The Château de Montluc, named after its famous owner Blaise de Monluc, is located in Estillac, in the French department of Lot-et-Garonne. Built in the 13th century, it was expanded in the 16th century in a Renaissance style by the Mondenard family. Blaise de Monluc inherited it in 1544 and undertook major works, including the addition of defensive bastions inspired by Italian fortifications. He also planned a funerary chapel for himself. The castle was modified to withstand the religious wars but was partially demolished in 1793. Blaise de Monluc lived here to write his commentaries but died in 1577, leaving the estate to his grandson. Over the centuries, the castle changed hands and was classified as a historic monument in 1958. Its architecture features a trapezoidal plan with an almost triangular interior courtyard.
Towering 52 meters above the sea, Bengtskär lighthouse is the tallest one in Scandinavia. The building started in in 1905 after the shipwreck of S/S Helsingfors and was completed in 1906. The lighthouse was designed by architect Florentin Granholm. On December a special petrol lantern, designed and built in Paris, was brought to Bengtskär and installed atop the tower.
German fleet bombarded Bengstkär in the First World War in 1914. Since the Gulf of Finland was heavily mined, it was not until 1919 that the surrounding seas were declared safe for shipping, that the light was lit again.
After the war the military value of Bengtskär increased as part of the defence system of independent Finland. In Second World War (1941) Soviet Union made a suprise attack to island. After a bloody battle, the small Finnish garrison emerged victorious. Intermittent repairs to the facility continued during the post-war period.