Turkish fortress eni-kale in kerch

Yenikale or Yeni-Kale - an ancient fortress built in the Ottoman Empire near the city of Kerch for defense east coast Crimean peninsula from the Russian fleet in the 17th century.

Geographic coordinates of the Yenikale fortress on the Crimea map GPS N 45.351043, E 36.604946

Get to the Yenikale fortress the easiest way is by moving from the center of Kerch towards the ferry crossing, along the Cimmerian highway or from the ferry crossing to the city. The address of the Yenikale fortress: Kerch, st. Sipyagin. The fortress is clearly visible from the road, it is almost impossible to miss it. Visiting the Yenikale Fortress is free, access to all its attractions is open around the clock.



The history of the Yenikale fortress

Yeni-Kale fortress was founded in 1699 year by order of the Turkish ruler. Construction lasted 7 years and was completed in 1706. The construction of the fortress was supervised by the Italian engineer Goloppo, who converted to Islam and moved to Istanbul. The construction of Yenikale was largely due to the Crimean Tatars, who were completely subordinate to Istanbul. The name of the fortress “Yeni-Kale” is translated from Turkish as “New fortress”. Since the Ottoman conquest of Crimea and the expulsion of the Genoese at the end of the 15th century, the Turks did not build large fortifications in the Crimea, fearing the betrayal of the Crimean khans. The second reason was that the sea became practically internal in the Ottoman Empire. The prerequisites for the construction of the fortress were the appearance of the Russian fleet in the Sea of ​​Azov and the capture of the Azov fortress without great losses from the Russian army.



Site for the construction of the Yeni-Kale fortress was chosen very thoroughly and competently. Coming out of the narrow mouth of the Kerch Strait, you find yourself in the Kerch region on the shallows and on a steep coast, there is practically no room for maneuver, and at an elevation of about 50 meters above sea level you stand in front of the fortress at a glance, the guns of which easily turn any ship into a sieve. The fortress was built in the form of an irregular quadrangle, surrounded by a battlement wall and framed by a moat. The fortress was designed for 2000 people, mainly consisted of Turks, only the lower ranks and simple wars were Tatars. The Yeni-Kale fortress was fortified quite well by the standards of the 17-18 centuries and had a chance to defend even in serious battles or sieges, but it could not take part in hostilities during the Turkish domination in the Crimea.



In 1771 the Yenikale fortress was surrendered to the Russian army in a quick manner without a fight, even having fresh reinforcements to protect the fortress, the Turkish ruler decides to surrender the Crimea, the Tatars did not defend the fortress either. Three years later, in 1774, the Crimean khans swear allegiance to Russia, to Empress Catherine II, and Turkey recognizes Crimea as part of the Russian Empire... In the 19th century, the Yeni-Kale fortress ceased to be strategically important subject and in 1835 the territory of the fortress was given over to a military hospital, which existed until 1880. Since the end of the 19th century, the fortress has become abandoned, after the departure of the military hospital, all structures were abandoned and eventually came to complete decay and destruction. There was no care and control over the fortress; some of the structures were dismantled for building materials and taken to Kerch and the surrounding settlements.



During the Second World War, fierce battles were fought in the area of ​​the Yenikale fortress, which practically destroyed those small remains of the fortress, which were not finished by time. Construction was the final blow to the fortress railroad in the immediate vicinity of her. The movement of trains from the Kerch ferry, with its vibration, finishes off those crumbs of buildings that have come down to us. Although there are signs that the fortress is a monument, it is not protected at all and the safety of most of its attractions is under threat.



Visit to the Yeni-Kale Fortress

Visit to the Yenikale fortress it is best to start at the bottom of it, which is by the side of the road. The lower part of the fortress was restored relatively recently, and in this place, it has traces of modern masonry and cement. Usually, most tourists visit Yenikale - this is where it ends, but if, along the path leading to the top of the cliff, go up to the gate, then it is from this point that the main panorama of the fortress opens. It is from the top that you understand the scale of the fortress and its grandeur. Along the ridge of the fortress, you can walk to its upper outskirts and find yourself at the path that descends to the old moat and bridge.



On the road under the bridge, you can return to the starting point of the route again. Near the bridge and on the left and right, there are quite a few different buildings, which are either partially or completely covered with earth. You can see only the barely distinguishable ruins. Communicating with local ethnographers, it turned out that a lot interesting facts about the Yenikale Fortress. For example, at the end of the 19th century, most underground passages was buried in a place with their contents, and there are also several legends about hidden treasures on the territory of Yenikale. In general, in any case, the excavation of the fortress, which may begin sooner or later, will reveal to Us many secrets and secrets.



The Yeni-Kale fortress is one of the most beautiful monuments of history and architecture and is one of the most visited attractions. If you plan to visit Crimea from the side of the Kerch Strait, be sure to devote about an hour to the Yenikale fortress and you are guaranteed to get a lot of pleasure, dozens of good pictures and a lot of good mood. The Yenikale fortress is one of the Crimean peninsula.

Yenikale fortress on the map of Crimea

We went to the Turkish fortress Yenikale. It takes about 10 minutes to get there, the distance is 8 kilometers. Over the past 2 days, we have been fed up with history, more than in our entire life. This will already be the fifth historical building, despite the fact that for Kerch "only" the fifth! Kerch and its surroundings are so rich in historical sights. Well, by tradition, let's start with historical background, and then we will share our impressions. Go!

Yenikale fortress. Historical reference.

The word "Yenikale" is translated as "New Fortress". In the fifteenth century, the Crimean Khanate was a vassal of the Ottoman Empire. The Black and Azov seas were completely under the control of the Turks. Everything changed after Peter I took Azov and began to build a fleet in the Sea of ​​Azov. Soon a squadron of the first Russian ships sailed to the Sultan in Constantinople on a diplomatic mission. This event greatly alarmed the Turks and it was decided to block the Russians from entering the Black Sea. For this, it was decided to build a modern fortress in the narrowest part of the Kerch Strait, from which it was supposed to destroy enemy ships with direct fire. An architect, Italian Goloppo, who converted to Islam, was invited. He was assisted by French engineers. The fortress was built in the period from 1699 to 1706.

The area of ​​Yenikale was about 2.5 hectares. It had the shape of an irregular pentagon, at the corners of which there were semi-bastions that could hold out during a long siege. Yenikale was the seat of the Turkish Pasha. The garrison consisted of 800 Janissaries and 300 Crimean Tatar soldiers. The main problem of the fortress was the lack of fresh water. To solve this problem, a ceramic water supply was built, which delivered water to the fortress from a source located several kilometers away.

After the defeat of Peter I in the Prut campaign, Russia gave the Azov fortress to the Ottoman Empire and sank its ships in the Sea of ​​Azov. The need for the Yenikale fortress disappeared and a lull began. Until the Russo-Turkish war of 1768-1774, Russia showed itself more successfully in this war. And so the Russian army entered the Crimea. Finally, Yenikale will test itself in battle! But it was not there. Despite the help sent from Istanbul in advance, the garrison, seeing the Russian fleet, boarded merchant ships and sailed to Turkey. Crimean Tatars dispersed to the villages. The Armenians remained in the fortress, who handed the keys to the fortress to the Russians. So Yenikale did not take part in any battle.

Yenikale. Overview.

We arrived at Yenikala in the afternoon, it was hot. During the time when the sun was setting behind the clouds, the wind rose and it became much colder. We parked the car at the main entrance, next to the semi-bastion:

The fortress immediately impressed with its unique architecture, walked around it in order to photograph from the sea:



We went inside. Climbed to the half-bastion:


Photographed from it a view of the wall and gate:


We looked at the sea from the loopholes, fantasized about how the fortress was defended. We went further along the fortress wall, which rose up the mountain:


Climbing higher, they looked back to admire the panorama of the bastion:


We saw some kind of arch:


We decided to go up to her and take an interesting photo:


Then we walked along the wall, admiring the views:



It was dripping with rain, which forced us to move faster. Having admired the views, feeling the atmosphere of antiquity, we set off driven by the rain to the car.

Yenikale. Bottom line.


The Turkish fortress Yenikale certainly deserves attention. Admission is free and easy to get to. An hour will be enough for a cursory survey; for those who like to explore, three may not be enough. The advantage is the location, located on the seashore, with gorgeous views. We noticed that we like attractions located in beautiful natural places... For example, after the inspection, and Yenikale there are more impressions than from, only because of the surrounding nature.

Then we were going to go to Bulganak mud volcanoes and Chokrak lake. But the road to them broke us. The navigator took us the wrong way and led us to some sewage treatment plant, where a closed gate blocked our way. They drove quite a bit and with the speed of a turtle, as if on a washboard. Having estimated that the same story is to the lake, the distance is about 20 kilometers, we left without looking even half of the list of attractions in Kerch and the surrounding area. The course was for Feodosia. It was late afternoon, so we went to spend the night at the beach. This is what the next article will be about!

Yenikale. Video:

After reviewing the ancient settlement, this video presents our review of the Yenikale fortress:

"Wow! Free! ", - exclaimed almost at once the excursionists who got out of the stuffy minibus and learned about the great" freebie ". The sun was reflected in the calm water of the Kerch Strait, and the breeze barely rustled the dusty leaves of the cherry plum near the fortress wall. Not a soul in the fortress usually called Yeni-Kale, which in translation from the Crimean Tatar is simple and understandable - New Fortress. But in the eighteenth century, the fortification was called "Kale i-Jedid", which, however, is also translated.


Yeni-Kale fortress know, but this knowledge suffers from one-sidedness. In any photograph "from the new fortress" there is a southwestern bastion guarding the road along the sea, and the still spectacular North Gate. Somehow they don't mention the impressive fortress walls, let alone the fact that there was whole city and the port of Yenikale are generally forgotten (to distinguish a city from a fortress, we will use the corresponding spellings adopted two hundred years ago - Yenikale and Yeni-Kale). And in vain, because such a story is connected with the city! For example, it was this city, together with the then small Kerch, that was the first to become part of the Russian Empire - ten years before the annexation of the entire Crimea!

However, the history of the city and the fortress in general is closely connected with the presence of Russia in the Black Sea region and Taurida.

On one of the August days of 1699, news flashed through the coastal settlements: "The Russians are coming!" And exactly - on August 18, ships and a Russian squadron of ten units appeared in the strait, accompanied by many galleys, Cossack "seagulls" and other ships, under the command of Admiral F. Golovin, unexpectedly for the Turks entered the waters of the Kerch Strait. Golovin was entrusted with the protection of the ship "Fortress", on which the embassy headed by the Duma clerk Ukraintsev was sent to Istanbul. The embassy was accompanied incognito by Peter the Great, who was on the ship "Apostle Peter" under the name of the bombardier Peter Alekseev.

Opposite the narrowest point of the Kerch Strait, on the outskirts of Yenikale, they soon began to build a fortress. During the domination of the Genoese and Turks, there was a small fortress Kilisedzhik on this place, which was blown up in 1631 by the Zaporozhye and Don Cossacks. The construction was supervised by the Italian Goloppo. And the fortress was built according to the project and according to the tradition of the French fortifiers. By the way, historians are still arguing about the specific designer of Yeni-Kale. The work was mostly completed in 1703.

The fortress had the shape of an irregular pentagon in plan and, following a steep relief, was located on several levels. It was surrounded by powerful defensive walls. At the corners were five half-bastions, capable of withstanding a long siege and powerful artillery fire. An additional layer of defense was a moat that surrounded the fortress on three sides. Inside there are two powder depots, an arsenal, residential buildings, a water tank, a bathhouse, and a mosque. About 800 Turkish and 300 Tatar soldiers formed the Yeni-Kale garrison.

But the most interesting thing is that the Russian troops did not take this stronghold by force! Already in 1771, after the rapid assault on the Arabat fortress, which is on the Strelka of the same name, the Turks simply plunged into ships and got away. That was the psychological strength of the Russian navy and army! The warriors of Islam left several residents and ... all the artillery in the fortress. It was June 21, 1771. Several Armenian families who remained in the city met General Borzov at the gates and presented the keys to the fortress. On the same day, the Russians occupied Kerch. Also without a fight.

Since 1774, the name of the New Fortress has been used only in conjunction with Kerch; the combination “Kerch-Yenikale” has been included in the Russian lexicon.

Kerch and Yenikale fell to the Russian troops virtually deserted, and soon the settlement of new lands by Orthodox Greeks began - immigrants from the Aegean archipelagos and soldiers of the so-called Albanian army who took part in the hostilities of the Russian fleet during the Russian-Turkish war.

The Greeks were promised the establishment of a "free and free" port in Kerch and Yenikal, the construction of houses and churches in new places at the expense of the treasury, exemption from taxes for 30 years, the right to trade in all Russian cities and ports, and much more.

In 1783, Catherine the Great signed a decree on the entry of the Crimean Khanate into the Russian Empire. Kerch and Yenikale ended up in the depths of Russia. At the same time, on Cape Ak-Burun, closing from the south Kerch Strait, the construction of the Alexandrovsky and Pavlovsky redoubts, reinforced by the Pavlovsky fortress, begins. Yenikalskaya artillery fades into the background. After the formation of the Tauride region, a settlement called Kerch-Yenikale receives the status of a city. Soon the city center finally moved to Kerch, and Yenikale fell into decay. These lines were left to us by Pavel Sumarokov, an official of the Tauride region, who has already written about the decline of the Yenikalsky municipal economy: “Today, there are up to 80 small houses, several shops, two churches in Yenikul, and there is nothing worthy of note in it. In Yenikul, as in Kerch, there is no sea trade, and ships sailing from the Black Sea along the Bosphorus from Constantinople and Anatolia rarely approach their shores, at which time their inhabitants buy some goods for themselves: but these usually pass by them on Sea of ​​Azov to Taganrog. Fishing for various marine fish in Yenikul is quite large. The best suspended balyks, that is, sturgeons, as well as all kinds of salted and dried fish, are prepared here. On the first evening, they brought me a large bucket with fluttering flounders, scorpions or sea bass, and round crayfish (crabs) for 20 kopecks.

Here the Crimea ends, setting itself the limit of Europe. The strait, according to the ancient Cimmerian Bosphorus, on behalf of the Cimmers who lived in this country called, in our times nicknamed Taman, is fifteen miles wide, and represents Asia, another part of the world on its opposite shore ... ".

In 1825, the fortress was abolished and a military hospital was located on its territory, and the city gradually turned into a small village. In 1855, Yeni-Kale took part in the wars for the last time, her battery fought a short battle with the Anglo-French landing in Kerch. But the forces were not equal, and the Russians had to retreat, but not surrendering the fortress! After the Crimean War, Yenikale finally turns into a summer cottage suburb of Kerch. In the 1880s, the hospital was closed and the fortress was finally abandoned.

However, the military glory of the New Fortress still manifested itself in ... the twentieth century! In the fall of 1943, Soviet troops landed a naval assault in the Yeni-Kale area. For five months, the marines and soldiers of the Separate Maritime Army fought heavy battles with the Nazis, who were trying to destroy the bridgehead. But this is where the liberation of the whole Crimea came from! A monument stands at the site of the battles on the small Yenikalsky peninsula. This is how the New Fortress, built by the Turks according to French plans, became a symbol of the valor of the Russian army - and for three centuries in a row!

Do sightseers who come to the "free" fortress know about this? Hardly ... There is no one to tell, there are no guides here - only the seaside wind and the heat. Or maybe you should put an information board near the bastion? What do you think, people of Kerch? You know that for a long time the city administration was Kerch-Yenikalsky.

Video:


Sergey Tkachenko, "

Address: Kerch, st. 1st Beregovaya, (intersection of Sepyagin St. and Repin St.).

The history of the Yeni-Kale fortress

Yeni-Kale fortress- one of the most recognizable landmarks Kerch... It is located on the coast of the Kerch Strait, closer to its narrowest part. And this is not accidental, because this citadel was built in order to prevent the passage of Russian ships from the Azov to Black Sea where Turkey once felt like an indisputable mistress.
Defensive structures have existed here before. But the former fortress - Kilisejik ("Church" in Turkish) was destroyed by the Cossacks from the Don and Zaporozhye in the 30s. XVII century. And at the end of the century, it was decided to build a new one, and the name was given to it appropriately - "Yeni-Kale" is translated from Turkish as "new fortress".
The Turkish authorities entrusted the management of the construction to the Italian specialist Goloppo, who converted to Islam. Engineers from France also took part in the work, so the building was erected based on the canons of the French system of the bastion front. The construction of the fortress walls and other structures located inside was completed in 1709. The three-tiered fortifications turned out to be quite impressive. Powerful walls with a height of 7-15 meters, built taking into account the relief, surrounded an area of ​​2.5 hectares along the perimeter. From sushi additional protection provided a deep moat. The shape of the fortress was an irregular pentagon, each corner of which was guarded by a solid semi-bastion.
It was not just a defensive structure, but practically a whole city, where, in addition to warehouses with weapons and gunpowder, there were residential buildings, a mosque, and a bathhouse. There was also a special reservoir for water, and since the local water supplies for the local garrison were not enough, this problem was solved with the help of a water supply system laid underground from a source several thousand meters from Yeni-Kale.
For some time the fortress was the residence of the Turkish Pasha.

The approaches to the Black Sea were constantly guarded by about eight hundred Turkish and three hundred Crimean Tatar soldiers, who had powerful cannons at their disposal.Yeni-Kaleseemed an impregnable stronghold, but in 1771, when there was a war between Russia and Turkey (1768 - 1774), the fort was surrendered without a fight. The Turkish garrison headed by Abaza Pasha, which at that time had good support from the sea, left its stronghold even before the arrival of the Russian troops under the command of Major General Borzov. For this flight, the Turkish commander paid with his head.In 1774, the Kuchuk-Kainardzhiysky treaty was signed, according to which Kerch, and with it Yeni-Kale, passed under the rule of Russia. Since with the departure of the Turks, these lands (not only the fortress, but also the settlements around it) were practically depopulated, it was decided to settle here immigrants from Greece who wished to live on the now Russian territory... TO XIX century the fortress has ceased to be an important defensive object. From 1835 to 1880, a military hospital was located here, and after its closure Yeni-Kale remained empty.

Yeni-Kale fortress today

By the 20th century, the fortress was almost completely turned into ruins, but they are also so massive and impressive that they make it possible to at least partially imagine what kind of protective power it possessed. Only some fragments of the walls are well preserved, one of the former three gates and a half-bastion in the southwestern part, which is clearly visible from the sea. From it opens great view to the water element. Today Yeni-Kale - architectural monument protected by the state. But we can say that so far this is only a status, since the restoration carried out in the second half of the 20th century was insignificant, and the structure is still in ruins. There are no special excursions here, but it is quite easy to get here by car or public transport and wander through these amazing places as much as your heart desires.

From Kerch:

The ruins of the Yenikale fortress, a once impregnable bastion, remember the turbulent times of assaults and sieges. Who just tried to take possession of the Kerch Strait. The strategically important place was sought to control by the Greeks, Genoese, Turks, Slavs ... Today, ruins of the Yenikale bastions are left, the fortress has been given the status of an architectural monument, and now it is not she, but it is protected by the state.

Key to the gate to Crimea

The name of the Yenikale fortress sounds correctly in Tatar as “Kni-Kale” and in Arabic-Ottoman as “Kale-i-Jedid” in translation means “New fortress”. The name of the ancient fortification, which the Turks rebuilt in their own way, has come down to us. The very first bastions, erected in the narrowest part of the Kerch Strait, were built by the Genoese approximately in the XIV-XV centuries. As a material, they used the ruins of an ancient settlement, which was located nearby.

Diverse people have settled in the vicinity of the strait since ancient times. The first settlements of the Greeks appeared in this area already in the VI-VII centuries BC. The proximity of the crossing to Taman attracted the opportunity to conduct lively trade.

The ancient chronicles mention the city of Mirmekiy, which stood near Lake Myotida, as the Sea of ​​Azov was once called. Ancient historians also mention the cities of Achilleion on Taman and from the side of the Crimea Mirmekiy, Parfeniy and Porfmiy. According to legend, the legendary Achilles once lived in these lands. Due to unworthy behavior, he was expelled from his native places along with his father Peleus, king of the Myrmidons. Taking loyal people with them, they moved to Thessaly, from where later Achilles left for the Trojan War. The city of Myrmidon, later named after the ancient Greek hero Achilleion, was located on a promontory that is now flooded.

So, according to the sources, on the site of the Bosporus kingdom around the 13th century BC, there was the Myrmidon kingdom, which controlled the strait. The crossing itself has existed since the days of the Silk Road. Name ancient city Porphmia comes from the Greek word for "crossing".

Thus, the one who controlled the Kerch Strait, in fact, had the key to the gate that admitted to the Crimea. Because of the desire to take possession of this key, serious passions flared up.

Viran Kilisejik

In 1475, under pressure from the Turks, Genoese merchants left the Crimean fortresses. The new owners restored many coastal cities and fortifications, including the former Genoese. Perhaps they were inspired by the ruins of the Byzantine church, which remained on the territory of the fortress as a legacy from their predecessors, so the Turks give the name to the fortification “O Viran Kilisejik”, which means “Ruined Church”. In 1631, Kilisezhik was blown up by the Zaporozhye and Don Cossacks. Brothers Slavs are haunted by the idea of ​​capturing the Kerch ferry. At the moment, not a trace has remained of the predecessor Enikale. If it were not for the descriptions of the 17th century Turkish traveler Evliya elebi, we would only have to fantasize about how she looked. Elebi writes: “At the time of the infidels it was a rather strong and fortified fortress. When the Kerch fortress came under the arm of the Ottomans, the Azov Cossacks destroyed this fortress, because it is located on the strait. The Ottomans from this fortress did not let Cossack ships into the Black Sea, and in ancient times this fortress was destroyed. And if it were restored, it would be a fortress that cuts the bay, because it is located in a narrow part of the strait connecting the Sea of ​​Azov with the Black Sea, on bare rocks. "

For a long time, the destroyed fortress was not restored. The fact is that the Turkish Sultan forbade the Crimean Khan to build bastions on the peninsula, with the exception of Perekop. Thus, the Ottoman Empire secured a monopoly on maritime trade. However, under Sultan Mustafa II, Kilisejik is being restored. There was a good reason for this. At this time, the young Russian Tsar Peter I appears on the historical arena, who begins a decisive struggle for access to the Black and Azov Seas.

Construction of Yenikale

In 1695, Russian troops laid siege to the Turkish fortress of Azov. This campaign ended unsuccessfully. The next, indefatigable Peter prepared himself more thoroughly. During the winter in 1695, a flotilla was built at the land shipyards laid down in Voronezh, which was then equipped and floated along the rivers to the Sea of ​​Azov. To fulfill his dream, Peter invited foreign military engineers to the Russian service, and also employed the labor of thousands of peasants, artisans and soldiers. The built flotilla consisted of 1300 plows, two multi-cannon galleases "Apostle Peter" and "Apostle Paul", 22 galleys and 4 fire ships. On May 3, 1696, the first detachment of eight galleys left Voronezh. The skipper Pyotr Alekseev commanded the "parade". Under such a pseudonym, Peter I himself was hiding, sailing to the gallery called "Principium". In the summer, the second siege of Azov began, which ended in mid-July with the capture of the fortress of Saad-ul-Islam. Thus, Russia finally got the long-awaited access to the Sea of ​​Azov.

On July 3, 1700, Peter's ambassadors were received in Turkey on equal terms. The result of the negotiations was a peace treaty signed in Constantinople, according to which Russia received Azov with the adjacent territory and newly built fortresses.

Saad-ul-Islam in translation from Turkish means the Stronghold of Islam. The capture of this fortress was symbolic. With the fall of Azov, Turkey was dealt a significant blow. To restore the position, decisive steps were required. In 1700, urgent work began to restore the Kilisejik fortress. The Turks at all costs had to protect the entrance to the Black Sea, so new fortifications are being built in place of the old fortifications. The future fortress will be called Yenikale, that is, New. The author of the project is not known exactly. There is an assumption that this is the creation of the French engineer Sebastien Le Pretre de Vauban. The construction was supervised by the Italian Goloppo. By 1703, the main work was completed.

By the preserved ancient ruins, archaeologists and historians today can judge the general structure and structure of the fortress. Yenikale had the shape of an irregular pentagon. Following the steep relief, its powerful defensive walls were spread over several levels. At the corners were five half-bastions, capable of withstanding a long siege and powerful artillery fire. An additional means of defense was a moat that surrounded the fortress on three sides. The total area of ​​the territory occupied by Yenikale was about two and a half hectares. There were also internal tiers of defense, two powder depots, an arsenal, officers' houses and barracks, a water tank, a bathhouse and a mosque. The garrison was led by a pasha with the rank of vizier. His chambers were located above the northern gate. Many underground passages were dug to the walls of the fortress, which are now filled up. The only thing that weakened Yenikale's defenses was the lack of natural sources of water. The only well, which was located on the territory of the fortress, could not meet the needs of the garrison and its inhabitants. In this regard, an aqueduct was built, equipped with a ceramic pipeline. In addition, a reserve tank was set up in one of the bastions, which provided the garrison with more than a thousand people with a three-day supply of water. Civilians lived around the fortress: Turks, Tatars, Armenians. In total, there were up to 300 residential buildings in the vicinity of Yenikale.

In 1711, Russia lost the Prut campaign. As a result of the new treaty with Turkey, the former conquests were completely lost. The Azov fleet was transferred to the Caucasus, the fortifications were destroyed and all the conquered territories were given to the enemy. Quiet times come in the history of Yenikale. 60 years of peace and tranquility turn it into a lively shopping center... The leadership of the fortress, engaged exclusively in customs affairs, is rapidly losing its combat capability. However, it was not worth relaxing.

All this time, Russia did not abandon the desire to own an outlet to the Black Sea. In the fall of 1768, nonsense occurs in Istanbul. The Russian ambassador is imprisoned, which means the end of diplomatic relations between Turkey and Russia, as well as a declaration of war. For the first two years, hostilities took place on the Danube and in the Mediterranean Sea. The Russian army was waiting in Yekaterinoslavl (Dnepropetrovsk). Petersburg shipyards launched ships at an accelerated pace, and in the early summer of 1771, the Russian fleet went to sea.

Crimean campaign

In 1771, two columns of Russian troops launched an offensive on Perekop and the Arabat Spit. The ground forces were commanded by Prince Vasily Mikhailovich Dolgorukov. At the same time, the Azov squadron under the flag of Admiral Alexei Naumovich Senyavin entered the Genichesky Bay and captured the crossing, along which the corps of Prince Shcherbatov reached the spit and took the Arabat fortress by storm. Under the onslaught of Dolgorukov's detachments, Perekop was taken. This victory opened a direct path to Yenikala. As it turned out, the Turkish garrison was not morally ready for such a rapid course of events.

The commandant of the fortress tried to organize a defense, and he had enough strength for this. To help the garrison from Istanbul, a flotilla was sent, consisting of twelve cannon ships, seven large galleys, eighty boats, which carried up to 12,000 soldiers. Nine small ships with Arnauts were sent to Arabat, but, seeing the Russian fleet, they returned to Yenikale and with the entire flotilla retreated to Kerch. Two days later, the garrison of the fortress, having sat on merchant ships, left for Sinop. Locals, collected for defense, dispersed to the villages, leaving all the artillery behind. Thus, the impregnable fortress was surrendered without a fight, along with trophies in the form of copper cannons of various calibers, shotguns, five-pound mortars and other weapons. Several Armenian families who remained in the city met General Borzov, who led the army, at the gate and presented him with the keys to the fortress, one might say, on a silver platter. On the same day, the Russians captured Kerch.

Since 1774, the status of Yenikale has changed. Now the fortress is no longer a strategically important object. On February 14, 1775, the Azov province was created, which included a part of the Novorossiysk province. After the Kyuchuk-Kainardzhi peace treaty, the government began to populate new lands with Orthodox Greeks. In the formation of the Greek community of the Crimea, the main role was played by the Greeks from the Albanian army, who took part in the hostilities of the Russian fleet. As a reward, they were promised the establishment of a "free" port in Kerch and Yenikal, the construction of houses and churches at the expense of the treasury, as well as exemption from taxes for 30 years and the right to trade in all Russian cities and ports. In addition to the Greeks, immigrants from Sloboda Ukraine arrived in the vicinity of the fortress. The small settlement is now called Kerch-Yenikale.

Since 1776, fairs have been resumed near the walls of the fortress, which attracted merchants from the Crimea, Russia and the Caucasus.

In 1783, Catherine II signed the "Decree on the entry of the Crimean Khanate into the Russian Empire." On Cape Ak-Burun, the construction of the Alexandrovsky and Pavlovsky redoubts begins, reinforced by the small Pavlovsky fortress, which later grew into the Kerch fortress. Yenikalskoe fortification fades into the background. After the formation of the Tauride region, the settlement of Kerch-Yenikale receives the status of a city. However, people strive to settle in a more convenient place for life, and soon the center of the population's activity finally moves to Kerch. Yenikale is gradually declining. In 1825, the fortress was abolished and a military hospital was located on its territory.

In 1855, Yenikale fought the last battle, the outcome of which was unsuccessful. A short skirmish with the Anglo-French landing party ended in defeat. Since the forces were unequal, the Russians had to retreat. After the Crimean War, Yenikale turns into a dacha suburb of Kerch. In the 1880s, the hospital was closed and the fortress became ownerless.

In the second half of the 20th century, a number of restoration works are being carried out in Yenikale, however, the destruction of the unique historical landmark continues.

On the territory of the fortress there is a single-track railway line connecting Kerch with the Kerch ferry crossing. Vibration generated by the movement of trains poses a threat to further destruction of the monument. There is a hope that the construction of a bridge across the Kerch Strait and the transfer of the railway flow to it will allow preserving this valuable architectural monument for posterity.

Yenikale fortress - how to get there?

The Yenikale fortress is located in the suburbs of the city of Kerch, near the village of Sipyagino.

From Kerch: route taxi No. 18, 24 from the bus station (minibus numbers may change, check with the ticket office of the bus station). By car, follow the road leading to the Kerch ferry crossing.

There are several cave towns, but the best preserved is Chufut-Kale. In terms of popularity among tourists, it can be compared with the Yalta "Swallow's Nest" and the Khan's Palace in Bakhchisarai. Walking through the ruins of a ghost town, travelers plunge into the history of Crimea, as if entering another dimension.