Friedrichsburg Gate: history of creation, date of construction, interesting and unusual facts, events, descriptions, photos, reviews and travel tips

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

At all times, mankind has created various buildings and, you can see that over time, the principles of construction are always being improved and improved to this day. For people, in principle, development is characteristic. However, in order to evaluate progress, it is necessary to make a comparison, because everything is known in comparison.

History of Creation

To this day, few buildings built in the 16th-19th century have survived, and when we look at them, the progress is visible on the face. However, these buildings cannot but cause admiration, because they are unique and have a certain charm and majesty. A striking example is the Friedrichsburg Gate, which was built in the 1650s.

Initially, by decree of Friedrich Wilhelm, the Friedrichsburg fortress was built according to the ideas of the mathematician K. Otter. The historical object was erected in 1657, on the territory of present-day Kaliningrad, to protect Pregel. This fortress had a bastion type, its shapetopographically it was square with four bastions.

Educational Facts

It is interesting that this fortress was visited by Peter I in 1697 in order to study bombardment. Also, the Friedrichsburg fortress was considered a kind of model for building several forts. The building itself became a fort only in the 19th century, after significant modernization.

An interesting fact is that the fortress did not participate in hostilities throughout its existence, however, it was intentionally destroyed in 1910, as it was declared obsolete and ceased to be a military facility. The building itself was bought by the imperial railway. The ditches were filled in, and the ramparts were torn down. Railway tracks were laid on the territory, and a railway bridge was also created.

Today, you can only see the Friedrichsburg Gate in Kaliningrad, which is the only element that has survived from the fortress, in addition to the barracks, which was located on the east side. The gates themselves were built according to the project of F. A. Stüler in 1852. They were made of shaped baked bricks and belong to the Neo-Gothic style.

Description of the attraction

The feature of the fortress itself is the bastions. There are four in total. The bastions were named: Pearl, Diamond, Emerald and Ruby. Buildings such as the church, prison, barns, zeighaus, barracks, commandant's office and guardhouse were located in a quadrangular courtyard.

The gates were adorned with false gothic windows and crenellated decorations.parapets. There is an arch in the center, and casemates for the garrison can be observed on the sides. Round towers are located on both sides of the main passage.

In 1960, the Friedrichsburg Gate was given the status of a monument of urban planning and architecture, despite the fact that before that they were subject to demolition, like the main fortress, due to some damage during the Second World War. When there was an assault on Koenigsberg in 1945, the gates were subjected to some destruction. The southeastern part of the wall of the guardhouse was practically destroyed.

Initially, the gates were not restored, and they continued to collapse. However, at the beginning of the 21st century, large-scale work began on the reconstruction and improvement of the historical monument. After this restoration, the Friedrichsburg Gate became a branch of the Museum of the World Ocean.

Object location

Address of the Friedrichsburg Gate in Kaliningrad: Portovaya st., 39A. For those looking to locate the attraction, the map below will help you pinpoint the exact location.

Sightseeing in Kaliningrad: Friedrichsburg Gate and Museum of the World Ocean

Around Koenigsberg, new ramparts were built in the middle of the 19th century. At this time, the Friedrichsburg Fortress was rebuilt into the fort of the same name. Only by 1852, large-scale gates were built in it. The very idea of the project was born in the imagination of the Prussian court architect August Stüler. In the post-war period, at the gates there were first a field military printing house, and afterconvoy.

Here are some more events that the building had to endure:

• In 1960, the Friedrichsburg Gate began to be protected by the state as an architectural monument.
• In 2002, this object acquired the status of cultural heritage of federal significance.
• In 2007, the Friedrichsburg Gate became a branch of the Museum of the World Ocean, which, by the way, also includes a double-deck railway bridge.

Restoration work

Modern materials and masonry methods were used for the restoration. During the war, this attraction was destroyed by 25%. Today we have a real opportunity to assess the scale of destruction. Only by 2011, this atypical, one-of-a-kind building, with the presence of coats of arms on the facade, towers and massive iron gates, acquired the very outlines that were characteristic of it back then, at the time of construction. Some of the most talented restorers, originally from Kaliningrad, St. Petersburg and Nizhny Novgorod, made their efforts to recreate the Friedrichsburg Gate in its original form.

Interesting fact

The Friedrichsburg Gate was the only gate of its kind that led to the fortress of the same name, which was located on the southern bank of the Pregel River, and not to the city of Konigsberg itself. When the Great Russian Embassy was in the city, the Russian Tsar Peter I underwent artillery training under the name of constable Peter Mikhailov in the Friedrichsburg Fortress. The training itself was conducted by Colonel von Sternfeld- Brandenburg specialist. When the tsar returned to Moscow, he received a certificate, where it was written:

"Peter Mikhailov to be recognized and honored as a perfect bomb thrower, a careful and skillful firearms artist."

Tours and exhibitions

At the moment, in the very building of the Friedrichsburg Gate there is an amazing museum "Lodeyny Dvor", which is not only an ordinary museum, but also a real shipyard. There you can see historical ships that were made using unique old technologies. Judging by the reviews, these exhibits are simply irresistible.

For teenagers, children and adults, a special exposition "Ship Sunday" has been created, its purpose is to inform about the Russian navy. The great interest in this exposition is justified by the fact that absolutely everyone can take part in the construction of a historical ship made of wood with launching. Judging by the reviews, this activity will especially appeal to those who, as a child, loved to create various models of aircraft and ships.

Tourists are strongly advised to visit the exhibition, which is dedicated to traditional maritime ships of different peoples and eras. On it you can observe various instruments for navigation, ship models, and much more. There is also an atypical exhibition dedicated to ships that sank, as well as various underwater excavations, so this tour will definitely not leave anyone indifferent.

Tofrom visiting the Friedrichsburg Gate, visitors have more vivid and memorable impressions; at the end of the tour, a short film is shown on a large screen, which will acquaint visitors with information about the Russian fleet on a larger scale. All visitors to the museum are advised to see it. The information is presented in an accessible form, and the video sequence is striking in its entertainment.

During various holidays, various events are held on the territory of the attraction, which are dedicated to the sea and shipbuilding, because the spirit of maritime traditions that are characteristic of the city in the B altic "dwells" here.

Leaving this seaside place, you can throw a coin "for good luck" to the cat that sits at the exit and then your life will definitely be filled with luck!

If you want to visit the object, be sure to remember the address of the Friedrichsburg Gate: Kaliningrad, Portovaya street, building 39A.