Fort George, Guernsey, Military fortress in Saint Peter Port, Guernsey.
Fort George is a historic military fortress in Saint Peter Port, Guernsey, built on a raised headland above Havelet Bay. The site is made up of stone fortifications, bastions, and barrack buildings that occupy a large section of land between Val des Terres and the clifftops.
Work on the fortress began in 1780 in response to the threat from France and was finished by 1812, shortly before the Napoleonic Wars ended. It then served as the main British Army garrison on the island for many decades.
The cemetery on the grounds is the only place on Guernsey where soldiers from both World Wars lie buried side by side. The headstones carry names from many different countries, showing how far the effects of both wars reached this small island.
The site is reached through the main gate or via the coastal paths from Val des Terres, with some sections being steep and uneven. Sturdy footwear is a good idea, as the approach is uphill and the views over the bay are clearest from the clifftop side.
During the German occupation in World War II, the fort was renamed Stützpunkt Georgefest and fitted with radar stations that Allied bombing failed to destroy completely. Some of these concrete installations are still visible on the site today.
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