In memory of a talented military engineer, whose ideas opened a new era in fortification art, two forts were named Count Eduard Ivanovich Totleben (1818-1884). The concepts expressed by him were contrary to the generally accepted direction in this area of military art, and the experience gained in the Crimean and Eastern campaigns made it possible to build fortifications that were the best at that time in terms of fortifications.
Full carte blanche
The first fortification, bearing the name "Totleben", is a fort in the Kerch fortress. Eduard Ivanovich, who took the post of director of the engineering department of the military department in 1859, enjoyed the full confidence and support of Alexander II in the construction of the Kerch fortress. In 1872, the decoration of the building was completed and completely satisfied the king, who came there with an inspection. And therefore, the main fortification of the fortress received the order “Totleben” by order of Alexander II. The fort is located in the narrowest part of the Kerch Strait, at Cape AK-Burun.
The miracle of military engineering
The fortress itself was built bypassing the Paris Peace Treaty of 1856, which prohibited Russia from having a navy and coastal fortifications. And a kind of dungeon, or fortress in the fortress, received the name "Totleben." The fort is connected to the building itself with the longest 600 meter tunnel.
This stronghold was built for 20 years and was one of the two most grandiose and most important coastal strongholds erected in the 19th century - the Kerch and Kronstadt. The Black Sea fort was an ideal and perfect fortification - everything was provided for to the last detail, right down to the pigeon post station. Barracks for soldiers, latrines, storage tanks for water, underground galleries and mine walkways - everything was built taking into account the experience gained during the defense of Sevastopol and with concern for the defenders of the fortress, which the builders made as invisible as possible, filling all the stone structures with earth.
How to get there
In this place is the highest point of Crimea - 110 meters, on which there is a monument to the genius of military engineering, named "Totleben" in his honor. The fort covered the coastal batteries from the mainland. Fortress "Kerch" is now not in the best condition - it is abandoned. But in the territory of the object group excursions are held regularly. Now it is not easy to get to it by public transport - by minibus No. 6, departing from the central bus station, you need to get to the “Woodworking branch” stop. Further - only on foot. There are no detailed signs - orientation by the navigator or by interviewing local residents. Own transport you need to go to the end of Tamanskaya street, passing into the collective farm, the last point of which is the fortress.
One of the forts of Kronstadt
One of the objects of the defensive system of Kronstadt also bears the name of E.I. Totleben. The construction of this fortress began after the construction of the citadel on the Black Sea (1872). In 1879, the project began, the basis of which was two bulk islands - the basis for two forts, taken out of the coastline.
Conventionally, they were designated Fort A and Fort B. The first was to be located on the shallows 10 km from the
island of Kotlin and 4 km from Sestroretsk, the second - 7 km southwest of Fort A and 4 km from Kotlin. Fort "A" cost the treasury 6.5 million rubles. gold, Fort B - 7 million rubles. Work on the construction of defensive structures was supposed to be completed by 1903, but by this time they had only poured and strengthened the islands. Only in 1913 the fortifications were put into operation. After the work was completed, Fort A began to be called Totleben, in honor of the great military engineer who took an active part in its construction, the second facility was named Obruchev.
All inclusive
Fort Totleben (photo attached) had the shape of the letter “C”. The front of it was deployed to the west - the eternal enemy of Russia. The frontal part, consisting of three sectors, and two rounded flanks together reached a length of 700 meters, the width of the structure was 50 meters.
During its construction, the sad experience of the Russo-Japanese War and serious changes in artillery were taken into account. "Totleben" was a military town, provided with everything necessary, taking into account the conduct of modern warfare. An interesting fact is how the tsarist government took care of its soldiers. On the territory of the fort there was a desalination and water treatment system, 6 diesel generators, a sewer and water supply system, well-equipped barracks for 800 people and an officer corps, a hospital and a pharmacy, a bakery and a church, a cinema and library, bathhouses, warehouses and a glacier, a telegraph and a telephone exchange . On the back there was a harbor for ships to approach, along which the street passed.
Ruthless time
A miracle of engineering was Fort Totleben. The history of the continued existence of this expensive and interesting object is bleak. After the revolution, he was given the new name "May Day". In fairness, it should be noted that in 1923 10-inch guns were replaced with those taken from the Rurik cruiser, their range increased from the former 18 to 20 km. Repairs were carried out systematically.
The fort took an active part in the Soviet-Finnish war. The last modernization was carried out in 1950-1954. Then everything went downhill - in 1955 the garrison was disbanded and artillery was removed, in 1957 the fort was removed from all types of records, and since 1958, once a powerful fortification stood empty and abandoned.
Unpunished vandalism
Nothing changed when Totleben was put on the balance sheet of the executive committee of the Leningrad City Council and in 1990 entered the UNESCO list. The good days returned when, from the 90s of the last century, the object was restored by Vladimir Tkachenko, a restorer and artist from St. Petersburg , who became a volunteer commandant. He did not verbally, but in fact cleaned, repaired and arranged the fort “Totleben”. How to get here? This question did not stand before the barbarians who came across the ice in the winter of 2008. All the works of V. Tkachenko were destroyed, everything was distorted, burned and plundered. And where did the staff of the EMERCOM stronghold located here in 1999 look at?
Summer tours of the Gulf of Finland
Now the volunteer detachments and search and rescue units "Coast" are looking after the object. It is impossible to visit the fort without special permission and documents, however, as part of the tour, you can. What are these organized visits? They are carried out only in the summer, the order can be made by phone, available in the directories.
The organizers have the opportunity to inspect several of these objects in the Gulf of Finland, and not just Fort Totleben. The tour includes visits to the following points - “First South”, forts “Alexander I”, “Milyutin”, “Obruchev” and “Totleben”.
Winter is easier. As noted above, you can get on the ice of the Gulf of Finland, it would be permission to visit Fort Totleben. How to get in the summer? Only as part of the tour. Self-arrival on boats and boats is strictly prohibited, because the risk to life is too great. Of course, there are many hunters to visit the fort independently, and there are boat owners who are ready to violate orders for the appropriate bribe.