Vauban may not have designed it, but he certainly influenced its design. He wrote quite a bit on the subject of fortification, and for many years was considered THE authority on the subject.
Re: occult significance (Popolov). In googling info about pentagrams, I have come to a tentative conclusion that as William of Orange was a Christian, and if Vauban (the French military engineer) was as well, then I would be inclined to lean towards the five-pointed star as symbolising the five wounds of Christ. It was not until much later that the pentagram was associated with Satanism or was used by Wiccans and Pagans, which would then bring it into the realm of occultism. Herbion's comment most admirably brings the most important and practical reasons behind the shape of the fortifications to a concrete level.
I have read his comments re Hitler. I refrain from commenting on the war-related pages - or pages on religion - because it is an exercise in futility, an endless quagmire that one can find one's way out of only through one's eventual and inevitable demise. I stick to facts (sometimes erring, of course) and funnies (mostly failing). Popolov has many points of view that I can agree with, so am I to condemn him for those I don't agree with? No. That is what freedom of speech is all about.
Jojo, you continue to surprise us..just when we thought you couldn't possibly make a bigger jackass out of yourself than you alrteady have, damned if you don't go and do it...
Let us hear what Popolov has to say; he's the one who stated the pattern has occult significance. I'm glad you've been there, I envy you the experience. I've just been to spot bluebirds over the white cliffs of Dover, myself.
you guys are full of shit. it's beautiful but it's not occult or strange, it's very typical of the period's designs for defense fortification. and yes i have been there, have you?
