Castle review thread.

[Montegriffo]

Krak de Chevaliers.

A true badass castle that has seen combat even today. There's something to it when old castles see combat centuries after they were built.


Airstrike on the Crusader Castle.


Looks like an ATGM (without the missile) in position against the Crusader Fort that was held by Syrian rebels few years ago.


Chapel of the castle:


And the chapel after Syrian rebels held the castle:

Those crusader castles are some of my favourites, Similar to James of st George style but much bigger. The 12th and 13th century era. Hope the airstrikes didn't do too much damage.

[heydaralon]

Krak de Chevaliers.

A true badass castle that has seen combat even today. There's something to it when old castles see combat centuries after they were built.


Airstrike on the Crusader Castle.


Looks like an ATGM (without the missile) in position against the Crusader Fort that was held by Syrian rebels few years ago.


Chapel of the castle:


And the chapel after Syrian rebels held the castle:

Those crusader castles are some of my favourites, Similar to James of st George style but much bigger. The 12th and 13th century era. Hope the airstrikes didn't do too much damage.

I think the Hospitallers built that one

[ssu]

Those crusader castles are some of my favourites, Similar to James of st George style but much bigger. The 12th and 13th century era. Hope the airstrikes didn't do too much damage.

They are built to last, Montegriffo.

And seems that the fighting (or the bombardment) was not something like in Monte Cassino. Besides, the French government assisted Syria to renovate the World heritage site.

(27th May 2016) Yesterday, a team of French architects and archaeologists arrived in Syria to help rebuild Krak des Chevaliers, a historic castle in western Homs partially destroyed by clashes. The French experts were invited by Maamoun Abdulkarim, Syria’s antiquities chief who has also been instrumental in salvaging UNESCO sites in recently liberated Palmyra.

Krak des Chevaliers castle – another UNESCO site – was seized by rebels in 2014 but subsequently recaptured by government troops, leaving it heavily damaged by mortar fire. “Sadly, there is really a lot of work to do,” said Jacques Seigne, Emeritus Research Director at France’s National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) upon assessing the damages.

Jacques Seigne and his French team will be training young Syrian architects and archaeologists in restoration techniques for the next 12 months.

[Hastur]

My father is a fortifications officer. Ret Maj. Gen. now. Hu used to build forts like these:









They are mostly retired now. Russia isn't a threat anymore, at least not a huge amphibious landing operation directed at Stockholm.

Most of it is far underground. They could be seven stories big, blown into the granite. Suspended upon shock absorbing pillars they could take a direct hit from a tac nuke.

[ssu]

That looks very familiar, Hastur. You had an extensive network of coastal artillery not so long time ago.

Still in early 2000's they had here active fortress islands and I have been on a lot of them for training.

This 305mm turret from Imperial Russia was in use as long as the 1970's. Located next to Helsinki, the still fire shots on Independence Day and other festivals. The firing is done actually By a reservist crew. The Island fortifications in Finland were at first part of the defences of the Russian Capitol St. Petersburgh. They hadn't forgotten that during the Crimean War the British and French had sailed to the Gulf of Finland.


Here's a rare small public photo of the inside of an underground garrison for 238 men. Conscripts lived underground in this Island fort only ten years ago. The fort (of Gyltö) is still in military use. And the 130mm cannons are still in service, because there simply isn't any other weapon system to take their place (as there's no money). Better than having nothing.



(These will serve until 2020)

[ssu]

Back to genuine castles:

Savonlinna Castle:




Best looking castle in Finland. A late 15th Century castle with 18th Century bastions built on it's side.

Now here are two gems!

Castles of the West and East confronting each other: The Hermann Castle in Estonia (on the left) looking at the Ivanogorod Castle (on the right) in Russia. Still where the divide between the East and the West goes. The Narva river in between. This place has seen a lot of important battles. In 1700 between the Swedes and the Russians and in 1944 between the Germans and the Soviets.



Hermann Castle, Narva, Estonia:


German soldiers crossing into Russia from Estonia during Operation Barbarossa, behind the Ivanogorod Castle:


German soldiers on the defence at the same place in 1944 during the battle of Narwa:


American Airborne troops from the 173th posing on the Estonian-Russian border with Ivanogorod Castle and Russia behind them:

Still a flashpoint...

[katarn]

Chillon Castle in Switzerland. Went there this summer, and it's pretty nifty. Popularized by a poem of Lord Byron's, the castle is built on a rock outcrop on Lake Geneva disconnected from the shore by about thirty feet. It has two courtyards and a remarkable amount of open space in them for the size of the facility. Now it's got some museum-y aspects to it about daily life in the living facilities that were nice.

[Montegriffo]

Nice castles SSU.
When I think of castles in WWII I think of this place,

[ssu]

Colditz, yep, now that's a true classic.

People may not know, but Dover Castle was also in interesting as it was used during WW2 (as a vast tunnel system is under the old castle) and was used later too in the cold war. Awesome history for a castle first built in the 11th Century. One of those castles I'd like to visit in the UK.

Dover castle:

[Montegriffo]

Colditz, yep, now that's a true classic.

People may not know, but Dover Castle was also in interesting as it was used during WW2 (as a vast tunnel system is under the old castle) and was used later too in the cold war. Awesome history for a castle first built in the 11th Century. One of those castles I'd like to visit in the UK.

Dover castle:

I've had a walk around it while waiting for a ferry but not been inside. It's well preserved and am sure it's worth a visit.
The White Tower or Tower of London must be one of the oldest and best preserved castles. Remarkable when you consider it's location right in the centre of one of the worlds busiest cities.


I visited as a 12 year old and remember best the armory and the room after room full of riches on display with the crown jewels.



That's some serious bling.