Category: Nicht kategorisiert

Posted on

Port fort Heraklion

The seaside fort Enetiko Frourio Koules at the entrance to the old harbour of Crete’s capital Heraklion has a rich history. It was at the center of several epic struggles for sovereignty of the island, most notably the Ottoman siege that lasted 21 years from 1648 until 1669 – probably the longest in history. It ended with Ottoman victory after the flagship of a French-led relief fleet, the La Thérèse, sank when her powder magazine exploded.
Salvaged cannon from the La Thérèse are today the highlight of the little museum in the fort, in particular three masterly crafted bronze cannon.

Posted on

Noon signal in Valletta

In relation to size, Malta is probably the most fortified land in the world. The armed conflicts this tiny nation was in involved in are epic and so it is fitting that the harbour of the capital Valletta is flanked with two huge forts. On the north side there is a battery of British 19th century front-loading guns, one of which is fired every day at high noon. Even though the country gained political independence from the United Kingdom in 1964, the action here is carried out by reenactors posing as British colonial soldiers.

(more…)
Posted on

Cannon at the Royal Palace Garrison in Mandalay

Don't let this image fool you - Mandalay is a bustling trade center and definitely not a tranquil place.

When I visited Burma in 2012, there was little international tourism in Mandalay. The town does not offer a lot spectacular sites compared to other places in the country, so many visitors use it as a stop-over at most. Therefore the museum located in the middle of an ancient but still used garrison caters mostly to a local audience.

(more…)