"Harrenhal
Harrenhal was built by Harren the Black,[36] to be the greatest castle ever constructed.[citation needed] The castle was made of black stone and had five massive towers and a great hall large enough to hold an army. Characters of A Song of Ice and Fire have referred to the castle as a monument to Harren's hubris.[citation needed] However, shortly after the castle was completed, Aegon the Conqueror began his invasion.[citation needed] Harrenhal's thick, high walls were useless against Aegon's dragons.[citation needed] Dragonfire cracked and melted the castle's stone, killing Harren and his sons.[citation needed]
Since Harren's disaster, the castle has been occupied by a variety of houses.[citation needed] Many lords and residents over the ages have met bad ends, giving the castle the reputation of being cursed.[36] This, combined with the logistical and economic difficulties inherent in keeping such an enormous castle maintained and garrisoned has made it something of a white elephant.[citation needed]
At the start of the War of the Five Kings, the castle was in poor shape, with only a fraction of it maintained.[citation needed] After Tywin Lannister seized the castle, his daughter, Queen Cersei, gave ownership to Janos Slynt, but her brother and the Hand of the King, Tyrion Lannister quickly revoked the award and sent Slynt to the Wall. Tyrion's father Tywin later gave the castle instead to Petyr Baelish, who has held nominal ownership of Harrenhal ever since, without ever setting foot in it. Over the course of the war, Harrenhal changes hands numerous times and was the site of many atrocities. After the Brave Companions mercenary company betrayed the castle's Lannister garrison, Roose Bolton took over.[citation needed] After Bolton abandoned the castle, Gregor Clegane demolished the Brave Companions and retook the castle for the Lannisters." tooken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrenhal#Harrenhal
fact: Harrenhal is a ruin