The Dictionary of Symbols
This is a complex symbol, derived at once from that of the house and
that of the enclosure or walled city. Walled cities figure in mediaeval art as a
symbol of the transcendent soul and of the heavenly Jerusalem. Generally speaking, the castle is located on the top of a mountain or hill, which suggests an
additional and important meaning derived from the symbolism of level. Its shape,
form and colour, its dark and light shades, all play an important part in defining
the symbolic meaning of the castle as a whole, which, in the broadest sense, is an
embattled, spiritual power, ever on the watch. The ‘black castle’ has been interpreted as the alchemists’ lair, as well as a rain cloud poised above a mountain-top
(50). Its significance as the Mansion of the Beyond, or as the entrance to the
Other World, would seem obvious enough. In a great many legends, the Castle of
Darkness, inhabited by a ‘Black Knight’, is symbolic of the abode of Pluto; this
is confirmed by Theseus’ mythic journey into hell. Charon has his abode in a
similar castle which is inaccessible to living men (the ‘castle of no return’ of
folktales). In the legendary heaven of Nordic tradition, the same meaning is to be
found. Melwas, the abducter of Guinevere, dwells in a castle surrounded by a
deep moat, the only means of access being two bridges difficult to negotiate.
According to Krappe, it is very possible that the underlying symbolism of all
mediaeval tales and legends about a castle owned by a ‘wicked knight’ who holds
captive all who approach his domain may well be that of the sinister castle of the
Lord of the Underworld (35). On the other hand, the ‘Castle of Light’ is the
‘redemption’-aspect of this same image. Piobb explains that the sudden appearance of a castle in the path of a wanderer is like the sudden awareness of a spiritual
pattern. ‘Before this fascinating vision, all fatigue disappears. One has the clear
impression that treasure lies within. The splendid temple is the achieving of the
inconceivable, the materialization of the unexpected’ (48). The castle, in sum,
together with the treasure (that is, the eternal essence of spiritual wealth), the
damsel (that is, the anima in the Jungian sense) and the purified knight, make up
a synthesis expressive of the will to salvation.
Dream Moods
To see a castle in your dream, signifies reward, honor, recognition, and praise for your achievements. You are destined to a position of power, wealth, and prestige. Alternatively, the dream indicates your desire to escape from life's daily problems.
To dream that you live in a castle, represents your extreme need for security and protection to the point where you may be isolating yourself from others. Perhaps the dream parallels a waking situation where it has put you on the defensive.
10,000 Dreams Interpreted
To dream of being in a castle, you will be possessed of sufficient wealth to make life as you wish. You have prospects of being a great traveler, enjoying contact with people of many nations.
To see an old and vine-covered castle, you are likely to become romantic in your tastes, and care should be taken that you do not contract an undesirable marriage or engagement. Business is depressed after this dream.
To dream that you are leaving a castle, you will be robbed of your possessions, or lose your lover or some dear one by death.
Hyper Dictionary
Seeing a castle in your dream means reward, honor, recognition, and praise for your achievements. It foretells that your future will be a happy one, surrounded by the love of your children, generosity of neighbors, and comfort of friends. You are destined to a position of power, wealth, and prestige. Dreaming that you live in a castle means your need for security and protection to the point where you may be isolating yourself from others.
Meaning of Dreams
A castle in a dream may be symbolic of the "cavern of the heart." It represents the home of the human spirit (yours) and the natural self. Dreams with castles in them may come from deeper levels of the unconscious, or the collective unconscious. They may represent spiritual transcendence and the mysterious and intangible force that seems to quietly, but firmly, direct our lives. A castle in a dream may also represent feelings of security, protection, isolation or remoteness. You may have a castle dream when you have realised a desire or accomplished a goal. Darkened castles may be symbolic of unconscious or unfocused desires, at times, black castles represent our failures and white, or lighted castles, symbolise achievement and awareness. If you dream that a castle is under siege, you may desire more freedom. If a castle is being destroyed, you may be worried about future dangers.