Once an orphan living in poverty, later an engineering genius with a prestigious career. A familiar story, perhaps. Yet that doesn’t diminish its power to inspire. That is also the story of Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban: military engineer, advisor to Roi Soleil Louis XIV, France’s [...]
In my World Heritage quest, I've seen a lot of military architecture lately. Not something I thought I'd be particularly excited about, but I've found these sites surprisingly interesting, including the three Bellinzona castles. Quite a few of these engineering feats are now on my [...]
Reconstructed Roman frontier fort and pleasant setting for a forest restaurant Driving along the Rhine Valley a few weeks ago, I kept seeing signs for the Limes Route. What was this? A quick search on my phone told me this route followed the ancient Roman [...]
At the entrance to Helsinki's harbour lies a group of islands that is home to Suomenlinna Maritime Fortress, a popular day out in the Finnish capital. And what is the meaning behind this intriguing name, you ask? Well, Suomenlinna means Finnish Castle. You'll also see [...]
