Ruined wall with arched window

On the border between France and Spain, in a wild and lonely landscape, where sheep quietly graze as they must have done for centuries, sits a building almost growing out of the Earth itself.

It is inhabited by a reclusive man who spends his time in meditation within the sturdy citadel. 
But he is happy to show this curious traveller his place of refuge. 

My tour begins at the foot of the remarkable building, where steps lead up to rusted iron gates that open onto a wide covered terrace. 
Through a steel door that creaks as it swings open, we enter the main living area of the house, a simple, unpretentious, modest room.
A flight of stairs lead up to the floor above--it's entry barred by a chain. 

This upper room, with its high ceiling open to the rafters, opens onto another covered terrace where we stand and gaze out at the boulder strewn wilderness that surrounds us.     
I envy the man who has found shelter here in this unique stone building,  who calls this place home.  

I feel that I have intruded upon his solitude for long enough, but as I thank him for his time he tells me there is more to see if we retrace our way to ground level.  

Down there, almost hidden from view - is another entrance. Through this solid steel door is where the mystery lies. 
Here is the enigmatic heart of the building, for the house is built above, and around a cave.

My guide waves me forward.
I enter a room like no other he has shown me so far. It is dimly lit, but obviously created for some significant purpose.  
What is that strange circular platform in the centre of the flagstone floor?

And there are more doors. 
One leads to nothing more than two barred windows set into its walls. Almost like observation windows.
But what - or who - did they observe? And why?
A door in the corner leads to a corridor, at the end of which I find what one of the windows looks onto, is it a cell? Or is it a place of safety?
But safety from what? 
Back inside the main room is another barred window set deep within the rock. Was this for observation too?
Or is it merely to allow some light into the dark, gloomy space beyond.

My host has no answers for me, just a kindly wave of his hand as I eventually turn to go.
And as I leave I know that I will never forget

~the Ancient Hermitage Bombard~ 

Tech details:
- footprint 25x21m
- scripted windows and doors
- handmade textures with care for details
- original sounds
- landimpact 99 at rezzed size
- the plateau is a seperate mesh
- do not change the rootprim, you can add prims to the linkset

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