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 Ancient Citadels... In these troubled times, there may be a lesson in re-examining five ancient citadels of power that ultimately protected no one. |
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...it may be instructive to look in on five ancient citadels.
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In a time when free and open societies are being pushed by the insidious currents of terrorism and protectionism to revert to a fortress mentality, it may be instructive to look in on five ancient citadels scattered throughout the world. They are fascinating examples of the extremes taken in widely divergent places in the world for the protection of individual rulers, a group of dissidents and an opportunistic community, all of which saw themselves under permanent threat physically, politically or economically. These ancient citadels are not the fortified castles of the European dark ages or the Samurai bastions of Japan that protected the rulers and their fiefs when under siege. They are: Sigiriya in Sri Lanka, Masada in Israel, Machu Picchu in Peru, Gwalior in northern India and Petra in Jordan. The first four were planned as permanent refuges that protected their residents from all outside access, allowing entry of travelers and others only after the most carefully controlled scrutiny. The fifth is unique in that its geographic location allowed it to prey on and profit from one outside source only: passing caravans. The important lesson to be learned may be that these ancient citadels failed to insulate their inhabitants. All are now easily accessible--with no restrictions--to any adventurous traveler with the modest price of admission. |
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Sigiriya, was converted into a citadel in the fifth century A.D.
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 Sigiriya, the big rock Sri Lanka, the small island nation once known as Ceylon, juts out into the Indian Ocean, separated from the Indian sub-continent only by the narrow Palk Straits. It is a land rich in history and in some ways a microcosm of everything that makes India such a fascinating place. Thrusting upward from the plains of Sri Lanka's North Central Province is Sigiriya, the Lion Rock. Named for lions that lived in its lower caves in pre-historic times, the 650-foot-high rock was converted into a citadel in the fifth century A.D. by Kasyapa, a security-obsessed usurper to the throne of Anuradhapura. Known throughout Sri Lankan history as the king with the artist's soul, Kasyapa built a sumptuous palace on top of this impregnable rock, and its ruins are still there. It is said that he intended to reproduce on earth a palace and mountaintop city modeled on the abode of Kuvera, god of wealth. That included a harem of 500 beauties and all the attendant comforts. Portraits of all 500 ladies were painted on the steep walls of the precipitous ledges that served as trails to reach the palace. A few of these portraits of the ample-breasted beauties remain and can be admired in a side cave as visitors clamber up metal catwalks now anchored to the cliff sides. In order to administer to Kasyapa's lesser needs, the rock was surrounded by sumptuous terraced gardens, pools, fountains, quarters for his army and servants and several perimeter moats filled with man-eating crocodiles. Archaeologists are still excavating the grounds. Halfway up the rock is a natural mesa known as the Lion Terrace, so called because the overhanging rock (now demolished by time and weather erosion) looked like a lion's head and the lion's two front paws (still there) frame the staircase leading to the final climb. The ironic end to the story is that Kasyapa finally came down from his aerie and was killed in battle with his brother. In all, the citadel of Sigiriya was his haven for the short period of 18 years. Now it is accessible to anyone who is reasonably fit. Anyone over 50 will receive a "diploma" for having climbed The Rock.  Visitors can stay for dinner and overnight at the Sigiriya Village Hotel, a short distance away from the citadel. The hotel grounds are sumptuous, its high-ceilinged reception and dining pavilion are stunning, and guest rooms are spacious and comfortable . |
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Masada, the mountaintop citadel of King Herod, has special resonances in these times.
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 Masada A citadel that has special resonances in these times is the mountaintop fortress/city of King Herod, located on the scorching deserts of lower Israel on the shores of the acrid Dead Sea. Originally used as a refuge from marauding tribes around 150 B.C., it was later turned into what has been described as King Herod's Camp David. The king outfitted this almost impregnable mountaintop with palaces, villas, steam baths, storerooms, a huge water storage system and fortifications. All this effort almost paid off in 73 A.D. during the time of the Jewish rebellion against occupying Rome. Close to 100 rebel Zealots took over Masada, which became the last stronghold against Rome. It took a siege of five months, Rome's Tenth Legion and 15,000 legionnaires to finally succeed in storming the citadel. The defenders, including women and children, literally fought to the last individual, preferring to die by their own hands rather than submit to the yoke of Rome. Today, Masada has become the symbol of Israel's spirit of survival. The final commissioning of officers in the Israeli armed forces now is a solemn ceremony held among the ruins of this mountain citadel, and the implied promise is, "Masada shall not fall again." Ironically, Palestinians now turn this lesson around, seeing themselves as the besieged. The final lesson: in these times, modern cable cars carry tourists from all over the world hundreds of feet from the desert floor to the top of this once impregnable citadel.  For modern-day invaders of this citadel, an overnight stop is at Ein-Boqeq at the southern end of the Dead Sea is a possibility. The undisputed Queen is the Hyatt Regency Dead Sea Resort and Spa. All stops have been pulled out in the design and furnishings of this super-luxurious spa. An alternative upscale accommodation is the almost equally luxurious Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza. An over-night in this area is a good plan as there are many points of interest in addition to Masada. These include the site where the Dead Sea scrolls were found, King Solomon's mines, and much more. |
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Machu Picchu, refuge of the last of the Inca emperors, sits on a high plateau in the Peruvian Andes.
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 Machu Picchu On a high plateau in the Andes mountains of southern Peru is the mysterious Machu Picchu, refuge of the last of the Inca emperors. In some ways, its existence marked the end of that remarkable culture whose empire had stretched almost the full length of South America. It is thought to have been the hidden stronghold of the Inca rulers as they retreated from the onslaught of 16th century Spanish conquistadors. So well was it concealed that it was not rediscovered again until 1911 when American explorer Hiram Bingham, following legends of the local Indians, hacked his way through jungle undergrowth to uncover the astounding citadel, complete with the ruins of palaces, places of worship, storerooms, homes and all the trappings of what once had been a self-contained but totally concealed citadel. Why it was abandoned remains a mystery but, curiously, most skeletal remains found on the site seem to be of females, perhaps indicating that it was also a final refuge for the Virgins of the Sun, a religious order of Incan nuns. The most remarkable artifact that remains is the Intihuatana or Hitching Post of the Sun, a sculpted stone that sits on the highest platform of the citadel. The angles of the stone's carved facets point directly to alignments in the heavens that announce the various annual equinoxes. In recent years, controversial efforts have been made to restore the ruins as can be seen comparing recent photos taken fifteen years apart. Once again, the long-term effectiveness of citadels comes into question. The Inca empire was overrun in a very short period of time, and Machu Picchu disappeared for four hundred years. Now, Machu Picchu is one of Peru's prime tourism targets, and during busy days, thousands of international visitors clamber up and down its ancient terraces.  To see this amazing place properly, an overnight stay in the area is almost mandatory. Two hotels can be recommended. Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge is pricey, but ideally located steps away from the mountain-top entrance to the citadel. Visitors can easily explore the ruins from that hotel in the afternoon and evening after the day-tripper crowds have returned to Cuzco. Below the citadel in the little town of Aguas Calientes on the Urubamba River, the Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel is tops. The grounds are beautifully landscaped, rooms are large and comfortable and the restaurant facilities are excellent. The only drawback is that each visit to the sanctuary requires a hair-raising ride in a tour bus up the winding mountain road to Machu Picchu. |
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Gwalior in north central India is one of that exotic country's most famous fortified citadels.
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 Gwalior In the state of Madhya Pradesh in north central India is one of that exotic country's most famous fortified citadels. Gwalior occupies an entire mile-long plateau rising some 300 feet from the plains below. Because of its strategic location controlling most of northern India, the citadel has been fought over since before the times of the Rajputs and Marathas to the Mughal emperors and the British. It is an impressive fortress but also a city. One of the emperors whose numerous wives spanned the spectrum of religious beliefs, built a palace for each lady in her own style. Excellently preserved are the Muslim Palace, the Christian Palace, the Hindu Palace, and so on. Of special interest is the Sas Bahu, also known as the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law temple. It is one of the finest examples of Hindu architecture, and its complex interior of ramps, hidden stairs and parapets suggests the complex relationship of those two ladies. Altogether, Gwalior's ruins include six palaces, six temples, a mosque, eight water reservoirs, and a museum. Beware of taking photos inside that museum. When they say, "No Photos," they mean it. A surreptitious photo of a stone statue of Ganesh, the revered elephant-headed god, nearly caused the arrest of a tourist recently. The cynical might point out that the enormous effort expended to protect the dynasties that built and occupied Gwalior citadel has come down to keeping tourists from photographing the statue of a Hindu god.  The most exotic accommodation in the pleasant city of Gwalior may be the Usha Kiran Palace, residence of the Maharajas of Gwalior. The guesthouse, originally built as a palace for the royal visit of the King and Queen of England, is now a hotel run by Welcomgroup, a leading member of the Heritage Hotels of India. An overnight in the Maharaja's guesthouse is a trip back to the 1930's. Interiors have been restored to the Art Deco period, and staying there is an experience in delightful decadence. |
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The spectacular ruins of Petra in Jordan's Negev Desert lie hidden behind sandstone cliffs.
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 Petra In Jordan's Negev desert, the spectacular ruins of Petra lie hidden behind sandstone cliffs. The rose-red city, literally carved out of the red sandstone hills that surround and enclose it, can properly be called a citadel. A visit to Petra--a two-and-one-half hour drive from the Israel border crossing at Eilat or a 120-mile drive from Amman--is a jump back in time when Petra was known to the Romans as Requem, Sela or The Rock. The Nabataean inhabitants carved extraordinary monuments, temples, mausoleums, baths, streets and water aqueducts right out of the solid rock and built themselves a citadel of huge proportions that was completely enclosed and protected by the high cliffs surrounding it. The naturally walled city to this day can only be entered through a narrow gully called the Siq, making Petra an almost impenetrable fortress. From there, the ancient Nabataean inhabitants came to dominate the main spice caravan route carrying precious cargoes northward through the Negev. The Nabataeans offered refuge to the caravans but also extracted "protection" fees from them, and it is rumored that traveling merchants paid up or faced unpleasant consequences. These days, the citadel of Petra is under siege by busloads of tourists who come to see the fascinating remains of a kind of protectionism that has passed on to history.  Petra deserves an overnight stay for the visitor. The nearby town of Wadi Mousa offers firs-class accommodations, most specifically at the Movenpick Resort Petra, located within walking distance of the entrance to the Siq that leads into the citadel. The hotel has 183 rooms, two restaurants, a bar, an Atrium lounge, a wellness center with a heated swimming pool, steam bath and exercise room with modern gym equipment. Accommodations and service are to international standards. |
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© 2002 ROMAR TRAVEL GUIDES
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