Kronstadt (ru: Кронштадт; also Kronshtadt, Cronstadt) is a strongly fortified Russian seaport town, located on Kotlin Island, near the head of the Gulf of Finland, at 59°59'30" N and 29°46'30" E. It lies 20 miles west of Saint Petersburg, of which it is the chief port. It was the site of the Kronstadt rebellion of March 1921.

Traditionally, it has served as the base of the Russian Baltic Fleet and the seat of the Russian admiralty, and to guard the approaches to the city of Saint Petersburg.

History

Kronstadt was founded in 1710 by Peter the Great, who took the island of Kotlin from the Swedes in 1703, when the first fortifications were constructed.

Kronstadt was thoroughly refortified in the 19th century. The old three-decker forts, five in number, which formerly constituted the principal defences of the place, and defied the Anglo-French fleets during the Crimean War, became of secondary importance. From the plans of Eduard Totleben a new fort, Constantine, and four batteries were constructed (1856-1871) to defend the principal approach, and seven batteries to cover the shallower northern channel. All these fortifications are low and thickly armoured earthworks, powerfully armed with heavy Krupp gun s in turrets. The town itself is surrounded with an enceinte.

The town of Kronstadt is built on level ground, and is thus exposed to inundations, from one of which it suffered in 1824.

Features

On the south side of the town there are three harbours the large western or merchant harbour, the western flank of which is formed by a great mole joining the fortifications which traverse the breadth of the island on this side; the middle harbour, used chiefly for fitting out and repairing vessels; and the eastern or war harbour for vessels of the Russian navy. The Peter and Catherine canals, communicating with the merchant and middle harbours, traverse the town. Between them stood the old Italian palace of Prince Menshikov, the site of which was later occupied by a pilot school.

Among other public buildings are the naval hospital, the British seamans hospital (established in 1867), the civic hospital, admiralty (founded 1785), arsenal, dockyards and foundries, school of marine engineering, the cathedral of St Andrew, and the English church. The port is ice-bound for 140 to 160 days in the year, from the beginning of December till April. A very large proportion of the inhabitants are sailors, and large numbers of artisans are employed in the dockyards.

Demographics

Historical population:

1867: 45,115

1897: 59,539

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica.