Who among us in childhood did not fantasize about the wonderful life in palaces and castles, in their spacious halls and boudoirs among splendor and luxury. But real life is still different from fairytale descriptions and dreams. And this was fully felt by Julia, who managed to live for two years in a medieval castle. The creative girl decided to share her impressions, telling in detail about the joys and difficulties of a not at all glamorous stay in a huge old building.
In the Middle Ages, castles were fortifications in which kings and nobles waited out the attacks of the enemy, and did not arrange magnificent balls, as many people now think. Therefore, the amenities were created according to the time and needs, without any frills, but with maximum security.
Naturally, a modern person has no real idea of how he lives in such structures, because all his knowledge is based on scenes from films or on the basis of expositions in museums. Only a few succeed in judging life in castles on their own experience, given that the preserved objects are already about 500 years old.
Of course, some clans own such real estate, but not all of them are eager to experience the delights of an unsettled life in huge apartments built 500 or more years ago. Most owners try to rent them out for special occasions, they can also offer to live for free in exchange for the fact that the inhabitants will look after the historical property and carry out feasible modernization.
It was to such an adventure that Julia and her husband, living in Germany, agreed. They moved to an old castle, erected back in 1482, and began not only to inhabit it, but also to modernize the space, introducing modern elements necessary for a comfortable life.
Fortunately, the appearance of the ancient object has been preserved very well, despite its venerable age and the mass of hostilities experienced. However, inside the castle, the Middle Ages still reigned with wooden beams, solid furniture, fireplaces, wood-burning stoves and other attributes.
The last reconstruction was carried out in 1972, but it did not greatly improve everyday amenities, so the newlyweds had to carry water from a well, and heat the fireplace and stove in the kitchen with wood. To make life easier for themselves, they first of all restored the electrical wiring, set up the Internet, purchased an electric stove with an oven, a sink and a water pump so as not to go to the well for water and not start a fire every time they want to have a cup of coffee.
True, the benefits of civilization turned out to be truncated anyway, because electricity was often lost, because the castle is located in a deep forest. And the toilet bowl in the form of a royal throne is almost a props, because the chain with a charming handle is nothing more than a bell, and not a lever from a cistern. Therefore, in order to use it, you will have to bring a bucket of water and flush it by hand (it is not a sewage system that passes under it, but a regular cesspool was dug).
The adoption of water procedures also became a big problem, because I had to take a cold shower or warm water and swim in a basin.
The situation is no better with heating, because it simply does not exist. In the cold season, it was necessary to heat the fireplace and the stove, and this is a very difficult task, because to heat 600 sq. m is very difficult, so the newlyweds often had to wake up in a cold bedroom, where the temperature was no higher than 8 degrees Celsius. Although life in a sultry summer, it also did not seem like paradise. On especially hot days, the temperature rose to + 40.
Despite the fact that life is not very arranged for Yulia, with Russian roots, this did not frighten at all. She skillfully cooked fish caught in the lake with her own hands, baked potatoes, while she participated in the modernization of the space, restoration and even the creation of high-quality furniture.
She and her husband were able to make the necessary furniture for the kitchen, a huge wooden bed that cannot be moved from its place (its weight reaches 400 kg), restored the glass extension, repaired the holes so that rodents would not come to the kitchen for goodies. Although 6 cats (!) Perfectly coped with the latter, which took root in the castle. They were not at all bothered by the neighborhood of rodents and a dark forest, from which uninvited guests could be expected, as the girl feared, they liked the warmth emanating from the living fire in the fireplace and the large rooms where you can walk without restrictions.
Interesting fact from Novate.ru: The couple lived in a medieval castle for 2 years. Despite the fact that they had grandiose plans for the arrangement of the ancient structure, they had to move out. This was a demand from the owners, who decided to lease the restored part of the old building to freelancers who prefer to work in an unusual environment away from the bustle of the city.
Good news for those who still dream of becoming the owner of a medieval castle. In Italy, you can acquire such real estate, and the cost of an old object can start from 1 euro, however, you need to prepare for the fulfillment of a lot of conditions.