View allAll Photos Tagged Defensive
Fort McClary State Historic Site is a former defensive fortification located along the southern coast at Kittery Point Maine at the mouth of the Piscataqua River. Kittery Point is a census-designated place in the town of Kittery, York County, Maine. Buildings above consist of the original 1808 Powder House (front) and the Blockhouse (back). Print Size 13x19 inches. HSS.
Many thanks for your visits, faves and comments. Cheers.
Little Black Cormorant
Scientific Name: Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Description: The Little Black Cormorant is a small, slim, totally black cormorant with a greenish sheen to the back and a slender grey hooked bill. In the breeding season, adults have fine white flecks on the head and neck and the green tinge becomes more bronze. This species congregates in larger flocks than other cormorants and flies in V-shaped formations.
Similar species: The Little Black Cormorant is one of only two totally black cormorants in Australia, with the other being the much larger (70 cm - 90 cm)Great Cormorant, P. carbo, which has a yellow bill, face and throat and a white chin. The Great Cormorant also flies more often in long lines than in V-shaped formations.
Distribution: The Little Black Cormorant is found throughout Australia, including Tasmania. It is also found from Borneo and Java, Indonesia, to Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands, Palua and New Zealand.
Habitat: The Little Black Cormorant is mainly found in freshwater wetlands, but will sometimes be found on sheltered coastal waters, and can use relatively small, deep water bodies. It is strongly aquatic, seldom being seen on dry land, but is often seen resting on rocks, jetties and other perches in water.
Seasonal movements: Nomadic, leaving coastal habitats when inland waters are plentiful.
Feeding: The Little Black Cormorant feeds on fish, crustaceans and aquatic insects. It catches prey underwater, by diving and swimming using its large, fully webbed feet for propulsion. It has special nictitating membranes that cover and protect the eyes underwater. As their feathers are not waterproof, cormorants are regularly seen perched with their wings outstretched to dry after fishing.
Breeding: The Little Black Cormorant nests colonially, often on the fringes of heron or ibis colonies, building large stick nests in the fork of a tree or on the ground. Both sexes share nest-building, incubation and feeding of the young.
Minimum Size: 60cm
Maximum Size: 65cm
Average size: 62cm
(Source: www.birdsinbackyards.net)
__________________________________________
© Chris Burns 2019
All rights reserved.
This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.
The old defensive walls have large sections still intact, surviving for centuries! Quite impressive structures, especially when seen close-up. Very sturdy and strong. Built at an angle of 23 degrees, the best angle that Arabic scientists had calculated to withstand cannon fire!
Viewed from the outside of Porolissum Roman castrum, were buildings or plots of land were reserved for or constructed for use as a military defensive position.
We visited this extraordinary archaeological site which was once the most northern Roman fortress at the edge of the Roman Empire in Dacia, nowadays Romania. We walked on the Roman road which once connected Porolissum castrum with other Roman cities (Napoca, Apulum, Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa), crossed the Danube at Drobeta and continued all the way to Rome.
See below some details about the site from Wikipedia.
"Porolissum was an ancient Roman city in Dacia. Established as a military camp in 106 during Trajan's Dacian Wars, the city quickly grew through trade with the native Dacians and became the capital of the province Dacia Porolissensis in 124. The site is one of the largest and best-preserved archaeological sites in modern-day Romania, 8 km away from Zalău, Sălaj County.
Even though the city was founded as a military center in the middle of a war, the garrison of Porolissum seems to have lived in peaceful coexistence with their Dacian neighbours - several Dacian villages that were apparently founded after the city of Porolissum have been uncovered by archaeologists on the surrounding hills. There are also some inscriptions mentioning city officials with Romano-Dacian names, indicating close cooperation on a political level.
The excavations by a number of teams are ongoing and have uncovered remnants of both the military installations and the civilian city, including public baths, a customs house, a temple to Liber Pater, an amphitheatre, insula consisting of four buildings and a number of houses. The main gate (Porta Praetoria) of the stone fortress has been rebuilt." (Wikipedia)
As I approached with the lens this beauty adopted this wide and defensive stance. She held her ground impressively. For some reason here eyes have a sad look about them.
Lahore Fort started life as a defensive wall on the banks of River Ravi by the earliest settlers who founded Lahore. It was attacked, damaged, demolished, and rebuilt into various structures several times over, until it acquired its present general form under Emperor Akbar in 1566. Succeeding emperors, Sikh conquerors, and British colonists used the fort as the seat of their governance, and added their architectural influences to the citadel to give it its present configuration.
This pavilion was built by Emperor Shah Jehan in 1663, who also built the Taj Mahal in Agra. It is reportedly called Naulakha because it cost 900,000 rupees to build, and the number 900,000 in Urdu language is "Nau Lakh." The Emperor spent time here when he was in Lahore, and was entertained from the large court yard that the structure overlooks.
For more detailed information on the Naulakha, please see: www.dawn.com/news/1195182
For more detailed information on Lahore Fort, please see: sites.ualberta.ca/~rnoor/lahore_fort.html, and
The castle is situated on the Laich of Moray, a fertile plain that was once the swampy foreshore of Spynie Loch. This was originally a more defensive position than it appears today, long after the loch was drained.
The motte is a huge man-made mound, with steep sides and a wide ditch separating it from the bailey. The whole site is enclosed by a water-filled ditch, which is more a mark of its boundary than it is a serious defensive measure.
Duffus Castle was built by a Flemish man named Freskin, who came to Scotland in the first half of the 1100s. After an uprising by the ‘men of Moray’ against David I in 1130, the king sent Freskin north as a representative of royal authority.
He was given the estate of Duffus, and here he built an earthwork-and-timber castle. Freskin’s son William adopted the title of ‘de Moravia’ – of Moray. By 1200, the family had become the most influential noble family in northern Scotland, giving rise to the earls of Sutherland and Clan Murray.
In about 1270, the castle passed to Sir Reginald Cheyne the Elder, Lord of Inverugie. He probably built the square stone keep on top of the motte, and the curtain wall encircling the bailey. In 1305, the invading King Edward I of England gave him a grant of 200 oaks from the royal forests of Darnaway and Longmorn, which were probably used for the castle’s floors and roofs.
By 1350, the castle had passed to a younger son of the Earl of Sutherland through marriage. It may have been then that the keep was abandoned, possibly because it was beginning to slip down the mound, and a new residence established at the north of the bailey.
Viscount Dundee, leader of the first Jacobite Rising, dined in the castle as a guest of James, Lord Duffus in 1689, prior to his victory against King William II’s government forces at Killiecrankie. Soon after, Lord Duffus moved to the nearby Duffus House. The castle quickly fell into decay.
One of my favorite buildings in this great castle....
Stirling Castle is one of the largest and most important castles, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland. It is surrounded on three sides by steep cliffs, giving it a strong defensive position. Its strategic location, guarding a critical crossing of the River Forth, has made it an important fortification from the earliest times. Most of the buildings of the castle date from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Several Scottish Kings and Queens have been crowned at Stirling, including Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1542. There have been at least eight sieges of Stirling Castle, including several during the Wars of Scottish Independence, with the last being in 1746, when Bonnie Prince Charlie unsuccessfully tried to take the castle.
On the east side of the Inner Close is the Great Hall, or Parliament Hall. This was built by James IV and has been described as "the grandest secular building erected in Scotland in the late Middle Ages". It represents the first example of Renaissance-influenced royal architecture in Scotland. Inside are five fireplaces, and large side windows lighting the dais end, where the king would be seated. It is 42 by 14 metres (138 by 47 ft) across, making it the largest such hall in Scotland. - Wikipedia
*Press L for best viewing.
Link to ~My best photos~
*** All my photos are © All Rights Reserved. ***
This photo:
- DSLR Autofocus Ultimate Achievement Award
Zamek Królewski, Będzin, 21 czerwca 2018 r.
Warownia została wybudowana przez króla Kazimierza Wielkiego w XIV w. W tym miejscu już w IX w. istniał gród, stopniowo rozbudowywany, W XIII w. wybudowano istniejący do dziś stołp, wokół którego w kolejnym wieku dobudowano górny i dolny zamek. Po płynącej u podnóża Góry Zamkowej Czarnej Przemszy przebiegała wówczas granica między Polską a będącym pod czeskim panowaniem Śląskiem. Zamek spłonął w 1616 r. i ponownie w czasie Potopu Szwedzkiego w poł. XVII w. W XVIII w. zamek zaczął popadać w ruinę, częściowo odbudowany został w latach 30. XIX w., mieściła się tu wówczas kaplica ewangelicka, później także szpital, jednak już w 1849 r. ponownie popadł w ruinę. Po odzyskaniu przez Polskę niepodległości podjęto ponownie odbudowę zamku, a dzisiejszy wygląd jest wynikiem rekonstrukcji przeprowadzonych w latach 50. XX w.
**
Royal Castle, Będzin, June 21, 2018
The stronghold was built by King Casimir the Great in the 14th century. Already in the 9th century a defensive castle existed here, gradually extended. In the 13th century the still-existing bergfried was built, which later was extended with the upper and the lower castle. The river Czarna Przemsza which flows right at the foot of the castle was the boundary river between Poland and Silesia under the Czech reign. The castle burnt in 1616 and again during the Deluge in the mid-17th century. In the 18th century the fortress began falling into ruin, it was partially rebuilt in the 1830s, when an evangelical chapel was located here, later also a hospital, but just in 1849 the castle again felt into ruins. After regaining the independence by Poland the reconstruction efforts were undertaken; the present appearance is the result of reconstructions made in the 1950s.
The Castillo de El Toston is located in the north of Fuerteventura, in the town of El Cotillo, and like most buildings in the Canary Islands, the construction of the Castillo del Toston began after the Castilian arrival.
Most of the defensive architecture of the Canary Archipelago dates from the 15th century, the time of the Spanish Conquest, and functioned as coastal protection against attacks by pirates and barbarians from North Africa, France and Great Britain. Its construction, however, dates back to 1700 (18th century), since the old defensive castle called Rico Roque, built by the conqueror Jean de Bethencourt, existed on the same site. This fortification was created to defend the port of El Cotillo, which at that time had gained great importance as a natural port in the trade of orchilla, cereals and livestock. It was commissioned by the Captain General of the Canary Islands to the engineer D. Claudio de L'Isle and received the name of Torre de Nuestra Señora del Pilar y San Miguel.
It is built in stone, extracted from a cave in the area, has a circular base and could accommodate 12 men. In its structure a total of 3 cannons could be installed, which were located in the upper part of the castle, while in the lower part the gunpowder deposit necessary to activate the cannons was kept. At present, the castle serves as a center for various exhibitions.
At its feet is Piedra Playa, and a few kilometers to the south is the Faro del Tostón lighthouse, which currently houses a Fishing Museum.
El Cotillo, La Oliva, Fuerteventura
This photo was captured on the Chobe River, near Kasane, Northern Botswana.
Copyright: Robert Kok. All rights reserved!
Please do not use my photos on websites, blogs or in any other media without my explicit permission.
Thanks for visiting, commenting and faving my photos. Its very much appreciated!
Hadleigh Castle Essex UK
Hadleigh Castle is a ruined fortification in the English county of Essex, overlooking the Thames Estuary from south of the town of Hadleigh. Built after 1215 during the reign of Henry III by Hubert de Burgh, the castle was surrounded by parkland and had an important economic and defensive role. The castle was significantly expanded and remodelled by Edward III, who turned it into a grander property, designed to defend against a potential French attack, as well as to provide the King with a convenient private residence close to London. Built on a geologically unstable hill of London clay, the castle has often been subject to subsidence; this, combined with the sale of its stonework in the 16th century, has led to it now being ruined. The remains are now preserved by English Heritage and protected under UK law as a Grade I listed building and scheduled monument.
This squirrel was chased by two dogs in the park, she immediately climbed up on the tree and made some weird movements to scare the dogs.
The imposing remains of the Great Gatehouse
For more photographs of Castell Dinbych please click here: www.jhluxton.com/Wales/Clywd/Castell-Dinbych-Denbigh-Castle
Denbigh Castle (grade 1 Listed) and town walls (Welsh: Castell Dinbych a waliau tref) were established to secure control over Denbigh following Edward I of England’s conquest of Wales in 1282. The territory was assigned to Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, who initiated the construction of a fortified town populated by settlers from England, safeguarded by an imposing castle and surrounded by deer parks for hunting. Construction was incomplete by 1294 when Welsh forces briefly occupied the castle during the Madog ap Llywelyn revolt. Subsequent enhancements were made to its defenses, though the castle remained unfinished at Henry's death in 1311.
Ownership of the castle changed hands several times during the early 14th century until it came under the Mortimer family's control. Meanwhile, living within the walled town proved impractical, leading to the rise of a larger settlement outside the original fortifications. In 1400, the walled town suffered attacks during the Glyndŵr Rising; however, the castle itself withstood these assaults. During the Wars of the Roses, Lancastrian troops raided and burned the town, prompting most inhabitants to abandon the old area, which then became part of the castle’s extended defenses.
During the First English Civil War, Royalists held Denbigh until Parliamentarian forces seized it in October 1646. After Royalist soldiers retook it in 1659, General George Monk ordered the castle to be slighted, resulting in the demolition of portions of its walls and towers. Over time, the site further deteriorated, and the deserted walled town remained largely untouched. Restoration efforts began in the mid-19th century when a local committee took charge of the ruins. The Office of Works assumed responsibility for the fortifications in 1914, eventually transferring the site to the Welsh Cadw heritage agency.
Denbigh Castle is distinguished by three octagonal towers forming its main entrance, described by historian John Goodall as "the most architecturally sophisticated gatehouse of the thirteenth century." The curtain wall is reinforced by eight mural towers, additional barbicans, and several defensive terraces and walls. The castle joins the town walls, which are mostly intact and enclose approximately 1,100 metres (3,600 ft) around the old town. Originally, four towers and two gatehouses defended the town walls, although only one gatehouse remains. Both the castle and town gatehouse feature ornate stonework intended to reflect royal authority and civic pride.
The clock tower on the Old Town in Dubrovnik :)
The bell tower (clock tower), located on Luža Square at the end of the Stradun street, the tower is 31 metres high. Originally constructed in 1444, the tower suffered damage in the 1667 Dubrovnik earthquake among other earthquakes and, having started to lean towards the Stradun in the early 19th century, it was demolished in 1928 and entirely rebuilt to the original design in 1929. It was damaged again in the 1979 Montenegro earthquake, and restored in 1987–1988. The bronze bell which strikes the hours was cast in 1506 by Ivan Rabljanin.
Dubrovnik is a city in southern Dalmatia, Croatia, by the Adriatic Sea. It was historically known as Ragusa. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean, a seaport and the centre of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County. The history of the city probably dates back to the 7th century, when the town known as Ragusa was founded by refugees from Epidaurum (Ragusa Vecchia). It was under the protection of the Byzantine Empire and later under the sovereignty of the Republic of Venice. Between the 14th and 19th centuries, Dubrovnik ruled itself as a free state. The prosperity of the city was historically based on maritime trade; as the capital of the maritime Republic of Ragusa, it achieved a high level of development, particularly during the 15th and 16th centuries, as it became notable for its wealth and skilled diplomacy. Dubrovnik in the medieval scale was a spacious city. From the beginning of its existence, the city was surrounded by defensive walls, which were constantly extended and raised until they formed a powerful fortress. Later the Republic gradually declined due to a combination of a Mediterranean shipping crisis and the catastrophic earthquake of 1667. In 1939, Dubrovnik became part of the newly created Banovina of Croatia and under communism Dubrovnik became part of SR Croatia within SFR Yugoslavia. In 1979, the city of Dubrovnik was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in recognition of its outstanding medieval architecture and fortified old town. In 1991, during the Croatian War of Independence, Dubrovnik suffered significant damage from shelling. After undergoing repair and restoration works in the 1990s and early 2000s, it re-emerged as one of the Mediterranean's top tourist destinations, as well as a popular filming location.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wieża zegarowa na starówce w Dubrowniku :)
Dzwonnica (wieża zegarowa) ma 31 metrów wysokości i znajduje się na placu Luža, na końcu ulicy Stradun. Wieża, zbudowana w 1444 roku, została uszkodzona między innymi podczas trzęsienia ziemi w Dubrowniku w 1667 roku. Na początku XIX wieku zaczęła przechylać się w stronę Stradunu, dlatego w 1928 roku została zburzona, a w 1929 roku całkowicie odbudowana według oryginalnego projektu. Została ponownie uszkodzona podczas trzęsienia ziemi w Czarnogórze w 1979 roku, a następnie odrestaurowana w latach 1987-1988. Dzwon z brązu, który wybija godziny, został odlany w 1506 r. przez Iwana Rabljanina.
Dubrownik – miasto w Chorwacji, położone w południowej Dalmacji nad Morzem Adriatyckim. Centrum osadniczym i najstarszą częścią miasta (a jednocześnie jego największą atrakcją turystyczną) jest Stari Grad – Stare Miasto. Dzisiejsza nadmorska część dzielnicy Stari grad pierwotnie stanowiła wysepkę Lausa (bądź Lave) z małą osadą i kościółkiem. Po najeździe Słowian na Bałkany na początku VII wieku na wysepce osiedlili się uchodźcy ze zrujnowanego przez Słowian Epidaurum. Na lądzie stałym naprzeciw wysepki Słowianie założyli osadę Dubrovnik. Mieszkańcy obu osad żyli zgodnie, co pozwoliło w XII wieku je połączyć. Dokonano tego poprzez zasypanie przesmyku, na którego miejscu powstała główna ulica miasta – Stradun. Dubrownik w skali średniowiecznej był miastem obszernym. Miasto od początku swego istnienia było otoczone murami obronnymi, które wciąż poszerzano i podwyższano, aż utworzyły potężną twierdzę. Rozkwit miasta trwał od XIII do XVI wieku. W tym czasie powstała większość budowli i urządzeń miejskich, stanowiących dziś jego zabytki. Zmierzch Republiki Dubrownickiej i jej stolicy był skutkiem wielkiej zmiany szlaków handlowych w Europie po odkryciu Ameryki w XV wieku i utracie znaczenia gospodarczego szlaków śródziemnomorskich. Ponowny rozwój, choć powolny, zaczął się po zjednoczeniu Dalmacji i Bośni w jednym państwie – Królestwie Jugosławii w 1918. Obecnie Dubrownik jest najchętniej odwiedzanym przez turystów miastem w Chorwacji. Słynie z zabytków, architektury, lokalnej kuchni i życia nocnego. W 1979r. stare miasto w Dubrowniku zostało wpisane na Listę Światowego Dziedzictwa Kulturowego UNESCO jako unikalny w Europie, zachowany w całości układ urbanistyczny średniowiecznego miasta wraz z systemem umocnień obronnych.
This chameleon was crossing the lawn to find some sun... When I moved in closer to photograph him, he puffed himself up in a defensive reaction, revealing the gorgeous orange colour...
The Alcazaba consists of two elongated walled enclosures. The outer enclosure, built around the topography of the spur, completely encloses the inner one and is equipped with several defensive towers and gates. It was formerly connected to the city ramparts which formed a third defensive wall but these have disappeared in the 19th century
The Shoeburyness Boom (also known as the Sheerness Boom, Thames Boom or Thames Estuary Boom) refers to two successive defensive barriers across most of the Thames Estuary in the mid-20th century. As to the part perpendicular to the north shore most of the latter incarnation remains, and its nearest concrete mooring/patrol point 600 metres south. A 2 km (2,200 yard) stretch, this is designated a scheduled monument and marks the western edge of MoD Shoeburyness firing range, a restricted area. The rest was taken up in the 1960s.
Please take a look at a selection of H2 Photographic Club images at - www.flickr.com/groups/h2showcase
Why not take a few moments to look at our club’s website - h2photo.org.uk.
Thank you for visiting my page.
Defensive pose of the Gila Monster in southeastern AZ, USA. At sunset with the rising moon in the pinkish sky ; ).
For 32 products available with this image on it (eg. phone cover, canvas, mug, clock, shirts, greeting cards, etc), click here:
www.redbubble.com/people/cnzdenek/works/40996277-a-gila-m...
A panoramic view of the defensive wall of Ait Ben Haddou with the Atlas Mountains in the background. The scene was shot from inside the fortress, looking out.
Aït Benhaddou is an ighrem (fortified village in English) along the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech in present-day Morocco. Most citizens attracted by the tourist trade live in more modern dwellings in a village on the other side of the river, although there are four families still living in the ancient village. Inside the walls of the ksar are half a dozen kasbahs, or merchants' houses. Ksar Aït Benhaddou is a great example of Moroccan earthen clay architecture and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.
A statue of Brig General Warren stands watch on the crest of Little Round Top. It was here that the general surveyed the battleground, noting the Confederate troops gathering in the distant tree line and realized that this critical part of the Federal defensive line was occupied by only a handful of Union signal men. He immediately requested infantry to defend the hilltop. His decisive actions prevented the success of the rebel attack and possibly saved the Union Army from defeat that day.
These Common Redpolls never land in our crabapple tree UNLESS the Pine Grosbeaks go there to feed. If the grosbeaks are there, they are there. When the grosbeaks leave, they leave. Are they defending their territory? They seem to have no interest in the fruit.
Pedraza, Segovia.
Pedraza es una localidad y municipio de la provincia de Segovia (España), situado a 37 km al nordeste de Segovia capital y con una población residente de 467 personas (INE 2011). Se trata de una villa medieval amurallada, cuya cuidada rehabilitación motivó su declaración como Conjunto Histórico en 1951.
Su nombre parece derivar de la Pretaria romana, aunque los primeros datos históricos se remontan a Don Fernando Gómez de Albornoz, comendador mayor de Montalbán, que fue nombrado por el rey Enrique II de Castilla Señor de Pedraza. Posteriormente pasó a manos de la familia Herrera y a finales del siglo XV pasó a los condestables de Castilla por el matrimonio entre Doña Blanca Herrera y Don Bernardino Fernández de Velasco. Se mantuvo en estas manos hasta que en el siglo XIX se abolieron los señoríos. Los condestables se asentaron allí, siendo el lugar sitio de paso para grandes personalidades, como artistas, nobles y monarcas. En el siglo XVI y XVII tiene lugar la época de mayor esplendor del pueblo, y es de cuando datan la mayor parte de casas y palacetes. Esta prosperidad fue debida, entre otras cosas, a la exportación hacia el Norte de Europa de la lana de sus rebaños de ovejas merinas y a sus excelentes tejidos, capaces de competir con los mejores que se elaboraban en Flandes.
El castillo de Pedraza es una fortaleza construida en el siglo XIII que se reedificó en el siglo XV por García Herrera. A principios del siglo XVI los Duques de Frías, Condestables de Castilla, reformaron el castillo de nuevo, añadiéndole el gran muro defensivo adherido a la torre del homenaje y el muro exterior dotado de cañoneras y un puente levadizo (hoy desaparecido). El castillo cuenta con una imponente torre del homenaje, foso, y está rodeado en la mayoría de su perímetro por un precipicio.
Pedraza is a town and municipality in the province of Segovia (Spain), located 37 km northeast of Segovia capital and with a resident population of 467 people (INE 2011). It is a medieval walled town, whose careful rehabilitation motivated its declaration as a Historic Site in 1951.
The municipality is made up of Pedraza and the towns of Rades de Abajo and La Velilla.
Its name seems to derive from the Roman Pretaria, although the first historical data go back to Don Fernando Gómez de Albornoz, commander of Montalbán, who was appointed by King Enrique II of Castile Señor de Pedraza. Later it passed into the hands of the Herrera family and at the end of the 15th century it passed to the constables of Castile due to the marriage between Doña Blanca Herrera and Don Bernardino Fernández de Velasco. It remained in these hands until in the nineteenth century the manors were abolished. The constables settled there, being the place of passage for great personalities, as artists, nobles and monarchs. In the sixteenth and seventeenth century, the period of greatest splendor of the town took place, and it is from when most of the houses and palaces date. This prosperity was due, among other things, to the export to Northern Europe of the wool of their flocks of Merino sheep and their excellent fabrics, capable of competing with the best that were made in Flanders.
Pedraza Castle is a fortress built in the 13th century that was rebuilt in the 15th century by García Herrera. At the beginning of the 16th century the Dukes of Frías, Condestables de Castilla, reformed the castle again, adding the great defensive wall adhered to the keep and the outer wall equipped with gunships and a drawbridge (now disappeared). The castle has an imposing keep, moat, and is surrounded on most of its perimeter by a precipice.
Lahore Fort started life as a defensive wall on the banks of River Ravi by the earliest settlers who founded Lahore. It was attacked, damaged, demolished, and rebuilt into various structures several times over, until it acquired its present general form under Emperor Akbar in 1566. Succeeding emperors, Sikh conquerors, and British colonists used the fort as the seat of their governance, and added their architectural influences to the citadel to give it its present configuration.
Diwan-e-Aam was built by Emperor Shah Jehan and was a public gallery where the emperor would interact with his common subjects, and receive their petitions and address their issues.
For more detailed information on Lahore Fort, please see: sites.ualberta.ca/~rnoor/lahore_fort.html, and
The Tylisian army marched along the small road that led from the coast to the city of Alezaria, expecting no resistance until they reached the walls of the town. They were spread out in an orderly column which would later prove to be their demise...
As the Tylisians approached the tiny village of Paphos, they spotted a small squadron of Pierian militia troops in evident retreat towards the town. The Tylisians did not want to let them escape to Alezaria and help bolster the defenses! The Tylisian Commander, Parnassus Ephialtes, quickly ordered an attack in order to engage the small group of the enemy!
Little did they know that two legions of Pierian soldiers were hiding behind the houses of Paphos…
As the Tylisian column swept into the town after the small band of men, the head of the Tylisian force was ambushed on all sides by the Pierians as the militia turned round and counterattacked!
In the rear the Tylisians were suddenly harassed by Pierian archers as a large group of hoplites closed in on their left!
Nearly a third of the Tylisian hoplites were unable to reach the enemy as both the flanks were butchered!
In less than an hour, the crushing Pierian victory was compete. Two of the five Archons of Tylis were killed in the fighting, one Archon, the last in this army, survived. Yes, Archon Bonacellus had joined the invasion force and was now a prisoner of Legate Mark. On the Pierian side the casualties were small but Legate Numerius had perished in the fighting. Numerius’ tribune, Lugustrum immediately took command until the Senate could ratify a new Legate.
Now Tylis was put on the defensive and the state’s continued existence remained in doubt.
To Be Continued!
And here Pieria shall take a pause. Space shall continue until further notice. ;)
Lahore Fort started life as a defensive wall on the banks of River Ravi by the earliest settlers who founded Lahore. It was attacked, damaged, demolished, and rebuilt into various structures several times over, until it acquired its present general form under Emperor Akbar in 1566. Succeeding emperors, Sikh conquerors, and British colonists used the fort as the seat of their governance, and added their architectural influences to the citadel to give it its present configuration.
Diwan-e-Khass was built by Emperor Shah Jehan and was the equivalent of contemporary cabinet rooms where Mughal Emperors held meetings with their ministers, governors, and other noblemen who helped them rule the empire.
For more detailed information on Lahore Fort, please see: sites.ualberta.ca/~rnoor/lahore_fort.html, and
Defensive hairs of a nettle.
".... which have many hollow stinging hairs called trichomes on the leaves and stems, which act like hypodermic needles, injecting histamine and other chemicals that produce a stinging sensation upon contact ... ."
References: Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urtica_dioica
Bodiam Castle is a 14th-century moated castle near Robertsbridge in East Sussex, England. It was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, a former knight of Edward III, with the permission of Richard II, ostensibly to defend the area against French invasion during the Hundred Years' War. Of quadrangular plan, Bodiam Castle has no keep, having its various chambers built around the outer defensive walls and inner courts. Its corners and entrance are marked by towers, and topped by crenellations. Its structure, details and situation in an artificial watery landscape indicate that display was an important aspect of the castle's design as well as defence. It was the home of the Dalyngrigge family and the centre of the manor of Bodiam.
Possession of Bodiam Castle passed through several generations of Dalyngrigges, until their line became extinct, when the castle passed by marriage to the Lewknor family. During the Wars of the Roses, Sir Thomas Lewknor supported the House of Lancaster, and when Richard III of the House of York became king in 1483, a force was despatched to besiege Bodiam Castle. It is unrecorded whether the siege went ahead, but it is thought that Bodiam was surrendered without much resistance. The castle was confiscated, but returned to the Lewknors when Henry VII of the House of Lancaster became king in 1485. Descendants of the Lewknors owned the castle until at least the 16th century.
By the start of the English Civil War in 1641, Bodiam Castle was in the possession of John Tufton. He supported the Royalist cause, and sold the castle to help pay fines levied against him by Parliament. The castle was subsequently dismantled, and was left as a picturesque ruin until its purchase by John Fuller in 1829. Under his auspices, the castle was partially restored before being sold to George Cubitt, 1st Baron Ashcombe, and later to Lord Curzon, both of whom undertook further restoration work. The castle is protected as a Grade I listed building and Scheduled Monument. It has been owned by The National Trust since 1925, donated by Lord Curzon on his death, and is open to the public.
Really interesting pose of the Giant Rainforest Mantis, Hierodula majuscula, with forearms raised. Reminds me of a boxer ready for action. It is mainly defensive to confuse predators and appear larger/more threatening. It's the largest of Australia's mantids, and one of the largest in the world (so my friend Wikipedia tells me).
Sincere thanks for dropping by to view, comment and/or fave my nature offerings from various parts of Australia! All my photographs are © Copyrighted & All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or transmit in any form or by any means without full acknowledgement of it being my work. Use without permission is illegal so please contact me first if you’d like to use it.
A Rua Direita, na aldeia histórica de Sortelha, no concelho do Sabugal, é um exemplar notável da arquitetura medieval/quinhentista portuguesa. Este traçado urbano, que segue a malha original da povoação, é caracterizado por edificações em granito e calçadas de pedra, preservando vestígios da arquitetura quinhentista. Sortelha desenvolveu-se em torno do seu castelo, inserido na linha defensiva da Beira Interior, e mantém a sua configuração original dentro das muralhas do século XIII. Classificada como Aldeia Histórica de Portugal, Sortelha reflete a organização e vivência comunitária de tempos antigos, oferecendo uma visão única do património cultural da região, com as suas casas tradicionais, com janelas pequenas e portas de madeira que ilustram as técnicas construtivas ancestrais.
Rua Direita, in the historic village of Sortelha, in the municipality of Sabugal, is a remarkable example of Portuguese medieval/quinhentist architecture. This urban layout, which follows the original fabric of the village, is characterized by granite buildings and stone sidewalks, preserving traces of 16th century architecture. Sortelha developed around its castle, part of the Beira Interior defensive line, and retains its original configuration within the 13th century walls. Classified as a Historic Village of Portugal, Sortelha reflects the organization and community life of ancient times, offering a unique view of the region's cultural heritage, with its traditional houses, with small windows and wooden doors that illustrate ancestral building techniques.
After missing the first two days of Texans training camp before agreeing to a five-year, $14 million contract Saturday, outside linebacker Brian Cushing is eager to get on the practice field today with his new teammates.
Cushing, the first-round draft choice from Southern California, is getting $10.435 million in guaranteed money to become the starter on the strong side and help improve a defense that ranked 22nd last season, including 23rd against the run.
“I’m just relieved and excited to have this done,” Cushing said. “I’m ready to play football and help the team win.”
Cushing (6-3, 262) was in Los Angeles when agent Tom Condon reached the agreement with general manager Rick Smith and director of football administration Chris Olsen.
Cushing’s contract could be worth a maximum of $18 million over five years.
In the fifth year of his deal, there’s a clause that could earn him an additional $4 million in an escalator bonus.
Odds are that Cushing’s contract will be extended before he enters the fifth season in 2013.
Smith and Olsen will have all eight of their draft choices under contract when the Texans take the field for the third day of two-a-day drills at their Methodist Training Center.
“It’s very important to have him signed,” coach Gary Kubiak said. “Rick and Chris were up at 3 in the morning trying to get it done. They’ve done a good job.
“Brian’s two days behind now, but he didn’t miss anything we did in the offseason program, so that’s a good thing. He wanted to be here while we were working on the contract, but he couldn’t.”
Rookies who have signed with the Texans report a week early for conditioning and meetings before practicing for the first time with the veterans. Cushing wanted to report with the rookies.
He was working out at Reliant Stadium last week when the Texans had to explain league rules that forced him to leave.
Cushing took what turned out to be a quick trip back to Los Angeles. He returned to Houston on Saturday afternoon.
Texans coaches are excited to get him on the practice field.
“We’re going to put the pads on (Sunday morning), and I know he’s chomping at the bit to get out there,” Kubiak said.
After the Texans used the 15th pick in the first round on Cushing, they inserted him into the starting lineup. He impressed his coaches in the organized team activities and minicamp.
“We like his presence on the ball,” Kubiak said, meaning Cushing has a knack for finding the ball and making plays. “He’s playing over the tight end, and we’re going to ask him to do a great deal. We think he can handle it.
“Brian’s very athletic. He’s physical against the run. He can rush the passer. He can drop into coverage. We brought him here for a reason, and we’re going to put him to work real fast.”
Frank Bush, who is in his first season as defensive coordinator, has to make calls that maximize Cushing’s strengths. The faster Cushing learns, the quicker Bush plans to utilize all his talent.
“We’re going to try to take advantage of all his talent,” Bush said. “Because he’s such a talented kid, there are a lot of things we can do with him.”
The coaches say they think Cushing has everything it takes to become a star at his position.
“Brian can turn and run with the tight end,” Bush said. “He’s big and strong enough to strike them at the line of scrimmage and nullify some of their speed down the field, so we’re comfortable with him in coverage.
“His ability also gives us a chance to be aggressive toward the quarterback. He’s a big guy who’s shown he can get there.”