Historic WALLED CITIES of Europe

Unlike border walls, such as the Great Wall of China or Hadrian’s Wall, which were used to mark territorial boundaries, … More

Fort Lovrijenac

Dating from between 1018 and 1038 AD, Fort Lovrijenac (“St. Lawrence Fortress”) is located outside the western wall of Dubrovnik in Croatia. Often called … More

Château d’If

The Château d’If is a fortress and former prison located on the Île d’If (“island of yew”) about 7⁄8 mile … More

Fort Saint-Louis (Martinique)

The modern-day Fort Saint-Louis, which stands on a rocky peninsula at the edge of Fort-de-France Bay in the French overseas territory of Martinique, … More

St. Simons Island, Part 3: Fort Frederica

Fort Frederica National Monument, on the U.S. state of Georgia’s St. Simons Island, preserves the remnants of a fort built here … More

Castillo San Felipe de Barajas

Dominating the approach to Cartagena, Colombia, whether by land or sea, lies the fortress of Castillo San Felipe de Barajas, named … More

Presidio Park

Presidio Park in San Diego, California is the historic site of the first European settlements in what is now the Western … More

Historic Fort Snelling

Historic Fort Snelling is a military fortification located atop a bluff within the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area at … More

Bled, Part 2: Bled Castle

The medieval Bled Castle, built upon a precipice overlooking Lake Bled, is the oldest castle in Slovenia as well as one … More

City Wall of Nanjing

The City Wall of Nanjing was designed by the Hongwu Emperor and built after he founded the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) … More

The Old Town of Budva

Budva (Cyrillic: Будва), a 2500-year-old seaside town in Montenegro, is one of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic coast — … More

Martinique

Like its insular Caribbean neighbors — Guadeloupe, Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy — Martinique is a French Overseas Department in the West Indies. … More

Fortified Town of Palmanova

The Fortified Town of Palmanova in north-eastern Italy is the best example of a Late Renaissance planned town. It was built in 1593 by … More

Alcazaba of Málaga

The Alcazaba of Málaga, dating to the early 11th century, is the best-preserved palatial fortification in Spain. It was built during the Moorish … More

Fortified City of Kotor

Kotor is a fortified Montenegrin coastal town, well-known for being one of the best preserved medieval towns along the Adriatic. It is located … More

Fort Hamilton

Fort Hamilton is a picturesque site overlooking Hamilton Harbor in Bermuda, which it was built to protect in the 1870s, … More

Saint Augustine

St. Augustine, on the Atlantic coast of northern Florida, was founded in 1565 by Spanish explorers. The city would go on to serve as … More

Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle is a royal English residence, notable for its long association with the British royal family, as well as for being the … More

Jinju Castle

Jinju Castle (Jinjuseong), originally built as Geoyeolseong during the Three Kingdoms Period, and later renamed Chokseokseong in the Goryeo Dynasty), … More

Old Town of Edinburgh

Old Town is the name given to the oldest part of Edinburgh, Scotland which has retained and preserved much of its medieval … More

Historic Willemstad

Historic Willemstad is located in the capital city of Curaçao, an island in the southern Caribbean. The island forms a … More

Hohensalzburg Castle

Hohensalzburg Castle (literally the “High Salzburg Fortress”) in Salzburg, Austria is one of the largest and best preserved medieval castles … More

Forts of St. Croix

The U.S. Virgin Island of St. Croix is home to two well-known fortresses — Fort Christiansværn (above) located in Christiansted … More

Toompea Hill

Toompea (“Cathedral Hill”) is a limestone hill in the central part of Tallinn, Estonia. It is an oblong tableland with an area of … More

Suomenlinna Fortress

Suomenlinna (which means “Castle of Finland” in Finnish) is an inhabited sea fortress built on six islands which form part of the … More

San Antonio Missions, Part 1: The Alamo

The Alamo (originally known as Misión San Antonio de Valero) was founded in the 18th century as a Roman Catholic mission and fortress compound, … More