Castles fascinate us. Most are mammoth in size, ancient and filled with more intriguing history than even Hollywood can provide. Perhaps our fascination stems from an interest in the past, or because they remain standing when so many of our human endeavors fall victim to the ravages of time.

I love castles, especially those in England. Until the time you're able to see English castles in person, the web provides the next best thing.

Castles of Britain

This well-developed site is a castle-lover’s dream. With their "castle of the month," you can get extensive background material about the selected castle. Within the section called Castle Learning Center, click on choices such as furnishings, dungeons, life in a castle, ground plans and much, much more. Whether you're just curious about castles or seeking in-depth educational material, this site has it.

The Tower of London Virtual Tour

This site is dedicated to Diana, Princess of Wales, and offers a terrific virtual tour of the Tower of London. It's enhanced with large color photos, diagrams and historic details. In the "Tower Tales" section, you can learn about all the numerous ghosts associated with the Tower.

Warwick Castle

One of my personal favorites, the Warwick Castle site is easy to navigate and packed with information. In the Secrets and Scrolls section, you discover some of Warwick's best kept secrets as you explore the site. By moving the mouse over various pictures, you search for and reveal a hidden key. If you find the hidden key, you're found another secret.

Castles on the Web

Castles on the web is one man's attempt to organize the many sites that hold information related to castles. It's noteworthy for having great links by category, for castles in England and elsewhere. Groupings such as castles for kids, castle greeting cards, castle accommodations and a castle photo archive, among many others. Their castle tour segment, for example, is organized by country, so you can click on England.

Build a Medieval Castle

This site takes a few minutes (about 7-8 minutes on my computer) to download and it's free. As the name implies, this castle site is intended as an educational tool for children. When printed, the kids can first color, then construct their own Medieval castle.

The British Monarchy Official Web Site

Offering a variety of eight English castles and palaces, this site includes the very popluar Windsor Castle, which was recently restored after a fire. Each of the eight has photos and a comprehensive background profile. Within the text of each entry are links to more details.

British Castles, Stately Homes and Houses

This is a round-up of 151 castles and stately homes of Great Britain, in alphabetical order. It begins with a large map indicating the location of each. Most have photos, taken by the gentleman who visited each place and set up this web site.

Everyday I find new reasons why I love the world wide web. Whatever your passion, the web has it, it's just that simple. There are many other smaller castle sites on the web; this tour represents a fraction of the total.