Castle

Synonyms / Other Terms Used

Fortress, Fort, Citadel, Stronghold, Bastion

Category

Tourism, Heritage Attractions

Message / Function

To indicate the location of a castle or castle ruins

	Source	Description
	BS 8501:2002	Crenellated castle and tower with door, window, and cross shaped opening
	FHS	Crenellated castle with three towers, door and windows
	SVI	Crenellated castle with two towers, door and windows
	Aragón	Crenellated castle with two towers, door and windows
	RtB	Building with two crenellated towers, two gables and door
	Slovenia 2015	Crenellated castle with two towers with windows
	McLaren & Braunstein	Building with two crenellated towers and door
	Stadt Wien	Building with two crenellated towers and door
	BTA 1989	Crenellated castle and tower with door
	KRESZ	Building with crenellated tower, door, windows and additional walls
	Slovenia 2015	Building with crenellated tower with window, irregular shape on the right
	ÖNORM A 3011	Crenellated castle and tower in side view
	Aicher & Krampen	Crenellated castle and tower in side view and outline
	Aicher & Krampen	Crenellated castle with door and tower
	SN 640 827	Crenellated tower with door and window in side view
	ADAC F	Crenellated building with door in side view
	adlerschmidt	Edge of crenellated building, banner with pointed ends above, all inside circle
	BEV	Outline shape of building with triangular roof
	BEV	Outline shape of simple building with tower
	BTA 1989	Rectangle surrounded by lines pointing to the center
	ADAC	Filled circle with triangular flag pointing to the right
	Böhm	Filled circle with pennant on tilted pole pointing to the right

Discussion

First systematic attemts to develop pictograms in this field were aimed at finding a general symbol for castle, castle ruins as well as palace. A test series in 1977 showed that variants either worked for castle and castle ruin, or for palace, but not for all (Brugger, 1977 a & b). While the working group of the Austrian Standards Institute decided to develop two separate pictograms, one for castle and castle ruins and another for palace, the relevant ISO committee focused on a more general referent: Item of Cultural Interest. In several other pictogram systems Follow up studies (Brugger, 1978, Easterby & Graydon, 1981) showed that the strategy of focusing on more specific concepts proved more successful.

The conventional signs used for maps (at the bottom of the table above) are too abstract to be understood without explanation (usually a map legend).

Less abstract variants as shown in the upper part of the table get misinterpreted less often.

Recommendation

ÖNORM A 3011 Symbol No. 24 Castle, Castle ruins

Based on test results available and regarding design aspects we recommend the use of symbol No 24 of ÖNORM A 3011 to signify 'Castle' or 'Castle ruins'.

Tests of pictograms of the referents Castle, Palace, Ruins, Item of cultural interest

Brugger, Ch. (1977 a): Abschlußbericht über den Reihungstest. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute, Vienna, 1977-07-27.

Brugger, Ch. (1977 b): Abschlußbericht über den Erkennungstest. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute, Vienna, 1977-10-04.

Brugger, Ch. (1978): Bericht über die Auswertung des Erkennungstests vom November/Dezember 1977. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute, Vienna, 1978-03-06.

Easterby, R.S. & Graydon, I.R. (1981): Evaluation of Public Information Symbols: ISO 1979/80 Test Series. Part II: Comprehension/Recognition Tests. AP Report 100, Applied Psychology Department, University of Aston in Birmingham, January 1981.