Burgbasteien, Medieval fortification system near Nuremberg Castle, Germany
The Burgbasteien are a series of square defensive structures with sloped walls and gun ports that surround Nuremberg Castle from the 16th century onward. Together with trenches and passages, they form a carefully designed system for controlling the space around the castle and resisting attacks.
Italian architect Antonio Fazuni designed and built these fortifications between 1538 and 1545 to defend the castle against advancing artillery technology. His design responded to new challenges in warfare and put advanced military ideas into practice.
The fortifications were a place where local craftspeople and scholars gathered to share knowledge about defense innovations and scientific advances. Visitors today can still sense how this site bridged practical military needs with intellectual curiosity.
The site is accessible on foot and you can freely explore the outside of the bastions and surrounding garden areas. Guided tours are available if you want to learn more about the internal passages and how the defenses worked.
Before these bastions took their current form, the trench in front was a training ground where crossbow shooters practiced their skills. This link between sport and defense reveals how the city prepared its people for warfare.
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