International Castle Research Society

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International Castle Research Society

The International Castle Research Society (ICRS) is a not-for-profit organization founded in Aachen, Germany, in 1986. It grew from ideas by architect Bernhard Siepen, who has led the group as president since 2000. Early supporters included Hans Stercken, a longtime Aachen member of parliament, and Consul Cornel Renfert of the Franco-German Chamber of Commerce in Paris.

Background
The first large model, the Donjon of Coucy, began in 1997. Since then, ICRS has built many more models, including Castel del Monte. Early models focused mainly on French fortified keeps (donjons) and Crusader castles, along with bazaars and medieval ships. In recent years, the society has shifted toward recreating palaces from the 9th to 12th centuries and has plans to model the Aachen palace of Charlemagne (around 800 AD) and historic buildings in Jerusalem.

ICRS activities
- Create models of historic buildings, ships, and life scenes.
- Bring these models to life with hand-painted figurines.
- Present models with descriptions and plans.
- Organize seminars, talks, multimedia shows, and visits to exhibitions and historic sites.
- Support and run research study courses on historic buildings at school and university levels.
- Train young people in crafts used to make the models.

Models
ICRS makes models based on historical sources at about 1:25 scale. Examples include:
- Donjon of Coucy, France (6 x 6 meters, about 2,500 figurines)
- French jousting tournament (2 x 2 meters, about 700 figurines)
- Aleppo Bazaar (16th century) (4 x 4 meters, about 750 figurines)
- Crac des Chevaliers, Syria (AD 1271) (6 x 6 meters, about 2,000 figurines)
- Arab trebuchets and mangonels (1 x 0.6 meters, about 50 figurines)
- Crusader ships at Akko harbour (AD 1270) (3 x 2 meters, about 600 figurines)
- Castel del Monte (3 x 3 meters, about 400 figurines)

Exhibitions
ICRS has shared its work with audiences across Europe and North America, attracting well over a million visitors. Notable exhibitions include:
- Bonn, Germany (2009) – Models of Medieval Castles at the LVR State Museum
- Washington, DC (2006) – Castles of the Crusades: A View in Miniature at the National Geographic Museum
- Omaha, Nebraska (2006) – French Donjons: Castle of Coucy, Medieval Life in Miniature at Joslyn Art Museum
- Frankfurt, Germany (2005/2006) – Castles and Bazaars of Crusader Times at the Museum of Archaeology
- Sully-sur-Loire, France (2005) – In the Days of the Donjons
- Solingen/Wuppertal, Germany (2005) – Donjon of Coucy at Schloß Burg
- Düsseldorf, Germany (2004/05) – Aleppo to Coucy – Orient to Occident at Haus der Architekten
- Kulmbach, Germany (2004) – French Donjons at Plassenburg
- And other cities including Meissen, Erfurt, Aachen, Strasbourg, and more, with exhibitions often titled French Donjons or Castles and Bazaars of Crusader Times

Publications
ICRS has published numerous books and catalogs on castles and medieval architecture, including works on French donjons and related topics. Titles cover French donjons, residential towers, and medieval castle programs, often with ISBN references and exhibition-related material.

External notes
ICRS maintains an online presence and materials in multiple languages, sharing press reviews, exhibit information, and related resources. The organization focuses on education, public exhibitions, and scholarly study of medieval castle architecture and life.