On a plateau in the eastern part of Osaka, this mighty fortress towers above the city and is its most famous landmark. On exactly the same site where a priest from the Jodo Shinshu sect had already founded a temple in 1496, the famous Japanese general Toyotomi Hideyoshi gave orders for this fortress to be built and it was completed in the record time of three years in 1585. The exertions required to raise the foundation walls are inconceivable: enormous blocks of granite had to be transported over long distances, the largest of them measuring 14.5 m by 5.9 m. In 1615 the five-storey structure was destroyed in a fire laid by the enemy but the building was reconstructed at great cost. In the 19th century the fortress in Osaka was destroyed once again and only rebuilt 70 years ago using the original plans, but this time also using concrete. Today the mighty monument, whose granite base is 15 m high and the building on top 42 m, houses an exhibition on the history of the town and the fortress. The model was donated by the OMV AG.
