Muzzerone Fortress, Porto Venere, Italy

This Italian fort was built in 1870 and was served during both world wars. Its main armament consisted of eleven 240mm artillery pieces.

Castles and fortifications in Italy

User Reviews

Ticore Tekk (12 months ago)
Sehr gut um Touren zu starten und danach mit Meerblick zu entspannen:)

ceci gaet (12 months ago)
stupendamente bello vista mare da sogno

Ferro TDU (13 months ago)
Sarebbe un bel posto se non fosse chiuso e per il panorama impossibile da apprezzare date le piante attorno che ne impediscono l'osservazione

Paolo Sassi (13 months ago)
Sarebbe bello visitarlo all'interno. Buon posto per fermarsi dopo una bella camminata

Antonio Seghetti (19 months ago)
Imponente fortificazione costruita nel 1876 ca e situata ad una alm 326 metri. Originariamente utilizzato come batteria antinave e successivamente adibita a batteria contraerea. Integrato benissimo nella natura, rimane ancora demanio dello stato quindi non vi si può entrare. Ottimo posto per effettuare un campeggio di emergenza. Da qua si gode una vista bellissima. Ad est il golfo di La Spezia, Lerici, Monte Marcello spingendosi fino alla riviera Apuana, nella quale si spiccano le cave di marmo di Carrara, mentre ad ovest, versante 5 terre, si vede il mare aperto dal quale si può godere di un favoloso tramonto. Se passate di lì e consigliato fermarvisi per godere di tali bellezze.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Makser

Historic Site of the week

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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Muzzerone Fortress

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Historic Site of the week

Derbent Fortress

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