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UMAYYAD CASTLES (QASR AL-HEER AL-SHARQI, QASAR HISHAM, QASR AMRA)

April 14, 2015 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Several Locations, Palestine, Jordan & Syria The Umayyads were well known as prolific builders, especially in and around their capital city of Damascus.  Taking advantage of the construction expertise of local Byzantine architects and masons, the Umayyads dotted the region with dozens of palaces and castles.  While few of these early medieval structures are still standing, … [Read more...]

FORT TICONDEROGA

December 20, 2014 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Ticonderoga, NY For the better part of two centuries, the border region between Upstate New York and Canada was one of the most bitterly fought-over frontiers in the Americas.  British, French and later American forces erected dozens of major fortresses all over the area in an effort to control the various waterways of the region.  The greatest of these to survive is Fort … [Read more...]

REAL FELIPE FORTRESS

December 20, 2014 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Lima, Peru The Real Felipe Fortress in Lima is the greatest Colonial-era fortress on the entire west coast of South America.  It might even be argued that it is the greatest fortress in the Eastern Pacific.  This is due in no small part to Lima’s isolation on the far side of Panama, which insulated Peru from the colonial wars and pirate attacks which ravaged the Caribbean Sea … [Read more...]

CARTAGENA FORTIFICATIONS (FORT SAN FILIPE, FORT SAN SEBASTIAN, CITY WALLS)

December 20, 2014 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Cartagena, Colombia The Port of Cartagena in Colombia was among the most strategic Spanish cities in the New World.  It was considered so important, in fact, that the Spanish built not one but two of their largest colonial fortresses here: Fort San Felipe De Barajas and Fort San Sebastian De Pastelillo.  From the 17th century onward these two fortifications and the fleets … [Read more...]

SAN MARCOS CASTLE

December 20, 2014 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

St. Augustine, FL The Castello De San Marcos is the oldest and one of the strongest fortifications ever built in what is now the United States.  It may also be the most embattled fortress in the United States not directly tied to the American Revolution or American Civil War.  Historically it is the pride and joy of both St. Augustine, America’s oldest city, and the State of … [Read more...]

FORT SAN JUAN DE ULUA

December 20, 2014 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Veracruz, Mexico While the fortifications of Campeche are collectively more impressive, the Fort San Juan de Ulua in Veracruz is singly the best fortress complex in Mexico and one of the finest in the Gulf of Mexico.  Seemingly rising up out of the harbor, Fort San Juan de Ulua was one of the most impregnable fortifications in the New World.  As evidence of this, the fort … [Read more...]

CAMPECHE FORTIFICATIONS

December 20, 2014 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Campeche, Mexico Campeche was the most important Spanish colonial port in Mexico, and one of the most important colonial cities in the Caribbean.  Because of the wealth that passed through here on its way to Europe, it was also one of the most attractive and luratice targets for pirates in the New World.  To protect it the Spanish turned Campeche into one of the most heavily … [Read more...]

BRITISH FORTS OF THE CARIBBEAN (FORT CHARLOTTE, FORT CHARLES, BRIMSTONE HILL FORTRESS)

December 20, 2014 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Nassau, Bahamas; Kingston, Jamaica; Basseterre, St. Kitts During the age of the great colonial empires, the European powers battled each other around the globe for political, military and commercial dominance.  Nowhere were these wars more frequent or more brutal than in the waters and islands of the Caribbean Sea.  The forces of Spain, France, England, Holland and other … [Read more...]

SPANISH FORTS OF THE CARIBBEAN (OZAMA, SAN FELIPE DEL MORRO, SAN CARLOS DE LA CABANA)

December 20, 2014 By Howard Kramer 2 Comments

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Havana, Cuba During the age of the great colonial empires, the European powers battled each other around the globe for political, military and commercial dominance.  Nowhere were these wars more frequent or more fierce than in the waters and islands of the Caribbean Sea.  The forces of Spain, France, England, Holland … [Read more...]

BERMUDA FORTIFICATIONS (KING’S CASTLE, FORT CUNNINGHAM, FORT ST. CATHERINE)

December 20, 2014 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

St. George’s, Bermuda The islands of Bermuda in the Central Atlantic were England’s gateway to the New World colonies for well over three centuries.  A large share of all English shipping to and from the Americas passed through Bermuda.  It became an important base for shelter and supply, both for trade and for the British navy. Not This isolated, rocky island cluster was well … [Read more...]

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THE COMPLETE AMERICAN PILGRIM – NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

THE COMPLETE PILGRIM

Welcome to The Complete Pilgrim(TM)! This site, created by Howard Kramer, is a combination travel blog and online guide to the world's greatest sites of religious interest (with some historic and recreational places thrown in for good measure). All written content has been originally researched and produced and is provided free for public research and enjoyment. Thank you for visiting!

Site of the Week

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

Wittenberg, Germany The … [Read More...]

Friends of TCP Spotlight

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

by Glory Ali The City of Brotherly Love offers tons to see and do and get this, it’s FREE. That’s right you heard it right it’s FREE. Click here for complete article  

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

by Mary Neuhauser President Trump recently announced his intentions to move the United States Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, thereby recognizing Jerusalem as the official capital of Israel. The purpose of this article is to give you a brief overview of what this decision means and why it matters. Click here for […]

Photo of the Week

BASILICA OF ST. DENIS

Last month, I visited one of the most fascinating churches I have ever been to, the almost completely ignored Basilica of St. Denis in the northern suburbs of Paris.  Almost every French monarch is buried here, and almost nobody goes here.  Here are some pics I took:

Basilica of St. Denis

Tomb of Clovis

Tomb of Clovis

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Royal Tombs

Royal Tombs

The Crypt

The Crypt

 

 

 

 

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Contact Us

Have a comment, a great photo or a religious site you'd like to nominate for the weekly spotlight? We would love to hear from you. Email us at hkramer@thecompletepilgrim.com.

About the Author

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is the culmination of years of his work and passion.

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