Fort No. 5 - King Friedrich Wilhelm III- a fortification in Kaliningrad, which covered the highway to Pillau. Refers to the ring of forts "Night feather bed of Königsberg". It is named after King Frederick William III of Prussia, who led the state during the war with Napoleon.
In early April 1945, it was taken by Soviet troops, the German garrison capitulated, and the fort itself was badly damaged. Since 1979 it has the status of a museum of the history of the Great Patriotic War. It has been open to the public since 2010. An object of cultural heritage of federal significance.
In the 1st part of the photo tour, we will go around the fort clockwise, in the 2nd part we will consider the interior and courtyard of the fort.
The fort was built at the end of the 19th century. Before the assault on Koenigsberg, it was additionally fortified: an anti-tank ditch was dug on the flanks of the fort, trenches and artillery positions were equipped, gouges were installed, the adjacent space was entangled with barbed wire and mined. At the time of the assault, the garrison of the fort consisted of 350 people, was armed with 8 guns, 25 mortars and up to 50 machine guns.
On April 3, 1945, the shelling of the fort with guns of special power began, and on April 6, the assault on the fort began. Soldiers of the 2nd Rifle Company of the 806th Rifle Regiment crossed the ditch and captured the casemate on the right flank under fire. Lieutenant Mirza Dzhabiev and Sergeant A.I. Kondrutsky hoisted the Red Banner on it.
However, resistance continued and the 550th Rifle Regiment joined the assault. The assault on the fort was continued successively, replacing each other, by the 1st battalion of the 732nd rifle regiment and the 2nd battalion of the 550th rifle regiment. The leadership of the assault was entrusted to Senior Lieutenant R.R. Babushkin. Under enemy fire, the sappers managed to blow up the casemate on the left flank. And with the onset of darkness, a group of sappers (station P.I. Merenkov, senior engineer G.A. Malygin, row. V.K. Polupanov) fired two directed explosions to ensure the descent of improvised crossing means to the water moat, and then crossing the ditch, organized the undermining of the floor caponier of the fort.
After that, the assault troops were able to cross the moat with water and rushed into the gap. All night from April 7 to April 8, there was a battle inside the fort, and only on the morning of April 8, the remnants of the German garrison capitulated.
(A detailed history of the fort can be seen on Wikipedia)
So, let's start our tour :)
We will walk around the fort in a clockwise direction, starting from the road to the fort.
1. For a better understanding, first consider the plan of the fort and a modern view of the fort from a bird's eye view
2. Plan of the fort 
3. The road to the fort starts here, at the stele with the inscription "Kaliningrad" 
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5. In front of the fort, near the destroyed barracks, a memorial was erected to the Soviet soldiers who died during the assault 
6. Names on the memorial 
7. Bas-relief 
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9. Remains of the destroyed barracks behind the memorial 
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11. So that no one climbs the ruins - the passage is bricked up 
12. View of Fort No. 5 from the memorial, entrance to the fort on the left side 
13. Right semi-caponier 
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15. Military equipment has been installed at the fort. This is the well-known ZIS-3 
16. same 
17. Guides from "Katyusha" 
18. View of the memorial and the moat 
19. 45-mm anti-tank gun, either 19-K or 53-K. The upper part of the protective screen is a clear remake to replace the lost one 
20. Another ZIS-3 
21. 85-mm anti-aircraft gun model 1939 52-K, interestingly - with a protective screen (very rare) 
22. Memorial stone with the names of the Heroes of the Soviet Union 
23. And this is a German firing point destroyed by artillery of special power 
24. Characteristics of the fort on a commemorative plaque 
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26. Firing point from the side of the main entrance to the fort 
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28. View of the moat from the entrance to the fort 
29. Entrance to Fort No. 5, to the right of the entrance is a German 75 mm IG 37 infantry gun (thanks von_mackensen
)
30. To the right of the entrance to the fort 
31. Destruction at the entrance to the fort, the structure of the walls and roof of the fort is clearly visible 
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35. To the right of the entrance to the fort 
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37. We continue bypassing the fort clockwise. Another exhibition of military equipment.
38. 45-mm semi-automatic universal gun 21-K (thanks d_20_veld )
39. 122-mm howitzer M-30 model 1938 
40. More guides from "Katyusha" 
41. Another M-30 
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43. Small barracks on the outside of the moat 
44. Description of the assault 
45. Left semi-caponier 
46. And another ZIS-3 
If you travel from the center Kaliningrad along Sovetsky Prospekt, then about two hundred meters before the intersection with the ring road, an inconspicuous path goes to the left from the bus stop leading to the city defensive structure - fort number 5. It is not visible from the road because of the grown trees, and only with access to the moat encircling the fort, the grandiosity of this small fortress becomes clear. Today, the fort is a branch of the city historical and art museum with free access. This is where we went on May 17, 2014.
Fort #5- one of the 12 forts built in the late 70s of the XIX century to protect Koenigsberg from the emerging rifled artillery. The forts were advanced from the advanced defensive fortifications of the city by 3-5 km and were located along the ring at a distance of 2-4 km from each other. In fact, these were small autonomous fortresses with a garrison of about 300 infantrymen and an artillery arsenal of 30-40 guns.
In 1894, the fort was renamed in honor of King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia.
The structure was repeatedly rebuilt to meet the requirements of the time, but until 1945 it did not take part in hostilities. By the way, German propaganda praised the defensive system in every possible way. Königsberg, calling it a "night feather bed", providing peace of mind to the townspeople.
The fort is a pentagonal island with a peak extended towards the attackers. The width of the fort is 215m, the depth is about 106m.
The approach to the swing bridge was covered by a pillbox, now destroyed.
The bridge leads to a gorge caponier, gaping with the blackness of its central postern (a corridor connecting the underground premises of the fort).
There are many branches from the central postern, passages into this mound. It seems that not all of them have been studied so far.
To be honest, a chill runs down your spine when you look into the darkness of these dungeons. There are many dead ends, narrow cracks of unknown purpose. We move at ground level. Above us are two more floors of an underground fortress, below us, as it seems, there should be water, but even there there are hatches closed with bars!
I immediately recall articles from local publications and stories of residents about flooded galleries, secret doors, underground roads between the defensive objects of the city!
Through the labyrinths of corridors we reached the floor caponier - a firing position located at the top of the fort's pentagon (if you look at the plan). From these embrasures, gunfire was fired at the advancing forces in the event they broke into the moat encircling the fort.
We found a similar shooting position on the right flank of the fort - the right semi-caponier.
In the corridors - posterns there are often hatches for lifting cargo to the upper tiers of the fort.
And in this place there was a door, which was used, apparently, for technical needs in the maintenance of the outer walls of the fort's fortifications.
Having wandered a little, we got out into the right patio. Here it was possible to deliver goods by transport, through this courtyard field guns rolled out of shelters and climbed to firing positions located on the upper shaft.
On top of the dungeons, the so-called floor barracks and casemates were built, which are also firing defensive points for close combat.
Shot through ventilation shafts stick out all over the surface of the fort. Nameplates on them indicate that they have been rusting since the war ...
You can hardly see through the overgrown bushes - we came to the front ledge of the fort, from the embrasures of which we looked at the moat.
The destruction of the fort gives an idea of the degree of its security. Already at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, German experts realized that meter-long brick walls could not withstand the destructive power of developing artillery. It was decided to strengthen the protection of the fortifications. For this purpose, a meter-long sand cushion was made over the existing brick vaults, and a layer of concrete 1-1.5 m thick was already poured over the sand. The effectiveness of this protection had a chance to be tested by the artillery of the Red Army. After the capture of the fort, a special commission was created to study the experience of using heavy 280-mm artillery against this fortified structure. It turned out that 73 shells that hit the body of the fort made only two holes in the ceilings! And it happened in those places where the shell fell into the funnel of the previous one.
The collapsed ceilings exposed the mechanism for lifting cargo to the upper tiers of the fort.
The corridors of the second tier are lined with the same brick as on the first. Nothing creaks!
In the corridors of the second tier, elements of lifting mechanisms and shafts for lifting goods have also been preserved.
It's time to go back, we go down to the exit.
Going out, feeling the darkness of the dungeon with your back, is even more unpleasant.
During the storming of the fort in April 1945, 15 soldiers of the Red Army were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. Many museum visitors come with flowers.
Gorge barracks. The thickness of the outer walls in them reaches 3-4 meters.
Behind the moat, among the trees, the embrasures of the semi-caponier of the right flank are visible. With such a low location, the question involuntarily arises - how was the excess water drained from the moat? It turns out that drainage holes are provided in the counterscarp stone wall of the moat, obviously below the embrasures of the fort.
The front part of the moat. Its depth, by the way, reaches 5 m. The infantry initially held the defense behind the moat (on the right in the photo), behind a special embankment - glacis. On the left side of the photo behind the trees is the central caponier of the fort.
Fort number 5 (Kaliningrad) is an important monument of defensive architecture. In addition, it is a famous military-historical complex of the city. In 1878, a powerful fortification, the 5th fort, was built on its northwestern outskirts. Kaliningrad in the second half of the 19th century was surrounded by two rings of defensive structures, turning the city into a real fortress.
History of the fort belt of Koenigsberg
The ancient city of Koenigsberg on the coast was originally built exactly as a castle and retained this status until the end of World War II. Already in the middle of the 13th century, the first Earthen ramparts, bastions, powerful walls and barracks for the military appeared here - all this accompanied Kaliningrad for almost its entire history. Fort 5 is one of the most famous and valuable monuments of urban defensive architecture.
Kaliningrad seriously thought about creating a continuous belt of forts in the second half of the 19th century, when rifled artillery appeared. They were erected at a certain distance from each other, taking into account the range of artillery fire. All 15 forts were connected by one 43-kilometer ring road.
Alas, weapons developed and improved in those days faster than the forts of Koenigsberg were built. By the beginning of the last century, they began to hopelessly become obsolete. The First World War bypassed the defensive structures of the city, including the 5th fort. During the Second World War, Kaliningrad was able to hold off the assault of the Soviet troops for only four days, despite the broad campaign "about the indestructible power of the Koenigsberg fortifications" launched the day before in the Nazi press.
Thus, in April 1945, the history of city forts as military engineering objects, in fact, ended.
Fort 5, Kaliningrad: history of construction and operation
The complex was built during 1872-1878 near the residential area of Charlottenburg. Now it is located in the forest, at the end of Sovetsky Prospekt.
"King Friedrich Wilhelm III" - this is how the 5th fort was named in 1894. It was under the leadership of this Prussian monarch that Kaliningrad (and then still the city of Koenigsberg) defended itself from Napoleon's troops.
The fort was not a strictly military and classified facility. At certain hours and days, ordinary citizens were also allowed to visit it. And at the beginning of the twentieth century, it was repeatedly used to launch holiday fireworks.
In the spring of 1945, Fort No. 5 felt the brunt of the 43rd Soviet Army and offered serious resistance. The siege lasted four days. The stronghold held out to the last and fell when fierce battles were already going on in the center of the city. During the assault, Fort No. 5 was badly damaged.
Fort 5 (Kaliningrad): photo, description and current state
The fortification faces its frontal part to the northwest. This is a classic hexagonal structure made of red brick, covered with a layer of concrete for greater strength. Its length is 215 meters, width - 105 m. It is surrounded by a moat with water, an earthen rampart and a solid wall.
The structure was carefully camouflaged by vegetation. There were trenches and firing points for various guns in the earthen rampart. The fort was connected to the city by a bridge, the approaches to which were covered by a concrete pillbox (it has survived in a dilapidated form to this day).
Fort "King Friedrich Wilhelm III" today is considered an object of cultural heritage of Russia. The fortress is a branch of the regional historical and art museum; here you can see rare military photographs. Historical reconstruction is regularly carried out on the territory, highlighting the events of the storming of Koenigsberg in 1945.
Near the fort there is a memorial complex dedicated to the Soviet soldiers who died during its siege. Cannons, torpedoes, bombs and other weapons are installed on the earthen rampart, and near the pillbox you can see a monument with the names of fifteen soldiers (heroes of the USSR) who participated in the assault on the fortress.
Finally…
Do I need to visit the 5th fort? Kaliningrad is a city with a rich and rich history. And you can learn about some of its pages right here, on the territory of Fort No. 5 "King Friedrich Wilhelm III".
Near the stronghold, you can see an exhibition of heavy Soviet weapons. Inside the fort itself, you will be told about the history of the creation of the defensive structures of Koenigsberg-Kaliningrad.
The museum complex is open daily from 10-00 to 20-00.
Historical places fascinate with their mystery, visiting them we come into contact with the secrets of past times and make a short journey through time. - a place where more than one century left its imprint, where events of different eras took place, and even the walls are shrouded in a haze of intrigue and military secrets. The middle of the 19th century, the Great Patriotic War, our years - time here is not subject to the laws of nature. Only by visiting the fort will you feel involved in significant events of the past.
Today, the fort has been converted into a museum– thanks to the work of archaeologists and historians, everyone can get acquainted with the remains of the building, temporary and permanent exhibitions. The fort will be interesting to visit for fans of places of military glory, lovers of military equipment. Also, the territory of the fort is a harmonious environment for recreating historical events, and here you can often see a reconstruction of the storming of the fort.
For those who want to see a real intact fort, and not a museum, it is better to go to
How to get there
The fort is located at Kaliningrad, st. Bulatov
Public transport: bus number 36, trolleybus number 1, stop "Fort No. 5"
Direction for travel by car- sign "Kaliningrad" at the entrance to the city
Working mode
A visit to the fort is possible every day
Opening hours:
- from October to April from 10:00 to 19:00
- from May to September from 10:00 to 20:00
The box office closes one hour before the museum closes.
Entrance fees:
- Adults - 150 rubles.
- Student - 100 rubles.
- School - 50 rubles.
- Audio guide — 150 rubles
- Photography, video recording - free of charge
What to look out for
The most spectacular part of the object, which is worth a visit - fortification buildings. The appearance of the walls remained in the form in which it was built. Many buildings are damaged by time and war, and this makes them even more interesting - they keep traces of different eras and events. The fort has a permanent exhibition of rare photographs dedicated to the storming of Koenigsberg. Visitors can also get to know exhibition of military equipment. In addition, on the territory there is a war memorial in honor of those who died during the storming of the city. The assault on Königsberg is the valor of the Soviet army, this battle brought the title of Hero of the Soviet Union to fifteen courageous soldiers.
History of the fort
The construction of the fort in its original form dates back to 1870-1890. It covered the road from the side of Pillau (now Baltiysk). Then Kaliningrad belonged to Prussia. The fort was part of a dense ring of fortifications, created to protect the inhabitants from opponents who were attracted by the convenient location of the city. 20 forts were powerful defenses and were called "Night feather bed of Koenigsberg".
The fort consisted of a central building, barracks buildings, the walls were reinforced with a bulk shaft of earth, trenches were located around, a moat was dug and filled with water, on top of which there was a swing bridge, firing points were equipped. Over time, the walls of the fort were reinforced with a layer of concrete and covered with armor.
There is a common misconception that the fort was covered with plantations of trees and shrubs, which made it inconspicuous for the enemy. In fact, trees are a disaster for a battle fort. Nowadays they are not cut down, because the forts have long lost their military significance. But before there were no trees, and even the grass was mowed for hundreds of meters around. The fact is that the vegetation covered not only the fort, but also the enemy making his way to it. The trees blocked the view and interfered with the artillery. Trees could grow directly inside the fort. They were planted to protect against shell fragments.
During the artillery preparation before the storming of the city by the Soviet troops, the fort received a large number of hits. However, the holes in its walls were isolated. The fort did not give up. Starting from April 6, 1945, the Red Army gradually occupied the fort. First, under the cover of tanks, the assault detachment approached the right flank. They managed to cross the ditch and drive the Germans out of one of the casemates.
Meanwhile, sappers, under enemy fire, blew up the casemate on the left flank. By nightfall, they also managed to bring down a section of the outer contour of the ditch with explosions and lower watercraft to it. Having crossed the ditch, the sappers blew up the floor caponier. Soldiers of the Red Army burst into this gap. The battle inside the fort continued until the morning of April 8, when the remnants of the German garrison capitulated.
The assault on Fort No. 5 was one of the most difficult; it fell under the main blow of the Soviet army. The remaining forts surrendered within a few hours. It was the end of the war, and the soldiers and officers of the Wehrmacht did not want to die in vain, following Hitler's orders. While the assault squads were fighting in the casemates of the fort, the rest of the military units had gone far ahead and were already making their way to the city center. As a result of the assault, the fort was badly damaged.
By the way, if you haven't chosen where to stay yet, check out our review.
In 1979 he received the status of a museum. Everything here is equipped for tourists to visit. There are several exhibitions, including unique photographs of the storming of Königsberg. Military equipment from the war times is exhibited on the territory. The museum is interesting, but the fort itself is badly damaged.
In the previous review, I talked about the largest fort in Königsberg - No. 3, today we will visit the "five". Although all the forts were built using approximately the same technology, each has many unique details.
Fort No. 5 is located in the north-west of Kaliningrad, almost at the very exit from the city near the ring road. It was built at the end of the 19th century to protect the highway to Pillau (now Baltiysk). Unlike the other forts of Koenigsberg, the fort survived a long siege during the capture of the city by Soviet troops. Outside and inside the fort there are traces of battles - collapsed walls and vaults. Despite this, the skill of German masons is striking, there is practically no natural destruction by time. After 120 years from the date of construction, one can appreciate the quality of the construction of the fort - the perfect rows of brickwork and the accuracy with which the vaults and domes are connected is amazing.
Since 1979, the fort has had the status of a museum of the history of the Great Patriotic War (as a branch of the Kaliningrad Regional Museum of History and Art). In 2001, on the basis of Fort No. 5, the Kaliningrad Non-State Museum of Fortification and Military Equipment was created. Since 2010, a part of the fort has been open to the public; an exhibition of military photographs “Storming Königsberg” has been organized inside.
In plan, the fort is a hexagonal structure made of brick and concrete, elongated along the front, 215 meters long and 105 meters wide. Surrounded by a moat with water, a stone wall and an earthen rampart.
In plan, the fort is a hexagonal structure made of brick and concrete, elongated along the front, 215 meters long and 105 meters wide. Surrounded by a moat with water, a stone wall and an earthen rampart.
The thickness of the outer walls reaches 5 meters. In 1886, the fort was additionally covered with reinforced concrete about 2 meters thick, and an observation rotating armored dome was also built. Before the assault on Königsberg, the fort was additionally fortified: an anti-tank ditch was dug on the flanks of the fort, trenches and artillery positions were equipped, gouges were installed, the adjacent space was entangled with barbed wire and mined.
The German garrison of the fort consisted of 350 soldiers and officers, was armed with 8 guns, 25 mortars, up to 50 machine guns of various calibers, 60 machine guns and more than 200 rifles. On the flanks, two casemates (half-caponiers) adjoined the fort, in which personnel could hide. The distance between the forts was 2.5-3 km, so a continuous shooting of the surrounding area was achieved.
We arrived at the place in the evening, after sunset, at that time the museum was already closed, but the sympathetic guard not only allowed us to walk alone with a huge fortress, but also gave us his flashlight just in case, for which we thank him! 
The fort closely borders on residential development. Why not settle down like that, next to such a powerful building! The fort is separated from the world by a moat 20-25 meters wide and 5 meters deep. The swing bridge connecting the fort with the adjacent territory was covered by a concrete pillbox (now destroyed). Reminds me of a crumpled eclair :) 
Trenches and firing positions for machine guns, flamethrowers, mortars and artillery pieces are equipped in the earthen rampart. 
For decades of abandonment, the entire interior of the fort is overgrown with trees. 
Let's start the inspection. 
Through the main gate we get into the central postern - the basis of all the forts. Its width allows two cars to pass. 
Let's start exploring the fort from its depths. A narrow gallery (in the photo on the left) will lead us to the lowest level. 
Clogged mine. 
In summer, the floor here is fairly flooded, and in winter it is suitable for slipping. 
Dungeons combined with ice are divine! 
Here, as in a non-excursion part of the Parisian catacombs - with passages uncleaned from landslides and an atmosphere of abandonment. Even the original doors survived. 
On an inclined patern we rise from the dungeons to the surface. 
We go out into the courtyard of the fort. There are many "holes" in the ground in the ground - whether these are the consequences of artillery shelling, or former hatches for emergency entry, now it is impossible to make out. 
In the courtyard there are numerous portals, among which are exits to the barracks for an infantry company, an artillery team and sappers. Let's take a look at one of them. 
The illuminated gallery houses an exhibition of posters, historical photographs and maps. 
The Nazis went straight in tanks, but turned into wolf pits ... 
As I already wrote, the fort was badly damaged during the capture. The administration of the museum closed the emergency sections of the vaults by installing a protective net. 
Panorama of Baltiysk (Pillau). The same city where the fort "covered" the road. 
Pillau suffered no less than Koenigsberg. Almost all houses were destroyed as a result of air bombardments and shelling from the ground. 
Poster of Lenin on the central square as a symbol of communism. 
Photo taken by a bomber over the Baltic Spit.
I’ll tell you about the braid in one of the following reviews. 
History of the fort. 
A little damage gives the "five" an air of mystery. Unlike other forts, real battles took place here. 
Former spiral staircase. 
The lowest level. 
Only a piece of support remained from the stairs. 
Sooty vaults - traces of the fire. 
Protective nets are installed over some passages so that the bricks do not crumble on a passing tourist. 
From the main gallery there are branches closed with bars. Behind them are passages with partially or completely crumbling vaults. 
A steep staircase leading to the surface. 
Spiral staircase between levels. 
The diversity and abundance of the most unusual architectural solutions is striking. 
Mine for the supply of ammunition. 
Artillery positions. 
From the artillery positions there are portals to the courtyard. 
Not tour rooms. 
Even the bathroom is brick. 
Not the tour part. 
At the bottom there was once a backfill, but it was broken through. 
Plastered area. 
The famous "Why" got here. 
Casemates with window openings overlooking the protective moat. Picturesque stalactites have grown on the vaults. 
Our walk is coming to an end. 
In the end, our guide Zhenya led us into a room, which, apparently, once had a newspaper archive. Inside, we sat for probably an hour, studying old newspapers half a century ago. 
That's all. Thank you for your attention! In the next review, we will examine another fort - the eleventh. 
If you find inaccuracies in the description - feel free to write about it in the comments!
