What is the key difference between Castles and Places?

Castles belongs to the Developer Tools category with cloud HTTP/SSE execution, while Places belongs to the Developer Tools category with cloud HTTP/SSE execution.

How do I install Castles or Places in Claude Desktop or Cursor?

Copy the mcpServers JSON configuration snippet provided on this page into your claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json file and restart your AI client.

Are Castles and Places free or paid?

Castles operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required). Places operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

Castles lists 0 tools with 0 views and 0 GitHub stars. Places lists 0 tools with 0 views and 0 GitHub stars.

Can I use both Castles and Places together in the same MCP host?

Yes! MCP hosts like Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, and VS Code support configuring multiple servers under the mcpServers object simultaneously.

How do I install Castles or Places in Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Windsurf?

Both servers follow the standard Model Context Protocol configuration format. Simply copy the JSON block from the configuration section above and paste it into your AI client's mcpServers configuration object (for instance in claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json ), then completely restart or refresh the application.

Are Castles and Places free to use, or do they require API keys?

Castles is listed under a Free / Open Source model with No auth required . Places operates under a Free / Open Source model with No auth required . If environment variables are required (such as API keys), be sure to define them under the env key in your MCP client's configuration file.

Can I run both Castles and Places at the same time in my AI client?

Yes! MCP clients support multi-server orchestration. You can include both castles and places as distinct keys inside the single mcpServers object in your configuration file. Your AI assistant will automatically select and call the appropriate tool from either server during chat sessions.

Which MCP server has higher directory engagement and quality ratings?

On AllMCPs, Castles has a Quality Score of 30 /100 ( Emerging ) with 0 views, 0 installs, and 0 GitHub stars. Places holds a Quality Score of 42 /100 ( Fair ) with 0 views, 0 installs, and 0 GitHub stars.

Side-by-Side Model Context Protocol Comparison

Castles vs Places

In-depth architectural comparison of the Castles and Places MCP servers. Compare execution transports, security boundaries, tool capabilities, quality scores, and ready-to-paste client installation snippets for Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code.

At a Glance & Executive Verdict

Castles

Developer Tools · Remote HTTP/SSE

Quality: 30/100 (Emerging) | Auth: No auth required

Places

Developer Tools · Remote HTTP/SSE

Quality: 42/100 (Fair) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose Castles if you need specialized Developer Tools tools running via a hosted cloud SSE transport. Choose Places if your workspace requires Developer Tools integration with remote web transport. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose Castles when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Developer Tools domain.
You prefer remote streaming HTTP/SSE transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).

Explore Castles Details

Choose Places when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Developer Tools domain.
You prefer remote streaming HTTP/SSE transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).

Explore Places Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	C Castles Developer Tools	P Places Developer Tools
Summary	Query 2,400 curated castles, fortresses and palaces: search, nearby, fame ranking. Free, CC0.	70,520 places worth a detour: name search, nearby lookup, fame rankings, statistics. No key, CC0.
Category & Scope	Developer Tools	Developer Tools
Quality signal

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Castles Tools (0)

No explicit tool names declared in metadata yet. Check project README on main listing page.

Places Tools (0)

No explicit tool names declared in metadata yet. Check project README on main listing page.

Ready-to-Paste Client Configurations

Paste either (or both) of these JSON server blocks into your client config file (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json).

Castles Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "castles": {
      "url": "https://thecastlemap.com/data/"
    }
  }
}

Places Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "places": {
      "url": "https://detourmap.com/data/"
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

Castles is categorized under Developer Tools and uses a remote streaming HTTP/SSE transport. In contrast, Places belongs to Developer Tools using remote streaming HTTP/SSE transport. Select Castles when you need capabilities focused on developer tools and Places when you require tools for developer tools.

More alternatives to Castles More alternatives to Places Developer Tools category hub