Guaita Tower, San Marino, San Marino

The Guaita fortress is the oldest of the three towers constructed on Monte Titano, and the most famous. It was built in the 11th century and served briefly as a prison. It is one of the three towers depicted on both the national flag and coat of arms. It was registered as one of the World Heritage Sites in 2008.

Guaita was rebuilt in the second half of the 15th century and in the 16th century has been covered with a sloping roof. It is called the Rocca Guaita and, within its solid walls, protected by double walls (the external wall with merlons and truncated towers at the corners), the population found refuge during sieges.

The upper entrance door, which can be reached by a staircase, is protected by a small wooden construction of 1481. The courtyard contains some pieces of artillery from the Second World War: two mortars, a gift from Vittorio Emanuele II, two 75mm canons fired by the Guardians of the Rocca during national festivities, a gift of Vittorio Emanuele III.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Amanda McDonald (2 years ago)
I found this very cute salon at the last minute. The girls were professional, efficient, kind and the products used were name brand. I would definitely return.

Felix Iacob (2 years ago)
The Republica of San Marino is guarded by three towers, Guaita is the main. You can visit them for a tax of 6.5 EUR. The placement, the way they put the stones on the rock is impresionant. The surrounding view is magnificent you can see all that moves in the field. It's better to go in spring when the crowds are away. Enjoy!

MarcoyMelissa Gentilini (2 years ago)
Beautiful view while hiking around, but not worth staying longer than a couple hours in san marino. It has come to be a tourist trap selling odd things like weapons from the dark ages.

Anton Trukhanyonok (2 years ago)
Beautiful castle complex with breathtaking 360 degrees views. Make sure to visit when the weather is great, ideally - during the golden hours (at dawn/dusk).

Edna Karajbić (3 years ago)
Simply amazing. View is beautiful, the city itself very nice and interesting. It is reachable by car up to very top but we left car down and took cable train, it is more magical like that and round trip drive costs only 4.5 EUR. The entry to tower 1 (Guaita) itself is 4.5 but only if you really want to enter. The spectacular view is available from so many different places and unless you really want to see inside, there is no need to enter. The prices in city more than reasonable. Coffee 1.60 EUR, pizza average 8 EUR and all that from restaurant with great view up to Adriatic sea.

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Château de Falaise

Château de Falaise is best known as a castle, where William the Conqueror, the son of Duke Robert of Normandy, was born in about 1028. William went on to conquer England and become king and possession of the castle descended through his heirs until the 13th century when it was captured by King Philip II of France. Possession of the castle changed hands several times during the Hundred Years' War. The castle was deserted during the 17th century. Since 1840 it has been protected as a monument historique.

The castle (12th–13th century), which overlooks the town from a high crag, was formerly the seat of the Dukes of Normandy. The construction was started on the site of an earlier castle in 1123 by Henry I of England, with the 'large keep' (grand donjon). Later was added the 'small keep' (petit donjon). The tower built in the first quarter of the 12th century contained a hall, chapel, and a room for the lord, but no small rooms for a complicated household arrangement; in this way, it was similar to towers at Corfe, Norwich, and Portchester, all in England. In 1202 Arthur I, Duke of Brittany was King John of England's nephew, was imprisoned in Falaise castle's keep. According to contemporaneous chronicler Ralph of Coggeshall, John ordered two of his servants to mutilate the duke. Hugh de Burgh was in charge of guarding Arthur and refused to let him be mutilated, but to demoralise Arthur's supporters was to announce his death. The circumstances of Arthur's death are unclear, though he probably died in 1203.

In about 1207, after having conquered Normandy, Philip II Augustus ordered the building of a new cylindrical keep. It was later named the Talbot Tower (Tour Talbot) after the English commander responsible for its repair during the Hundred Years' War. It is a tall round tower, similar design to the towers built at Gisors and the medieval Louvre.Possession of the castle changed hands several times during the Hundred Years' War. The castle was deserted during the 17th century. Since 1840, Château de Falaise has been recognised as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture.

A programme of restoration was carried out between 1870 and 1874. The castle suffered due to bombardment during the Second World War in the battle for the Falaise pocket in 1944, but the three keeps were unscathed.

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