Fort Nelson in the UK, Portsmouth resort
Rating: 7,6/10 (132 votes)  Fort Nelson is a military fortification in the Portsdowne Forts system, built in 1860 on Portsdown Hill in the vicinity of Portsmouth. In total, five such forts were built in the UK.
Fort Nelson is a classic polygonal fort. The six-sided fort is protected by a deep moat and three caponiers. This system of military fortifications was built in response to the threat of attack from France, because the country's most important port - Portsmouth - could not be left without well-thought-out protection. During periods of hostilities, the fort was supposed to be two hundred volunteers under the command of a dozen officers. Since 1907, the fort was used exclusively as a barracks, in 1938 it was converted into a warehouse, and in 1950 the military left the fort. Today it houses the artillery collection, which is a branch of the Royal Armory.
The Royal Armories is the UK's national weapons and armor museum. It is the oldest museum in the country and one of the oldest museums in the world. It contains a rich collection of weapons and armor from different countries and times. The entire collection is divided into three parts: edged weapons and armor, artillery and firearms. In general, the museum branches are located in several cities: in Leeds (the Armory), in Portsmouth (the artillery museum), and in London. Also, a small part of the collection was transported to Louisville, USA.
The collection of weapons was originally kept in the Tower of London since its inception. It also made armor for the kings of England. This place looked more like a treasury than a museum, outsiders were not allowed here, the only exception were honorary foreign guests. Over time, the museum becomes open to the public, the collection grows, and more space is required to accommodate exhibits. In 1988, the decision was made to move the artillery collection to Fort Nelson in Portsmouth. In 1990, the main body of the Armory was moved to Leeds. Only exhibits directly related to the history of the fortress remain in the Tower.
Fort Nelson exhibits some of the most outstanding weapons, including the Bockstead Bombard, an English cannon from around the mid-15th century capable of firing 60-kilogram cannonballs from granite;"Dardanelles Cannon" - Turkish o cannon of the mid-15th century, capable of firing cannonballs about 60 centimeters in diameter; instruments of the Crimean War; French field guns captured at the Battle of Waterloo; One of Mallet's two coastal mortars.
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