The Fortress of Vladivostok

The best engineers of the Russian Empire, many resources, grandiose plans and huge responsibility — this is how the 20th century began for Vladivostok: a fortress was being built in the city. For that days it was an advanced and very powerful defensive structure that prevented more than one invasion of the enemies without firing a single combat shot.

The Fortress of Vladivostok. Novosiltsevskaya Battery. Russian Island. Modern view.
The Fortress of Vladivostok. Novosiltsevskaya Battery. Russian Island. Modern view.
The Fortress of Vladivostok. Fort № 1. Continental part of the city. Modern view.
The Fortress of Vladivostok. Fort № 1. Continental part of the city. Modern view.
The Fortress of Vladivostok. Fort № 1. Continental part of the city. Modern view.
The Fortress of Vladivostok. Fort № 1. Continental part of the city. Modern view.
The Fortress of Vladivostok. Battery № 982. Russian Island. Modern view.
The Fortress of Vladivostok. Battery № 982. Russian Island. Modern view.
The Fortress of Vladivostok. Pospelova Fort. Russian Island. Modern view. Historical reconstruction.
The Fortress of Vladivostok. Pospelova Fort. Russian Island. Modern view. Historical reconstruction.
The Fortress of Vladivostok. Tokarevskaya Battery. Continental part of the city. Historical view. The beginning of the 20th century.
The Fortress of Vladivostok. Tokarevskaya Battery. Continental part of the city. Historical view. The beginning of the 20th century.

Today it has lost its defensive significance retained for about 60 years, and has become a part of the country’s cultural and historical heritage. More than a hundred objects of the Fortress of Vladivostok are scattered along the hills and the coast of the Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula and the Russian Island. In 2019, in accordance with the ordinance of the President of the Russian Federation, the Vladivostok Fortress Museum-Reserve was created. The mission of the museum-reserve is to study and preserve the heritage of the Vladivostok fortress, as well as to tell about this unique monument of history and architecture.

You can start your acquaintance with the Fortress of Vladivostok Museum-Reserve from the Visitor Center (Petra Velikogo St., 6), where in September 2019 the first exposition «Vladivostok. Fortress time» was opened. Nowadays, the Museum-Reserve includes 44 objects of the Fortress of Vladivostok,  every object with its own concept of representing.

Welcome speech by Viktor Shalai,
Director of the Fortress of Vladivostok Museum-Reserve

The Fortress of Vladivostok is:

The Fortress history

The Fortress of Vladivostok is a unique complex monument of the history of Russian military engineering efforts of the late 19th — early 20th centuries, which has no analogues on the territory of the modern Russian Federation. The fortress’s fate reflected the entire history of the Russian Far East: from military and foreign policy to cultural and socio-economic. Experts divide the history of the fortress into 7 stages.

Vladivostok. Fortress Time

The exhibition project «Vladivostok. Fortress Time» tells about the Fortress of Vladivostok and the people involved in its grandiose construction. The exposition reveals the phenomenon of the Fortress of Vladivostok, which played an important role in protecting the eastern borders of the Russian Empire, and then of the Soviet Union.  The entire city conceived as a fortress — and at the same time — a military fortress running as usual city. The exposition serves as a visitor center of the Fortress of  Vladivostok.

Visitor Center of the Fortress of Vladivostok Museum-Reserve (City Museum)
Vladivostok, Petra Velikogo St., 6
Contact us: +7 (423) 222-50-77

Open hours:
10:00 a.m. — 7:00 p.m. (ticket office is open until 6:30 p.m.)
Excursions: 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Ticket price: 400 ₽

Objects of the Fortress of Vladivostok

Fort № 1

Fort № 1

Fort № 1 was assembled as a part of a new land defense main line of the fortress in 1910-1917.

More photos & further details in Russian
Pospelova Fort

Pospelova Fort

The fort is located on the Russian Island. It was designed to protect the Sapper Peninsula from the enemy.

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Novosiltsevskaya Battery (Battery № 375)

Novosiltsevskaya Battery (Battery № 375)

Initially it was built of wood and earth in 1888, and in 1897-1903 it was rebuilt in concrete according to a new project.

More photos & further details in Russian
Nazimovskaya Coastal Battery

Nazimovskaya Coastal Battery

The battery faces the south with its front and was designed for artillery attacking the outer anchorage in front of the eastern passage of the Bosfor Vostochny (Eastern Bosphorus) Strait.

More photos & further details in Russian
Gunpowder <br>Magazine № 13

Gunpowder
Magazine № 13

The most roomy tunnel magazine of the Fortress of Vladivostok. It served as the central magazine for the Russian Island.

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Velikoknyazheskaya (Grand-ducal) Battery (Battery № 369)

Velikoknyazheskaya (Grand-ducal) Battery (Battery № 369)

The battery had got its name in the memory of the visit of Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich, the Inspector General of Artillery, to Vladivostok in 1908.

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Fort № 12

Fort № 12

The fort was supposed to block the entrance to the Sapper Peninsula in case of war.

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Coastal Antilanding Caponier № 7 (№ 460 )

Coastal Antilanding Caponier № 7 (№ 460 )

The semi-caponier is located on the Russian island at the base of the Tobizin Peninsula.

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Suvorov Fort

Suvorov Fort

The fort is located on the Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula on the hills of the northern side of Pervaya River valley.

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Fort № 11

Fort № 11

The fort was assembled to block the valley sloping down towards the Holuay Bay flat coast which was quite convenient for landing.

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Sapper Redoubt № 4

Sapper Redoubt № 4

The redoubt is located on the Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula and was designed and built as а part of the second main land defense line of the fortress in 1899-1904.

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Temporary Fortification Work № 1

Temporary Fortification Work № 1

The temporary fortification work was designed and assembled as a part of the second main land defense line of the fortress in 1899-1904.

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Petropavlovskaya Mortar Battery

Petropavlovskaya Mortar Battery

The battery was built in 1888-1889 as the Irodovskaya mortar battery (named after Irodova Cape ) and was designed for artillery attacking the outer anchorage in front of the eastern passage of the Bosfor Vostochny (Eastern Bosphorus) Strait.

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Petropavlovskaya Canon Battery

Petropavlovskaya Canon Battery

The battery was named Petropavlovskaya in the memory of heroic defence of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky by Russian troops and Navy in 1854, during the Crimean War of 1853-1856.

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Larionovskaya South Coastal Battery

Larionovskaya South Coastal Battery

The entire group of batteries in the area of Larionov Cape was assembled to defend the entrance to the Bosfor Vostochny (Eastern Bosphorus) Strait and Novik Bay from Amur Bay side.

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Larionovsky Reserve Gunowder Magazine

Larionovsky Reserve Gunowder Magazine

The magazine was built during the period of strengthening the Fortress of Vladivostok between the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 and the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905

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Larionovskaya Battery at the peak

Larionovskaya Battery at the peak

The battery is located on Elena Island and consists of two half-batteries, separated by a cut rock mass.

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Battery № 373 (XIII)

Battery № 373 (XIII)

The coastal battery is located on the Zhitkov Peninsula of the Russian Island and belongs to the eastern part of the fortress coastal front.

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Battery № 374

Battery № 374

The battery was designed to protect the anchorage of Achlestyshev Bay and the distant approaches to the eastern entrance to the Bosfor Vostochny (Eastern Bosphorus) Strait

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Battery «Н» (N)

Battery «Н» (N)

The battery belongs to series of land batteries of the Fortress of Vladivostok. They were built before the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905 and are few in number.

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Tigrovaya Coastal Battery

Tigrovaya Coastal Battery

The battery is located in the historical center of Vladivostok, on the Tigrovaya hill, and was assemled for artillery
attack of the entrance to the Golden Horn Bay.

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Coastal Аntilanding Сaponier № 5 (№ 462)

Coastal Аntilanding Сaponier № 5 (№ 462)

The caponier was designed to protect the Achlestyshev Bay beach from assault landing.

More photos & further details in Russian
Coastal Antilanding Semi-caponier № 16 (№ 450)

Coastal Antilanding Semi-caponier № 16 (№ 450)

The semi-caponier is located on Elena Island at the base of the southwestern slope of Larionov Mount.

More photos & further details in Russian
Coastal Antilanding Semi-caponier № 17 (№ 451)

Coastal Antilanding Semi-caponier № 17 (№ 451)

The semi-caponier is located on Elena Island and belongs to the southern front of the coastal frontline of the Fortress of Vladivostok.

More photos & further details in Russian
Coastal Antilanding Semi-caponier № 23 (№ 410)

Coastal Antilanding Semi-caponier № 23 (№ 410)

The semi-caponier is located on the northern shore of Firsova Cape and was assembled for anti-landing defence of nearby beaches.

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Gunpowder Magazine «П3» (P3)

Gunpowder Magazine «П3» (P3)

The magazine is located on the Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula. Modern address is 7, Yumasheva St.

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Fort № 7

Fort № 7

The fort provided the junction of the land line of defence and the coast of the Amur Bay coast line. It is located in the area of the present Akademgorodok at Height 77 (Toropov Mount).

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Fort № 5

Fort № 5

The fort is located on the slope of Height 165 (Zubritsky Mount). It is the southern side of the Sedanka River valley and is similar in plan to the letter «П» oriented to the еast.

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Fort № 3

Fort № 3

The fort is located at the overriding Height 200 (Popova Mount ). From the top of the Hight the entrance to the Golden Horn Bay can be seen.

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Stronghold Letter «E»

Stronghold Letter «E»

The stronghold is located in the gap between Forts № 5 and № 4 about 100 meters to the east of the single trunk of Fort № 5 on Zubritsky Mount spur.

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Stronghold Letter «Ж» (Zh)

Stronghold Letter «Ж» (Zh)

The stronghold is located in the gap between Forts № 6 and № 5. In its design, size and armament, it does not differ from some forts.

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Stronghold Letter «З» (Z)

Stronghold Letter «З» (Z)

The fortification is a horseshoe-shaped concrete parapet with a sub-parapet gallery, two barbettes and shelters for anti-assault guns.

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Coastal Antilanding Caponier № 6 (№ 461)

Coastal Antilanding Caponier № 6 (№ 461)

The caponier is located on the Russian Island and was designed to protect the Achlestyshev Bay beach from assault-landing.

More photos & further details in Russian
Coastal Antilanding Semi-caponier № 8 (№ 459)

Coastal Antilanding Semi-caponier № 8 (№ 459)

The semi-caponier is a concrete casemated shelter for two field 3-inch rapid-firing guns of the 1902 model and an earthen barbette next to it.

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Coastal Antilanding Semi-caponier № 9 (№ 458)

Coastal Antilanding Semi-caponier № 9 (№ 458)

The semi-caponier has a special design, since it also served as a mine station to control a minefield placed on the Shkot Island anchorage.

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Coastal Antilanding Caponier № 15 (№ 452)

Coastal Antilanding Caponier № 15 (№ 452)

The caponier is located on the Russian Island, at the tip of Staritsky Cape (southern cape at the entrance to Novik Bay).

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Pospelovskaya Coastal Battery

Pospelovskaya Coastal Battery

The battery was designed to protect the minefield between the Novosilsky and Nazimov capes — in the passage to the inner anchorage.

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Battery A

Battery A

The battery was built in 1902-1903, that means — in the period between the Chinese Campaign of the Russian Army in 1900 and the Russian-Japanese war of 1904-1905.

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Battery Б (B)

Battery Б (B)

Located on the southwestern slope of Kholodilnik (Refrigerator ) Hill (former Muravyov-Amursky Mount, 260 m height) the battery was assembled for artillery attack of the approaches to Muravyov-Amursky Fort.

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Battery В (V)

Battery В (V)

The battery belongs to land batteries of the Fortress of Vladivostok. They were built mainly before the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905 and were relatively few in number.

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Battery Г (G)

Battery Г (G)

The battery consists of six earthen gun positions oriented to the north-east, covered from the front and sides with an entire earthen parapet and separated from each other by earthen traverses.

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Battery Д (D)

Battery Д (D)

The battery is located on the eastern slope of Kholodilnik (Refrigerator) Hill (former Muravyov-Amursky Mount, 260 m height) and was assembled for artillery attack of the approaches to Muravyov-Amursky Fort.

More photos & further details in Russian
Coastal Battery № 982 (RF Navy Pacific Fleet, Vladivostok fortified area)

Coastal Battery № 982 (RF Navy Pacific Fleet, Vladivostok fortified area)

The battery was assembled to fight the enemy Navy on the southern approaches to the Russian Island.

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Coastal Battery № 902 (RF Navy Pacific Fleet, Vladivostok fortified area)

Coastal Battery № 902 (RF Navy Pacific Fleet, Vladivostok fortified area)

The battery was built in 1932-1934 and belonges to the Vladivostok fortified are of RF Navy Pacific Fleet.

More photos & further details in Russian
Visit the Fortress

Now most of the objects of the Fortress of Vladivostok are available for independent visits at any time. Guided tours are available on a pre-published schedule from May to October or on a customized basis all year round. The duration of the excursions can vary from 1 to 8 hours according to the route and the number of visited sites.

5 walking and 3 bus guided tours are available.

Visit the Fortress
«Butterfly Fort». Fort № 12 Tour

From a bird’s eye view this fort looks like a butterfly. This is the most original and non-standard fort of all the ones of the fortress. It stretches along the front for 750 meters and consists of three independent defence nodes.


 

«Butterfly Fort». Fort № 12 Tour
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Underground Galleries of Fort № 1 Tour

The fort is also known as of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich is a unique structure created according to the plan of 1910. The object includes double-deck coffers, countermining galleries and posterns, as well as the longest caponier in the Fortress and the only zigzag parapet.


 

Underground Galleries of Fort № 1 Tour
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Fort № 1 Twilight Tour

The unique excursion by night. Architecture of Fort № 1 in dimlight.

 


 

Fort № 1 Twilight Tour
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Fort № 7 Tour

Fort № 7 was built in 1910-1917 as a part of the fortress land defence new main line. The tour permits you to see special room for a power station, a kitchen and even a bakery. Deep beneath the ground the central part of the fort is occupied with spacious tunnel barracks.


 

Fort № 7 Tour
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The Fortress & the City History Tour

The tour is the story of the creation of the Fortress, of people who were concerned of Vladivostok future, who were aware of the difficulties and perfectly understood the obstacles they had to overcome to build so huge and mighty fortification on the Pacific Coast.


 

The Fortress & the City History Tour
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On the Edge of the Bosphorus Bus Tour

The tour is dedicated to the history of the Fortress of Vladivostok  facilities designed to protect the Bosfor Vostochny (Eastern Bosphorus) Strait and the Golden Horn Bay. Bus tour is available for groups of 8 persons and more.


 

On the Edge of the Bosphorus Bus Tour
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Mists Are Born Here Bus Tour

The tour supposes visiting of two objects —  Velikoknyazheskaya (the Grand Ducal) Battery and the Akhlestyshev Cape Coastal Caponier. The tour is dedicated to the history of the battery, its military significance and foreign and domestic affairs context in which its construction took place.  Bus tour is available for groups of 8 persons and more.


 

Mists Are Born Here Bus Tour
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The City & Pospelova Fort Tour

Two-hour bus tour around the historical places of the City and  Pospelova Fort on the Russian Island. The Fort was designed to protect the Sapper Peninsula from the enemy.  Breathtaking views are waiting for their devotees. Bus tour is available for groups of 8 persons and more.


 

The City & Pospelova Fort Tour
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Guided Tour Prices

400 ₽

Walking sightseen guided tours along the streets and the objects of the Fortress of Vladivostok within the downtown (per 1 tour)

800 ₽

Walking guided tours with transfer to reach the fortress objects located far from historical center of the city.

600 ₽

Night tour withing the area of  Fort № 1 and along its underground galleries.

1000 ₽

Night tour withing the area of  Fort № 1 and along its underground galleries with transfer to the fort location.

800 ₽

Bus guided tours

4000 ₽

Custom-made guided tour along the developed route (for groups of up to 10 persons)