Kerch Fortress (Kerch)

 place with historical importance, fortification, cultural heritage / national heritage, listed building / architectural heritage, military museum, object of cultural heritage of federal importance (Russia), history museum, tourist attraction, 1870s construction

Built in late 1870s by famous russian military architector Totleben (also constructed Sevastopol fortifications during Crimean war), this fortess for a long time was the area restricted for civilians in spite of loosing "fortess" status before World War 1 broke, receiving instead "fortifications" status. It is invisible both from mainland and Kerch strait, which the fortess had to guard. The main part of fortess - Fort Totleben with the highest point of Kerch peninsular. From the begining, garrison of the fortess consisted of about 6000 people, serving gun and mortar battereis with many underground pathways (poterns), gunpowder storages and all the staff fortess of that time should have. During the WW2 Kerch occupation the fortess was the german troops headqaters. After the war, the fortess was used as the Kerch garrison stocade and disciplinary batallion (a kind of penalty only for soldiers) of Black Sea Fleet and finally huge amunition storage base. In the mid of 1990s the military formations left fortess and in present day the territory is the historical reserve area. There is no special permition or registration need to enter the fortess despite few historical reserve emploees, if met during the walk in fortess, claiming to be in charge and insisting on leaving territory or else they will call for frontiersmen (the border with Russia is very close and there is a small electronic trackin station inside fortess on a hill,easyly recognised by its modern appearance), police, etc. The main reason for this is the excursions leaded by this employees, they just want to earn some money (by Nov 2008 this was 5 USD) To get to the fortess one should take a bus #28 from Kerch main bus station tlii the end of route and go left (if standing face to the sea) past the small lighthouse. The whole way is about 20 minutes on feet and you are in. Enjoy.