Castle builders often depict Medieval living as a quaint and pleasant affair – lovely little farms situated upon rolling hills, castles tucked into deep forests, villagers frolicking about unencumbered by the socioeconomic factors of the 21st Century… Who wouldn’t want to live there? Perhaps this was the case for those living in the countryside, but for the residents of large Medieval cities life was decidedly darker and cruel. Jacob Nion does a fine job recreating the dreariness of Medieval urban life with his newest creation, The Black Knight’s Inn.

One has to appreciate the atmosphere in this scene. The crumbling stonework, leaning buildings and restrained color palette combine into a rather austere beauty. By building the foreground higher than everything else, the builder creates a unique sense of dimension and depth to his work. This design choice makes the scene look larger than it actually is; the angle of the buildings creates a sense that this street continues on forever.

Before you get the wrong idea, it should be noted the red snake is in fact a tail belonging to one of the rodent-faced residents who live here. There are plenty of dangers lurking in the darkest alleys of a Medieval city, but fortunately butt-biting snakes are not one of them!

Marvel at the might and majesty of Mark of Falworth‘s magnificent Clarendon Castle – one of the last entries in the Classic Castle Competition, and in this fan’s opinion one of the best. The model is 4ft x 5ft (1.2m x 1.5m) and weighs in at a hefty 110lbs (50kg). It took over four months to build, the last half being completed in just two weeks with the help of the builders’ brother.

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This rustic fortified tavern by Guilherme Santos is a little delight: the chimney with smoke from the warm hearth, the barmaid offering weary travelers a place to rest and recharge, the knight and his traveling companion walking through the archway of intricate stonework under the tower, with lovely details like the wooden supports sticking out of the stone.

The flags flying over the crossbowman on the parapet, the unusual shape of the base, the subtle use of foliage and the small touches of wear and tear, the ramshackle look of the roof of the Inn, the cobbled stone work of the tower and characters chosen to tell the story of this Guarded Inn all add a sense of authenticity and realism.

But the coolest thing about this creation is that its based on the classic LEGO castle set 6067 Guarded Inn. The builder has honored the essence of the original while up-scaling and brought their own unique style to it.

Naturally, most people look to the Old World when reflecting upon history’s greatest architectural achievements. The Pyramids of Giza, the Colosseum, the Forbidden City, Angkor Wat – these structures are forever etched into our understanding of human culture and history. Perhaps not as well known are the ancient and impressive sites in Central and South America. I built this Mesoamerican pyramid as a tribute to this wonderful architectural legacy, some of which I have been fortunate enough to see in person. This temple is based loosely on “El Castillo” in Chichen Itza, Mexico, whose construction began in the eighth century.

I think this creation highlights what proper photography and the right composition can do to maximize aesthetic appeal. This is certainly a simple build – no advanced techniques to write home about, and you’re going to find pretty much every stud is pointed up – but the overall look negates an otherwise banal design. Using background features (in this case, the trees) helps add depth and dimension, making a creation look bigger than it really is. Color and knowing how much to use is crucial too. Here the sand blue water and green palm trees contrasts nicely with the darker tones of the temple and trees – again, adding more depth to the scene.

I received an email from someone asking if this creation was in fact a render. It isn’t, but that is the quality I aim for when photographing my creations. I shot this outside on a cloudy day (perhaps surprisingly, that’s mostly what we get here in southwestern Arkansas). Nothing brings out a build’s colors better and provides more even lighting than natural light on a cloudy day. That may not always be an option, but if you’re struggling to photograph your build with artificial lights, it might be worth waiting a few days for a weather front to come through and let nature do the work for you.

You would be forgiven for turning up the thermostat a few degrees after viewing this delightfully chilling ice castle by builder Kai NRG. One can almost feel the cold and biting wind as it blows across this fortress of ice, and sense the loneliness of the soldiers who garrison it.

The stronghold looks to be made of an impenetrable and unwavering ice, both magical and ancient, as if its occupants were only the latest of many who once called this place home. While the castle certainly steals the show, the surrounding wasteland is no less impressive. The attention to detail is obvious in the uneven snow layers and frozen rocks which form the base. The lack of even the slightest vegetation adds to the sense of abandonment and despair in this harsh land. In such desolation there is no hope beyond the warmth of the hearth and the brotherhood of those who fight to protect this realm.