Ancient castles6/30/2023 ![]() ![]() During the times of the Papal States, the Vatican stronghold was an important part of maintaining the power of the Papacy. But the walls which originally date from the 9th century were built to protect the treasures of the Vatican from raiders and even rival factions within Rome itself. Today tourists from all over the globe pass through the Leonine Walls on their way to visit the Vatican’s Museum and other historic sights. While today Vatican City is far from a fortress, that was not the case for most of its history. Castel Sant’Angelo and Vatican City – Vatican City and Rome, Lazio, Italy Photo by Yair Haklai from Wikimedia Commons Today The Castle of the Moors is listed as a UNESCO world heritage site along with several other notable buildings in Sintra. After taking the city of Lisbon the Moorish forces occupying the castle gave it over without a fight. The castle only changed hands one time during its existence in 1147. Following their expansion into modern-day Spain and Portugal in the early 700s the Moors built the castle in the 8th and 9th centuries. The Castle of the Moors in Sintra is one of the finest examples of Moorish Architecture on the Iberian Peninsula. Castle of the Moors – Sintra, Lisbon, Portugal Aït Benhaddou is regarded by many as one of the strongest castles in all of Africa.Ģ7. One element that makes Aït Benhaddou particularly formidable is the fort or Kasbah, located on the steep rocky cliff above. The Ksar is made up of closely packed houses and buildings, surrounded by a defensive wall. Most of the buildings today are from the 17 th century. Dating originally from the Almoravid period in the 11 th century, the site has been continuously inhabited for more than 900 years. This UNESCO-listed site is one of the best-preserved examples of traditional earthen clay construction. Ksar of Aït Benhaddou – Aït Benhaddou, Morocco Photo by cliff williams from Wikimedia Commons All of these civilizations left their mark on the site, but today the Greeks have returned the site back to its original look. The Persians, Romans, Ottomans, Venetians, and finally the modern state of Greece all successfully took over the site. Unfortunately, like the rest of Greece, the Acropolis was besieged and taken several times. Acropolis of Athens – Athens, Attica, Greece Photo by Ad Meskens from Wikimedia CommonsĪlthough it is most known for its iconic buildings, such as the Parthenon, the Acropolis of Athens was a strategic fortress that was integral in the defense system of the city. It is a towering structure within the Cholistan Desert and can be seen from a great distance. It changed hands a few times after its construction and although not the strongest castle ever built, it still proved to be a formidable fortress. Most of the wall structure that is seen today dates from 1732. The Derawar Fort was originally constructed sometime in the 9th century CE. Derawar Fort – Ahmadpur East Tehsil, Punjab, Pakistan Photo by Fassifarooq from Wikimedia Commons These castles are ranked from worst to first, ending with what might just be the strongest castle ever built, enjoy! 30. (such as Prague Castle, and The Kremlin in Moscow) Although these castles are magnificent in their own right, none of them were are currently designed with defense in mind. ![]() We will be leaving out anything from the 19 th century Romantic Age, (such as Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany) as well as urban castles that over time turned more into regal palaces than fortifications. This list will count down 30 of the world’s strongest and most impenetrable castles ever built, that somehow still survived to be visited today. ![]() What were the strongest castles ever built? ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |