staircase from Vytautas's room led to the treasury, where the archives of Lithuania and the annals were kept. Nearby there were the Duchess room and the small hall. The family of the ruler lived here. The main hall, the Great Hall, was used for the banquets. It is believed that Vytautas could have been laid out after his death in the same hall. A meeting of the monarchs for Vytautas' coronation was supposed to be hold in this hall, but it took place in Lutsk, as it was geographically more convenient.

For such a castle to survive, it needed to be inhabited by more than just the rulers and their immediate circle, but also by craftsmen, farmers, and servants, i.e. up to several hundred people.

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