OUTLINE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF EUROPEAN FORTIFICATIONS IN THE 15th-19th CENTURIES

Abstract

The study of the evolution of the development of defensive European forts as a monument of military architecture is relevant nowadays. Wars caused the construction of fortifications to protect the territories of cities. The evolution of medieval fortresses was accompanied by technical progress in construction tools and techniques and the technical skills of military engineers. Fortification complexes in Europe over the centuries, with the development of firearms, were modernized and improved in accordance with the requirements of the time. The reason for the evolution of fortifications was the introduction of new methods, tactics and military strategies. In the process of research, the principles of defense art, fortification technologies in the development of the construction of European forts were studied. Experimenting with new fortification systems, military engineers and architects created defensive complexes that impress with the wisdom of construction, aesthetic and landscape sensitivity. The article traces the evolution of the development of defensive forts in Europe during the 15th - 19th centuries, which characterize the cultural landscape and form the cultural defense heritage.