Solidor Tower, Saint-Malo, France

Solidor Tower (tour Solidor) is a strengthened keep with three linked towers, located in the estuary of the river Rance. It was built between 1369 and 1382 by John V, Duke of Brittany (i.e. Jean IV in French) to control access to the Rance at a time when the city of Saint-Malo did not recognize his authority. Over the centuries the tower lost its military interest and became a jail. It is now a museum celebrating Breton sailors exploring Cape Horn.

References:

Wikipedia

Castles and fortifications in France

User Reviews

Pierre Dumont (21 months ago)
Visite obligatoire pour connaître la vie des marins au long cour

mira Budzyn (2 years ago)
Très bel extérieur. N'avons pas visité le musée en lui même puisque payant. Avons fait le circuit externe

emeline bouttier (2 years ago)
Très beau musée, dommage que le personnel soit aussi désagréable. Une femme brune nous a mal parlé j'en ai parlé à une connaissance qui m'a confié qu'il avait également eu des remarques concernant cette femme. Elle ne devrait pas être au contact du public !

Jean-Christophe B. (2 years ago)
Très charmant à marée basse (pas eu l'occasion de voir à marée haute). On a pu se balader sur la portion de plage découverte.

Sherlie Jr. (2 years ago)
Musée très intéressant. Pas de visite guidée mais chaque objet est documenté. On apprend de nombreuses choses sur l'histoire des marins et des bateaux. Vue magnifique tout en haut de la tour.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Makser

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Derbent Fortress

Derbent is the southernmost city in Russia, occupying the narrow gateway between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus Mountains connecting the Eurasian steppes to the north and the Iranian Plateau to the south. Derbent claims to be the oldest city in Russia with historical documentation dating to the 8th century BCE. Due to its strategic location, over the course of history, the city changed ownership many times, particularly among the Persian, Arab, Mongol, Timurid, Shirvan and Iranian kingdoms.

Derbent has archaeological structures over 5,000 years old. As a result of this geographic peculiarity, the city developed between two walls, stretching from the mountains to the sea. These fortifications were continuously employed for a millennium and a half, longer than any other extant fortress in the world.

A traditionally and historically Iranian city, the first intensive settlement in the Derbent area dates from the 8th century BC. The site was intermittently controlled by the Persian monarchs, starting from the 6th century BC. Until the 4th century AD, it was part of Caucasian Albania which was a satrap of the Achaemenid Persian Empire. In the 5th century Derbent functioned as a border fortress and the seat of Sassanid Persians. Because of its strategic position on the northern branch of the Silk Route, the fortress was contested by the Khazars in the course of the Khazar-Arab Wars. In 654, Derbent was captured by the Arabs.

The Sassanid fortress does not exist any more, as the famous Derbent fortress as it stands today was built from the 12th century onward. Derbent became a strong military outpost and harbour of the Sassanid empire. During the 5th and 6th centuries, Derbent also became an important center for spreading the Christian faith in the Caucasus.

The site continued to be of great strategic importance until the 19th century. Today the fortifications consist of two parallel defence walls and Naryn-Kala Citadel. The walls are 3.6km long, stretching from the sea up to the mountains. They were built from stone and had 73 defence towers. 9 out of the 14 original gates remain.

In Naryn-Kala Citadel most of the old buildings, including a palace and a church, are now in ruins. It also holds baths and one of the oldest mosques in the former USSR.

In 2003, UNESCO included the old part of Derbent with traditional buildings in the World Heritage List.

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