Like most of the northern forts of Kronstadt, Fort No. 5 was built on pile foundations (log structures filled with stones) and was intended to protect the city from attacks by enemy fleets.
In the 1810s, a temporary battery was constructed on the artificial island. In 1855–1856, during the Crimean War, a permanent fort was built on the site of the temporary battery, with construction overseen by the legendary fortification expert Totleben.
Between 1864 and 1869, the fort was rebuilt and rearmed in accordance with the latest advances in military science of that time. The island was expanded, more powerful guns were installed on special rotating platforms, and a granite escarpment wall was constructed. Fort 5 North features casemates with a moat. The fort’s reconstruction was carried out under the direction of Zverev. The fort has a horseshoe shape, curved toward the likely enemy — a form dictated by the characteristics of weaponry from the 1850s, which maximally protects the artillery crew from shells and shrapnel and allows firing at the enemy with the widest possible firing sector.
The fort’s design is similar to that of other forts in the Kronstadt fortress: Northern Nos. 1, 2, 3, 7, and Southern No. 1. At that time, fairways ran on both sides of Northern Fort No. 5, making it a central point of defense. Therefore, the central traverse of the battery is composite — consisting of two traverses arranged at an angle — to maximize the firing sector against enemy ships.
There are three two-story casemated traverses on the island, connected by earthen ramparts. The rampart surrounds a stone mole forming a harbor; part of the mole has survived to this day, as have the brick three-story casemates. Each casemate previously housed two guns on the upper floor, while the lower floor contained powder magazines and shelters. Cast-iron bridges led across the moat to the casemates, which could be easily removed if necessary.
In 1877, the fort was equipped with new rifled guns. The old casemates were too small to accommodate these guns, so they were placed above the casemates behind earthen parapets. Some embrasures were closed with brickwork, and the casemates themselves were converted into ammunition storage. By the beginning of World War I in 1914, the fort’s equipment had become somewhat outdated, and the fort served as the second line of defense for Kronstadt. It did not participate in combat operations.
In the 1930s, concrete pillboxes for machine guns were built on the fort. By 1940, anti-aircraft 85mm artillery and anti-torpedo boat defense positions were located atop the old bastions. During the Great Patriotic War, Fort 5 North, like other forts, was part of the air defense system. In the 1950s, the forts, including Fort 5 North, were disarmed. In the 1980s, students from Vocational School No. 61 attempted to restore the fort, but this effort was unsuccessful.
Since 1990, Northern Fort No. 5 has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Currently, the fort is managed by the Agency for the Protection and Use of Cultural Monuments. The island location of the fort complicates its revival as a tourist attraction — finding a tenant is difficult, as providing the necessary resources for restoration and re-equipment is quite costly. Today, Fort 5 North, with its glorious past, remains abandoned but is still accessible to tourists and naval history enthusiasts.
Sources:
https://nafort.ru/fort_5N.html
