1832 - Data Points by Date/Period

Tung Chung Fort is a historic site located near Tung Chung on Lantau Island, Hong Kong. Situated close to Tung Chung Road, it is surrounded by the villages of Sheung Ling Pei (上嶺皮) and Ha Ling Pei (下嶺皮) and has a companion structure, Tung Chung Battery, on the coast.The fort's origins trace back to the Shun Hei era (1174–1189) of the Southern Song dynasty. It was built when smugglers on Lantau Island transported salt to Canton City and clashed with government forces. A navy led by King Leok Chin (經略錢) was dispatched to suppress the smugglers, stationing 300 soldiers in Tung Chung who constructed the fort. After three years of peace, most of the soldiers were relocated to build the Kowloon Walled City, where they later settled.During the Qing dynasty, the fort became a base for pirates, including the infamous Cheung Po Tsai. Following his surrender, the Qing government reclaimed the fort. It was rebuilt in either 1817 or 1832 and was garrisoned by the Right Battalion of Tai Peng to defend the coast against piracy until the New Territories were leased to Britain in 1898, after which it was abandoned.During World War II, the Imperial Japanese Army occupied the fort. Later, it underwent several changes in use, serving as a police station, Wa Ying College, and eventually becoming the base for the Rural Committee Office and the Tung Chung Public School.Declared a monument in 1979, the fort was refurbished in 1988. It features six intact muzzle-loading cannons mounted on cement bases with granite enclosures. The fort, measuring 70 by 80 meters (230 by 260 feet), also has three arched gateways inscribed with Chinese characters.

Great female martyrs have traditionally been honoured ever since the times of Bulgarian medieval kings. During the reign of the Assens (12th-13th centuries) the relics of St Nedelya and St Petka were moved to Turnovo, the medieval capital of Bulgaria. The churches built in their honour were later demolished by the Muslim conquerors. Nevertheless, these saints were honoured by all Bulgarians even during the Ottoman rule. The Passional of St. Nedelya, written by Patriarch Euthimius of Turnovo, is still preserved. St Nedelya Church, one of the oldest in Plovdiv, received a new wood-carved iconostasis in 1766 and it is still preserved inside the chapel located in the churchyard.The church was rebuilt in 1831-1832 by the Bratsigovo builder Petko Petkov. The exquisite walnut tree iconostasis, made by the master carver Yane Spirov, is in complete correspondence with the wood-carved throne of the bishop. Above the three-nave pseudo basilica rises the beautiful belfry, well visible from a distance, which was built in 1905 by the architect Mihail Nenkov.This place reminds not only of the struggle for independent Bulgarian church, but also of the death of the martyr St Rada of Plovdiv. She was the sister of Vulko Tchalukov from Koprivshtitsa whose family moved to Plovdiv and became famous for their generous donations. All members of Rada's family fell victim to the Turkish atrocities. First, her husband was killed; later on, in 1837, she was slain in her home together with her children. The Orthodox Church declared them New Martyrs. There is a memorial plaque outside the wall to remind of their martyrdom.

The complex of the Saints Constantine and Helena Church, which includes several church buildings with different purposes, is located south of Hisar Kapia. In the space surrounded by a high stone wall with a decorative brick cornice, besides the church, there is also a high bell tower, a sexotn's premise, a priest's premise, a marble fountain, and a school. The complex is accessible from the west through a large courtyard gate that takes you to a cobblestone street. At the eastern courtyard gate is the building of the Bozhi Grob Convent, in which monks from Jerusalem used to stay. From the east, the buildings overlap or border with the early Byzantine fortress wall of Philippopolis from the 5th-6th centuries, which is part of the architectural and historical Round Tower Complex - Hisar Kapia.In 304, at the place where the church is today, upon the persecution of Emperor Diocletian against the Christians, the martyrs Severian and Memnos were decapitated. Before them, 38 martyrs from Plovdiv were also persecuted because of their faith.The temple dedicated to the apostles Constantine and Helena, located at this place, is mentioned in the travel book of German theologian Stephan Gerlach who visited Plovdiv in 1578.At the beginning of the 19th century, when the economic power of the Bulgarian Christian community grew, the chief governor of the temple, Todor Moravenov, collected funds for its reconstruction, and another prominent Plovdiv revivalist Valko Kurtovich Chalakov obtained a sultan decree for the restoration of the two nearby churches Sveta Nedelya and Saints Constantine and Elena. The church was restored in 1832 by masters from the town of Bratsigovo. Soon after, the highw wood-carved iconostasis, done by John Pashkula of the village of Metsovo, was completed. The icons on the two rows were made by the Revival artist Zahari Zograf, who worked here in the period from 1834 to 1866. Later, Nikola Odrinchinin and Stanislav Dospevski also left their works here. In the period from 1864 to 1866 the walls of the church were painted by Stefan Andonov and Atanas Gyudxhenov of the town of Pazardzhik. They also decorated the iconostasis with gilding and rich polychromy.

Also called the Bayezid Mosque, it is located in the center of the city, as an integral part of an architectural complex along with the Halveti Tekke with all the inns and that of Sheh Qerimi. On the north side of the mosque there are also two tombs (monumental tombs) which are beautifully crafted. The mosque was built in the late XV century and underwent a major reconstruction in 1832-1833 as a result of the risk of collapse. To the reconstruction belongs the restructuring and decoration of the hall, the reconstruction of the mihrab and the pulpit, among other works. In the architectural formulation of the mosque, the large portico stands out, surrounded by arcades supported by massive pilasters, which extends more than the north side of the prayer hall. A valuable element has been the elegant minaret, demolished in 1967, to be rebuilt in recent years. It consisted of a polyhedral plinth, built with the clausonage technique. In the interventions of the XIX century the large portico of the northern part was added, probably to respond to the large number of believers during religious processions and ceremonies.

The fort is a field fortification with a rectangular plan 160x200 meters, the longer side facing east-west. The preserved construction of some of the towers and the bailey show that the castle might have been built during late antiquity, probably during the Early Byzantine Period (4th-6th century AD). It might be one of the fortifications built or rebuilt by Emperor Justinian in the New Epirus (Durrës Province) Part of the bailey seen today above the surface belong to the last centuries walls built by Ahmet Pasha Bargjini (1788-1809), during the last decade of the 18th century, on the ruins of the old castle. In 1798 the castle was taken by the Toptani family from Krujë. Toptani family was a leading noble family, rich and educated with strong ties not only with the Ottoman Empire, but as well with the west, which they used to help the country while it took the independence road. Tirana Castle was the object of a long war between Toptanis and Bargjinis, the later allies to Toptani enemies, Bushatllinjs from Shkodra. In 1817, it suffered a 5 months siege, with serious consequences not only for the castle, but for the whole city. After conquering the castle, trying to settle peace, Toptanis married Bargjini daughters and partly reconstructed the castle, but in 1832 it was demolished by the Ottoman armies led by Mehmet Reshit Pasha, who ordered the demolition of all castles. Today a part of the north bailey and fragments of the south part are preserved, nicely intertwined with the surrounding infrastructure. Now this special area in Sulejman Pasha neighborhood is accessible to all visitors, friends and fans of all ages and nationalities. Toptani lordship included the field of Tirana and extended up to the Adriatic shore. Exactly this part of the property was owned since 1893 by Mrs. Sadet Toptani, daughter of Mehmet Ali Bey, wife of Zija Jusuf Toptani. Zija Toptani (1875-1941) was a deputy in the National Council, elected on April 5, 1921 and represented Durrës prefecture (that included Tirana as well) for 5 ruling mandates in a row. In the elections of March 2, 1925 he was elected senator.

The parish church is consecrated to Mary of the Assumption. The present church was built during the years 1824-1832 on the foundations of the old Gothic church first mentioned in the year 1213.

It is one of the oldest and most well-preserved Livonian Order castles remaining, in that it has retained its original layout since the 13th century (1290). Through its 700-year history, it has been used as a fortress, residence, garrison, school, military base, and prison (the third floor from 1832 until 1959). In 1995, the castle was restored to its 19th-century appearance, and was converted into a museum. The castle was destroyed in the Polish-Swedish War, and only the freestanding tower survived. The castle was rebuilt in the 1650s as it appears today.

1832 (7)

Other Dates/Periods

1915

1974

22-04-1993

06-07-1943

25-06-1950

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