Difference between revisions of "Castle Black"

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[[File:Castle Black and The Wall, Ted Nasmith.jpg|Castle Black and the [[Wall]] by Ted Nasmith ©|thumb|350px|right]]
 
{|
 
{|
 
{{Location map| File:The North.png
 
{{Location map| File:The North.png
 
| label = '''Castle Black'''
 
| label = '''Castle Black'''
| lat = 70
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| lat = 68
| long = 50
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| long = 53
 
| position = right
 
| position = right
 
| mark = Wolff2.PNG
 
| mark = Wolff2.PNG
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| width = 350
 
| width = 350
 
| float = right
 
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| caption = [[The North]] and the location of Castle Black
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| caption = The [[north]] and the location of Castle Black
| alt =  [[The North]] and the location of Castle Black
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| alt =  The north and the location of Castle Black
 
}}
 
}}
 
|}
 
|}
 
[[File: Matt_Olson_CastleBlack.jpg‎‎‎|Bird's eye view of Castle Black - by Matt Olson ©|thumb|350px|right]]
 
[[File: Matt_Olson_CastleBlack.jpg‎‎‎|Bird's eye view of Castle Black - by Matt Olson ©|thumb|350px|right]]
[[File:Castle black.jpg|thumb|350px|Castle Black and look of the [[wall]] ([[Game of Thrones|TV Series]])]]
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[[File:Castle black.jpg|thumb|350px|Castle Black and the Wall (''[[Game of Thrones]]'')]]
[[File:The wall castle black winch elevator.jpg|thumb|350px|Winch elevator used to get on top of the wall]]
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[[File:The wall castle black winch elevator.jpg|thumb|350px|Winch elevator used to get on top of the Wall]]
[[File:CastleBlack-NightWatch-Jon-Sam-Pyp.jpg|thumb|350px|Castle Black - Training yard ([[Game of Thrones|TV Series]])]]
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[[File:CastleBlack-NightWatch-Jon-Sam-Pyp.jpg|thumb|350px|Castle Black - Training yard (''[[Game of Thrones]]'')]]
'''Castle Black''' is the main fortress for the [[Night's Watch]]. The castle is situated along the Wall between [[Queensgate]] to the west and [[Oakenshield (Wall)|Oakenshield]] to the east, near the center of the Wall, at the northern end of the [[Kingsroad]].<ref>[[A Storm of Swords]], [[A Storm of Swords-Map of Beyond the Wall|Map of Beyond the Wall]]</ref>
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'''Castle Black''' is the main stronghold of the [[Night's Watch]] and the seat of their [[Lord Commander of the Night's Watch|Lord Commander]].{{ref|AGOT|19}} The castle is situated along the [[Wall]] between [[Queensgate]] to the west and [[Oakenshield (Wall)|Oakenshield]] to the east, near the center of the Wall, at the northern end of the [[kingsroad]].<ref>''[[A Storm of Swords]]'', [[A Storm of Swords-Map of Beyond the Wall|Map of Beyond the Wall]]</ref> The village of [[Mole's Town]] is located half a league to the south along the kingsroad.{{ref|AGOT|21}}
  
Despite there being 19 strongholds along the [[Wall]], Castle Black is one of only three still manned by the [[Night's Watch]]. Once the castle held over five thousand men, but now currently holds about six hundred brothers.
+
Despite there being nineteen strongholds along the Wall, Castle Black is one of only three still manned by the Night's Watch, the others being the [[Shadow Tower]] and [[Eastwatch-by-the-Sea]].{{ref|AGOT|21}}
  
==The Castle==
+
==Layout==
The castle is not really a true castle at all, as it has no walls to defend it to west, east, or south. Only [[The Wall]] stands to the north. It consists of several stone towers and timber keeps. {{Ref|aGoT|19}} Beneath the keeps and towers, there is a series of subterranean passages that connect all of the buidings called the wormways. They are rarely used during the summer, but in the winter it is the only way to travel to different parts of the castle.{{Ref|aCoK|6}}
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:''See also: [[:Category:Images of Castle Black|Images of Castle Black]]''
  
Castle Black has only a small sept and no godswood.{{Ref|aGoT|19}} Men who follow the [[Old Gods]] have to travel beyond the Wall, into the haunted forest, to a small grove of carven weirwoods left by the children of the forest, to swear their vows.{{Ref|aGoT|48}}
+
Castle Black is not a true castle, as it has no walls to defend it to the west, east, or south. Only the Wall stands to the north. It consists of several stone towers and timber keeps.{{Ref|aGoT|19}} Beneath the keeps and towers, there is a series of subterranean passages called wormwalks which connect all of the buildings. They are rarely used during the summer, but in the winter it is the only way to travel to different parts of the castle.{{Ref|aCoK|6}}
 +
 
 +
Castle Black has a small [[sept]] run by Septon [[Cellador]] but no [[godswood]].{{Ref|aGoT|19}} Men who follow the [[old gods]] can travel half a league [[beyond the Wall]] into the [[haunted forest]], where a small grove contains a rough circle of nine [[weirwood]] [[heart tree]]s.{{Ref|aGoT|48}}
  
 
===Towers===
 
===Towers===
* '''Lord Commander's Tower''', It also called "Commander's Keep", it's where the [[Lord Commander of the Night's Watch|Lord Commander's]] quarters are located. It was burned down during [[Jon Snow]]'s fight against a [[Others#wights|wight]] that was trying to kill the Lord Commander.
+
* The [[Lord Commander's Tower]], also called "Lord Commander's Keep", is where the [[Lord Commander of the Night's Watch|Lord Commander's]] quarters are located.{{ref|AGOT|41}}
  
* '''King's Tower''', The King's Tower is 100 foot tall round tower with merlons atop it, overlooking the gate and the foot of the wooden stair leading up the Wall. The entry door is made of oak studded with iron.{{Ref|aSoS|55}}<br>Although it is reserved for honored guests and named for kings, no king has visited the tower in over a hundred years.{{Ref|aGoT|19}} until recently it was occupied by [[Stannis Baratheon]].
+
* The [[King's Tower]] is a hundred foot tall round tower with merlons atop it, overlooking the gate and the foot of the wooden stair leading up the Wall. The entry door is made of oak studded with iron.{{Ref|aSoS|55}} Although it is reserved for honored guests and named for kings, no king has visited the tower in over a hundred years.
  
* '''Hardin's Tower''', [[Hardin's Tower]], has a broken battlement, from which stone has spilled into the yard below and has a severe lean. [[Jon Snow]]'s cells were located in this tower before his ascension to Lord Commander.<ref>[[A Game of Thrones]], [[A Game  of Thrones-Chapter 19|Chapter 19]], Jon</ref>
+
* [[Hardin's Tower]] has a broken battlement, from which stone has spilled into the yard below. It has a severe lean.{{ref|AGOT|19}}
  
* '''Lance Tower''', The Lance Tower is the tallest tower in the castle, though only a third the height of the Wall. It is slim and crumbling.
+
* The [[Lance (tower)|Lance]] is the tallest tower at the castle, though only a third of the height of the Wall. It is slim and crumbling.{{ref|ASOS|55}}
  
* '''Tower of the Guards''', The strongest of the towers, It lies next to the [[Kingsroad]] and [[the Wall]] and guards the wooden stair.<ref>[[A Storm of Swords]], [[A Storm of Swords-Chapter 55|Chapter 55]], Jon</ref>
+
* The Tower of Guards is the strongest of the towers. It lies next to the kingsroad and the Wall, and guards the wooden stair.{{ref|ASOS|55}}
  
* '''Silent Tower''', The Silent Tower is a tower at Castle Black.<ref>[[A Storm of Swords]], [[A Storm of Swords-Chapter 55|Chapter 55]], Jon</ref>
+
* The Silent Tower is a tower at Castle Black.{{ref|ASOS|55}}
  
===Keeps===
+
===Buildings===
* '''Common Hall''' - a great timbered keep. Crows nest in the rafters.{{Ref|aGoT|19}}
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* The common hall is a great timbered keep where the brothers take their meals. Crows nest in the rafters.{{Ref|aGoT|19}}
* '''Rookery''' - the maester's quarters located in a stout wooden keep beneath the rookery.
+
* The rookery is the nesting place of Castle Black's [[raven]]s. Consequently, the [[maester]]'s quarters are located in a stout wooden keep beneath it.{{ref|ASOS|55}}
* '''Armory''' - where the equipment for weapons practice is kept.
+
* The armory is where the equipment for weapons practice is kept. [[Donal Noye]] forges weapons and armor here.{{ref|AGOT|19}}
* '''Flint''' Barracks - where most of the brothers reside.
+
* The old Flint Barracks is where most of the brothers reside.{{ref|ASOS|48}}
* '''Vaults''', located underground, they contain food stores and the library. The library contains records and old books that even the [[Citadel]] doesn't have, about drawings of the faces in the weirwoods, language of the children of the forest, scrolls from Valyria etc.
+
* The  vaults, located underground, contain food stores and the library. The library contains records and old books that even the [[Citadel]] does not have. Amongst other topics, it covers drawings of the faces in the weirwoods, the language of the children of the forest, and scrolls from [[Valyria]].{{ref|AFFC|5}}
 +
* The [[Shieldhall]] is a feast hall of dark stone. In years past, when the Night's Watch was much larger in number, its walls had been hung with rows of brightly colored wooden shields. When a knight took the black, his shield would adorn its wall and he would take up the plain black shield of the brotherhood.{{Ref|aDwD|69}}
 +
* The Grey Keep is another building at Castle Black.{{ref|ASOS|75}}
  
===Halls===
+
===Tunnels===
* '''Shieldhall''' - a feast hall of dark stone. In years past, when the Night's Watch was much larger in number, its walls had been hung with rows of brightly colored wooden shields. When a knight took the black, his shield would adorn the wall and he would take up the plain black shield of the brotherhood.{{Ref|adwd|69}}
+
There are a series of tunnels underneath Castle Black called wormwalks or wormways, which connect the various keeps and towers. These tunnels are mostly used during the winter, when the cold and snow, sometimes forty or fifty feet deep, make it impossible to travel above ground.{{Ref|aFfC|5}} The large library of Castle Black lies along one of these tunnels.{{Ref|aCoK|6}}
  
===Tunnels===
+
===Lichyard===
There are a series of tunnels underneath Castle Black called the wormways, which connect the various keeps and towers. These tunnels are mostly used during the winter, when the cold and snow (sometimes forty or fifty feet deep) make it impossible to travel above ground.{{Ref|aFfC|5}} The library of Castle Black lies along one of these tunnels.{{Ref|aCoK|6}}
+
Beside the eastern road from Castle Black is a [[lichyard]] with the graves of some members of the Night's Watch.{{ref|AFFC|5}} Beside the lichyard are ancient tombs.{{ref|ADWD|69}}
  
 
===The Wall===
 
===The Wall===
:{{See also|The Wall}}
+
* The gate guards the tunnel through the [[Wall]], which is long, twisting and narrow. Three iron gates block the inner passage. Each of these gates is locked and has a murder hole above it. The outer door to the tunnel is solid oak, about nine inches thick.{{ref|ASOS|64}}
* '''The Gate''', Castle Black guards one of two known passages through the Wall (the [[Nightfort#Black Gate|Black Gate]] being the other). The tunnel through the Wall is long, twisting and narrow. Three iron gates block the inner passage. Each of these gates is locked and has a murder hole above it. The outer door to the tunnel is solid oak, about nine inches thick.
+
 
 +
* The great switchback stair climbs its way up from Castle Black to the top of the Wall. It is made of wooden stairs, anchored by huge beams frozen into the Wall itself.{{ref|ASOS|64}}
 +
 
 +
* An iron cage attached to a winch is used to ascend and descend the face of the Wall. The cage can hold ten men{{ref|ASOS|64}} and is located near Castle Black's well.{{ref|AGOT|21}} Supplies and barrels of gravel can be transported to the top via the cage.{{ref|AGOT|26}}
 +
 
 +
* Facilities on top of the Wall include a small warming shed for the men on watch located next to the crane.{{ref|ASOS|69}}
  
* '''Access to the top''', The great '''switchback stair''', climbs its way up from castle black to the top of the wall. It is made of wooden stairs, anchored by huge beams frozen into it.<!--(I: 176. III: 613)--><br>A '''winch elevator''' is used to take supplies and men up to the top of the Wall. It is an iron cage attached to a winch to allow it to ascend and descend the face of the Wall. It can hold ten men or an equal amount of supplies. It is located near Castle Black's well.
+
==History==
 +
Castle Black is an ancient stronghold,{{ref|AGOT|19}} although the [[Nightfort]], the first castle of the [[Night's Watch]], is said to be twice as old.{{ref|ASOS|56}} Castle Black at some point became the seat of the [[Lord Commander of the Night's Watch|Lord Commander]], taking over that role from the Nightfort{{ref|AWOIAF| Castle Black}} at least six hundred years ago.{{ref|ASOS|55}}
  
* '''Facilities on top''', a small warming shed for the men on watch located near the crane. <!--(I: 177. III: 778)-->
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Lord Commander [[Lothor Burley]] hosted Queen [[Alysanne Targaryen]] and her [[dragon]], [[Silverwing]], at Castle Black in {{date|58}}.{{ref|FAB|Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies}}
  
==Chapters that take place in Castle Black==
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Castle Black once held over five thousand fighting men along with their servants,{{ref|AGOT|19}} but it now holds about six hundred brothers,{{ref|AGOT|21}} said to be one tenth of the five thousand fighting men and there servants,{{ref|AGOT|19}} thus putting the number of servants it ones held at approximately one thousand.
*[[A Game of Thrones-Chapter 19|A Game of Thrones: 19. Jon III]]
 
*[[A Game of Thrones-Chapter 21|A Game of Thrones: 21. Tyrion III]]
 
*[[A Game of Thrones-Chapter 26|A Game of Thrones: 26. Jon IV]]
 
*[[A Game of Thrones-Chapter 41|A Game of Thrones: 41. Jon V]]
 
*[[A Game of Thrones-Chapter 48|A Game of Thrones: 48. Jon VI]]
 
*[[A Game of Thrones-Chapter 52|A Game of Thrones: 52. Jon VII]]
 
*[[A Game of Thrones-Chapter 60|A Game of Thrones: 60. Jon VIII]]
 
*[[A Game of Thrones-Chapter 70|A Game of Thrones: 70. Jon IX]]
 
  
==References and Notes==
+
==Recent Events==
{{references|3}}
+
===''A Game of Thrones''===
 +
[[Jon Snow]] and [[Samwell Tarly]] are trained by Ser [[Alliser Thorne]] as recruits of the Night's Watch at Castle Black. [[Tyrion Lannister]] sleeps in the [[King's Tower]] during his visit to the Wall, while Jon sleeps in [[Hardin's Tower]].{{Ref|aGoT|19}} Jon and Sam swear their vows at the nearby godswood north of the Wall and are sworn in as new brothers of the Watch.{{ref|ASOS|48}} The bodies of [[Jafer Flowers]] and [[Othor]], rangers killed beyond the Wall, reanimate as [[wights]] at Castle Black. The [[Lord Commander's Tower]] burns during Jon's fight with undead Othor when it tries to kill Lord Commander [[Jeor Mormont]].{{Ref|aGoT|52}}
 +
 
 +
===''A Clash of Kings''===
 +
Two hundred men from Castle Black accompany Lord Commander Mormont during the [[great ranging]] north of the Wall. Maester [[Aemon Targaryen (son of Maekar I)|Aemon]] remains at the castle because of his age. [[Samwell Tarly]] reads a report in the library about [[Redwyn]], a brother who led a ranging to the [[Frozen Shore]] during the reign of [[Dorren Stark]], [[King in the North]].{{Ref|aCoK|6}}
 +
 
 +
===''A Storm of Swords''===
 +
Jon returns to Castle Black after being wounded by [[wildlings]] at [[Queenscrown]] south of the Wall.{{ref|ASOS|48}} Jon and [[Donal Noye]] fortify Castle Black as best they can in anticipation of [[Styr]], Magnar of [[Thenn (valley)|Thenn]]. Styr's wildling raiders [[attack on Castle Black|are defeated]] in a fire trap at the wooden stairs of the castle.{{ref|ASOS|55}}
 +
 
 +
[[Mance Rayder]] attacks the Wall with multiple waves of wildlings during the [[battle beneath the Wall]]. Jon leads the defenders atop the Wall while Donal protects the tunnel through the Wall. After the death of Donal, Aemon tells Jon that he must lead Castle Black until its garrison returns.{{ref|ASOS|64}} Jon is sent as an envoy to meet with Mance north of the Wall. As they converse, the knights of King [[Stannis Baratheon]] appear and rout the wildling host.{{ref|ASOS|73}}
 +
 
 +
In the aftermath of the battle, Sam finds the common hall burned to the ground and the wooden stair a mound of broken ice and scorched timbers.{{ref|ASOS|75}} Stannis occupies the King's Tower, while the Lance, Hardin's Tower, the Grey Keep, the [[Shieldhall]], and other buildings are also crowded with men. Jon is selected as the new Lord Commander to replace Jeor Mormont, who was killed at [[mutiny at Craster's Keep|Craster's Keep]].{{ref|ASOS|79}}
 +
 
 +
===''A Feast for Crows''===
 +
Samwell searches in Castle Black's library for information about the [[Others]]. Sam learns from Lord Commander Snow that he must escort Maester Aemon to [[Oldtown]] and then train at the [[Citadel]] to become Castle Black's new maester.{{ref|AFFC|5}} Because Stannis Baratheon has claimed the King's Tower, and the Lord Commander's Tower has been gutted by fire, Jon establishes himself in Donal Noye's modest quarters behind the armory. {{ref|AFFC|5}}
 +
 
 +
===''A Dance with Dragons''===
 +
Castle Black hosts the army of King Stannis. Jon Snow executes [[Janos Slynt]] for disobedience, while [[Melisandre]] burns "[[Rattleshirt|Mance Rayder]]". Jon allows thousands of captive wildlings to cross through the Wall to Castle Black, much to the consternation of some members of the Night's Watch.{{ref|ADWD|10}} The officers worry there will not be enough rations for the additional mouths. Stannis departs to recruit the [[northern mountain clans]], although Melisandre remains at Castle Black.{{ref|ADWD|17}} Some wildlings are recruited by Jon to help the Night's Watch defend the Wall.{{ref|ADWD|21}}
 +
 
 +
Queen [[Selyse Florent|Selyse]] and her [[queen's men]] stop at Castle Black on their way to the [[Nightfort]].{{ref|ADWD|44}} [[Alys Karstark]] arrives seeking refuge and is married to [[Sigorn]] of Thenn by Melisandre.{{ref|ADWD|49}} Jon has Alys's relative [[Cregan Karstark]] imprisoned in an ice cell. [[Val]] brings [[Tormund Giantsbane]] and his four thousand wildlings to Castle Black, but [[Bowen Marsh]] and the mountain clans disapprove of the wildlings settling south of the Wall.{{ref|ADWD|53}}
 +
 
 +
Lord Commander Snow agrees to disperse the wildlings amongst the previously abandoned castles along the Wall.{{ref|ADWD|58}}{{ref|ADWD|69}} Jon receives a [[Bastard Letter|belligerent letter]] from [[Ramsay Snow|Ramsay Bolton]] and, choosing to break his vow to the Night's Watch to remain neutral, decides to go to Winterfell to confront Ramsay. As he prepares, the giant [[Wun Weg Wun Dar Wun|Wun Wun]] kills one of the queen's men, Ser [[Patrek of King's Mountain]]. While Jon is trying to make sense of the situation, he is [[Mutiny at Castle Black|attacked]] by Bowen and other members of the Night's Watch.{{ref|ADWD|69}}
 +
 
 +
==Chapters that take place at Castle Black==
 +
{{Columns|3|
 +
*[[A Game of Thrones-Chapter 19|''A Game of Thrones'': 19. Jon III]]
 +
*[[A Game of Thrones-Chapter 21|''A Game of Thrones'': 21. Tyrion III]]
 +
*[[A Game of Thrones-Chapter 26|''A Game of Thrones'': 26. Jon IV]]
 +
*[[A Game of Thrones-Chapter 41|''A Game of Thrones'': 41. Jon V]]
 +
*[[A Game of Thrones-Chapter 48|''A Game of Thrones'': 48. Jon VI]]
 +
*[[A Game of Thrones-Chapter 52|''A Game of Thrones'': 52. Jon VII]]
 +
*[[A Game of Thrones-Chapter 60|''A Game of Thrones'': 60. Jon VIII]]
 +
*[[A Game of Thrones-Chapter 70|''A Game of Thrones'': 70. Jon IX]]
 +
*[[A Clash of Kings-Chapter 6|''A Clash of Kings'': 6. Jon I]]
 +
*[[A Storm of Swords-Chapter 48|''A Storm of Swords'': 48. Jon VI]]
 +
*[[A Storm of Swords-Chapter 55|''A Storm of Swords'': 55. Jon VII]]
 +
*[[A Storm of Swords-Chapter 64|''A Storm of Swords'': 64. Jon VIII]]
 +
*[[A Storm of Swords-Chapter 69|''A Storm of Swords'': 69. Jon IX]]
 +
*[[A Storm of Swords-Chapter 73|''A Storm of Swords'': 73. Jon X]]
 +
*[[A Storm of Swords-Chapter 75|''A Storm of Swords'': 75. Samwell IV]]
 +
*[[A Storm of Swords-Chapter 76|''A Storm of Swords'': 76. Jon XI]]
 +
*[[A Storm of Swords-Chapter 78|''A Storm of Swords'': 78. Samwell V]]
 +
*[[A Storm of Swords-Chapter 79|''A Storm of Swords'': 79. Jon XII]]
 +
*[[A Feast for Crows-Chapter 5|''A Feast for Crows'': 5. Samwell I]]
 +
*[[A Dance with Dragons-Chapter 3|''A Dance with Dragons'': 3. Jon I]]
 +
*[[A Dance with Dragons-Chapter 7|''A Dance with Dragons'': 7. Jon II]]
 +
*[[A Dance with Dragons-Chapter 10|''A Dance with Dragons'': 10. Jon III]]
 +
*[[A Dance with Dragons-Chapter 17|''A Dance with Dragons'': 17. Jon IV]]
 +
*[[A Dance with Dragons-Chapter 21|''A Dance with Dragons'': 21. Jon V]]
 +
*[[A Dance with Dragons-Chapter 28|''A Dance with Dragons'': 28. Jon VI]]
 +
*[[A Dance with Dragons-Chapter 31|''A Dance with Dragons'': 31. Melisandre I]]
 +
*[[A Dance with Dragons-Chapter 35|''A Dance with Dragons'': 35. Jon VII]]
 +
*[[A Dance with Dragons-Chapter 39|''A Dance with Dragons'': 39. Jon VIII]]
 +
*[[A Dance with Dragons-Chapter 44|''A Dance with Dragons'': 44. Jon IX]]
 +
*[[A Dance with Dragons-Chapter 49|''A Dance with Dragons'': 49. Jon X]]
 +
*[[A Dance with Dragons-Chapter 53|''A Dance with Dragons'': 53. Jon XI]]
 +
*[[A Dance with Dragons-Chapter 58|''A Dance with Dragons'': 58. Jon XII]]
 +
*[[A Dance with Dragons-Chapter 69|''A Dance with Dragons'': 69. Jon XIII]]
 +
}}
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 +
==References==
 +
{{References}}
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 +
{{Region North‎}}
 
{{Castles of the Night's Watch}}
 
{{Castles of the Night's Watch}}
  
 +
[[Category:Castle Black| ]]
 
[[Category:Castles of the Night's Watch]]
 
[[Category:Castles of the Night's Watch]]
[[Category:Buildings]]
 
 
[[Category:Places in the North]]
 
[[Category:Places in the North]]
[[es:Castillo Negro]][[fr:Châteaunoir]][[ru:Чёрный Замок]][[zh:黑城堡]]
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[[es:Castillo Negro]]
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[[tr:Kara Kale]]
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[[fa:کسل بلک]]
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[[fr:Châteaunoir]]
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[[ru:Чёрный Замок]]
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[[zh:黑城堡]]

Revision as of 06:49, 4 May 2019

Castle Black and the Wall by Ted Nasmith ©
The north and the location of Castle Black
The north and the location of Castle Black
Castle Black
The north and the location of Castle Black
Bird's eye view of Castle Black - by Matt Olson ©
Castle Black and the Wall (Game of Thrones)
Winch elevator used to get on top of the Wall
Castle Black - Training yard (Game of Thrones)

Castle Black is the main stronghold of the Night's Watch and the seat of their Lord Commander.[1] The castle is situated along the Wall between Queensgate to the west and Oakenshield to the east, near the center of the Wall, at the northern end of the kingsroad.[2] The village of Mole's Town is located half a league to the south along the kingsroad.[3]

Despite there being nineteen strongholds along the Wall, Castle Black is one of only three still manned by the Night's Watch, the others being the Shadow Tower and Eastwatch-by-the-Sea.[3]

Layout

See also: Images of Castle Black

Castle Black is not a true castle, as it has no walls to defend it to the west, east, or south. Only the Wall stands to the north. It consists of several stone towers and timber keeps.[1] Beneath the keeps and towers, there is a series of subterranean passages called wormwalks which connect all of the buildings. They are rarely used during the summer, but in the winter it is the only way to travel to different parts of the castle.[4]

Castle Black has a small sept run by Septon Cellador but no godswood.[1] Men who follow the old gods can travel half a league beyond the Wall into the haunted forest, where a small grove contains a rough circle of nine weirwood heart trees.[5]

Towers

  • The King's Tower is a hundred foot tall round tower with merlons atop it, overlooking the gate and the foot of the wooden stair leading up the Wall. The entry door is made of oak studded with iron.[7] Although it is reserved for honored guests and named for kings, no king has visited the tower in over a hundred years.
  • Hardin's Tower has a broken battlement, from which stone has spilled into the yard below. It has a severe lean.[1]
  • The Lance is the tallest tower at the castle, though only a third of the height of the Wall. It is slim and crumbling.[7]
  • The Tower of Guards is the strongest of the towers. It lies next to the kingsroad and the Wall, and guards the wooden stair.[7]
  • The Silent Tower is a tower at Castle Black.[7]

Buildings

  • The common hall is a great timbered keep where the brothers take their meals. Crows nest in the rafters.[1]
  • The rookery is the nesting place of Castle Black's ravens. Consequently, the maester's quarters are located in a stout wooden keep beneath it.[7]
  • The armory is where the equipment for weapons practice is kept. Donal Noye forges weapons and armor here.[1]
  • The old Flint Barracks is where most of the brothers reside.[8]
  • The vaults, located underground, contain food stores and the library. The library contains records and old books that even the Citadel does not have. Amongst other topics, it covers drawings of the faces in the weirwoods, the language of the children of the forest, and scrolls from Valyria.[9]
  • The Shieldhall is a feast hall of dark stone. In years past, when the Night's Watch was much larger in number, its walls had been hung with rows of brightly colored wooden shields. When a knight took the black, his shield would adorn its wall and he would take up the plain black shield of the brotherhood.[10]
  • The Grey Keep is another building at Castle Black.[11]

Tunnels

There are a series of tunnels underneath Castle Black called wormwalks or wormways, which connect the various keeps and towers. These tunnels are mostly used during the winter, when the cold and snow, sometimes forty or fifty feet deep, make it impossible to travel above ground.[9] The large library of Castle Black lies along one of these tunnels.[4]

Lichyard

Beside the eastern road from Castle Black is a lichyard with the graves of some members of the Night's Watch.[9] Beside the lichyard are ancient tombs.[10]

The Wall

  • The gate guards the tunnel through the Wall, which is long, twisting and narrow. Three iron gates block the inner passage. Each of these gates is locked and has a murder hole above it. The outer door to the tunnel is solid oak, about nine inches thick.[12]
  • The great switchback stair climbs its way up from Castle Black to the top of the Wall. It is made of wooden stairs, anchored by huge beams frozen into the Wall itself.[12]
  • An iron cage attached to a winch is used to ascend and descend the face of the Wall. The cage can hold ten men[12] and is located near Castle Black's well.[3] Supplies and barrels of gravel can be transported to the top via the cage.[13]
  • Facilities on top of the Wall include a small warming shed for the men on watch located next to the crane.[14]

History

Castle Black is an ancient stronghold,[1] although the Nightfort, the first castle of the Night's Watch, is said to be twice as old.[15] Castle Black at some point became the seat of the Lord Commander, taking over that role from the Nightfort[16] at least six hundred years ago.[7]

Lord Commander Lothor Burley hosted Queen Alysanne Targaryen and her dragon, Silverwing, at Castle Black in 58 AC.[17]

Castle Black once held over five thousand fighting men along with their servants,[1] but it now holds about six hundred brothers,[3] said to be one tenth of the five thousand fighting men and there servants,[1] thus putting the number of servants it ones held at approximately one thousand.

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

Jon Snow and Samwell Tarly are trained by Ser Alliser Thorne as recruits of the Night's Watch at Castle Black. Tyrion Lannister sleeps in the King's Tower during his visit to the Wall, while Jon sleeps in Hardin's Tower.[1] Jon and Sam swear their vows at the nearby godswood north of the Wall and are sworn in as new brothers of the Watch.[8] The bodies of Jafer Flowers and Othor, rangers killed beyond the Wall, reanimate as wights at Castle Black. The Lord Commander's Tower burns during Jon's fight with undead Othor when it tries to kill Lord Commander Jeor Mormont.[18]

A Clash of Kings

Two hundred men from Castle Black accompany Lord Commander Mormont during the great ranging north of the Wall. Maester Aemon remains at the castle because of his age. Samwell Tarly reads a report in the library about Redwyn, a brother who led a ranging to the Frozen Shore during the reign of Dorren Stark, King in the North.[4]

A Storm of Swords

Jon returns to Castle Black after being wounded by wildlings at Queenscrown south of the Wall.[8] Jon and Donal Noye fortify Castle Black as best they can in anticipation of Styr, Magnar of Thenn. Styr's wildling raiders are defeated in a fire trap at the wooden stairs of the castle.[7]

Mance Rayder attacks the Wall with multiple waves of wildlings during the battle beneath the Wall. Jon leads the defenders atop the Wall while Donal protects the tunnel through the Wall. After the death of Donal, Aemon tells Jon that he must lead Castle Black until its garrison returns.[12] Jon is sent as an envoy to meet with Mance north of the Wall. As they converse, the knights of King Stannis Baratheon appear and rout the wildling host.[19]

In the aftermath of the battle, Sam finds the common hall burned to the ground and the wooden stair a mound of broken ice and scorched timbers.[11] Stannis occupies the King's Tower, while the Lance, Hardin's Tower, the Grey Keep, the Shieldhall, and other buildings are also crowded with men. Jon is selected as the new Lord Commander to replace Jeor Mormont, who was killed at Craster's Keep.[20]

A Feast for Crows

Samwell searches in Castle Black's library for information about the Others. Sam learns from Lord Commander Snow that he must escort Maester Aemon to Oldtown and then train at the Citadel to become Castle Black's new maester.[9] Because Stannis Baratheon has claimed the King's Tower, and the Lord Commander's Tower has been gutted by fire, Jon establishes himself in Donal Noye's modest quarters behind the armory. [9]

A Dance with Dragons

Castle Black hosts the army of King Stannis. Jon Snow executes Janos Slynt for disobedience, while Melisandre burns "Mance Rayder". Jon allows thousands of captive wildlings to cross through the Wall to Castle Black, much to the consternation of some members of the Night's Watch.[21] The officers worry there will not be enough rations for the additional mouths. Stannis departs to recruit the northern mountain clans, although Melisandre remains at Castle Black.[22] Some wildlings are recruited by Jon to help the Night's Watch defend the Wall.[23]

Queen Selyse and her queen's men stop at Castle Black on their way to the Nightfort.[24] Alys Karstark arrives seeking refuge and is married to Sigorn of Thenn by Melisandre.[25] Jon has Alys's relative Cregan Karstark imprisoned in an ice cell. Val brings Tormund Giantsbane and his four thousand wildlings to Castle Black, but Bowen Marsh and the mountain clans disapprove of the wildlings settling south of the Wall.[26]

Lord Commander Snow agrees to disperse the wildlings amongst the previously abandoned castles along the Wall.[27][10] Jon receives a belligerent letter from Ramsay Bolton and, choosing to break his vow to the Night's Watch to remain neutral, decides to go to Winterfell to confront Ramsay. As he prepares, the giant Wun Wun kills one of the queen's men, Ser Patrek of King's Mountain. While Jon is trying to make sense of the situation, he is attacked by Bowen and other members of the Night's Watch.[10]

Chapters that take place at Castle Black

References