When the LEGO Lion’s Knight Castle was announced as a future release I was one very happy girl. Over the years I have worked to add castles to my collection, but there was a long gap in new ones being released and I was ecstatic to add another one to the collection.
Lion’s Knight Castle is a delightful mixture of strong design architectural elements and technical interactive features all while retaining amazing playability. Set #10305 is a large set with 4514 pieces. It is part of the LEGO Icons line and is rated for 18+. It comes with two large instruction booklets, one for each side of the castle.
As I was building the castle I picked up on two very different building styles, or at least it seemed so to me. The first instruction book builds the living quarters side, and this section was built using familiar techniques from days gone by. The new sets being released seem to be pushing the innovation of technique and engineering, and this side of the castle felt as if it had slipped back into time where building was simpler. I have to wonder if this was done on purpose to honor all the castles that had come before. It must be said that this style of building takes nothing away from the quality of the build. The design is detailed, fun, and has a couple of surprises that sneak in the masterful level of crafting that we have become familiar with in the newer sets.
The second book builds the gatehouse to the castle and here we find the building style that has become the new standard for adult themed LEGO sets. Everywhere you look there are interactive elements at play coupled with unique use of pieces and style of design. These two methods of building are blended seamlessly with matching towers of stone walls, creeping vines, and carved stone design features.
Diving into the first portion of the castle built there is much to discover and many exciting elements. The outside of the castle is surrounded by lush green land, trees and a river that provides energy to the large water wheel that rests on the side of the castle. The castle walls are built using multiple angles which give the structure great depth and style. A lower wall provides multiple overlooks for the residents to observe what goes on beyond the castle walls. A balcony on the side rests above the water wheel, and looming to its side a turret rises up and marks the highest point for this section. Nestled just below the turret, eye-catching tudor style walls of black and white topped with a thick thatched roof add a lovely element of color that stands out beautifully from the large mass of grey.
I enjoyed building the castle windows. There are multiple varieties, but the ones built the most often were the arrow slits and the wider decorative styled windows that utilized scroll bricks to create an elegant and softened feel to the hard stone walls.
One of the lovely elements of this build is that the castle can either be hinged closed to resemble a fully intact castle, or the back walls can open in multiple ways to expose all the intricate details within the interior.
There are seven rooms tucked away in this portion of the build. The kitchen and mill room take up the lower level. A great amount of detail is put into these rooms. The grinding stone through the use of gears is connected to the waterwheel and both features spin smoothly . I especially love the shoot that sends the grain to the stone. Next to the mill room lies the larder which looks slightly bare at the moment, but if you glance upwards you will spy a sweet little bird’s nest tucked away in the rafters. The kitchen has a large wood fired oven and a table for food preparation.
A stairway leads up from the kitchen and here one of my favorite hidden features lies. A clean source of water has been built right into the walls of the castle, and a rounded stone basin catches the clean fountain of water pouring out. This feature is built into the corner of the stairway and the greatest disappointment is that it is so tucked away that it is hard to see. I am being very particular here, but the source of the water is a bit of a mystery. The outside river does not appear to be in close enough proximity to be the source, and with the height of the castle wall the water would have to be coming from an underground well. The million dollar question, how did they get the water to flow upwards?
The second level houses the great hall. The rooms are a little tight here for minifigures to interact in, but they are decorated nicely. Tucked away beside the fireplace a harpsichord lies ready to send sweet music wafting throughout the castle. This instrument was built with minimal pieces and yet visually looks very authentic. The floor is a tiled pattern with plenty of footholds for the castle’s inhabitants. In the second portion of the great hall a large banquet table fills the area. It is covered in a white covering with an ornate centerpiece and two large wooden chairs flank the ends. The feature I enjoyed the most in this room is the coat of arms display that lies above the windows.
The queen’s quarters lie on the top level, and the room is fit for royalty. A wooden door leads us into the playful side of the room. A yellow miniature castle being built immediately catches your eye, and what I am positive is, an honorable tribute to LEGO set #6075. A fireplace, rug, writing table, and a bed draped in red covers and gold accents fill the other portion of the room. The room is colorful and lined with a row of black lined windows.
The allure on this level deserves special recognition. When the castle is closed it creates a lovely little overlook to gaze at the sunsets, but upon opening the castle it changes to a straight walkway to access the battlement. The technique used to allow for this ability of movement is impressive to say the least. Using a series of hinged pieces and smooth plates the wall slides in and out of a recess in the battlements wall. A small golden surprise lies hidden behind the wall and a wooden ladder, but is revealed when the castle closes and the wall moves to its second position.
Two more special features complete this side of the castle. A lovely courtyard opens up as you climb the stairs from the kitchen, and a fruit stand provides fresh food from the countryside. A closer look reveals a hinged piece built in the floor under the fruit stand. A slight push of the stand reveals a secret room which is accessed by a wooden ladder. An archers hideout is nestled underneath the castle walls. The mystery remains as to whether this is our hero’s hideout, or the villains.
The gatehouse rises tall and powerful beside the first building constructed. The rear of this portion is built on level ground, but a large rock structure creates a rise to the front gate which allows for a perfect drawbridge. There is a lot going on within the landscape. A waterway runs around the side of the castle, and sneaks underneath the drawbridge into a hidden cave that creates a perfect haven for the local bats. The rocky hill surrounding the front allows for many nooks and crannies for foliage and grass to grow on, but the most notable feature is the large black tree that rises up along the castle wall.
The outer walls are beautiful to view, but the real story lies behind them. Only friends will pass through a gatehouse as well protected and equipped as this one. The drawbridge and gate add a double layer of protection, and both are constructed with strong chains that are attached to rotating mechanisms that are both well designed. I am greatly impressed with the construction for the castle gate. The method used to hold and release the gate makes for a lightning fast drop, and has impressive holding power to allow for passage into the castle. Building these features took a bit of patience and attention to detail, but well worth the effort spent.
The dungeon rests in the lower level and includes a guardroom and two cells, one I might add holds a prisoner that seems to have had a life sentence. The other cell is empty and for good reason because the cell has a retracting outer wall. This sliding wall portion only works when another secret room on the outside of the castle is exposed. Beneath the black tree a dark portion of rock tilts over to allow access to a hidden chamber which is dedicated to the archers from the forest.
A short ladder leads to the second level of the castle where there is a rack full of armor and weapons, what appears to be a stall for the queen’s horse, the entrance to the living quarters of the castle, and a short staircase down to a black gate that allows an additional exit on the side of the castle. The gate is another interactive feature that is opened and closed by a knob on the outside wall. The gears used create a smooth movement, and it is fun to have a little side entrance that could be utilized to storm the castle. In addition it can be used as a tall ladder that leads up to the top level.
Here lies the armory and a perfect view of the working mechanisms for the gate and drawbridge, which is very helpful if you find that your chains need any straightening. There are two racks for weapons positioned around the room and even a dedicated helmet stand tucked away in one of the recesses. A group of shields hang on the back wall.
The castle’s restroom resides on this side of the castle, and although it causes a slight blush to admit it, the toilet is adorable. A shoot under the well positioned seat opens to the outer wall, and a little brown frog can be seen on the ground beneath it. I think he may need to take a long rinse in the nearby water source.
The parapets can hold a nice number of soldiers, but we will have to use our imaginations to determine how they access them. The causeway is built as a separate piece and attaches to the main build through the use of two U clips. This portion is built well, but I did have a struggle getting the two clips to line up and snap in. They seemed to be spaced just a tad bit too far apart. With a bit of patience and a gentle hand they did snap in and create a secure bond.
A castle is not complete without the residents who live within it, and this castle is filled to the brim. Twenty-two minifigures are included in this set, along with four animals, and a cart for pulling hay.
The minifigures can be grouped into three sections; The Lion’s Knights, The Black Falcons, and the townspeople.
The Lion’s Knights create the largest group with ten figures. Wearing the shield of the lion are two archers, two knights, three foot soldiers, a herald, a page, and one to lead them all, their queen. Everyone except the queen has the same print jobs on their torsos and legs. Typically this would feel redundant, but here it works. The uniformity of the soldiers leads to an impressive team ready to work together to protect and defend.
The queen has two face options, one of great delight and one for business. She wears a cape, carries a sword, and has two headpiece options; a brown pinned up and braided hair piece with a detachable golden crown, or a golden helmet complete with a white plumb on top. Her print job is well designed and precisely printed. A silver breastplate was also included for when she needs to go to battle.
Two knights are included. Their print jobs are well done, and both carry a shield with the Lion’s Knight coat of arms imprinted on them. The shields have the same design, but the colors are reversed. While one knight has a simple helmet with slits for the face opening and a short broadsword, the other carries a battle ax and wears a breastplate along with an impressive helmet that conceals the face completely. Both knights have dual facial expressions.
The archers come next, but only one of the archers has a dual face option. Helmets with a nose plate cover their heads and they both wear a quiver upon their back and hold their long bows.
A castle needs many foot soldiers, and so the two that protect this castle must have their hands full keeping up. Their print jobs are perfect and they both wear a kettle hat to protect their heads. The only difference between the two is their faces, and each soldier has two faces to choose from.
Three castle members remain and they are my favorite. What I am going to call the Corporal of the Guard wears a strong silver breastplate, and has a fantastic crop of dark hair. He only has one facial expression, but check out the mustache. Next comes the herald and the figure with the best facial expression of them all. He is either smiling proudly, or working very hard to blow air into his horn. He also wears a helmet with a nose plate, and carries his horn of greeting complete with banner attached. The last castle staff, but not the least is the page. He is a young man with light brown wavy hair who is either looking a little shy, or downright terrified.
The Black Falcon’s have come for a visit and they make a stunning trio. All three figures wear the same uniform that draws attention to their clan. All the print jobs are well placed. The knight carries a shield with his coat of armor and a black longsword. You may think a scary knight lies beneath the fierce black helmet, but it is quite the opposite. Whether he is laughing or grinning, the Black Falcon knight is ready to have a good time. The flag bearer comes bearing colors of bright blue and yellow and carries a short broadsword. A black helmet covers her smiling face. Possibly the best minifigure out of the whole set is the Black Falcon’s lacky. It seems that his companions were a bit lazy when it came to sharing the load, because the lackey carries everything needed for travel, from a large pack upon his back, to a bucket to fetch water as needed. He has two facial expressions, and they are both fabulous. He either looks slightly concerned, or very worried.
The townspeople included a great variety of characters. A family of woodland folk have journeyed into town, and occasionally sneak into their hideout within the castle walls. They all wear matching green and red cloth designed to blend in perfectly to their wooded surroundings. The father carries a lute and wears a quiver of bows upon his back. His lady has added a stylish red feather to her cap. Their little girl has long brown hair and a sweet smile on her face. She is quite happy to play with her doll as her parents do business in town. All three figures have only one facial expression each, but each one is very well suited to them.
A farmer is bringing a load of hay into the town and he is adorable with a bucket upon his back, a blue hat with feather, and a pitchfork at the ready. He has one just one face print, but it shows his age and wisdom in a lovely detailed way. He wears humble clothes, but the print job on his torso is one of my favorites. The pale green and brown color combination in his clothing is very nice.
A traveling wizard has come for a visit, and is not easily missed with his bright blue robes and pointed hat. I was disappointed that he is devoid of any print job to his apparel. I would like to have seen some detail added to make him even more imposing of a character. He carries a pack on his back, a walking stick which looks strikingly like a wand, and a long staff with a large green gem topping it off. Hidden beneath his long white beard he wears a patient and kind whiskered expression.
A maiden glides through the town with a long dark green dress. There is a simple print job to her torso which fits very nicely with the character. Her face can either smile broadly, or have a small smile of contentment. Her white hair stands out the most, and reminds me of a cut that would have fit in well within ancient Egypt.
Our chef, baker, possibly even a stable master is another big favorite. He wears a leather coverall over his simple shirt and pants and the print jobs for these are well designed. He has just one face print, but it is perfect and very expressive. His curly hair piece also has great character.
A young boy runs through town with an adorable expression of joy upon his face. The print job on his torso makes me wonder if he has dreams of being a jester one day. He wears a head of curls that have been nicely cropped.
Our last minifigure has seen better days, but he refuses to leave his cell. A white skeleton is the final figure and although he resides in the dungeon he has a smile upon his face.
The animals give us the final touches to this set. A hard working oxen lumbers into town pulling the farmers card loaded with hay bundles and a sweet white bird who has decided to hop on for a ride. A tiny white lamb bounds between townspeople and is lovingly cared for by all. Two horses round out the animals. These horses can be posed in a number of ways. They can rear up on their hind feet in addition to standing on all four feet, and their head and neck can bend forward to where it is almost touching the ground. The Black Knight rides in on a light tan mount with a blue caparison with the coat of arms woven into design. The queen chooses to ride a brown stead with a red caparison with golden lions printed on it.
So is the Lion’s Knight Castle worth the investment? This is an easy yes for me. It does take up a large amount of space, and the price tag is steep, but the design and playability along with a wide cast make it well worth the money spent.
