Twin Citadels, at Uzgen in Kyrgyztan

 

Uzgend,Kyrgyztan is the capitol of the Fargana valley under the Quakhanids, AD 11th century. The sites today at Uzgend: 10th-century minaret and later mausoleums on what was one of the fortified hills of the early medieval Islamic frontier city.

Reference:

David Nicolle, "Saracen Strongholds AD 630 - 1050." Fortress 76, Osprey Pub., London, 2008. pp. 29.

Damascus Citadel

 

The surviving late 11th - to late 12th century fortress is shown in black lines '////,' those existing only as foundations and the presumed line of missing parts are shown in dark grey '........'. The 13th century Ayyubid and Mamluk citadel, which surrounds the inner citadel, is shown in white outlined in black lines:

!. Bab al-Hadid 'Iron Gate;'

2. Northern gate of a later citadel;

3. Underground Nahr al-Qulayt canal, entering from the West and leaving in the South (After Hanisch)

Reference:

David Nicolle, "Saracen Strongholds, 1100 - 1500," Fortress 87, Osprey Pub., London, 2009, pp. 5.

Reconstruction of the Ottoman and Venetian Fortress at Butrint (after Karaiska)

 

During their occupation of Albania in the 15th-16th centuries, the Venetians had constructed a two storey artillery tower with loopholes for cannon at the southwestern corner of an existing 15th century triangular fort. When the Ottomans recaptured the fortress, they quickly installed two further round towers for artillery, in the Turkish style, which had two levels, wooden floors, and four embrasures for smaller cannon at the first floor level.

1. Ottoman (probable) 15th century fortified enclosure;

2. Venetian Artillery tower southwestern corner (square);

3. & 4. Ottoman round towers;

5. Ottoman internal buildings;

6. Venetian outer enclosure;

Reference:-

David Nicolle, "Ottoman Fortifications, 1300 to 1710," Fortress 95, Osprey Pub., London, U.K., pp 14, 28-29.

Ottoman Fortress a Bashtov (after Karaiska)

 

Most of the construction work done in the 15th and 16th centuries in Albania was military construction because of the warlike actions in that land. One such fortification was the unit built near Bashtov. This fort was a relatively simple design as it was intended to stand on flat ground. The dimensions of the design were approx. 60 x 90 meters, with curtain walls nine meters in height. There were originally seven towers, one at each corner and one in each of three walls. When the fourth wall was destroyed in a later flood the wall was rebuilt and then included the eighth tower. Each of the corner towers were five stories in height and the side wall towers three stories in height. All towers had wooden floors and wooden roofs, and each tower had embrasures for artillery at the ground level. The interior of the curtain walls had false arches and a double row of loopholes. The false arches supported a walkway which gave access to each of the towers. This was never a very important fortress for the Ottomans.

1. Original Ottoman Fort;

2. Western wall destroyed in a river flood and rebuilt;

3. "musalah" (prayer room) above entrance in the main northwestern gate tower.

Reference:

David Nicolle, "Ottoman Fortifications, 1300 to 1710," Fortress 95, Osprey Pub., London, UK, pp 13-14

Vittangi Boat

 

Vittangi Boat -

Viking ship construction continues today in Scandinavia including production of Viking replicas, small homemade utility vessels, and vessels used by the native Saami such as the one shown above from Vittangi in Northern Sweden. Perhaps someday it will be shown that the design of Viking ships did not originate in the southern Baltic and Europe, but rather from boatbuilding traditions of the northern boreal forests which also survive today.

Reference:--

W.W. Fitzhugh and E. I Ward (eds.), "Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga," Nordic Council of Ministers, Smithsonian Institute, New York, 2000

Ottoman Fortification at Anamur

 

Anamur (after Fedden);

Karamanid coastal castle with probable Ottoman additions in red:

1.- Moat;
2.- Stream;
3.- Beach;
4.- Inner Citadel;
5.- Landward Enclosure;
6.- Seaward Enclosure;
7.- Main or Sea Entrance;
8.- Land Gate;
9.- Gate of the Citadel;
10.- Gate Between Two Outer Enclosures;
11.- Postern Gate.

Information about early Ottoman fortifications in Anatolia is limited, though the extensive rebuilding of the castle of Anamur - strategically located on the coast - is confirmed by an inscription dated 874 AH (1469-70).

Reference:

D. Nicolle. "Ottoman Fortifications, 1300 - 1710," Fortress 95, Osprey Pub., Oxford, 2010.

Ottoman Fortifications at Bursa

 

Bursa (after Turkish Antiquities Authorities);

--The Main Islamic religious square buildings in are in black;

1.-Salatanat Kapi (Sultan's Gate);
2.- Citadel;
3.-Kaplica Kapi (Gate of the Hot Springs);
4.-Zindan Kapi (Prison Gate);
5.-Fetih Kapi (Conqueror's Gate);
6.-Yer Kapi (Ground or Low Gate);
7.-Tombs of Ottoman Rulers; Osman and Orhan Gazi;
8.-Sahadet Mosque.

When the Ottomans captured the Byzantine city of Bursa, they took over a strongly fortified citadel which they maintained in good repair for many centuries. Bursa is located just West and South of the Sea of Marmara in Anatolia, almost directly South of Constantinople.

As the Ottoman state increased in size and sophistication, greater emphasis was placed on urban, palatial and 'mercantile' fortifications. When the Bergundian Ambassador Bertrandon de la Broquiere visited Bursa in 1433 the city consisted of several settlements divided by deep ravines, but he noted that only one was fortified, this being a 'very beautiful castle on a low mountain which is one of the outcrops of the city.'

Reference:

D. Nicolle, "Ottoman Fortifications, 1300-1710," Fortress 95, Osprey Pub., Oxford, England, 2010, pp 5,7,14, and 41.