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International Castle Research Society

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Donjon of Coucy and the Crac des Chevaliers, Bonn, 2009

The International Castle Research Society (ICRS) was established in Aachen in 1986 as a not-for-profit organization following earlier initiatives by Bernhard Siepen, architect, who has been its president since 2000. Early supporters were the long-standing Aachen member of parliament, Dr. Hans Stercken, and Consul Cornel Renfert, of the Franco-German Chamber of Commerce, Paris.[citation needed]

Background

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The first model, the Donjon of Coucy, was started in 1997, with a number of models following, the latest being the Castel del Monte. Whereas the earlier models were of French fortified keeps, or donjons, then Crusader castles and bazaars as well as medieval ships, for some time now ICRS has been working on creating models of palaces typical of the 9th to 12th centuries. There are also plans for a model of the imperial Aachen palace of Charlemagne, dating from around AD 800, and of historic buildings in Jerusalem.[citation needed]

ICRS activities

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The president, team and ICRS consultants:[citation needed]

  • create models of historic buildings, ships, life- scenes
  • bring these models to life peopling them with hand-painted figurines
  • present models, descriptions, plans of important castles
  • organize seminars, talks, multimedia shows as well as visits to exhibitions and existing historic buildings
  • support and organize research study courses on historic buildings at school and university level
  • train young people in handicrafts relating to creating models

Models

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Models created by ICRS based on historical sources, at 1/25 of natural size

  • Donjon of Coucy, France (AD 1339) 6x6 metres, 2,40 m height, c 2,500 figurines
    Donjon of Coucy, France (AD 1339)
    6x6 metres, 2,40 m height, c 2,500 figurines
  • French jousting tournament 2x2 metres, c 700 figurines
    French jousting tournament
    2x2 metres, c 700 figurines
  • Aleppo Bazaar (16th century) 4x4 metres, c 750 figurines
    Aleppo Bazaar (16th century)
    4x4 metres, c 750 figurines
  • Crac des Chevaliers, Syria (AD 1271) 6x6 metres, 2.30 m height, c 2,000 figurines
    Crac des Chevaliers, Syria (AD 1271)
    6x6 metres, 2.30 m height, c 2,000 figurines
  • Arab trebuchets and mangonels 1x0,6 meters, c 50 figurines
    Arab trebuchets and mangonels
    1x0,6 meters, c 50 figurines
  • Crusader ships anchored in Akko harbour (AD 1270) 3x2 metres, c 600 figurines
    Crusader ships anchored in Akko harbour (AD 1270)
    3x2 metres, c 600 figurines
  • Castel del Monte 3x3 metres, c 400 figurines
    Castel del Monte
    3x3 metres, c 400 figurines

Exhibitions

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More than one million people in both in Europe and North America so far have visited ICRS exhibitions.[citation needed]

Place Museum Year Title of exhibition
Bonn LVR State Museum 2009 Models of Medieval Castles
Washington D.C. National Geographic Museum 2006 Castles of the Crusades. A view in miniature
Omaha (Nebraska) Joslyn Art Museum 2006 French Donjons: Castle of Coucy, Medieval Life in Miniature
Frankfort on the Main Museum of Archaeology 2005/2006 Castles and Bazaars of Crusader Times
Sully-sur-Loire Château de Sully-sur-Loire 2005 In the Days of the Donjons (Au temps des donjons)
Solingen / Wuppertal Schloß Burg 2005 Donjon of Coucy
Düsseldorf Haus der Architekten 2004/05 Aleppo to Coucy – Orient to Occident
Kulmbach Plassenburg 2004 French Donjons
Frankfort on the Main Museum of Archaeology 2003 Medieval Skyscrapers
Mönchengladbach Schloss Rheydt 2002 Coucy 1225
Erfurt Runneburg 2001 French Castles
Washington D.C. National Geographic Museum 2001 French Donjons: Castle of Donjon
Dresden Kriebstein Castle 2000 French Donjons
Coburg Veste Coburg 2000 French Donjons – Mighty Castles
Meissen Albrechtsburg 2000 French Donjons
Soissons Musée de Soissons: St. Leger Abbey 1999 Château de Coucy, Image et mémoire
Strasbourg Hôtel du Département 1999 Les donjons français
Loches Château de Loches 1998 Les donjons de l’ouest de la France
Aachen Public Hall Aachen Savings Bank 1998 French Donjons

Publications

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  • Französische Donjons, ed. Bernhard Siepen, Aachen 2002, ISBN 3-00-007776-6
  • Wohntürme, ed. Heinz Müller, Langenweißbach 2002, ISBN 3-930036-76-2
  • Ile de France gothique – 2 – Les demeures seigneuriales, ed. Jean Mesqui, Paris 1988, ISBN 2-7084-0374-5
  • Châteaux et enceintes de la France Médiévale, ed.Jean Mesqui, Paris 1991, ISBN 2-7084-0419-9
  • Les programmes résidentiels du château de Coucy du XIIIe au XVIe siècle, ed. Jean Mesqui, Paris 1994
  • Burgen und Basare der Kreuzfahrerzeit, eds. Hans Altmann and Bernhard Siepen, Fulda 2005, ISBN 3-86568-046-1 (book of the exhibition)
  • Burgen und Basare der Kreuzfahrerzeit, eds. Bernhard Siepen, Karina Kisza and Nina Radermacher (painting book), Fulda 2005, ISBN 3-86568-059-3
  • Spuren der Kreuzfahrer – Modelle, eds. Bernhard Siepen and Ulrich Alertz, Aachen 2009, ISBN 978-3-927535-21-3
  • Damaskus – Aleppo – 5000 Jahre Stadtentwicklung in Syrien, eds Mammoun Fansa, Heinz Gaube, Jens Windelberg, Mainz 2000, ISBN 3-8053-2694-7
  • Castel del Monte – Forschungsergebnisse der Jahre 1990 bis 1996, ed. Wulf Schirmer, Mainz 2000, ISBN 3-8053-2657-2
  • Wissenschaft und Technik im Islam, Einführung in die Geschichte der arabisch-islamischen Wissenschaften, ed. Fuat Sezgin, Frankfurt am Main 2003, ISBN 3-8298-0072-X
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