Portumna Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Portumna Castle |
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Portumna castle
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Renaissance |
| Location | Portumna, County Galway |
| Country | Ireland |
| Coordinates | 53°05′21″N 8°13′08″W / 53.0892°N 8.2189°W |
| Construction started | 1610 |
| Completed | 1617 |
| Cost | £10,000 (£2.8 million in 2020, adjusted for inflation) |
| Client | Richard Burke |
| Official name | Portumna Castle |
| Reference no. | 515 |
Portumna Castle is a really old and strong house in Portumna, County Galway, Ireland. It was built a long time ago, in the early 1600s, by a powerful person named Richard Burke, 4th Earl of Clanricarde. It's like a mix between a fancy home and a fort!
Contents
Where is Portumna Castle?
Portumna Castle is right next to a big lake called Lough Derg. This is where the River Shannon, a famous Irish river, flows into the lake. You can also find Portumna Abbey, another old building, just to the east of the castle.
The Story of Portumna Castle
Building a Grand Home
When Portumna Castle was first built, it was one of the most amazing buildings in all of Ireland. It was more stylish and grand than many other castles at the time. The person who built it was Richard Burke, 4th Earl of Clanricarde. He was a very important leader from the de Burgo family, who were originally Normans.
The castle was built between 1610 and 1617. It cost a lot of money back then, about £10,000! That would be like £2.8 million today. Richard Burke also built another big house in England called Somerhill House.
Castle Design and Style
Portumna Castle was built in a special style called Renaissance. This style was popular in Italy and France for a long time, but it was quite new in Ireland and England when the castle was built.
The castle looks very balanced and even. It has three floors above a basement, with square towers sticking out at each corner. The main part of the castle is about 29.7 meters long and 21.2 meters wide. The corner towers are 6.5 meters square and even have small openings for guns! Inside, there's a wide hallway that runs through the middle of the castle.
What Happened to the Castle?
Sadly, the castle was left empty after a big fire in 1826. It was no longer used as a home. Over the years, the Office of Public Works has worked to fix up parts of the castle, like the huge chimneys. The land around the castle also has old walled gardens, gatehouses, and courtyards.
See also
In Spanish: Castillo de Portumna para niños
- Flight of the Wild Geese
- House of Burgh
