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Description

De Haardt is a small wooden hill (on the right side), which became a lord's hunting residence ages ago. At some point, a castle was added on a small river island to offer protection in case of emergency (on the upper side). As time went on, both places became settlements. When trade up and down the river became profitable, an artificial circular island was created where the locals would go in case of fighting. At some point, the city outgrew this natural defensive structure and permanent bridges werde built, too.

At this point, Bielle de Charsier, a master-builder of her time, was hired to rethink the people's protection in this land. Instead of master-minding some extrensive walls (as most would have assumed her plan to be), she replaced the old city bastion with a new, strong fortification. Se simultaneously ordered massive towers to be erected in the Eastern castle (the map is oriented; so its upper side points to the East) and in the former hunting residence, that had also become a place of its own. These towers were eventually connected by two 48m high viaducts of similar length in a 90° angle.

This allowed for the city population to flee into the New City Bastion, if need be, but also to escape by the high roads to the fortified hill or island. The masterpiece of architecture also ensured De Haardt to become a place of pilgrimage and a resting place for many. The great escape routes were open for the public to visit and never saw military use.

Description

De Haardt is a small wooden hill (on the right side), which became a lord's hunting residence ages ago. At some point, a castle was added on a small river island to offer protection in case of emergency (on the upper side). As time went on, both places became settlements. When trade up and down the river became profitable, an artificial circular island was created where the locals would go in case of fighting. At some point, the city outgrew this natural defensive structure and permanent bridges werde built, too.

At this point, Bielle de Charsier, a master-builder of her time, was hired to rethink the people's protection in this land. Instead of master-minding some extrensive walls (as most would have assumed her plan to be), she replaced the old city bastion with a new, strong fortification. Se simultaneously ordered massive towers to be erected in the Eastern castle (the map is oriented; so its upper side points to the East) and in the former hunting residence, that had also become a place of its own. These towers were eventually connected by two 48m high viaducts of similar length in a 90° angle.

This allowed for the city population to flee into the New City Bastion, if need be, but also to escape by the high roads to the fortified hill or island. The masterpiece of architecture also ensured De Haardt to become a place of pilgrimage and a resting place for many. The great escape routes were open for the public to visit and never saw military use.