If you come from the center Kaliningrad along Sovetsky Prospekt, then about two hundred meters before the intersection with the ring road, an inconspicuous path goes left from the bus stop leading to the city defensive structure - Fort No. 5. It is not visible from the road because of the grown trees, and only with access to the moat surrounding the fort does the grandeur of this small fortress become clear. Today the fort is a branch of the city historical and art museum with free access. This is where we went on May 17, 2014.
Fort No. 5- one of 12 forts built in the late 70s of the 19th century to protect Koenigsberg from the appeared rifled artillery. The forts were extended from the advanced defensive fortifications of the city by 3-5 km and were located in a ring at a distance of 2-4 km from each other. In essence, these were small autonomous fortresses with a garrison of about 300 infantrymen and an artillery arsenal of 30-40 guns.
In 1894, the fort was renamed in honor of King Frederick William III of Prussia.
The structure was rebuilt several times to meet the requirements of the time, but did not take part in hostilities until 1945. By the way, German propaganda praised the defensive system in every possible way Koenigsberg, calling it a “night feather bed” that provides peace of mind to the townspeople.
The fort is a pentagonal island with the top extended towards the attackers. The width of the fort is 215 m, the depth is about 106 m.
The approach to the drawbridge was covered by a pillbox, now destroyed.
The bridge leads to the gorge caponier, the gaping blackness of its central postern (the corridor connecting the underground rooms of the fort).
From the central postern there are many branches, passages into this embankment. It seems that not all of them have yet been studied.
Honestly, a chill runs down your spine when you look into the darkness of these dungeons. There are many dead ends, narrow cracks of unknown purpose. We move at ground level. Above us there are two more floors of the underground fortress, below us, as it seems, there should be water, but there are hatches closed with bars there too!
I immediately remember articles from local publications and stories from residents about flooded galleries, secret doors, underground roads between the city’s defensive sites!
Through the labyrinth of corridors we reached the floor caponier - a firing position located at the top of the fort's pentagon (as seen on the plan). From these embrasures, weapons fire was fired at the advancing forces if they broke through into the ditch surrounding the fort.
We found a similar shooting position on the right flank of the fort - the right half-caponier.
In the corridors - the walls - there are often hatches for lifting cargo to the upper tiers of the fort.
And in this place there was a door, which was apparently used for technical needs when servicing the outer walls of the fort’s fortifications.
After getting lost a little, we found our way to the right courtyard. Cargo could be delivered here by transport; through this courtyard, field guns rolled out from their shelters and rose to firing positions located on the upper rampart.
So-called floor barracks and casemates were built on top of the dungeons, which are also defensive firing points for close combat.
Shot-through ventilation shafts protrude across the entire surface of the fort. The nameplates on them indicate that they have been rusting since the war...
It’s hard to see through the overgrown bushes - we came out to the front ledge of the fort, from the embrasures of which we looked at the ditch.
The destruction of the fort gives an idea of the degree of its security. Already at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, German specialists realized that meter-high brick walls could not withstand the destructive power of developing artillery. A decision was made to strengthen the protection of the fortifications. For this purpose, a meter-long sand cushion was made over the existing brick vaults, and a layer of concrete 1-1.5 m thick was poured on top of the sand. The effectiveness of this protection was tested by the artillery of the Red Army. After the capture of the fort, a special commission was created to study the experience of using heavy 280-mm artillery against this fortified structure. It turned out that 73 shells that hit the body of the fort made only two holes in the ceilings! And this happened in those places where the shell hit the crater of the previous one.
The collapsed ceilings exposed the mechanism for lifting loads to the upper tiers of the fort.
The corridors of the second tier are lined with the same bricks as on the first. Nothing squeaks!
In the corridors of the second tier, elements of lifting mechanisms and shafts for lifting loads have also been preserved.
It's time to go back, let's go down to the exit.
Coming out, feeling the darkness of the dungeon on your back, is even more unpleasant.
During the storming of the fort in April 1945, 15 Red Army soldiers were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. Many museum visitors come with flowers.
Gorge barracks. The thickness of their external walls reaches 3-4 meters.
Behind the ditch, among the trees, the embrasures of the half-caponier of the right flank are visible. With such a low location, the question inevitably arises: how was excess water drained from the ditch? It turns out that there are drainage holes in the counter-scarp stone wall of the ditch, obviously below the embrasures of the fort.
The front part of the ditch. Its depth, by the way, reaches 5 m. The infantry initially held the defense behind the ditch (pictured on the right), behind a special embankment - glassis. On the left side of the photo behind the trees is the central caponier of the fort.
Fort No. 5 - King Frederick William III- a fortification in Kaliningrad that covered the highway to Pillau. Belongs to the ring of forts “Night feather bed of Königsberg”. Named in honor of King Frederick William III of Prussia, who led the state during the war with Napoleon.
At the beginning of April 1945, it was taken by Soviet troops, the German garrison capitulated, and the fort itself was severely destroyed. Since 1979 it has the status of a museum of the history of the Great Patriotic War. Since 2010 it has been open to the public. Object of cultural heritage of federal significance.
In the 1st part of the photo excursion we will walk around the fort clockwise, in the 2nd part we will look at the interior and courtyard of the fort. Photos are clickable, with geographic coordinates and linked to a Yandex map, 09.2014.
The fort was built at the end of the 19th century. Before the assault on Königsberg, it was additionally fortified: an anti-tank ditch was dug on the flanks of the fort, trenches and artillery positions were equipped, ditches were installed, and the surrounding area was surrounded by barbed wire and mined. At the time of the assault, the fort's garrison numbered 350 people and was armed with 8 guns, 25 mortars and up to 50 machine guns.
On April 3, 1945, shelling of the fort began with specially powerful guns, and on April 6, the assault on the fort began. Soldiers of the 2nd Infantry Company of the 806th Infantry Regiment crossed the ditch and, under fire, captured the casemate on the right flank. Lieutenant Mirza Dzhabiev and Sergeant A.I. Kondrutsky hoisted the Red Banner on it.
However, resistance continued and the 550th Infantry Regiment joined the assault. The assault on the fort was continued successively, replacing each other, by the 1st battalion of the 732nd rifle regiment and the 2nd battalion of the 550th rifle regiment. The leadership of the assault was entrusted to Senior Lieutenant R.R. Babushkina. Under enemy fire, the sappers managed to blow up the casemate on the left flank. And with the onset of darkness, a group of sappers (station P.I. Merenkov, station G.A. Malygin, row V.K. Polupanov) made two targeted explosions to ensure the descent to the water ditch of available crossing facilities, and then, crossing the ditch, she organized the undermining of the fort’s floor caponier.
After this, the assault troops were able to cross the ditch with water and rushed into the resulting gap. All night from April 7 to April 8, there was a battle inside the fort, and only on the morning of April 8, the remnants of the German garrison capitulated.
(A detailed history of the fort can be seen on Wikipedia)
So, let's start our tour :)
We will walk around the fort clockwise, starting from the road to the fort.
1. For better understanding, first let's look at the plan of the fort and a modern bird's eye view of the fort
2. Plan of the fort 
3. The road to the fort begins here, at the stele with the inscription “Kaliningrad” 
4.
5. In front of the fort, near the destroyed barracks, a memorial was erected to the Soviet soldiers who died during the assault 
6. Names on the memorial 
7. Bas-relief 
8.
9. Remains of the destroyed barracks behind the memorial 
10.
11. So that no one climbs through the ruins, the passage is blocked with bricks 
12. View of Fort No. 5 from the memorial, entrance to the fort on the left side 
13. Right half-caponier 
14.
15. Military equipment is installed near the fort. This is the well-known ZIS-3 
16. aka 
17. Guides from "Katyusha" 
18. View of the memorial and moat 
19. 45-mm anti-tank gun, either 19-K or 53-K. The upper part of the protective screen is clearly a remake to replace the lost one 
20. Another ZIS-3 
21. 85-mm anti-aircraft gun model 1939 52-K, interestingly - with a protective screen (very rare) 
22. Memorial stone with the names of Heroes of the Soviet Union 
23. And this is a German firing point destroyed by high-power artillery 
24. Characteristics of the fort on a memorial plaque 
25.
26. Firing point from the side of the main entrance to the fort 
27.
28. View of the moat from the entrance to the fort 
29. Entrance to Fort No. 5, To the right of the entrance is a German 75 mm infantry gun IG 37 (thanks von_mackensen
)
30. To the right of the entrance to the fort 
31. Destruction at the entrance to the fort, the structure of the walls and roof of the fort is clearly visible 
32.
33.
34.
35. To the right of the entrance to the fort 
36.
37. Let's continue walking around the fort clockwise. Another exhibition of military equipment.
38. 45-mm semi-automatic universal gun 21-K (thanks d_20_veld )
39. 122-mm howitzer model 1938 M-30 
40. More guides from Katyusha 
41. Another M-30 
42.
43. Small barracks on the outside of the ditch 
44. Description of the assault 
45. Left half-caponier 
46. And another ZIS-3 
Fort number 5 (Kaliningrad) is an important monument of defensive architecture. In addition, it is a famous military-historical complex of the city. In 1878, a powerful fortification - the 5th fort - was built on its northwestern outskirts. In the second half of the 19th century, Kaliningrad was surrounded by two rings of defensive structures, turning the city into a real fortress.
History of the fort belt of Königsberg
The ancient city of Königsberg on the coast was originally built as a castle and retained this status until the end of World War II. Already in the middle of the 13th century, the first earthen ramparts, bastions, powerful walls and barracks for the military appeared here - all this accompanied Kaliningrad almost its entire history. One of the most famous and valuable monuments of urban defensive architecture is Fort 5.
Kaliningrad seriously thought about creating a continuous belt of forts in the second half of the 19th century, when rifled artillery appeared. They were erected at a certain distance from each other, taking into account the range of artillery fire. All 15 forts were connected by one 43 km ring road.
Alas, weapons developed and improved in those days faster than the forts of Koenigsberg were built. By the beginning of the last century, they began to become hopelessly outdated. The First World War bypassed the city's defensive structures, including the 5th fort. During World War II, Kaliningrad was able to withstand the assault of Soviet troops for only four days, despite the widespread campaign “about the indestructible power of the Koenigsberg fortifications” launched the day before in the Nazi press.
Thus, in April 1945, the history of city forts as military engineering facilities essentially ended.
Fort 5, Kaliningrad: history of construction and operation
The complex was built during 1872-1878 near a residential area of Charlottenburg. Nowadays it is located in the forest, at the end of Sovetsky Avenue.
“King Frederick William III” - this is how the 5th fort was called in 1894. It was under the leadership of this Prussian monarch that Kaliningrad (and then the city of Koenigsberg) defended itself against Napoleon’s troops.
The fort was not a strictly military or classified facility. At certain times and days, ordinary citizens were allowed to visit it. And at the beginning of the twentieth century, it was repeatedly used to launch holiday fireworks.
In the spring of 1945, Fort No. 5 felt the brunt of the 43rd Soviet Army and put up serious resistance. The siege lasted four days. The stronghold held out to the last and fell when fierce battles were already taking place in the center of the city. During the assault, Fort No. 5 was severely destroyed.
Fort 5 (Kaliningrad): photo, description and current state
The fortification faces its front part to the north-west. This is a classic hexagonal structure made of red brick, covered with a layer of concrete for greater strength. Its length is 215 meters, width - 105 m. It is surrounded by a moat with water, an earthen rampart and a solid wall.
The structure was carefully camouflaged with vegetation. The earthen rampart contained trenches and firing points for various guns. The fort was connected to the city by a bridge, the approaches to which were covered by a concrete pillbox (preserved in a dilapidated state to this day).
Fort "King Frederick William III" is today considered an object of cultural heritage of Russia. The fortress is a branch of the regional history and art museum; here you can see rare war photographs. Historical reconstructions are regularly held on the territory, highlighting the events of the 1945 assault on Konigsberg.
Near the fort there is a memorial complex dedicated to the Soviet soldiers who died during its siege. There are cannons, torpedoes, bombs and other weapons installed on the earthen rampart, and near the pillbox you can see a monument with the names of fifteen soldiers (heroes of the USSR) who participated in the storming of the fortress.
In conclusion...
Is it necessary to visit Fort 5? Kaliningrad is a city with a rich and rich history. And you can learn about some of its pages right here, on the territory of Fort No. 5 “King Frederick William III”.
Near the stronghold you can see an exhibition of heavy Soviet weapons. Inside the fort itself you will be told about the history of the creation of defensive structures of Koenigsberg-Kaliningrad.
The museum complex is open daily from 10-00 to 20-00.
- a fortification in Kaliningrad that covered the highway to Pillau. Belongs to the ring of forts “Night feather bed of Königsberg”. Named in honor of King Frederick William III of Prussia, who led the state during the war with Napoleon.
At the beginning of April 1945, it was taken by Soviet troops, the German garrison capitulated, and the fort itself was severely destroyed. Since 1979 it has the status of a museum of the history of the Great Patriotic War. Since 2010 it has been open to the public. Object of cultural heritage of federal significance.
In the 1st part of the photo tour we will walk around the fort clockwise, in the 2nd part we will look at the interior and courtyard of the fort.
Photos are clickable, with geographic coordinates and linked to a Yandex map, 09.2014.
The fort was built at the end of the 19th century. Before the assault on Königsberg, it was additionally fortified: an anti-tank ditch was dug on the flanks of the fort, trenches and artillery positions were equipped, ditches were installed, and the surrounding area was surrounded by barbed wire and mined. At the time of the assault, the fort's garrison numbered 350 people and was armed with 8 guns, 25 mortars and up to 50 machine guns.
On April 3, 1945, shelling of the fort began with specially powerful guns, and on April 6, the assault on the fort began. Soldiers of the 2nd Infantry Company of the 806th Infantry Regiment crossed the ditch and, under fire, captured the casemate on the right flank. Lieutenant Mirza Dzhabiev and Sergeant A.I. Kondrutsky hoisted the Red Banner on it.
However, resistance continued and the 550th Infantry Regiment joined the assault. The assault on the fort was continued successively, replacing each other, by the 1st battalion of the 732nd rifle regiment and the 2nd battalion of the 550th rifle regiment. The leadership of the assault was entrusted to Senior Lieutenant R.R. Babushkina. Under enemy fire, the sappers managed to blow up the casemate on the left flank. And with the onset of darkness, a group of sappers (station P.I. Merenkov, station G.A. Malygin, row V.K. Polupanov) made two targeted explosions to ensure the descent to the water ditch of available crossing facilities, and then, crossing the ditch, she organized the undermining of the fort’s floor caponier.
After this, the assault troops were able to cross the ditch with water and rushed into the resulting gap. All night from April 7 to April 8, there was a battle inside the fort, and only on the morning of April 8, the remnants of the German garrison capitulated.
(A detailed history of the fort can be seen on Wikipedia)
So, let's start our tour :)
We will walk around the fort clockwise, starting from the road to the fort.
1. For better understanding, first let's look at the plan of the fort and a modern bird's eye view of the fort
2. Plan of the fort
3. The road to the fort begins here, at the stele with the inscription “Kaliningrad”
4.
5. In front of the fort, near the destroyed barracks, a memorial was erected to the Soviet soldiers who died during the assault
6. Names on the memorial
7. Bas-relief
8.
9. Remains of the destroyed barracks behind the memorial
10.
11. So that no one climbs through the ruins, the passage is blocked with bricks
12. View of Fort No. 5 from the memorial, entrance to the fort on the left side
13. Right half-caponier
14.
15. Military equipment is installed near the fort. This is the well-known ZIS-3
16. aka
17. Guides from "Katyusha"
18. View of the memorial and moat
19. 45-mm anti-tank gun, either 19-K or 53-K. The upper part of the protective screen is clearly a remake to replace the lost one
20. Another ZIS-3
21. 85-mm anti-aircraft gun model 1939 52-K, interestingly - with a protective screen (very rare)
22. Memorial stone with the names of Heroes of the Soviet Union
23. And this is a German firing point destroyed by high-power artillery
24. Characteristics of the fort on a memorial plaque
25.
26. Firing point from the side of the main entrance to the fort
27.
28. View of the moat from the entrance to the fort
29. Entrance to Fort No. 5
30. To the right of the entrance to the fort
31. Destruction at the entrance to the fort, the structure of the walls and roof of the fort is clearly visible
32.
33.
34.
35. To the right of the entrance to the fort
36.
37. Let's continue walking around the fort clockwise. Another exhibition of military equipment.
38. What kind of weapon is this?
39. 122-mm howitzer model 1938 M-30
40. More guides from Katyusha
41. Another M-30
42.
43. Small barracks on the outside of the ditch
44. Description of the assault
45. Left half-caponier
46. And another ZIS-3
