Fort “Emperor Alexander I”, Russia

From series “Famous Abandoned Military Bases and Forts”

7 out of 13 - Saint-Nazaire Base, France

9 out of 13 - Nekoma Base, United States

10 out of 13 - Bunker Devil, United States

11 out of 13 - Fort “Emperor Alexander I”, Russia

Year: 19th century.

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

Bunker Devil, United States

Forte Rose, Montenegro

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Fort “Emperor Alexander I” - interactive map

Useful staff nearby

ATM bankomat: 'Severo-Zapadnyy Bank Sberbanka Rossii, Platezhnyy Terminal' located in 2.31 km (

check the route on the map).

Car rental office: 'Василеостровский Автоломбард' is located in 30 km (

on the map).

Fuel station: 'AZS Rosneft'' in 1.95 km

Supermarket: 'Set' prodovolstvennykh magazinov, IP Orudzhaliyev A. K.' in 1.97 km

Parking: 'Zapadnaya, Kas № 2' in 1.89 km

Apotheek: 'Zdorovye Lyudi, set' aptek' in 2.23 km

Police station: 'Otdel GIBDD Kronshtadtskogo rayona' in 2.38 km

Cafe/restaurant: 'Kulinarnaya Lavka' in 2.3 km

Railway station: 'Кронштадтская Колония' in 7.22 km

Nearest airports:
» Pulkovo Airport LED - in 36 km

» Lappeenranta Airport LPP - in 145 km

» Utti Airport UTI - in 182 km

» Savonlinna Airport SVL - in 221 km

» Mikkeli Airport MIK - in 232 km

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Cities nearby

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Best hotels near Fort “Emperor Alexander I”

Fort Konstantine

Located in 0 km from Fort “Emperor Alexander I”
Route on the map:

Rooms: 10

Every cabin at the Fort Constantine hotel features a modern shower with free toiletries. Guests enjoy wonderful views of the Gulf of Finland, the … More: photo, rates and booking

Pierhouse Hotel

Located in 8 km from Fort “Emperor Alexander I”
Route on the map:

Rooms: 38

A continental breakfast buffet is provided daily at Hotel Pierhouse. Russian and European cuisine is served in the restaurant, which has sea views. … More: photo, rates and booking

Soykino Holiday Park

Located in 9 km from Fort “Emperor Alexander I”
Route on the map:

Rooms: 8

Rooms at Soykino Holiday Park offer a flat-screen TV with cable channels, a desk, towels in linens, and a private bathroom. Other property facilities … More: photo, rates and booking

Holiday Home F&F

Located in 14 km from Fort “Emperor Alexander I”
Route on the map:

Rooms: 5

Each room at Holiday Home F&F Residence is decorated in a country style and comes with a flat-screen TV. Bathrooms include either a bath or shower. … More: photo, rates and booking

Nearest unique sightseeing spots to visit

8 km - Obruchev Fort

From the series 'Famous Abandoned Military Bases and Forts'

Another interesting historical object of Kronstadt is the Fort Obruchev, whose construction began in 1896, during the next reconstruction of the fortress. The fort, whose size and power are still impressive today, was named in honour of the Chief of the General Staff, …

15 km - Peterhof

From the series 'The Most Spectacular Fountains in the World'

The most beautiful and interesting fountains of Russia can be found in Saint Petersburg. The palace complex Peterhof is rich in the beautiful and unique fountains. The most impressive of these are the Great Cascade and Samson Fountains. These fountains surprise the …

31 km - Saint Andrews Cathedral

From the series 'The Most Elegant Buildings of Baroque Architecture'

Saint Andrews Cathedral is the oldest Baroque building in Saint-Petersburg. It has appeared at the beginning of the 18th century by the order of Peter the Great. However, the beautiful wooden church didn’t stay there for a long time. In 1761 the cathedral was struck …

32 km - The Great Choral Synagogue

From the series 'The most luxury and famous synagogues'

You can see the Great Choral Synagogue in Saint Petersburg. It was built in 1893. The Jewish community of Saint Petersburg numbered about 10,000 people at the end of the 19th century. The construction of the new synagogue was initiated by its representatives. The …

33 km - Winter Palace

From the series 'Rococo Architecture – Famous Monuments'

The Winter Palace remains one of the most famous and visited attractions of the cultural capital of Russia. It was built in 1754. Construction was completed in 1762. The legendary architect Rastrelli worked on the design of the palace. It is noteworthy that the very …

34 km - Church of the Savior on the Blood

From the series 'The Most Astonishing Orthodox Churches'

Church of the Savior on the Blood is one of the greatest churches in Saint-Petersburg, Russia. It has been built for 24 years and was finished right before the revolution in 1907. It was built in honour of Emperor Alexander II. Right at this place, he was fatally …

Top destination around Fort “Emperor Alexander I” - Peterhof

In Petergof, there is a wonderful greenhouse that you can visit at any time of the year. In winter, all the plants are stored in the gallery. Here, from year to year, flower seedlings are set down and then fresh flowers are planted in the adjacent territory. In spring, the traditional Tulip Festivals is regularly held. There is also a popular restaurant in the territory of the greenhouse. It was opened in the first half of the 20th century. In the period of the Great Patriotic War, the building was destroyed. It was restored only in 1960.

As for museums, the Museum of Playing Cards is worth special attention. The core of its exposure is the private collection of A. S. Perelman. When he was a student, he was a big fan of poker. Then, Perelman decided to replace his passion for the game by collecting rare and beautiful playing cards. Nowadays, the museum presents over a thousand rare card decks. It occupied the separate building in 1999.
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