Fort “Emperor Alexander I”, Russia

In Russia, special interest from a historical point of view is represented by structures that were once part of the Kronstadt defense system. Among them is the famous 'Fort Alexander I' which is also known under the unofficial name Plague Fort. The building is located on a small artificial island, not far from the island of Kotlin. The fort was built in the first half of the 19th century. It was used as a defensive structure for the protection of the Gulf of Finland until 1896.

It later served as a laboratory for plague research until 1917. This historical fact has conditioned the unofficial name of the building. A series of legends tell you that incredibly cruel experiments have been conducted in the fort's walls. According to the official data, experiments with horses were carried out for the development of a vaccine against plague. Since 1923 the old building has been used as a military camp. Until the 80s of the last century the fort was completely abandoned. On the territory of the historical object the film 'Powder' was shot. In the course of the shooting, a part of the territory was burnt according to the plot. In the 90s, a couple of large rave discos took place on its territory.

Boat excursions to the ‘Fort Alexander I’ have only been offered since 2011. Tours to the artificial island are very popular with tourists. Currently, there is a project to build a large entertainment complex on the territory of the fort, which will include a theatrical stage, several museums, a shopping area, as well as restaurants and cafes. According to approximate estimates, the reconstruction of the historic building will cost about 43 million US dollars. Next - Forte Rose