Fortified fortress in the city center. The oldest fortresses of Russia

The center of any Old Russian city was a small fortress, in different periods of time, called the devints, chrome and, finally, Kremlin. Usually it was erected on the hill - on a hill or a river rivers. In the Kremlin there lived a prince with his retinue, as well as representatives of the highest clergy and the city administration. Seasoned, populated by artisans and merchants, also surrounded by an outer fortress wall. Traces of this ancient urban landscape in some places are preserved to the present day. We traveled through some of the most signs.

Kolomna is based in the middle of the XII century. At first, urban fortifications were wooden. The Kremlin is built in the second quarter of the XVI century on the orders of Vasily III to protect the southern frontiers of the Moscow Principality. It is believed that it was designed by the Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin, and the Moscow Kremlin actually was taken for the sample. Gradually, the borders of Muscovy expanded, the Kremlin lost military significance. In the XVIII-XIX centuries, he was gradually destroyed and repeatedly rebuilt. Fragments of the XVI-XVII centuries with towers and gates reached this day. At the Cathedral Square of the Kremlin are the Assumption Cathedral, Tikhvin Cathedral and Tent Bell Tower. In Novo-Golutvin, the Holy Trinity Monastery, adjacent to the Square, was stopped by Catherine II. It is believed that it was here for the first time she tried a local delicacy - Kolomna Paxtil. In a small Resurrection Church, Dmitry Donskoy was married. Today, most of the Kremlin is occupied by private residential quarters of the XIX-XX centuries.

The first fortifications in the territory of Kazan arose in the second century. The modern appearance of the Kremlin was formed after the conquest of the city Ivan Grozny. Bloodstone fortifications and buildings are mainly dating in the second half of the XVI-XVII centuries. However, construction continued until the end of the twentieth century. The Kremlin includes a complex of defensive structures, an Annunciation of the Cathedral, the Savior-Preobrazhensky Monastery, the Governor (Khansky) Palace with the Palace Church and the Tower of Syumubik, the ones, a gun yard, a Juncher school and the Kul Sharif mosque.

The city was founded in 1221 on the high shore at the location of the Oka and Volga merger. The stone Kremlin has erected at the beginning of the XVI century. The fortress, unique in military-technical terms, was withstanding a lot of Opija, and never was captured by the enemy. The mighty wall connecting thirteen towers is perfectly preserved to this day. Today, themed museum expositions are organized in individual towers. Also on the territory of the Kremlin are the Cathedral of Mikhail Archangel with the rush of the goat of Minin, the Palace of the Military Governor, the House of Vice-Governor, the Cadet Corps, the Corps of the Garrison Corresponds and Military Memorials.

Pskov, first mentioned in 902, is considered to be one of the most ancient Russian cities. After joining the Moscow principality, it was the most important defensive center in the North-Western borders. The first stone fortifications appeared in the middle of the XIII century. In the XV-XVI centuries, they were reinforced by towers. As a result, the Pskov Fortress became one of the best Russian fortresses. It consisted of several defensive rings. Three days have been preserved to this day. The actual chrome was built at the mouth of the Pskov and Great Rivers. On the territory of the Kremlin there is a Trinity Cathedral with a majestic bell tower.

The city arose, presumably, in the second half of the XIII century as the winter rate of Mongolian Khanov. The stone Kremlin was built in the last quarter of the XVI century, after the conquest of Astrakhan by the troops of Ivan the Terrible. Fragments of fortress walls and towers have been preserved to this day. Also, the historical and architectural ensemble of the Kremlin includes the magnificent Assumption Cathedral, the complex of buildings of the Trinity Monastery, the house of the Senior Cathedral clergy, the Prechistenian bell tower, an artillery yard with a torture tower, officer Svetlitsa.

The foundation of Pereyaslavl Ryazansky (Ryazan city is referred to since 1778) refer to the end of the XI century. Three centuries, the city became the capital of the Ryazan Principality. Prior to the beginning of the XVI century, a princely courtyard was located on the territory of the Kremlin, then the bishop residence. However, until the XVIII century, the Kremlin continued to perform the function of the fortress that defended the southern borders of Russia from the raids of the Crimean Tatars. The Kremlin ensemble in its current form was formed during the XV-XVIII centuries. Among the architectural monuments - Assumption Cathedral with a multi-tiered bell tower, Arkhangelsk, Savior-Preobrazhensky and Christ-Chiction Cathedrals, the cozy Church of the Holy Spirit, the Palace of Oleg (the largest civil building of the Kremlin) with a carved facade and a white-eyed porch, the singing hull, walls and towers of the Spassky Monastery and various outbuildings.

Rostov was founded in 862. In the Domongolian Rus, this city was considered as significant as Novgorod or Kiev. No wonder he was called the Great. Here was the residence of the archbishop, and then Metropolitan. Actually, the fact that today is called the Kremlin, is a complex of buildings that includes the Palace of Metropolitan, the Assumption Cathedral and the famous Rostov belftle. In the XVII century, the buildings were surrounded by a stone fortress wall with braces, wide windows and rich decoration.

Tobolsk was founded in 1587. The only stone Kremlin in Siberia is here. From other structures of this kind, it differs in that it was built in an existing city and was not intended for defense, but to place the administration. The fortress wall began to be erected only at the end of the XVII century, but at the end of the XVIII, it was already partially disassembled. However, the tower with fragments of fortifications remained to this day. The modern appearance of the Kremlin was formed mainly in the XVIII-XIX centuries. Sofia-Uspensky and Pokrovsky Cathedrals, the Palace of the Vicers, a seating courtyard, an ordinary chair, a prison castle and the provincial typography are located on its territory.

Uglich on the right bank of the Volga is first mentioned in 1148. From the XIV century enters Moscow principality. The ensemble of the Uglich Kremlin was formed throughout the XV-XIX centuries. It includes chambers of specific princes (a unique monument of civil architecture of the XV century), Church of Tsarevich Dmitry on the blood, the magnificent Savior-Preobrazhensky Cathedral with a multi-tiered bell tower, the House of the Grador and the Epiphany Winter Cathedral. Fragment of the RVA has been preserved from defensive fortifications.

Veliky Novgorod is one of the oldest cities of our country, the center of the origin of Russian statehood. The official date of the foundation is considered to be 859 years. The first mentions about the Novgorod Kremlin are referred to 1044. Fragments of the XIII century deaftime walls of the XIII century and nine towers built in the XV century were preserved. On the territory of the Kremlin is the Cathedral of Saint Sophia - one of the oldest in Russia, the belfry, the Granovic Chamber, the Church of Andrei Prattylate, Likhudov Corps and other structures of the XI-XIX centuries. There is also a monument to the Millennium of Russia.

The settlement of the lobe's wolves is first mentioned in 1135. Thus, Volokolamsk claims the status of the oldest city of the Moscow region. The ladies originated on a high hill back in the XII century. The century later the city was completely burned several times. Later was rejected. The Kremlin was wooden and only partially elevated in stone. To this day, the remnants of the fortress shafts and the pvv of the XIV-XVI centuries have been preserved. On the territory of the Kremlin today there are Voskresensky and Nikolsky Cathedrals and Pythyar Bell Tower.

The city of Gdov is first mentioned in the chronicles belonging to 1322. The Kremlin is erected in the second half of the XIV-XV centuries. He occupied an exceptionally important fortification on the shores of the Church of the Lake and covered the approach from the north to Pskov. Fragments of fortress walls (from South and Eastern) and earthy hills in place of destroyed towers were survived to this day. Dmitrievsky Cathedral is also located on the Kremlin.

The exact date of the base of Vologda is unknown. The first mention refers to 1147. The construction of the Kremlin began in the second half of the XVI century under Ivan Grozny. However, fortifications were erected only partially. Later, stone fragments were added by wooden fortifications. By the first quarter of the XIX century, the fortress was completely declining and was destroyed. Only the South-Western Tower and the remains of the serf tree are preserved from the ancient walls. Today, the name "Kremlin" has been entrenched behind the bishop palace surrounded by a mighty wall. The Kremlin ensemble includes Sofia and Resurrection Cathedrals, Kazeli, various corps and chambers.

The first mention of Tula is referred to 1146. It is believed that the settlement (probably in the form of an acute) was initially military character, intended for the garrison of the Ryazan Prince, and later it was the most important strategic importance for the defense of the southern borders of the young Moscow state. Tula Kremlin never reached the enemy. Stone fortifications were erected in the first decades of the XVI century on the orders of Vasily III. Then during the two centuries they were completed and rebuilt. Today, the historical and architectural complex unites the buildings of the XVI-XX centuries and includes powerful fortress walls connecting nine towers, Holy Assumption and Epiphany cathedrals, trading rows and the building of the first city power plant. Towers posted thematic museum exposures.

The first buildings in the radiation of the Kamenka River appeared in the X century. A full-fledged wooden fortress with earthen shafts arose about a century later. In essence, the Suzdal Kremlin remained so until the beginning of the XVIII century, when a strong fire destroyed all the wooden buildings. Shafts have been preserved until now. In addition to them, the Kremlin complex includes the Christmas Cathedral of the XIII-XVI centuries and the Bishops of the XV-XVIII centuries. In the western part of the Kremlin today is also a wooden Nikolskaya Church of 1766. It was transported in 1960 from the village of Glotov, and installed on the site of the lost church of all saints.

The urban settlement on the Ostr River originated in the XI century. The Kremlin, as in other South Russian cities, was laid on the board of Vasily III. In subsequent years, he was repeatedly subjected to the raids of the Crimean Tatars, but successfully defended. When the borders of the Moscow principality expanded, the fortress lost military significance. The Zarayski Kremlin is almost completely preserved. A powerful wall connects eight towers. Inside there are Nikolsky and John the Forerovansky Cathedrals, as well as various buildings of the XVI-XX centuries.

The settlement of Porchs on the merger of Shegon and Dubenki is based on the will of Alexander Nevsky in 1239 as part of the defensive system of Novgorod land. The stone fortress in the form of a pentagon is dated to the end of the XIV century. It retained its military significance until 1764. The walls are preserved to this day (at the moment they are restored) and three towers. Inside the Kremlin is the Nikolsk church of 1412 buildings.

The Alexander Kremlin (Alexandrovskaya Sloboda) is the oldest country residence of the Moscow sovereigns. The stone fortress with a luxurious palace and the cathedral was erected at the beginning of the XVI century and immediately became the place of regular stay of the court of the courtyard. With Ivan Grozny in 1564-1581, the capital of Russia was actually in fact. The historical and architectural ensemble of the Alexandrovsky Kremlin today includes the Trinity Cathedral, the chat, Sretenskaya, Pokrovskaya and the Assumption Church, the Hospital and Canelic Corps.

In its appearance and constructive features, all the stone fortresses of Russia, from ancient times until the XVII century inclusive, can be attributed to one of the two main schools of stone serf architecture: the North-West Pskov-Novgorod and Moscow.

The oldest of them - the Pskov-Novgorod school - goes its roots in the distant IX century, when near the mouth of Volkhov was put on the first Ladoga Stone Fortress. There was a fortress that is small, with an area near hectare, had one tower with a gate and a wall folded from limestone plates on clay (without the use of lime). At the top of the wall, wooden fences were arranged, covered with sovereign.
According to the legend, the Ladoga fortress, known for the Swedes as AldeGyuborg, was laid in 882 by the objective Oleg on the spot even more ancient wooden, and during the subsequent centuries served as a shield that closed the passage for the Varyagov to Volkhov to Lake Ilmen and Novgorod. Now the old Ladoga fortress existing on this place is the third on account. Its buildings, laid out of boulders and lined with limestone blocks, are dating XV - XVI centuries.

The second in the age of its stone fortification facilities is the ancient Izborsk, named by legend in honor of the prince of the election - the grandson of legendary words. The first islable fortress on a hill, folded from a lime tummy dry (without a solution), dates back to the first quarter of the XI century.

The younger brother of Novgorod - Pskov, - got the first stone wall in 1192. These were the so-called Percy - a plot of the fortress wall of the Pskov chrome from the attack side. And by the end of the XV century Pskov surrounded four rows of stone walls and towers.

Among the oldest stone fortresses of the North - Coporya (1297 g), nut (1352 g), pit (1384 g), Porchov (1387 g).

The walls and towers of the northern fortresses are complicated mainly of gray, almost not treated limestone plates and "bouwies" - wild boulder stone. All external forms are simple, concise and harshs - no jewelry and architectural delights, only in some ways are mysterious signs and stone crosses, laid in the wall laying.
The towers in the plan, as a rule, there are two types - round or square. The fools of the plantar battle in the walls are very rare, due to the solid monolithic design of the walls themselves. Hinged battle (machine) - missing completely. Clabs are common as an additional protection of the fortress gate - narrow stone corridors, clamped between two parallel walls.

The creations of the masters of the Novgorod region do not lose their identity even after joining Novgorod and Pskov to the Moscow State in the late XV century. The stone fortresses erected by them already in the XVI - XVII centuries, such as Gdov, Ivangorod, Solovetskaya, Pskovo-Pecherskaya - fully retain the characteristic features of the northern school of architecture. The only, perhaps, the exception is the existing degree of the most great Novgorod, the construction of which was started in 1484, shortly after the seizure of the city of Moscow army, and continued until 1490. Although the new fortress was built "on an old basis", that is, on the foundations of the former Stone Novgorod Children, laid back in 1333 during the Archbishop of Vasily Kalics, she had already different, uncharacteristic for Northern Russia. The name of the architect, who led the construction of walls and towers of the Novgorod Children, is unknown. Most likely, it was someone from the Italian engineers who worked at the time in Moscow at the Grand Duke Ivan III, perhaps even Aristotle Fiorewanti himself, who personally participated in the conquest of Novgorod in 1478 as the chief military engineer of Moscow troops. In any case, the similarity of the Novgorod Children with the Moscow Kremlin, which was built at the same time by Milan and Venice, obviously.

As a matter of fact, with the construction at the end of the 15th century, Russian bricklayers under the command of the Italians of the two above-mentioned stone fortresses, and the history of the Moscow School of Stone City Planning began.
Until now, in South and Eastern Russia, stone architecture was limited only by the construction of temples. The fortress facilities were completely wooden and wood-earthen, and only some of them had separate buildings laid out of stone, such as the main "travel" towers in Kiev and Vladimir, who were called the "Golden Gate".
The first stone fortress of Moscow Russia is customary to be "White" Moscow Kremlin Dmitry Donskoy, erected, according to the chronicles, in one summer of 1367. However, it is absolutely obvious that this term is incredibly small to build the stone fortress of such sizes as the Moscow Kremlin, especially since Moscow in 1367 was only the capital of a small principality with very limited material and human resources. But already in the next, 1368, the new fortress with success withouts the raid of Lithuanian Prince Olgere.
The most likely assumption that arises from this, such: there were not all the Kremlin walls and towers, but only with the eastern, most convenient for the attack, the side of the fortress, that is less than 1/3 of the total perimeter of the Kremlin. At the same time, the fence (fencing of combat sites) on the stone walls, most likely were made of logs, and covered with tes.
Separate evidence confirming this version is in writing sources. For example, in the chronicles of the Kremlin's siege in 1451, the Ordane Tsarevich Mazovoy (this event is known in history as the "ambulance Tatar.") It is said that the Tatars tried to break through there, "where to bear the fortresses stone." The Italian, the same Contarini, who visited Moscow in 1475, in his memoirs and speaks at all about the Kremlin as a wooden fortress. Probably, when looking from the seafront or from the River Neglinnaya, it was.

End of the Board of Ivan III and the reign of Vasily III that followed him - can be called a period of stormy flourishing of stone architecture and various crafts in Moscow Rus. At this time, here, one and whole groups, architects arrive, military engineers, cannon and bellworks from Western Europe, mostly from Northern Italy states. In Moscow itself, as well as the most disturbing borders at that time - in Nizhny Novgorod, Tula, Kolomna, Zaraysk - in return for wooden one by one by the other fortresses grow. In them, the Italian masters were largely used by the experience gained by the beginning of the XVI century fortific properties of Western Europe.
Naturally, the new fortresses of the Moscow state received features, first uncharacteristic for Russian defense architecture, and were not like the fortresses of the Novgorod land. The main materials used in construction - white, tested by blocks, limestone and clay small brick, determine the characteristic color gamut of most fortresses of Moscow Russia - dark red and white. In addition to round and rectangular in terms of towers, we also see faceted, oval, semicircular, and even a trapezoidal form. The towers are obtained at the top of the broadening - the slope, equipped with the braces of mounted combat - machines. The combat course of the fortress wall is not based on a solid stone monolith (both in Pskov and Novgorod lands), and on the arch of the arches forming the similarity of Viaduct. Such a design allows you to arrange regular niches for boils of the plantar battle without a significant reduction in the strength of the wall with an integer.
I must say that this idea is quite old. More Ancient Romans were laid in the walls of their fortresses the so-called unloading arches, which allowed in the case of local damage to the wall of the Waran, redistribute the weight of the overlying rows of masonry and keep them from collapse.

The fortresses of the "regular" form, that is, repeating in terms of the contour of the correct geometric shape, such as Kremlin Tula and Zaraysk, which was previously never in Russian architecture were previously.
As a means of protecting the gate, the robust protrusions are used, which can be seen today at the Spasskaya and Nikolsky towers of the Moscow Kremlin, and the Tower of Pyatnitsky gates in Kolomna. Judging by the old images on icons and engravings, other travel towers, not survived to this day, for example, the Frolovsky Smolensk Fortress also had similar protection.
Another, new for Russia, but the fortification technique is very characteristic of medieval European castles, these are the so-called "rejected shooters" - the towers made far beyond the line of serfs and guarding entrances to the bridges over the serfs. Preserved to our time (although far from an initial form) Kutafia Tower of the Moscow Kremlin - a sample of such a prerequisite strengthening. Such rejected shooters once covered two more gates of the Moscow Kremlin - Tainitsky and Konstantino-Eleninsky, as well as the Dmitrov Gate of Nizhny Novgorod.

The construction of the Epoch of Italians in the Moscow state was the construction of the China-City fortress, performed after the death of Vasily III, in the short rule of his widow Elena Glinsky. The walls of China-city became the decoration and pride of Moscow. In them, the famous Italian architect and military engineer Pietro Francesco Annibal (Petrok Small) expressed his understanding of how modern the stone fortress should be, adapted to keep a "fire fight" - a cooking and cannon shooting, as well as the use of different "fiery tricks ", Such as PETARDS, MINATED GALLERYS WITH THE MEDICAL FUGASS, etc.
The walls of China were below the Kremlin, but the thickness of them reached 6 meters with a width of a 4.5 meter width. The walls had three rows of bolery of various shapes and sizes intended for firing from all types of weapons. The width of the combat venues allowed to put guns not only at the base of the walls, but also, if necessary, place entire batteries in the level of parapet, in which there were regular cannon embrasures.

Deep in the ground, below the base of the towers, the architects, as a rule, were laid by a whole system of tunnels, moves and underground chambers, called in those days "caches" and "rumors". They shied every stone fortress around the perimeter and had exits far beyond its limits. These dungeons were used by a garrison for nightly tits, secret messages, storage of ammunition, as well as countering the enemy in digging mine galleries. To do this, thin copper sheets were mounted for the stone walls of the "rumors", which allowed to catch even light soil oscillations and detect the place and direction of the enemy subpople. When detecting it, the sappers immediately proceeded to the roar of the oncoming gallery, trying to intercept the enemy dining at a sufficiently large distance from the fortress wall and destroy it with a powerful powder charge.

The era of Italians in Muscovy ended with the top of Ivan Grozny, who did not complain of the Inomes, especially after the start of the Livonian war, seeing potential trains and sishadateev in them. After making sure how soon the new king is pressed, the majority of foreign specialists were considered to leave the Russian state.
However, the years of the reign of Ivan III and Vasily III did not pass - by the middle of the XVI century there were already their own engineers, connoisseurs of stone and brickwork, capable of solving the tasks of any complexity. In the future, the efforts of such famous "wall crafts" as a Jakovlev, Fedor Horse, Trofim Sharutin, Burent Cucumbers, and many other other, less well-known unnamed, Moscow School of Stone City Planning continued its development already as a Russian national tradition.

Theoretical thought also did not stand in place. As a generalization of its and ingenic experience, the Russian military engineer and Pushkarski Master OniSim Mikhailov in 1607 - 1621, extensive fundamental work was created, - "Charter of Rattaya, Cannon and other cases relating to military science", in which, except Other things, there was a section "On the structure of long-term fortresses". In this section, consistently and in detail, the basic principles of planning and the construction of defensive structures in the stages were painted, namely:
As "appreciates the place of inspecting and squeeze."
How "Investigate, whether the place to the sole is welcome, and whether the piles of the bati and crossbar are needed, i.e. Determine the quality of the soil and correctly choose the design of the foundation.
How to orient the walls relative to water obstacles, at what distance to put the towers, and how to have loopholes in them (how much, where, what size), to "exist from the city in Selfie the shelves shoot."

In general, I must say that the Russian "chances" of that time were people quite competent and educated. They read foreign books on the fortification, translated in the XVII century into Russian for Pushkar and Stone Affairs of orders, including the famous treatise "Ten books about architecture" Vitruvia, who was called "the Father and the root of all graduals and celant masters."

It should, however, note that, despite the obvious progress in the development of stone architecture, the construction of wood-earth fortifications in the Moscow state never stopped, and continued until the end of the XVIII century, and for each newly built stone fortress accounted for several wooden. Stone construction in the conditions of medieval Russia was extremely expensive and hard economically, for a variety of objective reasons.
First of all, Russia, with the exception of its northwestern part, poor construction stone. As a rule, he had to carry it for dozens of miles. But the terrain forest - everywhere enough.
On the other hand, the prevailing soils of the Russian plain - clay, sandy and loam are very soft, podiatiles, and during freezing and thawing, often prone to drawdowns and releasing. In order for such soils able to withstand the weight of stone walls and towers, a huge amount of work was required to drive the piles and the laying of deep foundations, in labor costs almost an overhead part of construction.
Do not forget the harsh climate of Russia. As is known, a lime solution fastening the stone masonry due to the presence of water in it can be seized and hardening only at a positive temperature, which limited the production of work only 5-6 months per year. In the Middle Ages, when a rare year did without war, the Troubles or Tatar raid, any delay in the construction of defensive structures was deadly.
Well, in addition, the tree is a familiar material for any Russian peasant, and the set of carpenters for the city affairs in any parish did not make much difficulty. Another thing is the bricklayers and bricks, the masters of rare, the former at that time will alternate. In the case of a special need and urgency, as it was, for example, during the construction of the Smolensk Fortress in 1597 - 1602, they were accounted for by the royal decree "torture" in all cities and the weary of the Russian state.

It should also be said that by the middle of the XVI century, artillery tools began to possess such a destructive strength that even stone walls and towers could not long withstand their nuclei. Of all the Russian fortresses known to us, only the Solovetskaya "Great Soup Fortress", built in the XVI century, the monk-grade-tempered trifon, was practically insensitive to the action of artillery. Her walls and towers, isolated from huge granite boulders, were so durable that they could not damage the guns of the royal troops for the eight years of the famous "siege seats" 1668-1676, nor even English ship artillery, bombarded fortress in 1854, The time of the Crimean War. According to eyewitnesses, the cast iron kernels just bounced out of the walls, or flew into pieces as clay pots.

Selection of records

Writes blogger Georgy Malets:

Derbent is the most ancient city of the Russian Federation. He is located in Dagestan, on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Historians suggest that his age is at least 5 thousand years, although the exact date of the founding of the city is unknown. The main attraction of the city is the Derbent Fortress.

In ancient times, Derbent was located in the most vulnerable in the strategic plan of the Caspian passage, where the mountains of the Big Caucasus are closest to the sea, leaving only a narrow three-kilometer strip of the plain. The citadel takes the top of the hill closest to the sea.

The path along the coast was blocked by two fortress walls, adjacent in the West to the citadel, and in the east, borrowed to the sea, preventing the fortress bypass. Between these walls and was located the city of Derbent.

The length of the walls within the city is 3.6 kilometers. The North and South Walls were built in parallel to each other, the distance between them ranges from 300 to 400 meters.

Sea Wall closed the entrance to the city from the Caspian Sea. In the water, the wall lasted almost half a kilometer.

The citadel rises at the top of the 300-meter steep hill. The climbing slopes reliably defended it from the invasions of enemies from the East and the North.

During the excavations, ancient burials were found.

In the walls of the fortress defensive complex there were several small, but very durable gates, through which in antiquity it was possible to get into Derbent. The gate was opened for guests, allies and merchants.

The modern name of the city Derbent appears in written sources from the 7th century and means translated from the Persian "locked gates".

Massive walls surrounding the settlement from all sides were a reliable protection against conquerors.

The fortress in the vicinity of Derbent was erected to protect the peoples inhabited by the front Asia and the Transcaucasus, from the destructive invasions of the northern nomads.

Historians did not succeed in finding out who built the Derbent fortress. There are a lot of legends: from breathing fires of giants who inhabited land before the emergence of humanity, to the foundation of her Alexander Macedonian.

The ancient facilities were erected during the reign of the Sassanid dynasty.

Zindan - pit for prisoners in the form of a cone so that the prisoners could not get up.

Nowadays, a partial reconstruction of the fortress was produced, but they did it, it seems to me, not very carefully. In some places, frankly new stones and tiles are noticeable, chaotically arranged a vase for flowers, new lights, rudely hang wires.

True pleases that no one occurred to the idea to establish fences on the inside of the wall of the fortress so that "tourists did not fall down." This looks much natural, and no one still does not fall from the wall.

The Citadel Naryn-Kala extends along the city by 700 meters.

In the walls of the Citadel there are many tower protrusions located at a distance of 25-35 meters.

The southern part of the fastener is equipped with steps, and on its wide walls there are platforms.

Sittles along the walls are very narrow, you have to walk sideways.

The wall thickness reaches the places of 3.5 meters, and the height is 20 meters.

The city had no most profitable strategic position and was vulnerable from the Caucasian mountains and the sea, so the local population paid special attention to its strengthening.

Inside the citadel preserved ancient khan bath with windows in the roofs, as well as buildings that have come down to our time.

Two stone water reservoirs located inside the Citadel were built in the 11th century by Byzantine masters. In the containers, large water reserves were placed, which allowed the fortresses to withstand a long deposition of the city by invaders.

In antiquity there was a bath. Of course, earlier indoor premises looked completely differently: there were beautiful walls and gears, a unique steam supply system.

Interestingly, now all the inner structures of the citadel are literally under the ground. During the long years, a lot of breed was entered into the existence of the fortress, under which urban buildings were in time.

The citadel served not only by defensive, but also the administrative center of the city. It was placed the office, a trial and an underground prison, to get out of which the prisoner was impossible.

One of the ancient buildings was the Cross-Dome Church of the 5th century, later converted to the Muslim religious institution.

There is even a theory of existence in ancient times in Eurasia a solid fortification line, separated by continent in half.

The climbing slopes of the Citadel reliably defended it from the invasions of enemies from the East and the North.

From the height, an excellent view of Derbent opens.

Stone fortresses in Russia appeared since the origin of the ancient Russian state. Initially, they were small fences that served the protection of the territory of childbirth and settlements from enemies. Over time, the ancient forts began to symbolize the power of cities: surrounded by serfs, the fortress structures included several protection lines and defensive structures.

Conditional designation of fortresses on the map of the Leningrad region

The first fortress of the North-West of Russia in Old Ladog was founded by Varyags at the end of the 9th century. Later she was destroyed, but new powerful towers, rs and stone walls rose in her place. We will never see a huge number of fortresses: they did not have stone on the stone, and only archaeologists and archival documents can say where and what defensive structures were located.

The famous fortress Old Ladoga is considered the oldest in the North-West District

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Fortress North-West Rus: the ancient story of our region

But the surviving fortresses of the North-West Russia are worth seeing and evaluating the scale of the works of the ancient architects. The construction of most of them was caused by necessity: after all, the Western regions of Russia have lived under the threat of invasion.

Walls, towers, referred to in the written sources of "tricks", gates, Rips around fortresses, suspended or flip bridges - all elements of protective structures in different fortresses differed

The features of the architecture were determined by the conditions of the terrain, the territory of the guarded settlement and the size of the settlement. On the photo, Novgorod Keynets

The ancient fortresses of Russia in the north-west can be divided into:

Land.
Sea.
Strongs and protection lines.

The fortresses were erected as reliable optics in the places of likely attack of opponents, from the sea or from sushi. They were built taking into account the passage of trade routes - by sea, land or rivers. To build protective structures, a high place was chosen, such that the enemy approximation could be seen in advance. Forts were built in places of merge rivers, in order to ensure reliable protection from water, and the opposite walls were protected:

Rips.
Suspended bridge systems.
Ingenious devices.

Pskov Kremlin

Ground fortresses of Russia in northwest

The famous fortresses of Russia on land were a powerful shield made up of stone solid, whose tasks included the protection of the country in the north-west.

If the walls could say, they would have told us a lot of exciting stories about the past battles and battles, during which the fortresses passed from hand to hand, and political maps of neighboring countries were reprings

Pechora fortress at one time was almost impregnable. It was guarded by seven fortress towers, massive fence and three fortified gates

The stronghold would be told, what top did the skills of the architects, which built almost impregnable shafts, feuds, multi-meter walls. And how selflessly defended the enemies of Russia, residents of fortresses - warriors and ordinary townspeople.

The Tikhvin fortress is built on the spot, where, according to legend, the phenomenon of the miraculous icon of God of the Mother of Odigitria occurred.

Most of the defensive structures in the north-west are land. Their location is not accidentally chosen; Often they were built at a height, near rivers or reservoirs, which are also serving to protect the settlers. Here are the land fortresses of Russia, list:

Vyborg.
Gatchina.
Izborsk.
Coporye.
Ivangorod.
Novgorod.
Pechora monastery.
Porch.
Pskov.
Old Ladoga.
Tikhvin.
Shlisselburg.

Each of the presented solid, although at least the Izbor fortress was designed in accordance with the strategic tasks that were strictly in front of it. Forms of structures, their character, parameters were determined by the classification and purpose of the fortress.

Ibulence fortress

Marine Fortress of Russia (North-West)

Photo of Russia fortresses at sea is a bit similar. Each of them is a link in the state line of protection against the attack from water and serves for effective defense from the enemy:

Kronstadt (Citadel).
Fort iso.
Fort red hill.
Southern Forts of Kronstadt.
Northern Forts of Kronstadt.
Fort Alexander.

These fortress facilities played a significant role in the historical life of Russia, but also they were magnificent works of architecture.

Kronstadt: The urban wall has been preserved on 2/3 of its length, hembash, defensive barracks. On the outskirts you can find abandoned batteries with powder cellars.

Going with "Charm Travel" on the excursion, inspecting the most famous fortresses of the Russian North, you will understand that they have long been practical. But still fascinate with their power, inaccessibility, inner strength and reflect the heroic heritage of the people. An architectural monuments have found their repetition on hundreds of photos and videos, Russia's fortress is still a link between generations. So it remained, Shlisselburg, a red hill and still dozens of famous defensive structures.

The fortress of the Korela is now the museum. At one time played a significant role in the history of the Karelian Isthmus

Guardians of the North: Rus Fortresses and Fortified Areas

Maps of fortresses of Russia are dotted with points of marine and land defensive structures of the North-West region. Also, they are applied for fortifications and the lines of defense, for which during the past years the war went through. They are not so much, but it is worth noting their meaning:

Fortress Leningrad.
Cauro (Karelian Studyonon).
Mannerheim Line.
Krasnogvardeysky Ur.
Nevsky Piglet.
Karelian shaft.

A lot of books are written about some objects, they are heard. Such, for example, the Mannerheim line, where and today you can see concrete blocks and dots. But from Nevsky Piglet there is no stone on the stone, and not to find tourists either bastions nor RVov. At this place there are fraternal graves and monuments based on poplars. But this is also a fortress, for more than 260 thousand soldiers in the period from 1941 to 1943 were killed for a small block of land. The size of the Nevsky Pigchka is 1 x 1.5 km.

Join our excursions, you will see many beautiful places and recognize new facts from the country's history. Waiting for you:

And Tikhvin.
Old Ladoga and Vyborg.

The fortress in Vyborg is one of the few excellent preserved monuments of ancient military architecture.

Each trip with Charm Travel gives innermost knowledge about the history of the Russian North. You will learn what resistant to the defenders of fortresses, even if this fortress was an Orthodox monastery. Attend plans to lie down to the nearest weekend on your favorite sofa, spread the borders of your interests, make the excursion to our edge.

Fortress Korela

You are waiting for amazing openings in, stunning panoramic views from the observation tower in Vyborg, exciting excursions in Pskov and Novgorod.