多佛城堡（Dover   Castle）


    多佛是英国东南部的一个闻名于世的海港城市，是大不列颠岛距欧洲大陆最近的地方，几百年来这条航线一直是英国通往欧洲大陆的海上通道，天气好时，通过望眼镜可以看到法国的加莱港。


    美丽的多佛三面环山，为广袤原野和绿色丛林所环绕；另一面临海，依偎着蜿蜒曲折蓝如宝石般的多佛海湾。古堡耸立在海滨乌尔顿山巅，它于1160修建，居高临下，傲视大海，地势十分险要，城堡由巨石砌成，外有两道厚厚的围墙，每道围墙都有若干碉堡和古炮台。古堡虽然经历了800多年风风雨雨，但今天仍有一种结结实实的坚固感，仿佛与山凝结为一体。古堡中保存着享利八世及王公们使用过的器物。城堡下有三条数千米长的地道。一条是与古堡一起修建的，另两条是第二次世界大战时修建的，是当时英军秘密的指挥中心和医院，1996年才对外开放。现在进入地道可以感受当时飞机、大炮轰鸣爆炸的声音，可以闻到医院和食堂的气味。里边十分宽敞，设施完善，功能齐全，真是个完善的医院和司令部。地道的入口在海边的绝壁上，这就是著名的多佛白悬崖。白悬崖直插海里，近百米高似斧削的绝壁危崖全是白岩石，所以称为“白悬崖”。


    英国虽然是游离于欧洲大陆，但它却是欧洲大家庭最重要的成员国之一，与欧洲大陆有着血脉相连的渊源，在英国与其他国家的交往中，多佛扮演了友好大使的角色；在英国与欧洲的其他国家对抗时，多佛又成了武装到牙齿的前沿阵地。


Lancastrian castle 1450-1485, Constable of Dover Castle office;

The site of Iron age, Roman and Saxon forts - the Roman lighthouse which was once 80 feet high still stands next to the Saxon church which was built in the year 1000. The Roman forts built in the first and third centuries are now built over under the town.

The site of the first Norman fortifications of 1066 is thought to be close to the lighthouse. The walls were built during the 11th and 12th centuries with 41 towers and the massive 95 foot rectangular keep and surrounding fortifications, the inner bailey, were built in 1172-77. During the 1220s the main entrance was rebuilt on the west side, the Constable s Gateway, after the original northern entrace had been undermined during a siege. Further gun batteries were added in the 15th and 18th centuries as well as the underground tunnels. It is probably the strongest castle in England and one of the most important, it has been in constant use for over 900 years.