Rope park Fort Constantine. Fort "Grand Duke Constantine"

1808 year. The beginning of the war with Sweden. The English fleet, allied with Sweden, is sailing the Baltic, intercepting Russian ships. English troops landed on the island of Gogland. English warships began to approach Kronstadt. The Naval Department decided to “build a battery in two tiers for 45 guns.”
Work began in the winter - log houses and stones were prepared on the shore. In the spring, when the ice melted, the log houses were towed by galleys to the construction site of a new battery - the northern part of the Kronstadt roadstead. On the shallows, about two meters deep, they began to install ridges: the log houses were covered with stones from the ships.
On the base, rising 1.5 meters above the ordinary, a wooden two-tier battery was built.

Battery Dimensions:

Valgang - about 3 m above the ordinary;
length - about 170 m;
width - about 10 m.

Battery armament:

36-pounder guns - 25;
30-pounder guns - 12;
unicorns - 12.

Battery garrison - 250 people.

The battery was named Double South. Despite the short time it took to build the battery, the structure turned out to be strong. During the flood of November 6, 1824, it suffered less than other Kronstadt military fortifications. The battery was completely restored by the spring of 1826. Following its example, after the flood, Fort Risbank was reconstructed.

Fort "Constantine" (Battery "Double South"") is one of the most interesting buildings of the complex Kronstadt fortress. Its history began in the summer of 1808, when a wood-stone battery was erected on the site of the now existing fort. The modern name of the fort appeared in 1834. After visiting the battery, Nicholas I ordered to rename it to fort “ Konstantin"in honor of his son - Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich. The fort was built using slightly different technology than before. Log houses were made on the shore, since it was located no more than 800 meters from the construction site. Then they were towed to the construction site, and the stone was loaded from approaching barges. The ryazhi protruded 1.5 m above the ordinary.

The name "Double" reflected the two-tier design of the battery. Wooden structure forced the builders of the fortress to constantly repair and strengthen the hydraulic structures of the battery. The situation became critical after the catastrophic flood of 1824, at which time a decision was made to reconstruct it. However, the process lasted for several decades and the modern appearance fort began to take shape only after the end of the Crimean War of 1853-1856.

In the winter of 1858, work began on exploring the bottom of the bay at the construction site. A temporary camp for builders and a warehouse for the necessary materials for the construction of a new fort were located on the old wooden battery. A special concrete mixture was laid between the piles. There was no concrete in the modern sense of the word at that time: Portland cement had not yet appeared and the basis of concrete was lime. Nevertheless, the building turned out to be quite strong; it still stands today without precipitation, despite the widespread construction work on the fort in 1986 to build the Complex of St. Petersburg’s flood protection structures (“dams”).

By the summer of 1861, work on the formation of the new island was completed and the construction of batteries began. First time in the fortress Kronstadt on Fort "Constantine" Batteries with armored parapets of three different systems were built for the first rifled guns.

In subsequent years the territory Fort "Constantine" expanded and rebuilt. The batteries were connected by a jumper, which is why the fort now has such an unusual shape in plan. One of the armored parapets, without dismantling, was moved on a special wooden sled to give the 11-inch rifled guns a new firing direction. There was also a unique hidden installation for two 11-inch guns, which has survived to this day. After the shot, the platform with the guns was lowered into a special well for loading using a steam engine. This ensured reliable protection of the artillerymen from enemy shots. Loaded guns were raised to the top position for firing. The project of this system was developed by the famous civil engineer G.E. Pauker, and its construction was completely completed by 1879.

The system for installing guns behind armored parapets had one significant drawback - the horizontal guidance angle was too small, limited by the size of the embrasure. Artillery in those years developed at an unprecedented speed. Primitive smooth-bore guns, loaded from the muzzle, were replaced by rifled guns, the range and accuracy of which increased significantly. For example, a smoothbore gun of the 1834 model fired one shot every five minutes, while Kane's gun model 1890 - six rounds per minute.

The era of casemate and parapet batteries was a thing of the past. And here Fort Constantine was the first. The end of the 19th century brought new material, which became widely used in the construction of new forts in Kronstadt. It became Portland cement. The island was expanded and a battery with eight new 6-inch Kane guns was built on the left flank. The design of the battery has become standard for the construction of new forts in the future. A concrete battery with eight 11-inch guns was erected on the right flank of the fort. Some of the old buildings were modernized, others were demolished. Construction took place from 1897 to 1901. By 1914, the fort was armed with: two 13.5-inch guns, ten -11-inch guns (two of them on concealed guns), two 10-inch guns, eight 6-inch guns, four - 120 mm.

The First World War did not affect the Kronstadt Fortress, but during the Great Patriotic War Fort "Constantine" fired at enemy batteries on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland and fired at Luftwaffe aircraft with anti-aircraft guns.

The last work on the fort was carried out in the 1950s, when the Kane gun battery was re-equipped with new 130 mm guns. In the 1960s the fort was abandoned by the military because... The Kronstadt fortress was disarmed, and the dismantling of many metal structures and weapons began. By the way, the modern cannon on the cruiser Aurora, which “notified humanity of the beginning of a new era in its history,” actually stood on Fort Constantine and was transferred to the glorious cruiser after its restoration in the 1970s.

Like many other forts, “Konstantin” remained neglected for several decades, but in recent years, after the sale of the fort to one of the companies in St. Petersburg, the territory was put in order. The fort functions as a historical and architectural complex with a hotel and a yacht berth. Also on the “Konstantin” there is a checkpoint across the state border for small vessels. However, everyone can visit this place and get acquainted with the unique fortification monument.

From Fort Constantine boat trips around the forts of Kronstadt start, which anyone can join.

The history of the fort “Grand Duke Constantine” begins in 1808 - with the construction of a two-tier wood-stone battery for 45 cannons. The need for construction was dictated by the defense of the borders from the ships of the British Navy, which carried out military operations in the Baltic Sea, about which the maritime department of the Russian Empire made a corresponding decision. The battery was given the name “Double South”. The technology of its construction differed from the methods tested at that time. Log houses, for example, were made on the shore, after which they were towed to the construction site.

The special status of the structure was emphasized during construction. The latest weapons and fire control devices were installed here. The modern name appeared a little later, in 1834, after the visit of Emperor Nicholas I, who ordered the battery to be renamed in honor of his son Constantine. She was armed with cannons, twenty-five of which were 36-pounders, and twelve of which were 30-pounders. Additionally, twelve unicorns were installed - smooth-bore artillery guns-howitzers, invented back in 1757 by the Russian artilleryman M.V. Danilov together with S.A. Martynov. The main purpose of the battery was direct fire at enemy ships. This kind of shooting was called “dagger fire.” As for the “manpower,” that is, the garrison of the tower, it included more than 250 thousand people.

In the 1850s, Fort Constantine fell into disrepair, and a decision was made to reconstruct it. Already in 1858, the construction of granite fortifications began. The weight of granite boulders, which were trimmed with slabs, was approximately 10 tons. The length of the wall reached 4 meters in height. It was 300 meters wide. Construction of the barrier structure took 3 years and was completed in 1861. Granite finishing completely solved the problem of wear resistance of the wall and negated the need for annual repair work.

Two years later, the Main Engineering Directorate demanded - this happened for the first time in world practice - to strengthen the protection of the guns of Fort Constantine with three armored parapets. Initially it was planned to install three parapets. The first, granite, was designed for 5 guns (the author of the project belongs to engineer-Lieutenant Colonel Shveda), the second, made of armor plates, which were installed on triangular metal supports - for 15 guns. And finally, the third, according to the so-called Lancaster system (made of wooden beams 30 cm long) - for 3 guns.

There were two more batteries that protected the remaining walls of the fort, but they also did not survive. The same can be said about the second battery of "dagger fire". In 1870, the project of the famous Russian physicist Fyodor Fomich Petrushevsky, who invented a number of optical instruments, to erect an optical rangefinder pavilion was implemented. This made it possible to fully review and control fire from the forts “Paul I” and “Emperor Alexander I”, which is better known by its second name – “Plague Fort”.

Towards the bay, two mines were partially preserved, which covered an experimental installation - the Pauker system, the mechanism of which made it possible to optimize the reloading speed of heavy guns from 5 minutes to 15 seconds. Construction of Pauker's battery was completed in 1879. The left flank of the fort “Grand Duke Constantine” was completed by a chain of four batteries. In 1901, a battery of the right flank was built, from which today part of the casemates and armory yards have been preserved.

The First World War and the Civil War bypassed Fort Constantine. However, during the Great Patriotic War, he, so to speak, became a direct participant in it. From here, on the southern side of the Gulf of Finland, a fire attack was carried out on the aircraft of the Nazi Luftwaffe. Soviet soldiers held their defense with the help of two pillboxes received by the fort in the thirties of the last century.

Over the entire period of its existence, due to various historical circumstances, the original appearance of the fortress changed several times. For example, in the upper part of the fortress rampart, protected in front by a parapet (valgange), there are no guns, which gives it an unfinished appearance. Casemates were restored many times, equipped with embrasures for all-round defense - in case enemy troops were able to break into the fortress.

In the 60s of the last century, Fort Constantine was disarmed and, unfortunately, plundered. Two decades later, a motor depot was established on the site of the fort. Before this, the builders of the complex of protective structures drained a fairly large area around “Konstantin”.

Fort "Constantine" in our time

The historical and cultural complex “Fort Constantine” is located in the central part of Kotlin. The fort is connected to the rest of the island thanks to a built dam and a railway track. Today it is one of the most significant regional centers in the country, which continues to develop. This state of affairs is due not only to the unconditional beauty of the fort, including from an architectural point of view, but also due to the work that is carried out here.

In 2003-2006, that is, already in our time, as part of the Fortdance electronic music festival, coastal dance floors with a capacity of up to 30 thousand people were organized on the territory of Fort Constantine. The action was accompanied by high-quality 500-kilowatt sound, video and laser shows, and a bar system.

Since 2006, Fort Constantine began to develop as a cultural and tourist center and at the same time a yacht club. The yacht club itself is located on the Main Fairway of the Northern Capital, next to the shipping facilities and the St. Petersburg ring road. In 2013, new floating berths with modern infrastructure were put into operation here (there is water, electricity, access to free Wi-Fi, a weather station). Parking for yachts and boats is equipped, and winter storage of the latter is carried out in boathouses. There is 24-hour security and video surveillance. Today the Fort Constantine yacht club is one of the largest in St. Petersburg. Its total capacity is up to 180 vessels.

In 2012, the city’s Maritime Council decided to organize a border checkpoint for small vessels and yachts at the fort. It was not accidental and was due to the almost ideal location of “Konstantin” from the point of view of control authorities.

Note to tourists

Fort “Grand Duke Constantine” operates around the clock and all year round. Hurry up to take a fascinating boat trip along it, because this is a wonderful opportunity to see with your own eyes the buildings of the Kronstadt Fortress, which UNESCO included in the list of cultural heritage. During the tour you will learn about the purpose of each structure and their role in protecting the borders of St. Petersburg. You will undoubtedly be captivated by the atmosphere of this unique place.

All tours of Fort Constantine are conducted on board the Riberpan ferry. This ship was built in Germany and named after the main street of Hamburg, the street of freedom and protest. The uniqueness lies not only in its name, but also in its design. This is the only river vessel of its kind, the hull of which is built according to the icebreaker type. Guests of Riberpan will be pleased with the atmosphere of the 60s of the last century. All finishing work is made of wood by hand. Experienced historians and local historians will tell you interestingly and vividly about Kronstadt, the fortress, and all the most interesting mysteries, historical myths and facts. In addition, tourists will be able to see nearby forts, including the famous fort “Emperor Alexander I” or “Plague”, which is also part of the Kronstadt defense system.

In winter, tourists are invited to take a fascinating tour of the fort’s structures, because “Constantine” has preserved buildings from different times. For example, the Shwede battery already mentioned above. You will not only be able to feel all the greatness of this historical place, but also learn a lot of interesting things about the everyday life, sometimes very difficult, of the sailors of that time and about the fortress itself.

If you want your wedding to be remembered for a lifetime, Fort Constantine is the ideal place to bring to life a ceremony that promises to be exclusive. The cries of seagulls, the sea, the landscapes of the fortress, the combination of modernity and the beauty of history - all this can be found here. The wedding will take place in a tent that easily adapts to any weather. For winter weddings and to simply protect against cold weather, this building has a heating system. In addition, the wedding tent is decorated with drapery, which will save on the decoration of the ceremony. There is also a yacht rental service for the duration of the celebration.

How to get there

You can get to Fort Konstantin by bus: from the Chernaya Rechka metro station (minibus No. 405) and from the Prospekt Prosveshcheniya station (No. 407). You can also get there by bus number 510, departing from the Staraya Derevnya metro station. The fare, depending on the area, ranges from 35 to 40 rubles. It will take about an hour to drive.

If you prefer to drive your own car, you can get to Fort Konstantin from Gorskaya along the northern dam.

You can also get to Kronstadt by water. In St. Petersburg, the movement of meteors along the route to Kronstadt has been established. The ticket price is 80 rubles from Finlyandsky Station. Water transport also departs from Arsenalnaya Embankment; travel time to the fort is 45 minutes. Ticket price is 100 rubles.

Fort "Grand Duke Constantine" (Russia) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.

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To a non-military person, the scattering of defensive structures at the entrance to the Neva Bay may seem chaotic and useless. In fact, this is a deeply thought-out system that has not allowed the enemy to break through to St. Petersburg from the sea even once in 300 years, although there were attempts, and very serious ones. The key to the main fairway was the fort “Grand Duke Constantine”, built not far from Kronstadt. A modest coastal artillery battery gradually evolved into one of the most powerful naval fortifications in Russia.

A little history

In 1808, there was a real danger of a military clash with the British fleet in the Gulf of Finland. To cover the only deep-sea passage to the city, 37 cannons were placed on the narrow southwestern cape of Kotlin Island, but the famous flood of 1824 washed away all the buildings. In the mid-19th century, construction began on a defensive line made of 10-ton granite boulders and armor plates. Here they tested the latest guns, rangefinders and wireless telegraphy. But aircraft and missiles rendered the fort useless, and in 1960 it was abandoned by the army and looted.

What to see

The dilapidated masterpiece of fortification art was saved by its transfer to a private structure. In 2010, a yacht marina and a customs point for the passage of small vessels began operating. 7 years later, the historical and cultural complex “Fort Constantine” opened. Tours are conducted around the interior, explaining to visitors the features of the architecture and demonstrating the operation of the surviving mechanisms. In the summer, tourists tour the Kronstadt forts on the Reeperbahn excursion ship.

On the territory of the complex there is a KingWinch park with rope courses, a beach, a wake park, and trampolines. At the beginning of summer, the Fortolet aeronautics festival takes place.

The fort is equipped with the only track in St. Petersburg for riding drift trikes, three-wheeled motorcycles specially designed for drifting.

There is a hotel with a restaurant on the moored landing stage; next to it there is a tent on a floating pier where wedding ceremonies and banquets are held. Riding in a limousine pales in comparison with the arrival of the newlyweds on a yacht and the celebration overlooking the Gulf of Finland and the evening panorama of the Northern capital.

Practical information

Address: St. Petersburg, Kotlin Island. GPS coordinates: 59.995353, 29.701168. Web site .

How to get there: from St. Petersburg by bus No. 101 or minibuses No. 405, 407; from Lomonosov by bus number 175.

Opening hours: 24 hours a day. The ticket price to enter the fort is 100 RUB, entry by car is 150 RUB per person. The ticket price for adults to the Lighthouse Museum is 250 RUB, for pensioners, students and schoolchildren - 150 RUB. Prices on the page are as of March 2019.

One of the main attractions of Kronstadt was the artillery fort “Grand Duke Constantine”. This place attracts tourists not only for its history and fortifications erected in the 19th century.

Now they conduct excursions there, including by ferry, there is a Lighthouse Museum, an active recreation park "KingWinch", and a yacht club. You can rent a drift trike, and then, after a busy program, have a snack at a local cafe. There is a floating hotel on the island where guests can stay for a few days.

Various events are also held there every year. For example, military-historical reconstructions, a festival of retro technology, kites, competitions in extreme sports, celebrate Navy Day.

Excursions to the fort “Grand Duke Constantine”

Excursions take place all year round. In summer, the Riberpan ferry departs from the fort. It provides excursions to all the forts of Kronstadt. In winter, you can only visit a sightseeing tour of the fort “Grand Duke Constantine”. At this time of year you will only have to travel on foot.

The guide will tell you about the history of the fort, its creation, and will take you through all the structures. You will learn how the sea fortress was built, and how sailors in the 19th century served on Kotlin Island.

Cost of visiting the fort

• entrance 100 rubles per person;
• children under 7 years old free;
• entry by car - 150 rubles;
• The cost of guide services is 1000 rubles per hour for a group of 1 to 45 people.

History of Fort Constantine

In 1807, Alexander I issued a decree to strengthen the Kronstadt fortress. The reason for this was difficult relations with England. The artillery battery was built in two tiers from pine timber.

In the rear part of the battery, barracks for storing ammunition and a one-story guard house appeared. Work on the construction of these structures was completed in 1808. By the way, the fort was originally called the Southern Battery.

In November 1824, due to severe flooding (water rose 3.5 meters) and hurricane winds, many batteries in Kronstadt were damaged. Then they thought about making the fortifications not from wood, but from stone.

The sight of the forts from the Gulf of Finland during the Crimean War stopped the Anglo-French squadron from attacking Kronstadt. After the enemies left the bay, preparations began for the reconstruction of temporary fortifications made of wood - they decided to make them stone. Work began in 1858 and was completed three years later. Then the fort began to be called Konstantinovsky. In October 1863, by order of the Main Engineering Directorate, the fort's defense was strengthened with three parapets (earthen embankments to provide cover from enemy shots).

Then, to strengthen the fort, the Konstantinovskaya battery was combined with the fourth battery. The left flank was extended by 80 meters - Krupp guns were installed there. A barracks was built on the right flank, which was reinforced with a two-meter stone wall and an earthen rampart.

In 1868, another parapet and barracks were built there. In 1890, a railway was built on the built dam, which led to Kotlin Island (where Kronstadt and Fort Konstantin are located). In 1896, part of the harbor was filled in to expand the fort. All metal parapets were removed and a concrete battery was erected.

The fort was not used during the First World War and the Civil War. But during the Great Patriotic War, the fort became a powerful support for the defenders of the Oranienbaum bridgehead.

In the 1960s, the fort was removed from the list of fortifications and disarmed. In the 80s of the 20th century, the territory of the fort was used as a car depot.

From 2000 to 2005, music festivals were held on the territory of the fort, and since 2006, a cultural and tourist center and a yacht club have appeared there. Various festivals and historical reconstructions are still held there.

Cultural and sports complex

In addition to excursions around the fort, you can visit the Lighthouse Museum or engage in extreme sports. You can also relax there with friends and stay in a hotel on the water.

Lighthouse Museum

There is a Lighthouse Museum at the Grand Duke Constantine fort. It is housed in a restored barracks from 1870. You can learn about how lighthouses have changed over several centuries, and you will also see exhibits - devices that are used on lighthouses, buoys and navigational signs in Russia, the CIS countries and Europe, as well as special lanterns, a sextant and a star globe.

Museum opening hours

• open from Tuesday to Friday from 16:00 to 20:00,
• on Saturday and Sunday - from 12:00 to 20:00;
• Monday is a day off.

Ticket prices

• visiting the museum with a guide - 250 rubles;
• schoolchildren, students and pensioners - 150 rubles.

Active recreation park "KingWinch"

On the island of Kotlin there is an active recreation park “Kingwinch”. There is a climbing wall, trampolines, a ropes course, you can go wakeboarding, kitesurfing and wakesurfing. In the park you can simply relax with a large group by renting a gazebo for a barbecue.

Operating mode

• The park is open from Monday to Friday 12:00 to 22:00,
• on Saturday and Sunday - from 11:00 to 23:00.

Cost of services

• wakeboarding - from 400 to 500 rubles;
• rope town - from 250 to 300 rubles;
• climbing wall and trampolines - from 250 to 300 rubles;
• rental of gazebos - from 600 to 5,000 rubles;
• kitesurfing - 350 rubles;
• wakesurfing - from 1800 to 2000 rubles.

How to get there

The fort is open to visitors 24 hours a day. The hotel located on its territory is also open 24 hours a day.

There are several ways to get to the fort:

• by buses No. 101, 101a to the Kronstadt Highway stop, then walk 2 kilometers;
• by minibus No. 405 to the stop

  Fort "Constantine" on Google Panorama

  Fort "Grand Duke Constantine" on video