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Kiev fortress, Hospitalnoe stronghold

address:: Gospitalnaya str., 24

Hospital stronghold of the Kiev fortress is a semi-underground building with a thick walls from brick and stone. Walls have cut-through embrasures and gun slots, on caponier perimeter on the rampart guns are installed. Fortress considered to be impregnable.

History of the hospital stronghold

In 1830 was approved a plan of Kiev fortress extension. It foresee building of the Hospital stronghold, which was erected in 1844. Hospital stronghold comprises defensive work «Oblique caponnier». Origin of the name is following. For the ease of artillery flanking fire oblique caponnier is inclined towards the fortress rampart. Ground part of the Oblique caponnier faced the slopes of Cherepanov hill. Initially it was used as an arsenal.

In the beginning of 60-ies of XIX century it was turned into political prison. Gun slots for cannons and guns were modified into windows with grids while arsenal and barracks were transformed into prison and punishment cells. Because of the cruel regime this jail was called «Kiev Shlisselburg». Prisoners were even not allowed to talk to each other, regime violation resulted in imprisonment in punishment cell, where about ten prisoners died. Thick fortress walls and it’s semi-underground location played it’s role. None of the prisoners managed to escape.

First prisoners of Oblique caponnier were participants of the Polish rebel of 1983. Near the fortress wall were executed by shooting leaders of the Polish rebel detachments. Later there was installed a memorial cross.