Kronstadt

Geography

The city is to approximately 20 km of Saint-Pétersbourg, to which it is attached administratively. It counts approximately 45 000 inhabitants (2002). Its coordinates are 59°59 ′ 30 ″ NR 29°46 ′ 30 ″ E. the city are used at the same time of principal port and fortress of defense for Saint-Pétersbourg, and shelter the seat of the Russian admiralty as well as the command of the fleet of the the Baltic.

It represents also the principal port of Saint-Pétersbourg.

History

Kronstadt was founded in 1710 by Pierre Large the, which took the island of Kotline to the Swedish in 1703. The first fortifications go back to this time. In 1799-1800, the military port has as a governor a French naval officer emigrated, Hippolyte de Capellis, rear-admiral with the service of Russia since 1796.

Kronstadt was seriously re-equipped and refortifiée at the 19th century. The old forts, five, which constituted the principal arc of defense and which had defied the fleet free - British during the Crimean War lost in importance. Under the direction of Edouard Totleben new extremely (Constantin) and 4 batteries were built (1856-1871) to defend the principal approach, while 7 other batteries covered the northern channel, less deep. All these fortifications, low and strongly protected, were equipped with guns Krupp, while the city was also surrounded by an enclosing wall.

In 1921 took place the Révolte of Kronstadt, repressed in blood by the Red Army directed by Leon Trotsky. The name of this city since is associated with a litigation between anarchistic revolutionists and Ultra-gauche on the one hand, and Bolchévique S on the other hand, the first refusing with the party Bolshevik the capacity, and wishing that this capacity remains with the councils and room, free to determine the course of the revolution; seconds wanting the “direction of a working party”. The first (even if they were not at the origin of the revolt) regarded that of Kronstadt as legitimate and the seconds regarded this one as showing “middle-class” characteristics and being likely to lead to an invasion of the white army. During this revolt, certain slogans said " besides; yes with the Soviet S, not with the Bolshevik S ". This revolt take place whereas elections were envisaged in the two following months.

During the Second world war, Kronstadt was massively bombarded by the Luftwaffe, with in particular the sending by the bottom of the armoured Soviet Marat by the German ace Hans-Ulrich Rudel on board sound Stuka.

Monuments

The most imposing monument of the city is the immense naval cathedral, built between 1908 and 1913, and judicious to represent the apogee of the Russian Architecture néo-Byzantine. The old Saint-Andrew cathedral, going back to 1817 and formerly glory and the beauty from the city was destroyed by the Communists in 1932.

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