stronghold

Universal Words noun 1 an area in which there is a lot of support for a particular belief or group of people, especially a political party: a Republican stronghold / a stronghold of Republicanism * The Labour Party retained its traditional stronghold in the north. * The college is a stronghold of the child-centred approach to teaching. 2 a castle or a place that is strongly built and difficult to attack: The castle was an important royal stronghold for hundreds of years. * Troops surrounded the mountain stronghold of the guerrillas. 3 an area where there are a large number of a particular type of animal: This valley is one of the last strongholds of the Siberian tiger.