Unlike other forts along Hadrian’s Wall, Aesica is actually located to the south of the Wall, and was built to guard the Caw Gap where the Haltwhistle Burn river crosses over it. The original fort had three main gates with double portals and towers at each corner, yet at some point the western gate was completely blocked up. Garrisoned there in the 2nd century was the Sixth Cohort of Nervians, from the Belgic Nervii tribe of northern Gaul, and the Sixth Cohort of Raetians, from the Raetia province in central Europe. In the 3rd century, the Second Cohort of Asturians were stationed there, hailing from Asturias in Spain.
Excavations undertaken in 1894 unearthed a wealth of treasures from Aesica, including a gilded bronze brooch considered a masterpiece of Celtic art, a bronze ring with a Gnostic gem and an enamelled brooch in the shape of a hare.
Today the fort remains well preserved, with a number of its external walls still visible alongside the outlines of many of the internal buildings. A Roman bathhouse lies a short distance to the south of the fort, which included a dressing room, latrine, cold room, dry-heat room and two steam rooms!
Near the south gateway is also found one of the only shrines along the Wall, where people today leave coins (perhaps for good luck!), while at the centre of the site the entrance to the fort’s strong room beneath the headquarters building can be found.
The surrounding area provides stunning scenery for any visit to Aesica, with the North Pennines dominating the skyline to the south.
Aesica Roman Fort is located just north of Haltwhistle in Northumberland off the B6318. The nearest carpark is Cawfields Quarry, about a 15-minute walk to the site. Public transport such as buses and trains are available to Haltwhistle, from which around an hour’s walk will take you to Aesica.
]]>Primarily intended as a military structure, the Agra Fort is made up of 20 metre high walls with a circumference of 2.5 kilometres. However, the Agra Fort was later transformed into a city unto itself expanding into a labyrinth of red sandstone and marble buildings, including a palace, a mosque, homes, halls and monuments.
Original construction of the Agra Fort was commenced by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1565 with successive emperors of the Mughal Dynasty adding to it over time. One particular contributor was Emperor Akbar’s grandson and commissioner of the Taj Mahal, Emperor Shah Jahan, who added further white marble buildings, in effect creating a palace. The ear-shaped layout of the fort was to deter any invaders and make it harder for the city to be breached.
While the Agra Fort was intended to keep out enemies, it in fact transformed into an opulent prison in 1685, when Shah Jahan was imprisoned there for the final eight years of his life when his son, Aurangzeb, seized power.
The British later seized and destroyed much of the fort, using parts of it as a garrison, and today, the Indian military occupy much of the fort – these areas are unsurprisingly off limits to the public.
Some of the most impressive structures within the Agra Fort complex include the Diwan-i-Am or ‘Hall of Public Audiences’, from which Shah Jahan conducted state business, the 17th century Nagina Masjid or ‘Gem Mosque’ and the mirror encrusted Shish Mahal palace. The Anguri Bagh gardens are also very beautiful, having been extensively restored.
The fort opens just before sunrise, and closes at sunset: if you go early or late you’ll have a much better chance of taking good photos and not being hassled by local tourists or touts. The complex is large and sprawling – it takes several hours to wander round fully and there are plenty of nooks and crannies which lead to other parts of the palace to explore. Look out for the lovely views of Agra and spot the Taj Mahal in the distance on a clear day.
Agra Fort is about a 30 minute walk from the Taj Mahal through the leafy Shah Jahan park. A tuk tuk or taxi should cost under ₹100 and doesn’t take long (although the terrible traffic means there’s not much in it compared to walking).
The mainline railway station, Agra Fort, is close by if you’re travelling to or from Delhi. You can walk to the fort from Taj Ganj via the leafy Shah Jahan Park, or take an autorickshaw for ₹80. Food is not allowed into the fort. The fort opens 30 minutes before sunrise; the ticket office opens 15 minutes before that. Last entry is 30 minutes before sunset.
]]>The earliest building at this location belonged to the count of Fonnollède since 1021. In the 13th century, the keep that had replaced earlier buildings was bequeathed by the viscounts of Carcassonne to their vassal, the Termes.
In 1210, it was invaded and occupied by Simon de Montfort, whose soldiers took and held the owner Raymond de Termes in a dark dungeon in the Carcassonne. Militarily, the castle lay dormant for the next 30 years, until Raymond’s son Oliver de Termes took back the castle in the brief revolt against the crusaders. Aguilar became the refuge of many faydits, Cathar knights and lords without strongholds. In 1246, a royal garrison was installed to supervise the Aragon frontier.
Olivier, however, eventually made an alliance with king Louis IX, who purchased the castle from him in 1260. Despite the heavy fortifications, the castle would be continually under siege by opposers to the French or Spanish rulers until the 16th century.
When the border was pushed back to the south of Roussillon by the treaty of the Pyrenées, the castle gradually lost its strategic importance, and was eventually abandoned in 1569. Today it is in decrepit condition. Since 1949, it has been listed as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture.
The castle consists of an inner keep built in the 12th century, surrounded by an outer pentagonal fortification from the 13th century. This fortification is oriented such that its point guards the side most favourable to attackers. The keep and the inner hexagonal fortification is flanked at each corner with semi-circular guard towers, each equipped with archery outlooks.
There is a small underground chapel of Saint-Anne below the keep.
Aguilar Castle is located on the town of Tuchan, in the Aude, 35 km north-east of Perpignan and 30 km west of the Mediterranean coast.
The castle is open from the middle of April to the end of October, admission price 3.50 euros for adults and 1.50 euros for children up to 15 years old.
]]>One of the biggest fortifications of its kind in Europe, the fortress – sometimes called the Alba Iulia Citadel or the Alba Carolina Fortress – protects the city centre. Inside are some of the most important civic buildings of Alba Iulia, including the cathedral, university, and the remains of the Roman legionary camp.
Built from around 1716 to 1735, the Alba Iulia Fortress was part of a fortification system created by Prince Eugene of Savoy designed to ensure the defences of the newly conquered provinces of the Hapsburg Empire. It thus served as a military centre between the 18th and 19th centuries.
Over 20,000 Romanian peasants as well as several Italian workers and artisans worked on the construction of the fortress. The walls measure three metres at the base and are 1.2m wide at the top. In total these massive battlements have a perimeter of 12km, and form a seven-point star shape with seven bastions and six imposing gates, which are in themselves impressive architectural sites to explore.
Today, The Alba Iulia Fortress is one of the main attractions in the area. One of the main attractions of the site is the Guard Change of the Citadel, which takes place at midday every day during tourist season, and sometimes twice a day at weekends. The guards are dressed in uniforms specific to the 18th century.
Every year, on December 1st, the Romanian people celebrate their National Day at the Alba Iulia Fortress. The fortress is very accessible from Cluj-Napoca, and you can explore it through different tours and day trips.
From the centre of Alba Iulia, the fortress is a scenic 18 minute walk via Strada Ardealului/DN1 and Str. Mihai Viteazul. By car, it is a 5 minute drive via the Calea Moților/DN74, Strada Aurel Vlaicu and Strada Unirii roads. There are a number of public transport options which stop at the Platoul romanilor (Platou) road.
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Visitors to the Alcazaba of Malaga can also see the remains of a ruined Roman theatre, whose materials are also said to have been used in building the palace fortress.
According to Arab historians, it was built between 1057 and 1063 at the instructions of Badis, King of the Berber Taifa of Granada. Transported material was used in its construction and columns, capitals and other materials were taken from the nearby Roman Theatre.
Between the eleventh and fifteenth centuries, Málaga and the Alcazaba remained under the rule of various Muslim dynasties: the Almoravid dynasty in 1092, the Almohad Caliphate in 1146 and the Nasrid dynasty in 1279. It was under the Nasrid Kingdom when the Alcazaba enjoyed its greatest splendour undergoing alterations that would convert it into an impenetrable fortress, whilst on the inside, it acquired the kind of delicate beauty that is seen in the architecture of the Alhambra of Granada. Finally, in 1340, the Nasrid King Yusuf I would build Gibralfaro Castle at the top of the hill.
In 1487 the Alcazaba encountered its first major siege which is was subjected to by Catholic military forces. For four months the Muslim army, formed of 15,000 men, resisted an army of 80,000 until finally surrendering.
The fortress was maintained in good conditions until the seventeenth century when two events contributed to its deterioration: the severe earthquake of 1680, and the damage caused by an attack by French ships in 1693 during the Nine Years’ War. From then the fortress was employed for various uses, including a prison, hospital and even homes located on the lower part, until the thirties when rehabilitation work began and the compound was declared Historical Heritage of Spain, now an Asset of Cultural Interest.
The building’s military components make it one of the most important Muslim works in Spain today.
It was restored several times and most recently in the 20th century, and today the building and its important archaeological legacy can be visited.
The compound, which spans 15,000 square metres and can now be visited by climbing up on foot or by taking the lift from Calle Guillén Sotelo in front of the City Hall building.
The Palace is structured around three courtyards, the first of which is the Los Surtidores courtyard, which has a central fountain and original arches from the Caliphate period. From the courtyard you can access Armadura Mudéjar Tower which has a wooden coffered ceiling from the sixteenth century and a detailed model of the Alcazaba, as well as Maldonado Tower, which offers beautiful panoramic views of Málaga. From here you will come to the outstanding Nasrid Palace and its beautiful Orange Tree Courtyard.
On the way down from the Alcazaba, visitors can stop to see the Roman Theatre that was discovered right at the foot of the fortress in 1951. Right next to it is a visitors’ centre that has information about the history of the theatre that was built in the 1st century AD and was plundered by the Moors centuries later to build the Alcazaba.
The Alcazaba is in the historic centre of Málaga and can be accessed on foot. There is also a lift which can be accessed on Calle Guillén Sotelo, in front of the City Hall building. Bus route 35 runs to Gibralfaro Castle from Paseo del Parque.
]]>Dating back to the 3rd century Roman era when it was used as a palace, Abd ar-Rahman III was the one to turn the palace into a fortress in the 10th century. Under the rule of Alfonso VI and Alfonso X, it was heavily altered and restored. It was once again restored under Charles V in 1535, with each ruler adding different elements to its design. It was at the Alcazar that Charles received Hernan Cortés following his conquest of the Aztecs.
As a result of this different building patterns, each of its four facades bears a different style, including Renaissance, Plateresque, medieval and Churrigueresque, making the Alcazar of Toledo architecturally as well as historically fascinating.
During the Spanish Civil War, the Alcazar of Toledo was the site of the dramatic Siege of Alcazar, when the Nationalist Colonel José Moscardó Ituarte managed to hold the fort despite fierce attempts by the Republicans and, according to legend, maintained this control despite the kidnap and subsequent shooting of his son – bullet holes are still visible today. The Siege of Alcazar turned this site into a symbol of Spanish nationalism.
Today, the Alcazar houses a mammoth military museum – it’s not just for military history buffs however. There’s a great exhibition on broader Spanish history through military actions, and most of the signage is both in English and Spanish.
The museum is closed on Mondays, and entry is free on Sundays.
The Alcazar is pretty hard to miss – it looms above the rest of the city, slap bang in the middle of it. There’s parking off the Calle de la Union and multiple buses stop on the Zocodover. The main station is a 20 minute walk away: regular trains depart to Madrid, an hour away.
]]>The settlement at Amer was founded in the 10th century by Raja Alan Singh, and the fortress was originally begun in the 11th century by the Rajputs. Most of what is visible today, however, dates to the 16th and 17th centuries, when major works were completed by Raja Man Singh I. Whilst technically a fort, much of the interior resembles far more of a palace.
Amer – formerly known as Dhundar – was the capital of the region until 1727, when it was moved to the city of Jaipur. Parts of the palace fell into disrepair and have been since restored.
The fort gets busy, unsurprisingly. It’s a steep climb up to the fort itself – avoid the elephants if possible: they’re kept solely for tourist purposes in the modern world, and often in poor conditions.
The interior of the fort is spectacular: there’s a lot to see, and the winding passageways and dead ends make it hard to know if you’ve seen everything there is. Particular highlights include the Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Public Audience) and the Sheesh Mahal (Hall of Mirrors) within. Sheesh Mahal is completely covered in beautiful patterns of tiny mosaic shards of mirror and coloured glass: it glistens and sparkles in the sunlight. Supposedly it was created for the Maharani (queen) so that she could see the stars at night.
The Jai Mandir (Hall of Victory) is also glorious, with its intricate inlaid panels and mirrored ceiling. Opposite you’ll find the Sukh Niwas (Hall of Pleasure), which was cooled from the fierce Rajasthani desert heat by channels of water running through the room.
Views over the Maota Lake are lovely, and look out for hidden staircases as you near the end of the palace, which offer views over the Jaigarh Fort behind. Allow at least half a day here, if not a full day if you plan on visiting the Jaigarh Fort too.
It’s worth remembering entrance is cheaper in the evening for foreigners. There’s a sound and light show in the evenings too which is extremely popular.
Bus AC-5 runs along Johari Bazaar Road / Hawa Mahal Road directly to Amer – hop on at any point along the route. The journey takes about 40 minutes depending on the speed of your driver and how lenient he is with stops. Otherwise, you can easily hire a taxi or tuktuk to take you the 12km from Jaipur to Amer: the drive should only take about 25 minutes, traffic dependent. There are plenty of drivers lurking outside Amer Fort ready to whisk you back into town when you finish.
]]>The residence is thought to have been founded by members of the family of counts of Angouleme, related to the Carolingian dynasty.
Andone Castrum was most likely occupied from around 970–980 until 1028. The site may have been abandoned in part due to lack of a water supply or to the cramped interior.
The site has been relatively undisturbed since being abandoned and excavations have given useful insights into daily life around the year 1000 in an aristocratic home. The fort has been classified Monument historique since 13 August 1986.
The site was identified for the first time in the nineteenth century but it was not until the early 1970s that the excavations are undertaken. The castrum was fully excavated by André Debord between 1971 and 1995, which, because of his sudden death in 1996, could not publish on its behalf the results of its 24 years of excavations, then by Luc Bourgeois in 2004-2005.
Currently, the site is again overgrown and access is no longer indicated.
Findings from the site include coins, tools, weapons, many horse fittings, small glass vessels, flat glass plates, furniture of stone, bone and wood, ceramic vessels and small earthenware objects. There is evidence of weaving and a smithy, with abundant metal objects. These include ironwork from doors, furniture and chests. The weapons do not include swords or lances, and suggest hunting rather than combat. Locally made chess pieces give evidence of an aristocratic lifestyle.
Castrum d’Andone is a fortified complex located in the department of Charente, on the border of the town of Villejoubert in Angoumois.
]]>Built in AD 160, Arbeia Roman Fort defended the main sea route to Hadrian’s Wall via the River Tyne, and was later used as a key supply fort for maritime imports to the wall, until the Romans left Britain in the 5th century.
Its name derives from ‘fort of the Arab troops’, as at one time its garrison contained a squadron of Tigris boatmen from Mesopotamia, following the securing of Singara in AD 197 by Septimus Severus. Arbeia would become Septimus Severus’ headquarters for his Scottish invasion, as well as also serving as a buzzing cosmopolitan fort.
Its cosmopolitan nature can be seen in the tombstones that were unearthed at the site, one such belonging to a British woman of the Catuvellauni tribe in the south, whose husband Barates was an Arab merchant from Palmyra and set up the memorial in her honour. Another belongs to Victor, a man ‘of the Moorish nation’ who was freed from slavery by Numerianus of the Ala I Asturum, an auxiliary unit stationed in the provinces of Germania.
Today, Arbeia Roman Fort has been partially reconstructed, allowing visitors to really experience how this mighty fortification would once have looked and felt. Reconstructions include the large West Gate, barracks, Commanding Officers house, and gatehouse, the latter of which also provides an aerial view over the whole site.
The museum of Arbeia Roman Fort houses original artefacts found at the site ranging from coins and gemstones, to the country’s best preserved ringmail armour suit and several tombstones.
For those looking to explore Britain’s Roman history firsthand, Arbeia provides one of the best opportunities in the country. Through the combination of both original and reconstructed history, a more complete image of the often illusive Ancient world is created – you might even have a run-in with a Roman yourself!
Arbeia Roman Fort is the town of South Shields in South Tyneside, and is accessible by following the A19 into the town centre. Road parking is available however can be limited during the school run as the site is opposite a primary school, therefore it may be advisable to park elsewhere in town.
The nearest train station is South Shields, a 10-minute walk to the site, while the 516 bus stops at Lawe Road – Trajan Avenue Stop, a 5-minute walk away.
]]>The first fort at Ardoch was constructed during the Flavian Period, in the latter half of the 1st century AD. Although no artefacts uncovered from Ardoch have been able to provide a precise date for its founding, construction likely dates to between 79 and 83 AD, when the Roman governor Agricola campaigned in Northern Britain with the intent of conquering the whole of the island.
The ditches and the rampart of the Flavian fort are still visible to this day.
Ardoch was soon abandoned by the Romans following Agricola’s campaign, but it was later reoccupied in the mid-2nd century, when the Romans returned to this area and constructed the Antonine Wall at the Forth-Clyde isthmus (c.142 – 154 AD). Positioned north of the Antonine Wall, Ardoch’s new purpose was to serve as a frontier outpost for the Wall. The Antonine Fort at Ardoch was different in size to the preceding Flavian fort, smaller in size with its own ditches. A key reason why Ardoch has so many ditches visible today is because of the site’s multiple uses by the Romans in antiquity.
There was possibly even a third Roman fort constructed at Ardoch in the early 3rd century AD, when Septimius Severus marched a massive army into the Scottish midlands on a punitive expedition against troublesome peoples in the area. Whether Severus built a new fort at Ardoch is debated, but we do know that his army was active in this area.
In the area around Ardoch would have been several marching camps and a watchtower, the latter watching over a crucial road network that connected Ardoch with other forts and defences in the area. Archaeologists have dated the watchtower to the 1st century AD, but the date of the marching camps vary. Some are Flavian, while others may well date as late as Severus’ campaigns in the area more than a hundred years later.
Today, only the ditches and ramparts of Ardoch Roman Fort can be clearly seen. In the middle of the fort is a slightly elevated area, but don’t be mistaken. This feature is not Roman, but medieval. The site of a medieval chapel, constructed on the site centuries after the Romans left Britain.
The ditches that survive are some 6 metres deep, steep on either side. From ground level, it is sometimes difficult to get a clear sense of how incredible the remains of this site are. By walking to the top of what was the Antonine earthworks however, you start to get a sense of the site’s majesty.
The land is owned by Blackford Estates, who you will need permission from if you wish to fly a drone at the site. Admission to the moor is free.
Ardoch is situated a few miles north of Stirling, not far from the A9. Although there is no dedicated parking at Ardoch, there is a large layby close by along the A822. You can also park in the nearby village of Braco. The nearest train station is Dunblane.
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