Fort Kronstadt. Virtual Tour

The city of St. Petersburg is one of the world's tourist centers. But few know that its attractions are located not only on the mainland. In addition to museums, cathedrals, canals and palaces with parks, the Northern Capital of Russia can boast of its ancient defensive structures. After all, Peter the First, erecting the city under the very nose of the Swedes, had to take care of his safety from the sea. Therefore, in the Gulf of Finland, on the northern and southern sides, he ordered to build fortified fortresses on the islands. In case the enemy fleet breaks through the defenses of these strongholds, they were to meet Fort Kronstadt. It is located on the island of Kotlin, just twenty kilometers from the coast of the mainland, on which St. Petersburg is located. Let's make a virtual tour of the last defensive chain of the city on the Neva.

The emergence of the first fort

The island of Kotlin was mentioned in the annals even before St. Petersburg appeared on the world map. "Orekhovsky Peace Treaty" of the fourteenth century means it as a border point between the Kingdom of Sweden and the Novgorod Republic. But three hundred years later the island became the property of its northern neighbors. Swedes used Kotlin for summer parking of their vessels. In the autumn of 1703 Peter the Great ordered to erect a fortress on the island. In one winter, Kotlin was fortified with an artificial embankment stretching towards it from the mainland. At this point the Gulf of Finland is very shallow, and such a dam made it impossible for large ships to pass. When the navigation resumed in 1704, the Swedes discovered that it was impossible to get to the Neva Bay , and on their island there was a fort. In May, the fortress on a foreign land was consecrated and received the name Kronslot (from the Royal Castle). It was the first fort. Kronstadt as a city-fortress appeared later. Kronslot is located on the southern coast of the island of Kotlin.

The history of the forts and the city of Kronstadt

Peter the First wished that this area became habitable. Therefore, the working people, petty bourgeoisie and merchants began to move to the island. To encourage the move to Kotlin nobility, Peter I ordered to build here his palace. Unfortunately, this attraction has not survived to the present day. But the island settled in the Italian Palace A. Menshikov. In 1706 on the western shore of Kotlin was built redoubt Alexander Shanets. And in October 1723 Peter I laid in a solemn atmosphere Fort Kronstadt. The name is, again, translated from the Dutch means "Royal City". By this time, there were already many houses on the island. The tsar ordered that the new fortress encircle the entire city, as well as the shipyard, with defensive walls. The construction of this citadel was completed in 1747.

Southern forts of Kronstadt

The fortifications of the city were repeatedly rebuilt. This was required by developing military equipment. In order to resist the more formidable weapons of a possible enemy, the city authorities rebuilt the old ones and erected new forts. At the moment there is twenty-one defensive structures of St. Petersburg. Seventeen of them are located on the islands of the Gulf of Finland. These forts of Kronshtadt, rising directly from the water (a photo of one of them in front of you) make an indelible impression on tourists. Conditionally, all these defensive fortresses are divided into northern and southern (depending on the location relative to the island of Kotlin). The first to appear, as we recall, Kronshlot. Later it was supplemented by seven more forts of the southern side: First and Second, Milutin, Emperor Paul I, Battery, Prince Menshikov and Emperor Alexander I.

Northern forts of Kronstadt

These fortresses were called upon first to meet the onslaught of the enemy. There are seven of them, too. In addition, in order to block the passage of the enemy's fleet to St. Petersburg, they had to protect Kronstadt himself. Fort Severny No. 2 is still located on the island, while the rest connected the road KAD with Kotlin and the mainland. Two more fortresses are named Krasnoarmeyskaya and Pervomaiskaya.

Forts on the island of Kotlin

First of all, it was necessary to strengthen the city of Kronstadt. Therefore, in addition to the Central Citadel encircling the settlement, auxiliary fortifications were built. At first they represented earthen ramparts (trenches). With the development of offensive technology, defense fortifications were also being rebuilt. For tourists, Fort Citadel is of some interest. It was built in 1724, and ten years later it was renamed Peter I. When the war broke out with the Swedes in 1808, a double battery appeared in the south of the island, which is now called Fort Constantine. In the west of Kotlin, on the spit, rises the Reef. On the site of the earth redoubt in 1706, Alexander at the end of the nineteenth century, Fort Shantz was built. Kronstadt during the Second World War, from these positions, fired German troops, which settled on the northern shore of the Gulf of Finland - from Zelenogorsk to Beloostrov.

Excursions to Kronstadt

The island of Kotlin, which is now populated, can be reached by road and through an underground tunnel. Now the city-fort of Kronstadt became a district of St. Petersburg. Fortifications on the island of Kotlin can also be seen. Some of them are in a deplorable state due to frequent flooding. To explore the forts of the northern and southern sides, you need to go on a water excursion. These tours on guides with guides are held only in the warm season. Excursions are sent from Fort Constantine. But tourists are not landed on shore to inspect the island fortifications.