I Yearn For the Spire: a Moodboard
Consider this: an 'adventure site' or dungeon or whatever is better if it's above ground and you climb up it. Here's a Moodboard.
Tuang Kalat in Myanmar. It's built on top of the plug of a dormant volcano. Plus, look at that sexy staircase leading up.
Potala Palace in Lhasa. The different layers of structures are colour-coded based on their purpose/access (another cool detail you could steal).
The Ajanta Caves in India. This page has some crazy interior rock-hewn structures. I wonder if people think of stuff like this when they describe things as "carved directly into the rock".
Taktshang monastery in Bhutan. Also known as the "Tiger's Nest".
Phuktal Monastery in India. Still inhabited.
The Hanging Temple in China. Look at those Strata.
Ortahisar Castle in Cappadocia, Turkey. Cappadocia in general is super cool for cave houses.
Hochosterwitz Castle in Austria. Also has a link to this other fun list.
Sacra di San Michele in Italy. Just look at it. Jesus Christ.
La Iruela Castle in Andalusia. God I love old webpages.
Guaita Castle, of the Three Towers of San Marino. There's three of these guys on three different peaks. How cool is that.
Mont-Saint-Michel. A classic for a reason.
One more. The one that got me thinking about all this again:
See you in the next post.