Brest Litovsk - Fort V.

(summary)

South to the citadel of the Brest Litovsk Fortress, about 2 km SW of the village of Gierszony, there is an interesting monument of the military architecture - Fort no. V, part of the outer defensive girdle of the Brest Fortress, and an outstanding example of Russian fortification from the turn of the 19-th century.

The Brest Fortress took shape with the building in 1878 - 1888 of nine forts of the outer girdle. Forts distinguished by Roman numerals were built at a distance of 3.5 km from the central girdle and equidistant from each other. The overall length of the girdle measured 30 km. The task of Fort no. V was to make it impossible for the enemy's troops to turn the fortress from the south, to make it difficult to block it, and to hold significant tactical points in the proximity of the Fortress.

Fort V originated from a design of 1879 for a theoretical fort which was worked out by the Chief Board of Engineers. The most important deviation from the original project was the introduction of the wet-ditch, as the structure was situated on wet ground. The fort has a regular pentagon trace surrounded by a wet-ditch, which was defended by doubled caponiers in the face and the gorge of the fort, as well as two single shoulder caponiers. Two ramparts constituted the defence position, the lower one being assigned for infantry emplacements with four platforms in the corners for anti-assault guns. The main rampart for heavy artillery contained gun emplacements separated by high, partly-casemated traverses. One-storey defensible barracks were built in the gorge of the fort. In 1908 the fort was rebuilt and reinforced with concrete. In view of the fact that its ramparts and casemates, built over 100 years ago, not only constitute a model example of the art. of fortification but serve as a evidence of the development of the military technology, actions has recently taken to preserve this valuable monument of the military architecture. Plans to organise a museum of fortifications have been already developed. There are also plans to increase the collection with small arms and artillery equipment later on.