The most impressive military fortresses in the world. The most impregnable fortress in the world: description, history and interesting facts
The bomber's main offensive armament is, of course, its bombs. But to protect against a mortal enemy - fighters - part of the carrying capacity has to be spent on defensive small arms. In order to effectively perform their functions, machine guns and cannons are associated with installations - structural systems that ensure the attachment of weapons, their mobility in two planes, the supply of ammunition, and aiming. The design of the installations changed over time, adapted at the place of installation on aircraft etc. A good example of this is the American B-17 bomber.
The B-17 is a large four-engine aircraft with a bulky fuselage and good payload capacity. It was created in the mid-30s, when much attention was paid to the aerodynamics of aircraft, when the experience of the First World War had not yet been discarded, and a search was underway for tactical methods for using heavy bomber aircraft. On the prototype and pre-production copies were defensive installations with manual control, but original design. During the war, the aircraft was constantly modified, armament was strengthened, installations of various types and designs were tested, so that the B-17 can be called a kind of "exhibition of achievements" of aviation defensive weapons.
Nasal installations. The experimental XB-17s and pre-production YB-17s had a glazed spinner in the nose, which could be rotated in a vertical plane (by the handles on its side). In a round cutout on its surface, a cardan machine-gun mount was mounted, closed by an almost spherical screen. Thanks to the rotating cook, it was possible to throw the installation in a circle towards the target.
Starting with the B-17B, the nose glazing was redesigned. The complex gimbal installation was replaced with a simple apple one. It was a ball with a hole for the barrel of a machine gun, which freely rotated between two flanges compressing it. The flanges could be mounted directly on the plexiglass of any screen or window by making an appropriate hole in it. The B-17B had one “apple”, then their number was increased.
Apple hinges had limitations - when they were installed on the side windows or the nose spinner, it was impossible to turn the barrel along the course. The simplest solution was to "press" the plexiglass thermally to "unfold" the "apple" forward.
On the B-17F, sometimes in the side windows, the apple installations were replaced with gimbal installations, while the sponson fairing was squeezed out, which made it possible to move the cone being shot closer to the axis of the aircraft.
Starting with the B-17F, the side windows were enlarged. For some aircraft, the cardan machine-gun mount was fixed in the front shield. This setup later became standard on the B-17G.
On the variant of the YB-40 escort fighter, an installation similar to the Bendix ventral turret, which was installed on the first B-17Es, was mounted under the bombardier's cockpit. Later it became standard for the “G” modification, just closed with a slightly modified dome.
One of the YB-40s had Consolidated turrets in the nose and tail, modeled on the B-24.
Upper settings. Starting with the B-17E modification, a Sperry two-machine gun turret appeared on the fairing, which was serviced by a flight engineer.
Upper installation at the end of the fairing above the radio operator's cabin. Initially, a kingpin with a parallelogram bracket was installed, replaced by an arc with an apple joint in the center. The arc was hinged to the sidewalls of the hatch.
On the YB-40, a Bendix turret was installed in the radio operator's cabin instead of the upper hatch.
Lower settings. On pre-production aircraft and the B-17B, the rear hemisphere was defended by four blister mounts: the top, ventral and two side mounts of approximately the same design. On the B-17C and B-17D, instead of a blister, they put a “bath”. Machine guns, together with cartridge boxes, were mounted on a ring with a horizontal hinge. The ring could move along the side chutes. In the stowed position, the installation was moved back.
On the B-17E modification, the lower bath was first replaced with a Bendix turret mounted remotely using a periscope. The periscope stood behind the turret, closer to the tail, its head was covered with a transparent blister.
Starting with the 113th instance of the Bendix, they changed to an inhabited retractable tower of the Sperry company with a spherical screen of a well-known type.
Side installations. On the YB-17, on the sides of the fuselage, machine guns were mounted on gimbals: the machine gun was hinged in a ring, the ring was hinged on a transparent ogive-shaped screen in the form of a blister. Screens for firing rotated inside the fuselage.
On the B-17B, B-17C and B-17D, the side blisters were replaced with flat elliptical sliding screens with sliding doors, leaving the old cutouts in the sides. The machine guns rotated on inclined pins, which made it possible to throw the machine gun along the window.
On the B-17E and B-17F, the windows for the side machine guns were made rectangular, they were closed from the wind by a sliding panel with a porthole in the middle. There was a retractable windshield in front of the window. The B-17E machine guns were mounted on vertical pins, ammunition was supplied from removable boxes.
Then the entire opening was glazed, the cardan machine-gun mount was mounted in the center of the window on the "sill".
In YB-40, to protect the side gunners, two armored shields were placed on the side machine guns.
Also, instead of one machine gun, two were installed, while the openings were shifted by a ledge, asymmetrically, so that the arrows did not interfere with each other while firing at the same time.
Starting from the B-17E, it was redone tail section: at the end mounted a two-machine gun installation, induced by hand, and a machine gunner's cabin.
On the B-17G, the stern mount began to look like the B-29 mount, but had manual guidance.
Still, medieval architects were geniuses - they built castles, luxurious buildings that were also extremely practical. Castles, unlike modern mansions, not only demonstrated the wealth of their owners, but also served as powerful fortresses that could hold the defense for several years, and at the same time, life in them did not stop.
Even the fact that many castles, having survived wars, natural disasters and the carelessness of the owners, are still intact, suggests that they have not yet come up with a more reliable home. And they are insanely beautiful and seem to have appeared in our world from the pages of fairy tales and legends. Their high spiers are reminiscent of the times when beauties fought for the hearts, and the air was saturated with chivalry and courage.
Reichsburg Castle, Germany
The thousand-year-old castle was originally the residence of the German king Conrad III, and then the king of France Louis XIV. The fortress was burned down by the French in 1689 and would have sunk into oblivion, but a German businessman purchased its remains in 1868 and spent most of his wealth to restore the castle.
Mont Saint Michel, France
Swallow's Nest, Crimea
Initially, on the rock of Cape Ai-Todor there was a small wooden house. And the Swallow's Nest got its current look thanks to the oil industrialist Baron Steingel, who loved to relax in the Crimea. He decided to build romantic castle, which resembles medieval buildings on the banks of the Rhine River.
Castle Stalker, Scotland
Castle Stalker, which means "Falconer", was built in 1320 and belonged to the MacDougal clan. Since that time, its walls have experienced a huge number of strife and wars, which affected the state of the castle. In 1965, Colonel D. R. Stewart of Allward became the owner of the castle, who personally restored the structure with his wife, family members and friends.
Bran Castle, Romania
Bran Castle is the pearl of Transylvania, a mysterious museum-fort, where the famous legend of Count Dracula, a vampire, murderer and governor Vlad the Impaler, was born. According to legend, he spent the night here during the periods of his campaigns, and the forest surrounding Bran Castle was Tepes's favorite hunting ground.
Vyborg Castle, Russia
Vyborg Castle was founded by the Swedes in 1293, during one of the crusades against Karelian land. It remained Scandinavian until 1710, when the troops of I drove the Swedes back far and for a long time. Since that time, the castle managed to visit both a warehouse, and a barracks, and even a prison for the Decembrists. And today there is a museum here.
Cashel Castle, Ireland
Cashel Castle was the seat of the kings of Ireland for several hundred years before the Norman invasion. Here in the 5th century A.D. e. Saint Patrick lived and preached. The walls of the castle witnessed the bloody suppression of the revolution by the troops of Oliver Cromwell, who burned soldiers alive here. Since then, the castle has become a symbol of the cruelty of the British, the real courage and fortitude of the Irish.
Kilchurn Castle, Scotland
Very beautiful and even a little creepy ruins of Kilkhurn Castle are located on the shore picturesque lake Eve. The history of this castle, unlike most castles in Scotland, proceeded quite calmly - numerous earls lived here, who succeeded each other. In 1769, the building was struck by lightning and was soon completely abandoned, as it remains to this day.
Lichtenstein Castle, Germany
Built in the 12th century, this castle has been destroyed several times. It was finally restored in 1884 and since then the castle has become a filming location for many films, including the film The Three Musketeers.
The main task of the builders of ancient fortresses, castles and monasteries is to make them as safe as possible, the least accessible to enemies. They were built high up in highlands, in hard-to-reach areas, they could only be reached with the help of experienced guides. The more tempting and attractive these buildings are today, luring tourists with their secrets and beauties.
Slovenia, Bled castle Among the stunning landscapes created by the dense forests that stretch around Lake Bled, on one of the rocky cliffs that simply break into the lake surface, stands the castle of the same name, built in 1004. Its architectural composition changed under the influence of epochs. So in the Middle Ages, towers and powerful fortification walls were completed. The Romanesque style tower is considered to be the oldest. From her to old times patrolled the surrounding area. The stone staircase leading to the entrance can still only be found with the help of a guide. Today the castle houses historical Museum, many rooms can be explored with a guide or on your own. Tourists especially like to come to the castle at sunset, when it is illuminated by lanterns, creating an atmosphere conducive to the play of the imagination.
Czech Republic, Trosky fortress. One of the most mysterious, which was in a long desolation, the Trosky fortress, located in the vicinity of Prague, is open to the public. Numerous fires have not left any documents testifying to its construction. The first mention of the fortress dates back to the 14th century, however, according to scientists, it is much older. Volcanic rocks were used in its construction, since it is located on the rocks between two extinct volcanoes. The fortress gained the greatest popularity in the 19th century, when Alois discovered it and became the owner. Its frequent guests were representatives of the creative elite, inspired by the views from the towers of the castle. Today, tourists can plunge into the world of antiquity by visiting an ancient building and enjoy exclusively scenic views his surroundings.
Italy, the city of Pitigliano. A whole ancient city has been preserved in Tuscany. It is still inhabited by a few people, mostly Jews. Therefore, sometimes Pitigliano is called "small Jerusalem". There is not a single modern building in it, the whole town is covered with the spirit of antiquity and history. The reason for such a long preservation of the settlement is due to the choice of the place of construction: its impregnability was ensured by the rocks, which are also its fortification walls. All houses and streets are literally hollowed out in the mountains. The main builders of the fortified city were the Etruscans, they tried to protect their lives from the invaders as much as possible. Today, a walk through the city of Pitigliano will turn into a journey into the past for you.
Germany, Liechtenstein Castle. In the German Alps, among the rocks and forests, a small but amazing beautiful building- Liechtenstein Castle. At first glance, the question arises whether it is possible to climb this peak at all. The castle, built in the 13th century, stands on the most peaked rock. To get to it, lovers of antiquity need to overcome many stone steps, go over the gorge along suspension bridge. The castle was rebuilt many times. It acquired its modern imposing appearance during the time of Duke Wilhelm Urach. For those who are truly passionate about history and are not afraid to climb mountains, a bewitching picture of the nearby forests and mountains will open up.
Portugal, Pena Palace. This castle is a little over 150 years old. However, it looks like architectural structure middle ages. There was an ancient monastery in the rocky region of Rane, but it had long been abandoned, and nothing prevented King Fernando II from building it in 1840 majestic castle, around which a variety of plants still grow. for the sake of natural landscape and the interior decoration of the palace, many excursions come here.
Slovenia, Predjama Castle. A visit to the Predjama Castle, built in 1202, will take you back to the time of chivalry. Its impregnability is evidenced by the fact that excursions there are carried out accompanied by speleologists. You can only get there through top entry, V literally, above. Once there was another secret entrance, but over time it collapsed and its place is unknown. Moreover, tourists are allowed to come to the castle only from May to September. This is due to bats living in rocky openings. No noise is allowed for their peaceful winter sleep. The rest of the time the castle is open for visiting and holding historical holidays with jousting tournaments and banquets.
France, Saint-Michel d'Egil chapel. The small chapel built on top of a hill in small town France Le Puy-en-Velev 962. The initiator of the construction of the religious shrine was Bishop Puy, who decided to commemorate the return of one of the holy pilgrims, Michael. A steep stone staircase, consisting of 268 steps, leads to the chapel. Archaeologists periodically conduct research on a modest, but rich in secret area of the structure. All finds are exhibited in the main chapel for everyone to see.
The main task of the builders of ancient fortresses, castles and monasteries is to make them as safe as possible, the least accessible to enemies. They were built high in the mountains, in hard-to-reach areas, they could only be reached with the help of experienced guides. The more tempting and attractive these buildings are today, luring tourists with their secrets and beauties.
Slovenia, Bled castle. Among the stunning landscapes created by the dense forests that stretch around Lake Bled, on one of the rocky cliffs that simply break into the lake surface, stands the castle of the same name, built in 1004. Its architectural composition changed under the influence of epochs. So in the Middle Ages, towers and powerful fortification walls were completed. The Romanesque style tower is considered to be the oldest. From it in ancient times, a patrol was conducted on the surrounding expanses. The stone staircase leading to the entrance can still only be found with the help of a guide. Today, the castle houses a historical museum. Many rooms can be explored with a guide or on your own. Tourists especially like to come to the castle at sunset, when it is illuminated by lanterns, creating an atmosphere conducive to the play of the imagination.
Czech Republic, Trosky fortress. One of the most mysterious, which was in a long desolation, the Trosky fortress, located in the vicinity of Prague, is open to the public. Numerous fires have not left any documents testifying to its construction. The first mention of the fortress dates back to the 14th century, however, according to scientists, it is much older. In its construction, volcanic rocks were used, since it is located on the rocks between two extinct volcanoes. The fortress gained the greatest popularity in the 19th century, when Alois discovered it and became the owner. Its frequent guests were representatives of the creative elite, inspired by the views from the towers of the castle. Today, tourists can plunge into the world of antiquity by visiting an ancient building and enjoy exceptionally picturesque views of its surroundings.
Italy, the city of Pitigliano. A whole ancient city has been preserved in Tuscany. It is still inhabited by a few people, mostly Jews. Therefore, sometimes Pitigliano is called "small Jerusalem". There is not a single modern building in it, the whole town is covered with the spirit of antiquity and history. The reason for such a long preservation of the settlement is due to the choice of the place of construction: its impregnability was ensured by the rocks, which are also its fortification walls. All houses and streets are literally hollowed out in the mountains, so at first glance it may seem. The main builders of the fortified city were the Etruscans, they tried to protect their lives from the invaders as much as possible. Today, a walk through the city of Pitigliano will turn into a journey into the past for you.
Germany, Liechtenstein Castle. In the German Alps, among the rocks and forests, a small but surprisingly beautiful building rises - Liechtenstein Castle. At first glance, the question arises whether it is possible to climb this peak at all. The castle, built in the 13th century, stands on the most peaked rock. To get to it, lovers of antiquity need to overcome many stone steps, pass over the gorge on a suspension bridge. The castle was rebuilt many times. It acquired its modern imposing appearance during the time of Duke Wilhelm Urach. For those who are truly passionate about history and are not afraid to climb mountains, a bewitching picture of the nearby forests and mountains will open up.
Portugal, Pena Palace. This castle is a little over 150 years old. However, it looks like an architectural structure of the Middle Ages. There was an ancient monastery in the rocky region of Rane, but it was abandoned long ago, and nothing prevented King Fernando II from building a majestic castle in 1840, around which a variety of plants still grow. For the sake of the natural landscape and the interior decoration of the palace, many excursions come here.
Slovenia, Predjama Castle. A visit to the Predjama Castle, built in 1202, will take you back to the time of chivalry. Its impregnability is evidenced by the fact that excursions there are carried out accompanied by speleologists. You can get there only through the upper entrance, literally, from above. Once there was another secret entrance, but over time it collapsed and its place is unknown. Moreover, tourists are allowed to come to the castle only from May to September. This is due to bats living in rocky openings. No noise is allowed for their peaceful winter sleep. The rest of the time, the castle is open for visiting and holding historical holidays with knightly tournaments and banquets.
France, Saint-Michel d'Aiguil chapel. A small chapel built on a hilltop in the small French town of Le Puy-en-Velev in 962 never ceases to amaze historians. The initiator of the construction of the religious shrine was Bishop Puy, who decided to commemorate the return of one of the holy pilgrims, Michael. A steep stone staircase, consisting of 268 steps, leads to the chapel. Archaeologists periodically conduct research on a modest, but rich in secret area of the structure. And as you know from, all the finds are exhibited in the main chapel for everyone to see.
Complex intricate paths lead to them, steep stairs of hundreds of stone steps and dangerous suspension bridges laid over bottomless abysses. Some prominent historical buildings reliably isolated from the world, since ancient times they served the only purpose - to protect the owners from uninvited guests ...
Beautiful castles and monasteries are located on sheer cliffs, tops of impregnable cliffs and in difficult mountainous terrain, where you can easily get lost without a guide. It is all the more interesting for sophisticated travelers to visit these hard-to-reach sights, each of which holds a lot of secrets.
Bled Castle, Slovenia
One of the most impregnable structures in the world should be sought in Slovenia, here on top of a 130-meter cliff is located old castle Bled. It is one of the oldest in the country
Bled Castle is located in an incredibly beautiful area, next to the lake of the same name. The rocky cliff, on top of which it is located, literally hangs over the shore of the lake and is surrounded on all sides by dense forest. Surprisingly, people managed to build a castle in this remote area more than a thousand years ago, the first official mention of the castle dates back to 1004.
For hundreds of years, the castle has managed to preserve many ancient architectural elements, the Romanesque-style tower is considered the oldest; it was it that many years ago was used to monitor the surroundings. Appearance ancient castle changed a lot during the Middle Ages, it was supplemented with new buildings, including stone towers and fortification walls.
The entrance to the castle is hidden in the thick of the forest, a narrow stone staircase leads to it, which will also not be easy to find among the centuries-old trees without a guide.
Conducted through the castle grounds organized excursions, during which you can learn a lot of interesting things about the history of its appearance and even evaluate the interior of some buildings. A significant part of the castle is occupied by the historical museum, which presents a rich collection of household items, ancient clothes and weapons.
Many tourists tend to visit these Amazing places at sunset, after dark, a high cliff and an ancient castle located on it are decorated with spectacular lighting.
Trosky Fortress, Czech Republic
Year of appearance: 14th century. In the vicinity of Prague, there is an amazing and full of secrets Trosky fortress, which for hundreds of years was considered the most impregnable in the Czech Republic. The castle was built in the rocks, or rather, between two craters of an ancient extinct volcano.
The builders did not disregard the craters themselves either, they housed the towers of the fortress. Together with the gloomy impregnable rocks, the fortress looks simply inimitable, the contrast to the gloomy shades is the forest surrounding the rocks.
Despite the fact that the first official mention of the fortress dates back to the end of the 14th century, historians believe that it was built much earlier. For hundreds of years, the fortress managed to successfully repel the sieges of the Swedish conquerors; for several centuries it was in complete desolation.
The most romantic era for the castle began in the 19th century, when Alois was its owner. During this period, artists and poets from all over the world visited the fortress in search of inspiration. From its Maiden Tower, a magnificent view of the surroundings opened up.
It is noteworthy that this tower is the oldest element of the building; during a strong fire in 1428, it was the only surviving building. Despite its uniqueness and attractiveness, the Trosky fortress is one of the most mysterious and unexplored.
All documents that could shed light on the history of its creation were burned in numerous fires. Currently, the historical landmark is under the jurisdiction of the Heritage Institute, despite its impressive age, it is well preserved and open to the public.
City of Pitigliano, Italy
Altitude: from 300 to 663 meters above sea level. The most impregnable city in the world can safely be called the ancient Pitigliano, located in picturesque Tuscany. This ancient city was literally built on rocks, stone structures and fortification walls form a single whole with sheer cliffs.
According to historical data, the Etruscans were engaged in the foundation of the settlement hundreds of years ago. They specifically chose a high hill as a construction site, which is surrounded by impregnable rocks on three sides in order to protect themselves from invaders as much as possible.
The ancient structures that can be seen today are located at an altitude of 300 to 663 meters above sea level. Many buildings and fortification walls have been perfectly preserved to this day. amazing city Pitigliano has lived its own life for many hundreds of years and is considered one of the most scenic spots Tuscany.
Travelers who are not afraid to go a long way and climb a high hill will have the opportunity to walk along the fabulously beautiful medieval streets and see a lot of unique sights.
Pitigliano is often referred to as "Little Jerusalem", much of it modern population are made up of Jews. One of the main historical symbols of the city is the Orsini Palace, which was built in the 16th century and is currently the location of the archaeological museum.
Largely due to the unique location, the city managed to preserve its unique medieval appearance; there are no modern buildings on the territory of Pitigliano. walk along ancient city will be a real journey into the past.
Liechtenstein Castle, Germany
Year of appearance: 13th century. Height: 817 meters. In Germany, among the impregnable and bewitching Bavarian Alps, you can find amazing castle Liechtenstein. It is located on the top of one of the rocky steep cliffs, the height of which is about 817 meters.
The mountainous area of Honau, on the territory of which the castle is located, is considered one of the most picturesque in the country, here impregnable cliffs alternate with incredibly beautiful forests. At first glance, it is difficult to imagine how you can climb to the top of the cliff and get into the territory of the ancient castle.
Guests of this unique attraction first need to climb the steep stone stairs into the mountains, and then cross the suspension bridge that was laid over the gorge. The first fortification on the site of the castle was built at the beginning of the 13th century. Over the hundreds of years of its existence, the castle was completely destroyed and rebuilt twice.
At the beginning of the 19th century, after another restoration, the castle belonged for some time to King Frederick I, who used it as his hunting lodge.
The last owner of the castle was Duke Wilhelm Urach, it was to him that Liechtenstein owes its current impressive appearance. Under the leadership of the duke, the last large-scale reconstruction of the castle was carried out, today it is considered an ideal example architectural monument in the Romanesque style.
The ancient castle has many interesting secrets, so, the rooms of its lower level were carved right into the rock, it will be interesting to visit them for all lovers unusual excursions. From the castle grounds gorgeous view to the mountains, many experienced travelers prefer to visit these places in autumn or spring.
Pena Palace, Portugal
Year of appearance: 1840. In Portugal, the Pena Palace is considered a landmark of national importance. It is located in the immediate vicinity of the city of Sintra. The palace was built on top of a rocky cliff in 1840.
Externally, the palace resembles a classical medieval castle, while its real age barely exceeds 150 years. The initiator of the construction of the fortress was King Fernando II, who used majestic building as a summer residence.
Initially, in the rocks, where it was decided to build a castle, there was a small ancient monastery. At the time of the start of construction, it had been in desolation for many years, so nothing prevented us from starting to build a majestic structure of impressive proportions among the rocks.
The last owner of the castle was Queen Amelia, in 1910 she was forced to leave her residence and flee from Portugal. In many rooms and halls of the palace, it was possible to preserve the atmosphere that took place under the last owner.
After the revolution, the palace was converted into a museum, it houses an interesting collection of works of art, antique furniture and precious jewelry. A walk through the vast territory of the palace will also give a lot of impressions. Here you can endlessly admire the carved arches in the Moorish style, ancient sculptures and landscape decorations.
The palace is surrounded by a large-scale forest, the area of which is more than 200 hectares. IN different times the owners of the castle planted a lot of exotic plants on its adjacent territory, so nature lovers will definitely like the tour.
Phuktal Monastery, India
Year of appearance: 12th century. In India, one of the most inaccessible and isolated structures is Phuktal Monastery. This isolated Buddhist monastery was founded in the 12th century, it was built on the slope of a high stone cliff.
At first glance, it may seem that the buildings can fall down at any moment, in fact, the monastery has existed for more than 800 years, and about 70 monks still live in it. You can get to the monastery only on foot along a secret mountain path, which will be almost impossible for an unprepared person to find.
One of the main features of the architectural complex is the natural cave located above it, which is also interesting to visit and hides many secrets. Until the middle of the 19th century, the monastery remained secret, in 1826 it was visited by the famous orientalist from Hungary, Sandor Csoma de Koros. The researcher spent more than a year in the monastery, studying the language and customs of the monks; it is he who can be considered the “discoverer” of this amazing sight.
Despite the fact that now the monastery is open to tourists, it has not lost its originality. Travelers will have the opportunity to walk along the stone corridors of the ancient monastery, admire the frescoes decorating the walls, and also visit the ancient libraries located within the walls of the monastery.
It is important to consider that the path to the monastery is not easy and starts many kilometers from the cliff. It usually takes about two days for tourists to overcome a long journey, during the trip they will have the opportunity to visit several colorful Indian villages.
Predjama Castle, Slovenia
Year of appearance: 1202. Height: 123 meters. In Slovenia, there is another amazing castle among the most impregnable on the planet - Predjama. It was built on a rocky wall, at a height of 123 meters, the age of the castle is over 700 years.
The first official mention of the castle dates back to 1202. For hundreds of years, the castle belonged to various knightly orders, it hosted jousting tournaments and medieval banquets.
Despite the difficult location, in the 17th century, clever robbers managed to enter the castle and take out a lot of valuable things from it. After that, the owner of the castle decided to build a secret Vipava passage, for many years the way to enter the castle was known only to the elite.
For many years the castle has been permanent place holding interesting historical holidays, jousting tournaments and banquets are held here. One of the main holidays is dedicated to Erasim Yamsky, one of the most famous owners of the castle.
You can visit the castle only from May to September, all excursions are accompanied by speleologists. The upper course is a series of difficult forest areas And mountain caves, which have chosen a colony of bats as their habitat.
It is because of these small inhabitants that the castle is closed to the public for a significant part of the time, when bats hibernate with the onset of cold weather, you can’t walk through the caves and disturb them.
Monastery of St. George Khozevita, Israel
Year of appearance: 6th century. In Israel, there is also a building, which, in the truest sense of the word, will not be easy to approach - the monastery of St. George Hozevit. This Orthodox monastery is considered one of the oldest in the world, it is located on the territory of the Celt Valley, among the expanses of the Judean Desert.
The building of the monastery was built on the slope of a steep cliff closest to the monastery. locality is the ancient city of Jericho, they are separated by about 5 kilometers.
The amazing monastery of St. George Khozevita was built in the 6th century; from afar, its modest buildings resemble swallow nests hanging over a high cliff. The monastery is completely built of stone and is incredibly beautiful. It has preserved an old chapel and many religious artifacts.
The history of the construction of the monastery is very interesting, according to one of the legends, it was built next to a secluded cave, in which the prophet Elijah hid for three years and six months. The monastery was built by five Syrian monks who managed to find the legendary cave.
Later, in 480, St. John Khozevite arrived from Egypt to the monastery, who significantly expanded the building and supplemented it with new buildings. Among the priceless religious relics that visitors to the monastery can see today are the relics of St. John Khozevita, as well as the relics of John of Romania.
An important relic are the skulls of the monk-martyrs who lived in the monastery at the beginning of the 17th century and fell at the hands of the Persian conquerors. Many interesting historical artifacts are kept within the walls of the monastery, so it will be interesting for absolutely everyone to visit it.
Chapel Saint-Michel d'Aiguille, France
Year of appearance: 962. Height: 100 meters. In the miniature French town of Le Puy-en-Velay is the famous chapel Saint-Michel d'Eguille. An unusual location made this chapel a world-famous landmark, it was built on top of a hill, which is 100 meters high.
To climb to the top of the cliff and view the ancient chapel in close proximity, one should overcome a long staircase, which has 268 steps. Brave travelers who are not afraid to climb the steep stairs will be generously rewarded - from the top of the cliff they will have an unforgettable view of the miniature town and its surroundings.
The construction of the chapel began in 962 under the leadership of Bishop Puy, so he decided to celebrate an important event - the return from the pilgrimage of St. Michael. The very first chapel was a small chapel with three apses, and in the 12th century the scale of the religious building was significantly expanded. In addition to two chapels and a bell tower, an outpatient clinic was also built here.
The hill, on top of which there is an old chapel, is an important archaeological site. As it turned out during the excavations, even in the prehistoric era, there was a Roman sanctuary on the top of the hill, here the inhabitants ancient rome sacrificed to the god Mercury.
The chapel hides a lot of secrets that never cease to amaze even experienced researchers. In the middle of the 20th century, during the next research work scientists managed to discover a cache of sacred Christian relics. Today everyone can see them, the finds were presented in the main chapel.
Potala Palace, Tibet
Year of appearance: 1645. Height: 170 meters. Area: 360 thousand sq. meters. In Lhasa among the picturesque Tibetan mountains located famous palace The Potala is the highest old buildings on the planet. The palace is located at an altitude of 3,767 meters above sea level; the top of the Marpo Ri hill was chosen as the location of the palace.
The Potala Palace is the largest monumental structure in Tibet, it completely occupies the top of the hill and its slope. The height of the multi-level building is also quite impressive and is 170 meters.
Potala is a complex palace complex, which, in addition to directly royal palace includes large temple complex. total area building is 360 thousand square meters. meters, for many years the palace remained main residence Dalai Lamas. For Buddhists, the Potala Palace today has a huge religious significance, and it is known to a wide range of tourists as an interesting museum.
According to historical data, construction palace complex was begun in 1645 under the leadership of the Dalai Lama V, three years later the construction of the White Palace was completed.
Until now, the architecture of the palace complex is considered unique, it is an incredible combination of numerous buildings, steep stairs and terraces. It is not surprising, because the best craftsmen from Tibet, China and Nepal were invited to build the palace in the 17th century.
Visitors to the palace will have the opportunity to stroll through the spacious pavilions, look into the living quarters that once belonged to the mentor and regent of the Dalai Lama. On the territory of the palace complex is located famous cave Fa Wana is an important Buddhist site.
