The city of St. Petersburg is one of the world's tourist centers. But few people know that its sights are located not only on the mainland. In addition to museums, cathedrals, canals and palaces with parks, the northern capital of Russia can also boast of ancient defensive structures. After all, Peter the Great, building a city under the very noses of the Swedes, had to take care of its safety from the sea. Therefore, in the Gulf of Finland, on the northern and southern sides, he ordered the construction of fortified fortresses on the islands. In case the enemy fleet broke through the defenses of these citadels, they were to be met by 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 take a virtual tour of the last defensive chain of the city on the Neva.
Rise of the first fort
Kotlin Island was mentioned in chronicleseven before St. Petersburg appeared on the world map. The fourteenth century "Orekhovsky Peace Treaty" designates 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. The Swedes used Kotlin for the summer parking of their ships. In the autumn of 1703, Peter I ordered the construction of 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 navigation resumed in 1704, the Swedes discovered that it was impossible to get to the Neva Bay, and a fort towered on their island. In May, the fortress on a foreign land was consecrated and named Kronshlot (from the Dutch "Royal Castle"). This was the first fort. Kronstadt as a city-fortress appeared later. Kronshlot is located on the southern coast of Kotlin Island.
History of the forts and the city of Kronstadt
Peter the Great wanted this area to become habitable. Therefore, working people, burghers and merchants began to move to the island. To encourage the nobility to move to Kotlin, Peter I ordered to build his palace here. Unfortunately, this attraction has not survived to this day. But A. Menshikov settled on the island in the Italian Palace. In 1706, the Alexander Shanets redoubt was built on the western bank of the Kotlin. And in October 1723, Peter I laid the foundation stone fort Kronstadt in a solemn ceremony. The name is, again, translated from Dutch means"Royal City" By this time, there were already many residential buildings on the island. The king ordered that the new fortress would encircle the entire city with protective walls, as well as shipyards. This citadel was completed in 1747.
Southern forts of Kronstadt
The defensive structures of the city were repeatedly rebuilt. This was required by the developing military technology. In order to resist the more formidable weapons of a possible enemy, the city authorities rebuilt the old and erected new forts. Currently, there are twenty-one fortifications in St. Petersburg. Seventeen of them are located on the islands of the Gulf of Finland. These forts of Kronstadt rising directly from the water (the photo of one of them is in front of you) make an indelible impression on tourists. Conventionally, all these defensive fortresses are divided into northern and southern (depending on the location relative to Kotlin Island). The first to appear, as we remember, was Kronshlot. Later it was supplemented by seven more forts on the south side: First and Second, Milyutin, Emperor Pavel I, Battery, Prince Menshikov and Emperor Alexander I.
Northern forts of Kronstadt
These fortresses were called upon to be the first to meet the onslaught of the enemy. There are also seven of them. In addition, in order to block the passage of the enemy fleet to St. Petersburg, they had to protect Kronstadt itself. Fort Severny No. 2 is still located on the island, while the rest were connected to Kotlin and the mainland by the Ring Road. Two more fortresses arethe names Krasnoarmeiskaya and Pervomaiskaya.
Forts on Kotlin Island
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 erected. At first they were earthen ramparts (entrenches). With the development of offensive technology, defensive fortifications were also rebuilt. For tourists, Fort Citadel is of particular interest. It was built in 1724, and ten years later it was renamed Peter I. When the war with the Swedes broke out in 1808, a Double battery appeared in the south of the island, which is now called Fort Konstantin. In the west of Kotlin, on the spit, rises the Reef. At the end of the nineteenth century, on the site of the earthen redoubt of 1706, Alexander fort Schanz was erected. During the Second World War, Kronstadt fired from these positions on German troops settled on the northern coast of the Gulf of Finland - from Zelenogorsk to Beloostrov.
Excursions to Kronstadt
Kotlin Island, which is now inhabited, can be reached by road and through an underground tunnel. Now the fort city of Kronstadt has become a district of St. Petersburg. Fortifications on the island of Kotlin can be viewed by yourself. Some of them are in a deplorable state due to frequent floods. To see the forts of the northern and southern sides, you need to go on a water excursion. These guided boat tours are only available during the warmer months. Tours depart from Fort Constantine. But tourists are not landed ashore for inspectionisland fortifications.
