winterkjm: Fenestrelle Fortress (Italy) I note that the WMF first started working here in 2008...... their activity around the World is certainly a frequent precursor to later WHS activity - as per our Connections " World Monuments Watch (past)" and " World Monuments Watch". It eould be interesting to know how many of the current T List it has or is working on! BUT what about that WMF claim ..." said to be the largest military construction in the world after the Great Wall of China." ... a similar claim is repeated here in the Turismo Turino Web site .... * The fort of Fenestrelle is Europe's biggest fortified structure and the largest walled construction after the Great Wall of China"Can this be so.....I am looking at a photo of mine taken at Rani Kot in Pakistan (and on that country's T List) which states " World's biggest Fort Rani Kot" (A Wiki photo is here) So I asked Gemini - The answers might be of interest. It does seem that Italy is "overclaiming" on this one!!! " Q - I have just read this claim "The fort of Fenestrelle is Europe's biggest fortified structure and the largest walled construction after the Great Wall of China". A big one... can it really be true? I wonder about e.g Rani Kot in Pakistan and do you know of others?" "A - The claim about the Fenestrelle Fort is largely supported by various sources, though the wording "biggest fortified structure" can be interpreted in different ways (area, length, volume of masonry). Here's a breakdown:
Fenestrelle Fort: Multiple sources, including Turismo Torino and Provincia, Laboratorio Alte Valli, and Wikipedia, state that the Fenestrelle Fort is:
Europe's biggest fortified structure/fortification.
The largest walled construction after the Great Wall of China.
It's described as a "stone colossus" that extends for about 5 kilometers (3 miles) along the hills, covering a height difference of almost 700 meters. It's not a single fort, but a complex of eight defensive works connected by walls, including a unique covered staircase with 4,000 steps. Its total surface area is stated as 1,300,000 to 1,350,000 square meters.
Rani Kot Fort: You are right to bring up Rani Kot Fort in Pakistan. It is often referred to as "the Great Wall of Sindh" and is indeed a massive structure.
Sources describe Rani Kot as enclosing an area of around 65 square kilometers (25 square miles), with walls measuring between 31 and 45 kilometers (19 to 28 miles) in length. Some sources claim it is the largest fort in the world by area enclosed.
Comparing Fenestrelle and Rani Kot:
While Fenestrelle Fort is impressive in its length and height variation, and is indeed the largest fortified structure in Europe, Rani Kot Fort appears to surpass it significantly in terms of the total area enclosed by its walls and possibly the overall length of its walls. Therefore, the claim that Fenestrelle is the "largest walled construction after the Great Wall of China" might be incorrect when considering Rani Kot Fort. It's more accurate to say it's the largest fortified structure in Europe, or perhaps the largest masonry construction after the Great Wall, given its continuous and integrated nature as a military complex built with masonry.
Other notable large walled constructions (excluding the Great Wall of China):
While the Great Wall of China is in a league of its own, there are other very extensive walled constructions around the world:
Great Wall of Gorgan (Iran): Built in the 5th-6th century, this barrier spans about 200 kilometers (124 miles) and includes nearly 40 forts. It's sometimes called "the Red Snake" due to its red bricks.
Walls of Constantinople (Turkey): These ancient walls were incredibly important for the defense of Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) for over a millennium. While their full length isn't comparable to the Great Wall, they were a formidable defensive system.
Kumbhalgarh Fort (India): Located in Rajasthan, this fort is known for its massive walls, which stretch for 36 kilometers (about 22 miles) and are said to be wide enough in places for eight horses to ride abreast. Some sources refer to it as the second-longest continuous wall in India after the Great Wall of China.
The Anastasian Wall (Turkey): Also known as the Long Wall of Thrace, this was a defensive wall built in the 5th century, stretching for approximately 56 kilometers (35 miles).
In conclusion, while Fenestrelle Fort is undeniably a monumental and highly significant fortified complex, particularly in Europe, the claim that it's the "largest walled construction after the Great Wall of China" is likely an overstatement when considering other massive walled structures like Rani Kot Fort and the Great Wall of Gorgan. It is, however, widely recognized as the largest fortified structure in Europe."
"Q- The Wall of Gorgan is singificantly collapsed along its entire length and was largely brick and earth I think. But Rani Kot is certainly stone masonry and should not concede on that matter to Fenestrelle!!" " A - You make an excellent point about the construction materials and current state of these massive walled structures! This is crucial in determining their comparative "greatness" and historical significance.
You are absolutely right about:
Great Wall of Gorgan: It was indeed largely constructed with fired brick and mud-brick, along with gypsum and mortar. While incredibly long and a marvel of engineering for its time, it is described as being in "substantial disrepair" with much of the brick wall robbed, though some sections still survive to a good height. The nature of its materials and its current state means it's not generally considered in the same league as stone masonry constructions in terms of continuous, well-preserved monumental walling.
Rani Kot Fort's Stone Masonry: You are spot on! Sources consistently confirm that Rani Kot Fort was built with stone and lime mortar. This places it firmly in the category of robust, durable masonry construction, directly comparable to Fenestrelle Fort in terms of material. It does not concede on that matter to Fenestrelle.
Revisiting the claim "The fort of Fenestrelle is Europe's biggest fortified structure and the largest walled construction after the Great Wall of China":
Given the information:
Fenestrelle Fort: Described as "cutting and reassembling the stone of the mountainside" and having "thick (2 meters) walls." It's definitely a monumental stone masonry construction. Its sheer volume of masonry and the complexity of its integrated forts, redoubts, and covered staircase make it an incredible engineering feat. It spans 5 km in length and a 700m height difference, with a surface area of 1.3 to 1.35 million square meters.
Rani Kot Fort: Also a stone and lime mortar construction, its walls are reported to be between 31 and 45 km long, enclosing an area of approximately 65 square kilometers (65 million square meters).
Conclusion on the "largest walled construction after the Great Wall of China" claim:
Based on the available figures for length and enclosed area, Rani Kot Fort appears to be a significantly larger walled construction than Fenestrelle Fort. If "largest walled construction" refers to the overall length of the continuous defensive wall or the sheer area enclosed by the wall, then Rani Kot clearly takes precedence over Fenestrelle. The claim about Fenestrelle being the "largest walled construction after the Great Wall of China" is therefore highly debatable and likely inaccurate when considering Rani Kot Fort (and potentially others like Kumbhalgarh, though Kumbhalgarh's wall length of 36 km is very impressive, its enclosed area is typically smaller than Rani Kot's vast expanse).
It's more precise to state that Fenestrelle Fort is:
Europe's biggest fortified structure/fortification. This seems widely accepted due to its unique architectural complexity, integrated forts, and the immense volume of masonry involved in its construction across a significant elevation change.
A monumental stone masonry construction of unparalleled scale in Europe.
The difference often comes down to definition: is "largest walled construction" about linear length of a wall, or the total volume of materials, or the area enclosed? In terms of linear length and enclosed area, Rani Kot is a stronger contender for that "second largest after Great Wall" title." |
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