A haven of green fields and trickling canals, and shaped like a star, Bourtange Fort looks far from martial.
William of Orange commissioned the fort during the Eighty Years War (1568–1648) but by 1851 it had been transformed into a peaceful village. The fort now looks as it did during the eighteenth century, but is now a diverting open-air museum.
When visiting the scenic country of Italy, there are plenty of historic Italian palaces to see and explore for a glance into the past. While some palaces are private residences today, there are many that you can visit as a tourist.