In the north of our country there are no bastion type fortresses, except for one building. It is partially preserved to this day. This is the fortress Novodvinskaya. For those who do not believe in this, there are satellite maps of the area. The construction on them can be considered. The stones of these ruins saw many historical events, battles and glorious victories. To learn more about the fortress Novodvinskaya, you must come on a tour. How to get to the historical monument, what it is and what it looks like now - more on that later.
General information
The Novodvinsk fortress in the city of Arkhangelsk was erected under Peter I. It has long served as a source of pride for Russian soldiers. Foreign warriors were afraid of her. There were fierce battles. In the photo you can see that today the structure is partially preserved.
On the banks of the Malaya Dvinka River, Peter I ordered the construction of a fortress. It was the year 1700. This decision of the tsar was due to the fact that he perfectly understood that there was only one city from which the Swedes could attack Russian land. This is a large port city of Arkhangelsk.
Here the first shipyard was laid and the Admiralty was created. According to the sovereign, the fortress Novodvinskaya was supposed to be completely impregnable. It was a strategic point of deterrence of the enemy.
Novodvinsk fortress of the beginning of the XVIII century, as evidenced by research in the field of its history and archeology, could accommodate more than 1000 soldiers at that time.
Building a bastion
The Novodvinsk fortress, the photo of which is presented below, was designed and built by the architect G. Reze. He chose the best place for construction work about. Linsky Priluk. In the spring of 1701, construction of the bastion began.
The process was moving fast. In a month, the basis for the construction was prepared. In June of that year, the workers laid the foundation of the building. The Swedish forces tried to prevent this, made attempts to attack the port. But the Russian army pulled here a large number of guns.
From Orletsov for the erection of a bastion building on a wooden barge delivered a white stone. Local monasteries also helped in the process. In 1702, the king personally supervised the construction.
Almost all of the work was completed by 1705. Then in the fortress there were walls, watchtowers. By order of Peter, 108 guns were delivered to the fortress. And by 1711, all defenses and fortifications were finally completed. In 1731, the fortress was ranked as a defensive structure of Russia.
The uniqueness of the Novodvinsk fortress
Subsequently, the fortress fulfilled its purpose in full. This was the first structure of this type in the northern strip of Russia. The Novodvinsk fortress (Arkhangelsk) corresponded in its characteristics to the Dutch style. Before her, there had never been such bastions in this part of the country.
Similar structures are found in countries such as Holland, America, as well as in the former colonies of these states. They have their own distinctive features. The Arkhangelsk structure has the same features.
The fortress is designed in the shape of a square. It has 4 bastions. These are Flazhny, Nautical, Grave and Slavochnye military buildings. It should also be noted that the length of the walls at that time was 300 m, and the height was 5 m. The thickness of the fortifications reached 2.5-3.5 m in different places. Each bastion was located at a distance of 120 m from each other .
The device of the bastion inside
The Novodvinsk fortress of the XVIII century, the history and archeology of which researchers are still interested in, had its own specific internal structure. Having reached the Novodvinsk fortress in Arkhangelsk, the traveler could get inside through three gates: Dvinsky, Summer, Ravelinnye. Previously, they were skillfully decorated.
If necessary, it was possible to leave the fortress through underground passages. There were about 10 of them, but today there is little left of them.
The military lived in buildings on the territory constantly. Barracks were built near the Dvina and Summer Gates. There was in the bastion and the church of Peter and Paul. It was consecrated during the construction process in 1702. So, according to all the norms and canons of that time, the fortress Novodvinskaya was to be called the Peter and Paul Fortress. In honor of the church name. But the inhabitants of the bastion themselves dubbed it Novodvinskaya. After some time, the church itself began to be called the same.
The outside of the fortress
A wide moat was dug outside the fortress. He was filled with water. Its width at that time was 28-30 meters. It was a good defense, which Novodvinsk fortress possessed. How to get inside such a fortified structure? It's complicated. That is why the enemy was afraid of Russian soldiers inside these walls.
The height of the counter-escarp and escarp walls of the stone moat reached 3 m. They were also lined with white limestone slabs, which were fastened with metal brackets. The moat was separated from the river by walls over 4 m high. They were a continuation of the stone embankment and were called batardo.
In the northern of them was a gateway through which water entered the moat. A hidden path was arranged behind this water fortification, and a palisade was also made. There was also a glacis shaft.
Siege of the Novodvinsk fortress during the days of the Crimean War
During the years of the Crimean War (1854-1856 gg.) Was the last siege of the Novodvinsk fortress. This was the last time it was used for its intended purpose. In January 1863, the bastion was deprived of its strategic status in connection with the disbandment of the navy in the city.
The Novodvinsk fortress (Arkhangelsk) was given in 1864 to the diocese of the city. Here it was decided to arrange a women's school. However, such an undertaking was soon abandoned. This decision was associated with the beginning of the construction of the railway between Vologda and Arkhangelsk. To equip the stations required a considerable amount of stone. In this regard, the clergy sold part of the walls of the fortress for construction purposes.
The once majestic fortress was turned into a banal building material.
The fate of the fortress
In 1898, the state of the fortress walls was assessed. The Arkhangelsk governor banned the sale of the building in the form of building material. So the historical monument survived, although it was by that time heavily destroyed.
At the beginning of the 20th century, a team of historians, archaeologists, restorers and researchers began to actively study the presented monument. In 1913, after their work, the fortress was included in the list of attractions of Russia.
In the prewar years, a children's colony was set up here. It contained juvenile offenders. During the Second World War, the production of water military equipment was established here. The work was carried out by former prisoners of a children's colony.
In 1990, a group of scientists began to work here on the restoration of the ruins of the once glorious and awesome fortress.
How to get to the Novodvinsk fortress?
19 km from the city is Novodvinsk fortress (Arkhangelsk). Guides know how to get to the place where the ruins are now located. First you need to get to the island of Brevennik. From Arkhangelsk passengers are transported here only by water. Depending on the place of crossing, you will need to go from 5 to 12 km by land through small villages. From Brevennik to Linsky Priluk can be reached by a small bridge.
You can get here with a guided tour. In this case, you have to wait until the group is typed. The approximate cost is about 1000 rubles. This price is explained by the ferry bus crossing, which is quite expensive.
It is difficult, but possible, to get to the Novodvinsk fortress on your own. By water, then by the way or by bus (very rare). You can even try to walk. But the path is not short, so it will be quite tiring.
What does the fortress look like today?
Novodvinsk fortress, tours of which are quite rare, today looks like a picturesque ruin. Its walls are under state protection. Small restoration work is being carried out so that the structure does not collapse completely.
At the moment, only the Slingshot bastion and the front wall of the facade have been restored. There is an observation deck made of wood. On it are shields with plans for the battles taking place here.
Here now is the curfew house where the team of restorers lives. Carefully move along the shaft, as there is a possibility of a collapse. Today, there are such dilapidated constructions as an officer’s house, a powder cellar. Previously, behind the moat was the burial of soldiers.
The restorers created a small open-air museum, which is a small tablet with indications of important events for the life of the bastion.
Novodvinskaya Fortress is currently a valuable historical monument. People from all over Russia come here. Of course, this is not a huge, luxurious palace, but it has its own originality. Indeed, for three hundred years, the construction has never been rebuilt. You can easily touch the history of past times in this ancient bastion.