It's almost a shame that none of us truly know what a fortress looks like. About a month ago, I watched a four-hour marathon on the Ottoman empire. (Thrilling, I know.) Basically, the bane of the early empire's existance was Constantinople. Why? It was a (practically) impervious city. It was the feather in their cap. It was properous and central to trade with Europe. And every Ottoman sultan lusted after it.

Constantinople (or Istanbul) wasn't a normal city. It was a fortress. It had these enormous walls and equally impressive gates. When the city came under seige, people moved into the protected part of the city, and the people walled up the gates with stones, so it was impossible to get in. The city was bordered by lots of water. And the smart people of Constantinople drug massive chains (boom) across the water and anchored them on either side. Any ship trying to break through couldn't get past it.

Only one side of the city wasn't as strongly fortified: the side that faced the land. But Constantinople's enemies came from the direction of the sea, and for 1,000 years, the people were protected. They felt impervious. So why fortify all sides when the ones that face the sea will do?

But along came Mehmed II. At 12 years old, his youthful "sultan-ess" stood in the shadow of his father. His advisors were unsure he could manage. At about 20, he decided he needed to do something bold to gain recognition.

He needed to capture Constantinople.

He commissioned a Hungarian to create these enormous cannons (27 feet long) to blow up the wall. Problem: it took three hours to reload the cannons, and they had a shelf-life of six weeks. Not great for a siege.

Mehmed employed a spy to find a weakness in the city. The spy found the less-than-fortified wall.

But how in the world would Mehmed get his army to the wall? His navy couldn't get past the boom.

In a bold (and crazy) move, Mehmed moved his ships over land using greased logs and manpower. Long story short, Constantinople wasn't prepared for such craziness, and a few days later, the city fell.

The great city that stood for a thousand years wasn't completely impervious.

Makes me think about the hymn, "A Mighty Fortress." God is my city of refuge. And when the enemy raises a siege, when I face drought and famine, God is more than capable to offer me the safe haven I ravenously seek. I find safety behind His thick walls of grace.

And no siege will ever topple it.