sightseeing

The history of the Shimabara castle

The Shimabara castle was constructed by Matsukura Bungonokami Shigemasa spending 7 years from 1618.

At that time, a high land called Moritake was cut  into a castle shape and people pilled stones up and dug a moat, then built the castle. 

All walls are Nurigome(*1) and 

Hakuagoso tenshukaku(*2) is set up in the centre and 

arranged 50 large and small turrets in key points, 

then Yazama wall(*3) surrounded the tower and turrets. The wall was so splendid that it was 2233m length in total and was adopted Azuchimomoyama castle style. 

Since then, the castle had been used as a residence for 4 masters and 18 generations for around 250 years, and made a lot of history.

But abandoned castle was decided atMeiji restoration.

For 90 years since the castle was demolished in 1874,

The ruins of a castle without the castle tower still look as it used to.

In 1960, “West turret” was restored,

And the next, in 1964 “the tower”, in 1973 “Tatsumi turret”, in 1980 “Ushitora turret” were restored as well as long walls with Yazama and pistole Yazama.

These days, at the tower documents related to hidden Christian and local materials related to the Domain and folklore materials are displayed.

*1 Nurigome

     A wall plastered sand up heavily.

 

*2  Hakuagoso tenshukaku

     A 5 story-tower of castle with a white wall

 

*3 Yazamabei

     A wall with a small window to shoot an arrow looking from inside to outside.