Beautiful Things

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][ish_blog_media tooltip_color=”color1″ tooltip_text_color=”color3″][ish_divider tooltip_color=”color1″ tooltip_text_color=”color3″][ish_text_separator tag_size=”h1″ text_color=”color2″ icon_align=”left” tag=”div” tooltip_color=”color1″ tooltip_text_color=”color3″][ish_divider tooltip_color=”color1″ tooltip_text_color=”color3″][vc_column_text color=”none” tooltip_color=”color1″ tooltip_text_color=”color3″]A hill town is any citadel town built upon hills to make invasion difficult. Often protected by defensive walls, steep embankments, or cliffs, such hilltop settlements provided natural defenses for their inhabitants.

In Europe, especially in Italy, Spain, Portugal and southern France, such towns were common.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text color=”none” tooltip_color=”color1″ tooltip_text_color=”color3″]The Spanish even brought the traditional European hill town to the Americas, a notable example being the 16th century Mexican hill town of Guanajuato. However, fortified hill towns were by no means solely a European creation. For instance, Incan fortified hill towns predated the arrival of the Spanish by many centuries and rival those of Europe. Machu Picchu, an Incan hill town completed in the mid-15th century in Peru, although now in ruins, is considered perhaps the most beautiful hill town ever constructed. Construction of fortified hill towns was common in many civilizations. Ancient examples can also be found in Africa and Asia.[/vc_column_text][ish_divider tooltip_color=”color1″ tooltip_text_color=”color3″][ish_text_separator tag_size=”h1″ text_color=”color2″ icon_align=”left” tag=”div” tooltip_color=”color1″ tooltip_text_color=”color3″][ish_divider tooltip_color=”color1″ tooltip_text_color=”color3″][ish_quote author=”Mehmet Murat ildan” size=”h4″ align=”center” color=”color5″ tooltip_color=”color1″ tooltip_text_color=”color3″]”A beautiful idea is a beautiful door. It invites you to enter inside!”[/ish_quote][ish_divider tooltip_color=”color1″ tooltip_text_color=”color3″][ish_text_separator tag_size=”h1″ text_color=”color2″ icon_align=”left” tag=”div” tooltip_color=”color1″ tooltip_text_color=”color3″][ish_divider tooltip_color=”color1″ tooltip_text_color=”color3″][vc_column_text color=”none” tooltip_color=”color1″ tooltip_text_color=”color3″]Around the world, the most famous examples are the hilltowns of Darjeeling and Simla.

In recent years, Bill Buchanan, Douglas Duany, Lucian Steil and others have studied hill towns with an interest in reviving interest in the enduring form.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text color=”none” tooltip_color=”color1″ tooltip_text_color=”color3″]Buchanan has argued that the form gives comfort regardless of current threat, as we’ve evolved to like our back protected while able to view all who approach. It makes our space inhabited large, he contends.[/vc_column_text][ish_divider tooltip_color=”color1″ tooltip_text_color=”color3″][ish_headline tag_size=”h3″ color=”color5″ icon_align=”left” tag=”h” tooltip_color=”color1″ tooltip_text_color=”color3″]Just have a look[/ish_headline][ish_gallery images=”450,366,447″ thumbnail_size=”theme-large” columns=”3″ ratio=”square” animation=”slide” nav_align=”left” nav_color=”color1″ prevnext_color=”color3″ border_width=”1″ tooltip_color=”color1″ tooltip_text_color=”color3″][ish_divider tooltip_color=”color1″ tooltip_text_color=”color3″][ish_divider tooltip_color=”color1″ tooltip_text_color=”color3″][ish_text_separator tag_size=”h1″ text_color=”color2″ icon_align=”left” tag=”div” tooltip_color=”color1″ tooltip_text_color=”color3″][ish_divider tooltip_color=”color1″ tooltip_text_color=”color3″][ish_quote author=”Frank Stephens” size=”h4″ align=”center” color=”none” tooltip_color=”color1″ tooltip_text_color=”color3″]”The bigger the hill you climb, The more you can see from the top,
The more you enjoy the ride down, And the longer the ride lasts.”[/ish_quote][/vc_column][/vc_row]