6 Lessons We Can Learn from the Ozark Medieval Fortress

or, How NOT to Build a Medieval Castle in 21st Century America.

Artist's rendering of the completed Ozark Medieval Fortress, originally projected for 2030

A few years ago, a team of investors and enthusiasts led by Michel Guyot broke ground on a 20-year building project to construct a 13th century castle in the middle of the USA. They called it the Ozark Medieval Fortress. It was an ambitious plan to build an entire castle, with towers, walls, and a great hall, using only the methods they would have used in the middle ages. When I heard about this, I was ecstatic. I'd seen a documentary about a similar project, Chateau de Guedelon, in France and thought it was super cool, but thought I'd probably never get to see something like that in person.

But the Ozark Medieval Fortress was only a few hours away, in northern Arkansas! I got to visit once in each in 2010 and 2011, and was hoping to intern there in 2012, but that's when their problems came clearly to the surface in the form of the message which appeared on their website early in 2012: "Opening in 2012 delayed due to financial reasons. We are seeking American financial partners."

They never re-opened.

In looking back at the way the whole Ozark Medieval Fortress was run, I think there's a lot we can learn, and maybe get it right with a stellar medieval castle-building project somewhere in the future. These are the 6 big ideas on what I think was done wrong at the Ozark Medieval Fortress, and how they could be done right, next time.

Breaking limestonewith a chase-masse

6. Don't Start a Risky, Multi-Million Dollar Project in the Middle of a Recession.

Granted, the project's financiers were from Europe, and the economic downturn hadn't really hit Europe yet when the project began to take shape in 2008. The downturn doesn't seem to have been really affecting European economies even when the Fortress opened in 2010. But the recession was certainly in full swing in America at that time. And the Fortress was slated to be built in Lead Hill, Arkansas, smack in the middle of financially-struggling America. Maybe this was taken into consideration, but it seems that it would have been wiser to perhaps wait until a time when people [i.e. - potential visitors] would be more willing to part with their hard-earned dollars to visit a castle in progress, especially when there really wasn't much to look at (in the fortress itself) in the first season, with most of the walls less than 2 ft tall, and maybe 8 ft at the highest sections.

5. Don't Start an Expensive Project with Out-of-Touch Investors.

The project's investors were all from France, and it seems that many of them were or are also involved in the Chateau de Guedelon project. On one hand, that's a good thing. The investors were already steeped in the French culture which the Ozark Medieval Fortress was supposed to embody. The problem, I think, is that they were French, and not American. Perhaps they were more familiar with French history, culture, and the middle ages, but they were probably not familiar with American culture, and how to market a medieval castle building project to an American audience.

Who might have been better investors? I bet a few universities with Medieval Studies programs might have been interested in helping to sponsor the project. Or just wealthy Americans in general - but someone who was familiar with the culture and country in which the project was to be carried out.

A tower doorway at OMF

4. Don't Start an Expensive, Tourism-Based Project in the Middle of Nowhere.

Why did they pick Arkansas, of all places? Convenience. They touted on their website that the landscape was very similar to that of Southern France, and also happened to have a limestone quarry, which is essential to the castle building, and it was even conveniently only 30 miles south of the touristy Branson, MO. Branson would be a great location for an attraction directed at seniors or families with small children, but Branson, and the entire Midwest is not exactly a place known for its interest in European History. The castle was not at all handicapped accessible and was not exactly a safe environment to encourage young children to run about. These conditions essentially exclude 80-90% of all of Branson's typical visitors.

So what might have been a better location? Somewhere with beautiful scenery that could be compared to somewhere in Europe, but somewhere with a larger population nearby, somewhere that attracts international visitors, and somewhere with a population more inclined to be interested in European history enough to want to visit a Medieval European Style Castle-in-Progress. Good candidates might include locations in Colorado, California, Washington State, Florida, or upstate New York.

3. Don't Translate Your Written Materials Directly from French. Or Any Other Language.

The relationship of the Chateau de Guedelon with the Ozark Medieval Fortress was something akin to a big brother - little sister type of relationship, with much of the information and planning for the OMF coming directly from the French project. This is helpful in that the instructions on masonry and signage come from experts, but this arrangement also caused some problems in translation. Foremost among these was the press release given to news media throughout America to announce the opening of the Ozark Medieval Fortress. Somehow, the facts got mixed up so that the release bragged that the Ozark Medieval Fortress would be "a genuine, full-sized, fortified castle, with 24-foot high towers, a drawbridge, and 6-foot wide stone walls." That sounds rather unimpressive, and not like a full-sized castle, or anything worth visiting. In reality, the walls were 6 feet thick and 24 feet tall, and the tallest of the towers was planned to be over 70 feet tall.

Other instances of translated material not turning out so well was in the signage scattered throughout the castle site. Several had typos or were worded awkwardly, but one in particular explained the "wise witch." This title is perfectly innocuous in France, but in America, the word "witch" has certain very negative connotations. A better English translation would be something like "wise woman" - the village expert on herbs and remedies.

These problems could have all been avoided by assuring that a native English speaker wrote and/or translates all of the written material associated with the Ozark Medieval Fortress.

2. Don't Open A Niche Attraction Without Knowing your Market and How to Appeal to it.

What is an "Ozark Medieval Fortress" anyway? Some people don't even know what "medieval" means, but they're sure going to know what a castle is. "Fortress" brings to mind a civil war fort or other military construction, and not necessarily a castle. Even the word "Ozark" carries a certain stigma with it. The castle could have been named just about anything other than "Ozark Medieval Fortress," as long as "castle" or "chateau" was in the name.

On the castle's website and in their one advertising campaign, the motto was,
"They're building it. Come see it!"
The point of a motto is to stick in peoples' minds and convince them to visit the castle, but I think they could have come up with something far better.

I think the castle's advertising would have been far more effective if the question of "who would want to visit a castle construction site in America?" had been longer considered. They might have chosen a better geographic location, and might have realized that their best target audiences would probably have been students and academics, as well as fans of historical reenacting and fantasy genres.

1. Don't Run a History-Based Attraction Without an Expert Advisor on Board.

Though the project certainly had many staff and volunteers who were well versed in the restoring and building of castles, and even some who were quite familiar with reenacting, it seems that for the most part, there were no true experts involved in the oversight of the Ozark Medieval Fortress. From what I can find, the main tour guide at the castle (who also served as its official historian) had a Bachelor's degree in European History and had attended a summer program on the Middle Ages in Germany. He certainly was very knowledgeable on the Middle Ages, but such credentials hardly compare to someone with a Master's or PhD in Medieval Studies or Medieval History. And no such expert was to be found on the Ozark Medieval Fortress Team. Other good candidates might have been an archaeologist who specialized in medieval sites, an experimental archaeologist, or a historical architect.

If they had held such an expert on staff or even just as an advisor, perhaps the whole project would have turned out differently.


A few news articles have covered the closing of the Ozark Medieval Fortress, including the New York Times, but for the most part it has unfortunately gone unnoticed. I would love to see someone pick up the unfinished castle and breathe new life into it, and I think it could be salvaged. But whether someone buys and revitalizes the Ozark Medieval Fortress, or starts a new project somewhere else, I hope they won't repeat the same mistakes. 

Disclaimer: Some of this information has been very difficult to research, since the Ozark Medieval Fortress website is gone. I might have missed some important information, and I really want this to be an informed and accurate blog, so if you know of any information that I missed that might change what I said, or if I got something wrong, please let me know. I wrote this article to show how we can use the Ozark Medieval Fortress as an example and learn from its problems, so that the next time a project like this is begun in America (or anywhere else), it might have a greater chance at success.

Conwy Castle and the Guide to Medieval Europe

Conwy Castle, Conwy, Wales, UK

Something strange came over me when I visited a castle in Wales last summer. It was on June 22, and I had been travelling in the British Isles for the previous seven days, but this was my first full day on the Welsh side of the Irish Sea, and I woke in the Castle Hotel (not an actual castle, though quite historic in its own right) inside the medieval walls of the town of Conwy (pronounced Conway). The Castle Hotel stands just down the street from Conwy Castle, built lightening-fast (by medieval standards) from 1283-1289 by England's King Edward I.


View from the Conwy Castle of the Town and the River Conwy.

Conwy Castle is unique because it not only stands as one of the best examples of late 13th-early14th century military architecture in Europe, but it is also in unusually good shape for being a fortress built by occupational forces (the English) in contested territory (Wales). Though the castle endured a siege and did change hands more than once throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance, it sustained very little structural damage, was never extensively remodeled, and is remarkably well preserved today. Thus, the castle retains a strong sense of its own medievalness.

This is what struck me as I explored the corridors and climbed the towers of Conway Castle on that Saturday in June: the castle felt entirely medieval, with just enough signage to be informative, but not so much to be intrusive, just enough restoration to give a sense of its original purpose and finesse, but not so much as to feel staged or kitschy. I found it easy to imagine how the various chambers and wards might have looked in the castle's heyday, the straw strewn wood floors and tapestried walls and fire lit halls bustling with soldiers and servants, and occasionally visited by the king himself. I looked out the archer's perches high in the towers and wished I was there a couple hundred years ago so I could try shooting my own English longbow through the narrow arrow-loops at imagined adversaries down below.




Tower view of the inner and outer wards of Conwy Castle.

This fantastic experience of the medievalness of Conwy Castle stayed in my mind for the rest of my trip, but the other castles I visited afterward did not offer the same sort of transportation back to the middle ages like Conway did. The other castles had been updated and destroyed and rebuilt and added onto, until the only thing medieval that remained was the foundation, or the stories of what had happened there five hundred years ago. It wasn't the same. I wanted that Conwy Castle experience, and I knew there were lots of other well preserved medieval places to be found, but I didn't know where to find them. Plus, many places advertised as "medieval" frankly struck me as none such thing; their medievalness had been long ago remodeled or redesigned and was lost forever.

I came to the conclusion that I wanted to find a guide book for those truly medieval places, not the ones that were once medieval but are now a better monument to Renaissance or Victorian architecture and culture, but a book that pointed out the castles, towns, or other sites which still retain their medieval nature. But no such guide exists. The closest I could find is Richard Barber's 1984 book, The Penguin Guide to Medieval Europe, certainly a densely informative book from an acclaimed author, but not quite the Here's-Why-It's-Medieval-and-Here's-How-to-Get-There kind of guide which I imagined.

Since I couldn't find the kind of guide I was looking for, I'm going to write a Guide to Medieval Europe, myself, or even better, a series of geographically oriented guides, divided by country or region.

This is a huge undertaking. It will not be easy and it will not happen fast. I probably won't even get to the writing stages for a few years yet, but I know I'm not the only one who would make use of, say, a guide to medieval Scotland which not only lists and describes various truly medieval sites, but also includes practical, trip-planning info such as where to stay, how to get there, accessibility, and much more. It's the kind of guide I wish existed, and since it doesn't, I want to offer my bid to fill that void.

So in the meantime, what will I be doing? I'll be gathering lots and lots of information and tips and doing lots of research. Then I will set off to actually visit the places I want to write about, and then I'll set about writing. I'll need all the help I can get throughout the process though. Let me be the first to admit that I don't know everything about the Middle Ages, and no matter how much research I do, or even if I earn a PhD someday, I never will know everything about the Middle Ages. I've only visited a tiny corner of Europe and only seen a handful of the hundreds of medieval sites Europe has to offer. If you have any suggestions on sites, museums, or castles I should include, or any other questions or ideas, please say so in the comments!

(All photos are the property of Deanna Leiber. Do not use them without permission.)

Crusader Castles

As a Christian, I have always avoided studying the Crusades, because they represent a terribly misguided and embarrassing span of history. I know that the Crusades are of vital importance to any study of the Middle Ages, but they make me uncomfortable. Thousands of people did some really awful things to other people, all in the name of Jesus Christ. Wow. That sucks. It seriously makes me sick. Christianity as a whole was so messed up in the Middle Ages, and though the Crusades might have begun with a noble purpose, these campaigns ended up as a giant excuse for genocide - even of fellow Christians.

"Angel Leading the Crusaders" by Gustave Dore

The problem was that the Church's clergy made promises that they had absolutely no authority to make. They considered themselves like God, so much that they took upon themselves the power to decide who would go to heaven and who to hell. They promised peasants, soldiers, and noblemen alike, that if they died while on the "Holy Crusade," they would be guaranteed direct passage to heaven. NO ONE has the authority to decide that but God. [The way to heaven is much simpler than fighting a battle, all you have to do is acknowledge that you're not perfect, and trust in Christ's sacrifice and resurrection - that He paid the price you owed but could never have paid on your own. It's that easy. Ask me if you wanna know more.]

There is so very much more to the Crusades, but I will leave that to a few other future posts. For now, I'd love to share with you some of the castles I got to visit this Summer while studying abroad in Jordan and Israel, and a little bit about how we can learn from them.

Montreal Castle (now called Qal'at ash-Shawbak), in Jordan, was built in 1115 by King Baldwin I of Jerusalem. It sits on a hill rising above the plain of Edom and controlled a trade route from Syria to Arabia. The castle's inhabitants drew their water from a spring at the bottom of the hill, accessed by a long, steep tunnel dug down through the hill. Saladin captured Montreal Castle in 1189, but only after a siege of nearly two years.

Kerak, not to be confused with Krak des Chevaliers of Syria, stands north of Montreal Castle and east of the Dead Sea. Kerak is a massive castle, constructed in the 1140s, which controlled trade routes from Damascus to Egypt and Mecca. It was besieged beginning at the Battle of Hattin in 1187, and captured (due to treachery on the part of the governor's wife) in 1189.

Qasr al-Azraq (the "Blue Fortress") is a mysterious basalt castle located at an oasis in the northern Jordanian desert. Historians don't know when it was originally built, and whether by the Romans or Nabateans, but it was extensively renovated in the 13th century (and Jordan doesn't have the funds to excavate it yet). Interestingly, T. E. Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia") used the castle as his headquarters from 1917-18.

Qasr Kharana, though not a true castle, is an Islamic style, fortified desert mansion built in the eighth century, by caliph Walid I. He probably used this palace to hold councils or celebrations with his tribal leaders. His favorite few might then be taken to the nearby mini-castle-bathhouse-spa for a private retreat. All in the middle of the desert. Go figure.

Nimrod's Fortress is a gorgeous and sprawling crusader fortress built by the nephew of Saladin in 1229 AD, in the Golan Heights north of the Sea of Galilee. It is also called "Castle of the Large Cliff," as it sits atop a high hill with a cliff rounding one side. The fortress was used sporadically until an earthquake destroyed it in the 18th century.

Vadum Iacob ("Jacob's Ford"), built in 1178 by King Baldwin II of Jerusalem, was the last castle we visited. Though it may appear horribly anticlimactic, as hardly any of the castle's remains are readily visible, it tells one of the most fascinating stories of the Crusades, and of Crusader Archaeology. But, that story must wait until another time. For now, suffice it to say that it involves greed, arrogance, a mighty battle where one side was completely annihilated, and the remains were left untouched for over eight hundred years.

The castles built in the Middle East by the Crusaders and their Muslim adversaries are some of the best examples of Medieval castle-building technology and design. This was a period when the greatest developments occurred on both sides of castle construction, as the Crusaders learned certain techniques from the Muslims and vice-verse. It was an amazing privilege for me to walk through the courtyards, chambers, and corridors constructed so long ago by these driven warriors of the Crusades (and earlier eras), even if we only had a short while to explore each one. (Literally, when we arrived at most of these fortresses, our professor announced, "Okay, guys, you've got twenty minutes to explore this castle!" We had a very tight schedule...)

The Crusades in general might still make me a little uncomfortable, but I'm warming up to studying them (besides, I'm a Medieval Studies major - I have no choice). They may be embarrassing to the Christian faith as a whole, but they left a legacy of cultural, technological, and architectural advancements. We can learn a great deal from the mistakes and  successes of this much-debated era of history, when Europe and the Middle East, Christianity and Islam, clashed.


Photo credits: Deanna Leiber, unless otherwise noted

Medieval Castle Construction (part II)

After learning about the process of building a castle in my previous post, you have the chance to witness it! An amazing project is underway in the heart of America, where they are currently constructing a real medieval castle.

It all started in 2008, when a French couple, Jean-Marc and Solange Mirat, who had retired in Arkansas were visiting France and learned of Guédelon Castle, a project began in 1997 which involves building  a 13th century castle using only medieval methods and materials - a 25-year endeavor. The Mirats were enchanted by the idea and wanted to bring it to the United States, so they contacted the founder of the project, Michel Guyot, about the idea of building a similar castle in northern Arkansas. They sold a portion of their land in Lead Hill, Arkansas, for the project. Site preparation and construction on the Ozark Medieval Fortress began in 2009  and it opened to the public in May, 2010. The construction of this castle is slated to take 20 years, reaching completion in 2030 with a full-sized, historically-accurate 13th century French-style castle.

I had the privilege to visit the castle with my family in July, 2010, and greatly enjoyed the whole experience. We took the guided tour (well worth the extra $2) and our tour guide, James, made the day delightful with his stories and enlightening explanations of various aspects of the castle building process. We began with a walk through the woods above the castle and ended up at the quarry at the base of the site. There, a quarryman explained the process of quarrying and demonstrated how they split the stones to have a nice, flat "face" so they could form the outside of the castle walls. From the quarry, we proceeded to the open area where the castle was beginning to take shape. The castle sits on a slope and surrounds a small spring, as follows the 13th century French tradition. It will have 5-foot thick walls, a drawbridge and moat, and the tallest tower will reach over 60 feet in height!

the "squirrel cage" (man-powered) crane

Once we finished gawking at the enormity of the castle, though its walls barely stood above our heads at that time, we were free to wander about and speak with the various artisans, laborers, and craftspeople as they worked in and around the castle. There was a basket maker, rope maker, masons, carpenters, blacksmith, illuminator, and potter. Also near the castle was a small farm with sheep and a garden, tended by the "good wife." It was such an enthralling experience to talk with these people and watch them work! They also use authentic medieval tools and machines such as wooden scaffolding and the "squirrel cage" crane.

Because of my deep interest in the Middle Ages, I was entertaining the idea of applying for an internship at the Ozark Medieval Fortress some time in the near future. After actually visiting the castle and being so transported back to Medieval France, I am certain that I want to take part in this project. I hope to work there over a summer, maybe even as soon as 2012, but we shall see what God has in mind...

Meanwhile, you can learn more details about the construction and its many intricate aspects at the tour guide, Medieval James's blog. Also be sure to check out the Ozark Medieval Fortress website for operating hours, ticket rates, and directions. It is only half-an-hour south of Branson, MO, so there is no legitimate reason not to go!

UPDATE: (6/19/2012) When I first visited the Ozark Medieval Fortress, in July, 2010, the tourguide, James, told me that the project did not expect to start breaking even on their investment and actually make a profit for at least four years. As the economy is generally still not doing so great, I wasn't too surprised to see the announcement on the project's website that their opening for the 2012 season was delayed for financial reasons and that they are looking for American financial partners. It really is a shame that they have not posted any more updates, so I assume they are still struggling. I would truly hate to see this project be forgotten! 
So, if you happen to have a lot of money and love the Middle Ages, traditional construction techniques, a great learning place, or castles in general, you might consider having a chat with the folks over at the Ozark Medieval Fortress. :)

UPDATE: (10/28/2013) The really sad part is that the website for the Ozark Medieval Fortress has now disappeared completely. If you go to it, you'll be redirected to a French marketing firm's website. I'm deeply saddened to see that apparently the project lost even the funds or volunteers or something to run a website to at least alert people to its presence. According to an Arkansas Business article, the site was briefly listed for sale earlier this year and the owner's business practices have been called "at best unsound and at worst dishonest." I still think it's possible, if not for this particular project, than for something similar to succeed in the US. It just needs the right help...

UPDATE: (4/15/2014) I've written a blog post, "6 Lessons We Can Learn from the Ozark Medieval Fortress" or "How NOT to Build a Medieval Castle in 21st Century America," in which I discuss the 6 main problems that I see with how the OMF was run, and what mistakes anyone who seeks to either revive this project or start a new one aught to avoid. I would love to see a true medieval castle built in America, it just needs to be done properly next time.

Medieval Castle Construction (part I)

Today castles mostly stand in ruin: roof, floor, furniture, and any sign of life are centuries gone. Yet these structures still somehow capture our attention as we can't help but wonder what amazing stories their stone walls might tell, what great historic events transpired in their shadows? How did people manage to construct such massive structures without modern tools and machinery?

Medieval castles certainly hold some marvelous secrets and seem to occupy an almost mystic role in many people's minds. They are mentioned in nearly any book related to the Middle Ages or knights, yet the number of books that consider the process of building such an imposing structure is very small in comparison. The fact that so many castles still stand, centuries after their construction, is a resounding testimony to the great skill and craftsmanship that went in to the complicated task of raising a castle.

Early versions of what we now call castles began to appear in northwest Europe  in the ninth century. This also happens to be the time when the Vikings and Saracens were actively raiding across northwest Europe.  In 863, Charlemagne's grandson, Charles the Bald, ordered that castles be built to defend against these invaders. Because of the decentralized nature of the Carolingian state, these castles were largely inhabited and controlled by the nobles who built them, rather than a garrison of soldiers, like earlier fortresses.

This castle-building trend barely touched England until the year 1066, when the Normans conquered England and brought a flood of castle-building in their wake. Don't think that the Anglo-Saxons did not build castles, though. It is estimated that there were roughly a half-dozen fortresses formidable enough to be considered castles at the time of the Norman invasion. This early type of castle was called a Motte-and-Bailey castle, which consisted of a steeply-sloped mound (the motte) - up to 100 feet high - with a small fortified house or tower (the keep) atop it and connected to an adjacent outer court (the bailey), or walled area, containing the soldier's quarters, stables, etc. all of which was surrounded by a ditch. The buildings were almost always constructed of timber, unless stone was readily available. These were mostly built more for the protection and benefit of the populace, such as a nearby village, rather than a noble, as per later castles.

When William the Conqueror wrestled rule of England from the Anglo-Saxons in the years following 1066, his nobles needed strong centers from which to govern their new territories and castles fit the bill, so a flurry of castle-building ensued (over five hundred wooden castles by the turn of the twelfth century). A revolution in construction engineering (coupled with wealth accrued from taxes, tolls, markets, rents, and licenses) soon allowed for most of these castles to be rebuilt in stone and the castle designs grew more and more complex. For instance, builders found that corners were weak and susceptible to undermining and collapse, so they began building circular towers instead of square.

Bodaim Castle, built in the 14th century

Castle construction continually evolved throughout the Middle Ages, adapting to new technologies in both the building and demolishing (sieging) processes. By about the fifteen hundreds and the advent of cannons, castles became less and less defensive fortresses and more and more luxury palaces - arrow slits were replaced with large glass windows and moats with gardens. But in the High Middle Ages (1000-1300 AD) when the castles were the center of medieval Europe.

The building of a medieval castle, just like any modern construction site, employed countless workers of various skills. A whole village was needed to facilitate the construction of a castle, especially as it often took decades to complete and the laborers and craftsmen often brought their families with them. If there was not already a town or village near the castle construction site, one would likely spring up. Such was the case with Newcastle-on-Tyne, which grew from the building of Newcastle in 1080 AD.

Here are some examples of the types of workers needed for castle construction:

• Quarrymen: split the stones from a quarry and cut them roughly to shape before transporting them to the site of the construction.
• Masons: cut and shaped the stones to fit their specific place in the castle walls and then laid them. (The Master Mason was highest in command in the castle construction.)
• Carpenters: crafted and repaired tools and tool handles, scaffolding, furniture, floors, ceilings, doors, shutters, etc. (The Master Carpenter was second in command to the Master Mason.)
• Blacksmiths: made tools, door hinges, nails, horseshoes, etc.
• Potters: (when the roof was to be tile) made the thousands of roofing tiles, plus drinking jugs and such for the workers.
• Rope makers: made the rope for machinery, as well as everyday uses like bucket handles, animal leads, and belts.
• Basket weavers: wove the baskets that carried stones, food, etc. around the site.
• Plasterers and Painters: decorated the insides of finished castles to be bright and cheery.

A cast of animals were imperative to the castle-building plight, too. Donkeys and horses were needed to pull carts and haul logs and stones. Sheep's wool was used in clothing for the workers and goats provided milk for cheese. The construction process also required many ingenious machines such as the "squirrel cage" treadwheel crane. It was powered by one or two men who walked inside it and could lift a stone weighing a few tons! They also used wooden scaffolding and stone-splitting tools such as the chase-masse, (read more about the chase-masse here).

The Master Mason was in charge of hundreds or thousands of workers and held the daunting task of coordinating the whole process of raising a castle. As the thousands of magnificent castles still standing across Europe testify, whether fully in tact or crumbling back into the landscape, to the immensity of his job. These castles also testify to the vast importance of a chaotic, yet glorious, part of the history of the Western world. They may stand in ruin, but they still stand.

(See the continuation of this post here.)