Fort Mont Louis, Mont-Louis, France

Located in the eastern Pyrenees at an altitude of 1600 metres, the stronghold of Mont-Louis was built from scratch by Vauban on granite terrain and is perfectly adapted to the geography of the site. Work started in 1679 and was completed in two years. The fortified ensemble was added as a complement to Villefranche-de-Conflent in securing the route from the Pyrenees.

This ensemble consists of two square structures, in tiers on the slope: a citadel with orillon bastions and demi-lunes (ravelins) and a new town enclosed in the enceinte. Although it is rare, all the watch towers and drawbridge gates as well as both churches and wells have been preserved intact since the 17th century. The citadel is still used for military purposes today.

References:

sites-vauban.org

User Reviews

Bruno Bertin (2 years ago)
Très beau fort, bien conservé par les militaires.

Alex Assouad (2 years ago)
Très beau monument de la région avec une belle architecture et une ville assez vivante malgré les apparences. Cependant, dû au manque de budget de la mairie, on remarque que les murs du fort doivent être rénové, mais cela se fera dans quelques années en attendant un budget plus gros pour mettre en œuvre les actions de la mairesse.

Felipe Calvo (2 years ago)
Una pasada de villa/ciudadela. Patrimonio de la Humanidad junto a otras fortificaciones que se encuentran por toda Francia. Impresionantes las defensas, el encanto del pueblo y su tranquilidad. Lo mejor es ir desde Puigcerda. Hay que ver el horno solar. La visita en invierno a pesar de que la carretera no es fácil es mucho más bonita. Y una vez allí bajar a ver Villefranche de Conflans y Prades. Un viaje que ocupa todo el día pero de 10.

Mario Nm (2 years ago)
Fortaleza muy bonita y bien conservada. Se puede dar un buen paseo por su interior. Hay restaurantes y tiendas.

Sur Sum (2 years ago)
Der Ort liegt auf einer Höhe von 1600 Metern über dem Meer. Sehenswert ist die Festungsanlage vom Baumeister Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban aus dem 17. Jahrhundert ebenso sehenswert ist der Solarschmelzofen von Félix Trombe der immerhin eine Leistung von 50kW hat,

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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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