No Man's Land Fort
No Man's Land Fort | ||
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No Man's Land Fort | ||
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Location: | Isle of Wight , UK | |
Specialty: | British Coastal Defense Fort | |
Next city: | Portsmouth |
No Man's Land Fort was a British defense structure in the Solent of the Palmerston Fort type near Plymouth . Located 2.2 kilometers off the coast of the Isle of Wight , it was built between 1861 and 1880 to protect Portsmouth from the French fleet. The sea fortress has a diameter of 61 meters and rises approximately 20 meters above sea level. The outer walls are still protected today with steel armor plates.
After Great Britain ceased military use in 1958, the fortress stood empty for many years until the Ministry of Defense finally decided to sell it in 1987. No Man's Land Fort has been converted into a luxury hotel and event location several times under different owners. In addition to a heated swimming pool, there are two helicopter landing pads, a roof terrace and glass-roofed interiors.
In July 2004, however, legionella were found in the water system of the plant, whereupon operations had to be stopped. The owner at the time, real estate developer Harmesh Pooni, went bankrupt because he could no longer service his loans. No Man's Land Fort subsequently changed hands several times. However, since Pooni still considered himself the rightful owner, he occupied the fortress for several months in March 2008. In March 2012, millionaire Mike Clare and his company Clarenco, which already owns several similar properties, finally bought No Man's Land Fort, and have since opened it up as a luxury hotel.
There is a lighthouse on the roof of the fortress, which is still used today as a navigation mark for shipping.
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ Google Maps
- ↑ Ben Farmer: Man-made island fit for a Bond villain up for sale - for £ 4 million. Daily Mail, July 15, 2007, accessed August 13, 2013 .
- ↑ a b c d Spiegel Online: The cursed no man's land. Retrieved August 13, 2013 .
- ↑ The Guardian: Bolthole in the Solent goes on sale for £ 4m. Retrieved August 13, 2013 .
- ^ Atlas Obscura: No Man's Land Luxury Sea Fort. Retrieved July 9, 2004 .
- ↑ BBC news: Besieged man barricaded on. Retrieved March 13, 2008 .
- ↑ http://www.amazingvenues.co.uk/venue/no-mans-fort/