Walls And Fortresses

Tajikistan illustrated its stamp for the Philatelic Meeting of 2003 with a picture of the Great Wall. The western stretches of the wall, such as the section in the photograph close to Ningxia, were built of less stable materials than those in the east.

ansient fortification Sauran in the south of Kazakhstan. The capital of the Ak Orda (White Horde), one of the parts of the empire of Chingizids. It was destroyed in the 17th centuryby the Dzungars, another Mongol invasion of Central Asia.

Jaisalmer in Rajastan, India, is known as the Golden Fortress, and in the evening light it does seem golden. The undulating walls and towers were built of blocks of yellow sandstone on a vast rock plateau in the 12th century. These fortifications surround the oldest part of the city in which there are numerous buildings with exquisite rock carvings. This UNESCO site is a tourist attraction.

The Bourtzi fortress sits on the small island of St Theodori in the Bay of Nafplio, southern Greece. It dates from the 15th century and has been defensive fort, prison, retreat for the government and is now a tourist attraction and site for cultural events. stamps of 1942 - I'm not sure what the denomination on the red on is.

The Citadell of Ankara, Turkey, sits on a rugged outcropping of rock and is today surrounded by modern buildings. The site was used from BC times and the massive fortifications date from 600 AD onward. stamp of 1929

The Fortress at the harbor of Rethymno on the northern coast of Crete has a long history. The present style of a huge star fort dates back to the influence of Venetians. There are no longer many buildings in the compound but a small mosque is left from times of Turkish influence. It makes a wonderful walk to stroll along the perimeter of the ramparts.

The old city of Rhodes, Greece, is almost entirely surrounded by massive walls with majestic portals. Fortifications date back to the 4th century BC and were enlarged over many centuries after sieges and earthquakes. You can hike on top of them along a path with beautiful views and then climb down for a rest in one of the countless cafes along the narrow streets. UNESCO site; stamp of 1988

Newer stamps showing the great portal at the harbor of Rhodes, either on a roll or in a pane, 2006. The old map of the city shows how majestic the walls and bastions were in about 1490. Note the dolphin, a holy animal to Apollo and Poseidon, and to Greeks.

A view from inside the Rhodes fortifications is shown in the stamp of 1961 and a view from above in the newer photograph. There one can detect the walkway all around.

Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban was a master of military engineering. The forts constructed according to his star design can still be seen in many locations. The photograph of Neuf Breisach, just a short drive down the Rhein from where I'm sitting shows the basic star shape of the walls and dry moats. View of a dry moat and a pageant held between the massive walls. 2007

Another fortress, not far from Neuf Breisach, was perfected by Vaubon. It sits on a rock outcropping almost entirely surrounded by the Doubs river and the town of Besancon. The citadel houses several museums, one of them honoring Voubon. stamp of 1955

Star forts such as the ones built by Vaubon were constructed somewhat earlier, for example in Italy. The fortress of Palmanova, just a bit north of Venice, is one of the most spectacular. It is a 9-pointed star in the flat countryside and has massive walls and dry moats and a water moat all around. The old part of town is completely protected. The stamp, 1993, shows the major portal.

A fairly small star fort was located in the bay of New York on Liberty Island (formerly Bedloe Island). Eleven-pointed Fort Wood was built at the beginning of the 19th century to defend the bay against possible attack. In the 1880s the fort was redone to become the base for Lady Liberty. stamp of 1986, 100 years after Liberty arrived.

Hello Alexey, The fortifications of Luxemburg are amazing, one can spend days walking around on top and inside! UNESCO site. K.

The old fortifications of Luxemburg city are very extensive, bordering the river and surrounded by the city. stamp of 1967. Nowadays there are many more bridges.