Garnoye

Garnoye (Mirselec for "White Fort") is a famous castle in Risevne, sited in the northeast of city area E3 of Isana (which is also called Garnoye. Situated on top of the hill known as Nortekone, or Swallows' Hill, it was once a crucial node in the defence of the city, dominating both the Rushalya river and the eastern land approaches into Isana.

Despite its present name, which derives from its brilliantly whitewashed walls, the fort was neither whitewashed nor named Garnoye in the past; before the 1727 Rebellion the fort was called Nortenoye, "Swallows' Fort". The fort was painted white in 1772, and officially renamed in 1790. Now, Garnoye is a global symbol of Isana city, representing its historical side which the eastern "Old City" embodies.

History

Archaeological records have shown that the hill of Nortekone has been a site of fortification ever since the advent of large-scale settlement in the Feladmena Plain; the oldest evidence of fortification in that area is a stretch of brick wall and several other remains tentatively dated to around 500 BDN.

Present Situation

The whole complex of Garnoye Castle, as well as the hill itself, now form Garnoye Park, while the main keep of the castle is the site of the Garnoye Museum, focusing on artifacts from the late Royal, Council of Generals, and early post-Restoration periods.