Wistal is the walled citadel capital of Clarines, overlooking the sea and a castle down below.
History[]
A huge castle initially designed with defense in mind, the long peacetime has turned its zwingers into flowering courtyards and resulted in renovations that have removed and reduced defensive fortifications in favor of decorative and comfortable modifications.
Architecture[]
Overview[]
Wistal is a hill castle above the shoreline with multiple defensive walls and gatehouses barring entry to invaders. While the battlements are depicted inconsistently the merlons are usually depicted at a short decorative rather than practical height, not even reaching the defenders' chests. The towers and outer gatehouses have functioning machicolations meaning the walls are designed to be used by soldiers in defending the citadel, and are not merely a static defense despite the poor protection for those on the wall-walk/chemin de ronde. The citadel has no known reduit as the palace which lies at its core at the highest most defensible point is a grand decorative almost entirely non-fortified structure. It is possible it has something along the lines of a bergfried as there is a simple but fortified towerhouse in the forest near the palace, but if this is the intent of the tower it is in poor upkeep at the time of the story.
The castle is divided by curtain walls into several zwingers and baileys full of gardens and outbuildings with Wistal Palace in the central bailey. The zwingers have been turned into gardens with trees that would provide potential cover to invaders, indicating that Clarines is at peace and does not anticipate an attack on the castle nor need it to act as a battle-ready fortress.
Differences Between the Manga and Anime[]
The palace and citadel are depicted with far fewer buildings and a more simple design in the anime than they are in the source material. There are far fewer defensive walls as there is only really one full encircling wall rather than the many walls from the manga, having only two distinct baileys. That the defensive walls form a definite concentric castle in the manga, while they form maybe two poorly separated baileys in the anime and are not layered properly, with the outer wall being considerably taller than the inner one. The anime also depicts gatehouses that do not bar entry as they are next to open lawns with no wall, ramparts or even fence dissuading potential intruders from just going around them while none of the gates are shown to be so isolated from other defensive features in the manga. The anime depicts a castle chapel on the grounds while there is no indication of there being one in the manga.
Structures and Gardens[]
Walls of Wistal[]
The fortified walls surrounding and dividing the citadel. The curtain walls of the enceinte have a wall walk protected by strange short merlons, while the towers are more protected with arrow loops and machicolations through which the defenders can launch attacks. The walls are close enough to each other and the buildings that fit enough individuals can jump between several of them as part of an unconventional route through the grounds as Zen and Obi are wont to do.
Poet's Gate[]
The Poet's Gate is one of the innermost gatehouses at Wistal, leading directly to the palace.
Physic Garden(s)[]
The extensive outdoor gardens and greenhouses are dedicated to the growth of pharmaceutical plants.
Dormitory[]
A dormitory where citadel and palace workers live, including the royal pharmacists and lesser noble courtiers who do not reside within the palace.
Barracks[]
The housing for the guards and other soldiers stationed at the castle. It is located next to the dormitory for non-military personnel. It is implied the mess hall is also located within the building, facing the palace and Training Yard.
Tea Garden[]
An intimate hedge and rose garden on the outer edge of the palace. The wrought iron fencing just outside the privacy hedge and the fact that it is raised above the surrounding land like the rest of the palace makes it unquestionably a part of the palace rather than the larger grounds. A tea party was held in this garden during Prince Raji of Tanbarun's first visit to Clarines.
Training Yard[]
A courtyard where the royal family and their attendants practice swordsmanship and martial arts.
Training Grounds[]
A forested area partially within the walls for the training of soldiers and nobles on a larger scale, with an area dedicated to archery and horsemanship.
Libraries[]
Trivia[]
Gallery[]
Click here to view the gallery.