OT Staff
Crossing mountains, plains and deserts, the Great Wall evolved from the 3rd century BCE as China’s frontier defence. Its watchtowers, battlements and passes reveal enduring military ambition and architectural ingenuity.
This tidal island fortress combines soaring Gothic architecture with stout medieval ramparts. Built to protect a monastic community, it remains one of Europe’s most dramatic fortified religious sites.
Carcassonne’s double walls, towers and gateways form a rare intact medieval fortress. Restored in the 19th century, the citadel reflects centuries of defence, trade and daily life in southern France.
Krak des Chevaliers stands as the finest Crusader fortress, with concentric walls, vaulted halls and commanding towers. It showcases Crusader, Byzantine and Mamluk influences shaping medieval defence in the Levant.
Dubrovnik’s thick walls, bastions and cliffside forts protected a wealthy maritime republic. Its old town preserves Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque layers maintained through careful restoration after conflict and earthquakes.
Founded after 1066, the Tower of London functioned as fortress, royal residence and state prison. Its Norman keep and defensive rings illustrate evolving English power and medieval architectural strategy.
Old Québec retains North America’s only intact fortified city north of Mexico. Its walls, gates and citadel showcase French and British colonial defence overlooking the St Lawrence River.
San Juan’s vast coastal forts guarded Spanish Caribbean trade. El Morro, San Cristóbal and La Fortaleza display European military planning adapted to tropical terrain and shifting naval threats.