"Favourite fortification..." Topic

Ok. So what is your favourite fortification?

It can be from any period of history, but must be a structure built for military defence.

A couple of nominations to get started…

Maiden Castle hill fort just because it's huge.
Dover Castle because it is so iconic.
Carisbrooke Castle because I went a lot as a kid and it has a donkey-powered well!

must be a structure built for military defence

So no Alamo, then?

Fort Drum

Fort Snelling, because it's close and I worked on the restoration.

Hadrian's Wall because I'm from that area and it's familiar.

Corfe Castle, which I don't think I've ever seen but really liked the Keith Roberts story.

Nijo Castle
Fort Monroe

Any purpose built Vauban fortress.

My top three would be

Great Wall of China

Shusha Castle

Bam Citadel

Imagination wise – camped a number of time in one of the Valleys of the Assassins in Iran – where after a long hike in there were ruins left on the side of a mountain – Later I always designed spectacular fortifications for the side of that mountain – then wondered how the Mongols or other powers of the day destroyed them…

el Moro in old San Juan.

I've always found Cochem castle particularly pleasing. My Warhammer Empire army would love it….

Actually, the Alamo mission added walls to protect the Indian converts living there from attack. So, in a sense, the Alamo did have a 'military' mission.
My favorite fortifications are The Alamo and my hometown Fort McHenry.

Fort Necessity of course.

Cheyenne Mountain Complex

Any Vauban designed fortress

I don't have a favourite – too many to choose from.

Some that I like have been mentioned above, some more to add to the list include:

The Alhambra, Granada
La Citadelle and the walls of Quebec
The Tower of London
Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle (although I despair at the way that the famous regiments are getting squeezed out of their former homes)
The Kremlin, Moscow
Krak des Chevaliers
Gibraltar
Caerlaverock Castle, just 'cause I got to visit it when I was a little boy!

Maginot Line

Castillo San Marcos in Saint Augustine Florida.

This is the oldest masonry fort in North America as I understand it. Not as pretentious as its European cousins but It is certainly impressive.

Well, if you knows of a better 'ole, go to it!

link

Edinburgh Castle mainly because they built it in such a handy place for the shops.

edinburghcastle.gov.uk

I do love Edinburgh Castle.

Masada is pretty cool, too.

I like Ticonderoga because it is within driving distance.

Fort Jay on Governor's Island because I can take a ferry to it.

Naarden in the Netherlands was quite impressive. You could fit Ticonderoga into one bastion.

Castillo de San Marcos for me too

Fort Jackson below New Orleans, or closer to home, Fort Casey guarding the entrance to Puget Sound.

All above look grand and fun to visit and walk the ramparts. I have been to several mentioned. Fort Niagara was a fun visit on a cold winter day.

oldfortniagara.org

Still I prefer the representative one built for the tabletop as first choice.

link

In use on the tabletop: Battle of Klagenfurt 1809
link

Kadesh

Fort Ticonderoga for me.

Fort Monroe, because its close and my son's Boy Scout troop meets there.

Masada because I love the story and the fortification.

Krak de Chevalier….

Followed by Ticonderoga perhaps

The walls of Constantinople!

Fort Stanwix – I'm 16 miles away from it.

Fort Ticonderoga for me too

Eilean Donan castle on Loch Duich in Kintail.

Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Sumter
Fort McHenry
Fort Union
Fort Concho
Fort Sumner

Ft. Drum
&
The Alamo

Mike Bunkermeister Creek
Bunker Talk blog

Port Arthur
Ebn Emael
Fort Drum

I'm another Castillo de San Marcos fan.

Rick

The ubiquitous Tobruk pits along the length of the Atlantic/Channel coast.

A pair of artillery bunkers dug into the sides of cliffs flanking the western beach of the Quiberon Peninsular. Completely impervious to seaward artillery fire.

I like a good castle. Recently visited Bamburgh, so that is currently my favourite, the site dates back to 476, but iirc the oldest surviving fortified bit is the Norman keep.

Of the various hill forts, Karl Wark near Higger Tor in Derbyshire as I run over it from time to time and the view is spectacular.

Favourite Vauban fort is probably the town fortifications around St Martin de Re on the Isle de Re. Mainly because I like the Isle de Re.

The old Victorian Forts (Palmerstons follies?) around Portsmouth are very interesting. Once took part in a TEWT around one examining the possibilities for a Prussian assault (in a 'Battle of Dorking' type scenario).

Caerlaverock Castle has always been very pleasing:

Fort St. Angelo in Grand Harbour Malta for me

Himeji
link

and Krak de Chevaliers.

Forts Loreto and Guadalupe

Akershus fortress

For significance, the Alamo. For aesthetics, any of Vauban's great citadels.

I have a number of favourite castles, as well.

Lindisfarne, so small that you could really imagine living in it – Dover, probably fortified by the Ancient Brits, certainly the Romans, and still in use well after WW2 – Dolwyddelan – another tiny castle in rugged landscape

Matsumoto Castle, Japan
Dinas Emrys, Wales

Troy.