The Modlin Fortress is a European-wide unique complex of fortified buildings and structures showing a cross-section of the European fortification architecture of the 19th century (bastion) and the beginning of the 20th century (scattered fort). The concept of the construction was put forward by Napoleon Bonaparte, who ordered a design of a semi-oval fortress with five bastions opened from the side of the river in 1806. The fortress was meant to be located on a high northern bank at the mouth of the Narew and the Vistula.
The construction work took as short as 3 years but only a year later further improvements were initiated (the following crown-shaped fortifications were built: Modlińska, Utracka and Central Crown).
Year 1813 was the first time when the fortress was verified in military actions. The Russian troops unsuccessfully attempted to seize the fortress for 10 months.
Between the years 1814 and 1831, the fortress was occupied by Russian and Polish garrisons. Upon the outbreak of the November Uprising (as soon as December 1830), it was captured by the insurgents and thanks to considerable provisions of gunpowder and ammunition they managed to survive until the manufacture of the war goods was restarted. Towards the end of the uprising, the fortress performed another very important function, namely it covered the Polish troops retreating in direction of lands under Prussian rule. The price paid for the fortress actively participating in the uprising was the change of its name to “Novogeorgiyevsk Fortress.”
After the end of the war, the fortress was expanded significantly according to Ivan Dehn’s and Aleksander Feldman’s designs aided by engineers of Polish descent. During the expansion, the second outer rim of defences was added and four gateways as well as one defence gate were incorporated in the existing rim. Also, polygon-shaped military barracks of unbroken line contour with the length of 2250 metres and capacity of up to 20 thousand soldiers were built as a part of the project.
FORTRESS STRUCTURES
DEFENCE BARRACKS
The longest structure in Europe of 2250 metres. It was erected during the fortress expansion between the years 1832 – 1841 (completed in 1844). The shape of the structure – a stretched hexagon – was imposed by the fact that according to plans it was meant to fit inside the original ramparts. It was 19.5 metres wide, 2- up to 4-storey high and included 800 rooms with the capacity of up to 20 thousand soldiers.
At present, this enormous polygon structure no longer performs the function that it was meant to perform. It is owned by the Military Property Agency and the barracks interiors may be visited only with a PTTK (Polish Tourist and Country-Lovers Society) tour guide. You are also permitted to stroll along the external part of the wall from the north side and along the Narew bank from the south part.
THE MONUMENT TO THE DEFENDANTS OF MODLIN
The monument, designed by Ryszard Lasot, was erected on an initiative of the corps of Modlin garrison staying at the general headquaters of the 15th bomb division. It depicts figures of soldiers and two Soviet cannons. The monument was unveiled during a ceremony on September the 29th, 1957. There were a lot of war veterans who came to the ceremony, along with their commander Wiktor Thomme. Today the monument stands opposite to the Garrison Club.
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