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Bastions, Vauban and the age of the cannon

Star forts, point by point.

Why forts turned into stars when cannons arrived, how a bastion, a ravelin and a glacis worked, Vauban, and star forts from Berwick and Tilbury to Palmanova, Bourtange, Fort McHenry and Goryokaku. Every fact is checked against UNESCO, the Network of Vauban’s Major Sites, English Heritage, Historic Environment Scotland, the US National Park Service and other sources, and where sources disagree we show each one.

The history Places to see

Our own simplified drawing of a five-pointed star fort from above. Not a plan of any one fort and not to scale. Network of Vauban’s Major Sites: History of the bastioned fortification Network of Vauban’s Major Sites: History of the bastioned fortification
165works Vauban built or developed, says the Vauban network Network of Vauban’s Major Sites: History of the bastioned fortification
48sieges Vauban took part in, 1653 to 1703 Network of Vauban’s Major Sites: Vauban
9points on Palmanova’s star italia.it: Palmanova
25 hoursof British bombardment at Fort McHenry, 1814 US National Park Service: History of Fort McHenry

The short version

After metal cannonballs came into general use at the end of the 15th century, Italian engineers designed a new kind of defence: the bastioned system. Network of Vauban’s Major Sites: History of the bastioned fortification

The bastioned system used a geometric layout of ramparts that got rid of blind spots, with the bastion replacing the medieval tower. Network of Vauban’s Major Sites: History of the bastioned fortification This gave fortifications a star-shaped plan, with each point being a section of wall facing the attacker. Network of Vauban’s Major Sites: History of the bastioned fortification

A bastioned fort’s strength came not from tall walls but from the thickness of the earth piled up behind them. Network of Vauban’s Major Sites: History of the bastioned fortification

Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban lived from 1633 to 1707 and was a military engineer of King Louis XIV. UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Fortifications of Vauban UNESCO says Vauban’s work shows “the peak of classic bastioned fortification”. UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Fortifications of Vauban

A round towerleaves a blind spot at its footBlind spot: the defenderscan’t fire straight down hereBastionseach one covers its neighbourFire from each flank sweeps the nextbastion’s face and the ditch
Our own comparison drawing: a round medieval tower leaves a blind spot at its foot, and a pointed bastion does not. Not any one fort. Network of Vauban’s Major Sites: History of the bastioned fortification Network of Vauban’s Major Sites: History of the bastioned fortification

Start exploring

The history, from Italy to JapanCannonballs, Italian engineers, Venice, Berwick, Tilbury, Vauban, Bourtange, Fort McHenry and Goryokaku. How they workedBastions, curtain walls, ravelins, ditches, covered ways and the glacis, and why the walls were low. Places to seeBerwick, Tilbury, Fort George, Neuf-Brisach, Palmanova, Bourtange, Fort McHenry, the Castillo and Goryokaku. Life & peopleEngineers, garrisons, gunpowder stores, barracks and the towns inside the walls. Visiting & spottingWhat to look for on the ground, and what the people who look after the sites say. The big facts pageEvery fact on the site in one list, each with its source.
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Things to play

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A star in the marshes

King Charles II had Tilbury Fort built after the Dutch raid of 1667. English Heritage: Tilbury Fort Tilbury Fort is five-sided, but has four bastions: the Thames tides stopped a fifth from being built out into the water. English Heritage: History of Tilbury Fort Tilbury has two deep moats, one inside the other, filled from the river. English Heritage: History of Tilbury Fort

And a star city

Palmanova was founded by the Venetians in 1593, to defend their lands against the Habsburgs. italia.it: Palmanova Palmanova is described as the only planned town still intact in its nine-pointed star shape. Visit Palmanova: The Fortress City More on the places to see.

Nine points, a six-sided square and three gates. Not to scale.
Our own simplified drawing of a nine-pointed star town with a six-sided square in the middle. An impression, not a plan of Palmanova. italia.it: Palmanova Visit Palmanova: The Fortress City
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Star forts printables

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