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The 'Ravelijn op den Zoom' (ravelin) is the last remnant of the fortifications designed by Menno van Coehoorn. The ravelin consists of a island with earthen and stone walls, surrounded by a wide moat. The ravelin is one of the few remaining parts of the extensive fortification system around the city. The fortress was so ingeniously designed that it was assumed that it could not be taken and therefore got the nickname 'La Pucelle' (Virgin). In 1747 the city nevertheless became occupied by French troops.
References:Bamberg is located in Upper Franconia on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main. Its historic city center is a listed UNESCO world heritage site.
Bamberg is a good example of a central European town with a basically early medieval plan and many surviving ecclesiastical and secular buildings of the medieval period. When Henry II, Duke of Bavaria, became King of Germany in 1007 he made Bamberg the seat of a bishopric, intended to become a 'second Rome'. Of particular interest is the way in which the present town illustrates the link between agriculture (market gardens and vineyards) and the urban distribution centre.
From the 10th century onwards, Bamberg became an important link with the Slav peoples, especially those of Poland and Pomerania. During its period of greatest prosperity, from the 12th century onwards, the architecture of this town strongly influenced northern Germany and Hungary. In the late 18th century Bamberg was the centre of the Enlightenment in southern Germany, with eminent philosophers and writers such as Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel and E.T.A. Hoffmann living there.
Bamberg extends over seven hills, each crowned by a beautiful church. This has led to Bamberg being called the 'Franconian Rome'.