Perhaps, a landing facility named Kronshtadt Bychye Pole. It is situated on Kotlin Island. This island lies 30 km west of Saint Petersburg. Kronstadt Bychye Pole has a rich history. Peter the Great founded Kronstadt in the early 18th century. Kronstadt became an important trade center. Later, its strategic location became more important. It served as the main maritime defense for the Russian capital.
Kronshtadt Bychye Pole played a key role in these defenses. The Russian Baltic Fleet was based in Kronstadt. It guarded the sea approaches to Saint Petersburg. In March 1921, the island saw the Kronstadt rebellion. The historic center of Kronstadt is a World Heritage Site. It is part of Saint Petersburg and its related monuments.
Kronshtadt Bychye Pole has been a place of pilgrimage. Orthodox Christians visit to honor Saint John of Kronstadt. The name Kronstadt comes from the German Kronstadt. It means crown city. The district is known as Kronshtadtsky District.
Peter the Great’s forces seized Kotlin Island from Sweden in 1703. This happened during the Great Northern War. The first fortifications were built in 1704. They were called Kronshlot. These defenses were quickly constructed.
During winter, the Gulf of Finland freezes. Workers used log frames filled with stones. Horses moved these across the ice. They created new islands with forts. These forts blocked sea access to Saint Petersburg. Only two narrow channels remained guarded by forts.
Kronstadt attracted merchants from maritime powers. Dutch, British, and German traders arrived. The British community was known as the English Factory. They dominated trade for a time.
Kronstadt was heavily refortified in the 19th century. New forts and batteries were built. These defended the main approach. They also covered the northern channel. The fortifications included armored earthworks and heavy guns. In 1891, the French fleet visited Kronstadt. This was a step toward the Franco-Russian Alliance.
During the February Revolution, sailors joined the riots. They executed officers. However, in 1921, they rebelled against Bolshevik rule. Kronstadt’s forts and mines protected Petrograd. Despite this, a motor boat sank the cruiser Oleg. In 1919, Royal Navy boats damaged Soviet battleships. They also sank a submarine supply ship.
Naval officers and men rebelled against the Bolshevik government in 1921. They demanded freedom of speech and an end to work camps. Leon Trotsky sent the army to suppress the uprising.
In the late 1930s, Kronstadt became the base of the Soviet Baltic Fleet. It was a training center for the Soviet navy. The dockyard repaired ships and submarines. All forts and batteries were rebuilt. In June 1941, the fleet went to operational readiness. German planes then bombed the canal outside Kronstadt. Anti-aircraft batteries shot down several planes.
During World War II, Kronstadt faced many bombings by the Luftwaffe. Hans-Ulrich Rudel sank the battleship Marat. Thirteen artillery batteries defended Kronstadt. The Naval Cathedral served as the main lookout. Coastal defense forces included two infantry regiments. In late August 1941, the fleet evacuated from Tallinn to Kronstadt.
A submarine subdivision was organized in Kronstadt. Soviet submarines disrupted German supplies from Sweden. The Germans tried to block the Gulf of Finland with nets and mines. In 1942, Soviet submarines sank 29 German vessels. In 1944, Finland signed a peace treaty. The Soviets then located a naval base in Finland at Porkkala.
The Baltic Fleet sent over 125,000 people to the front. Eighty-three thousand fought on the Leningrad Front. Ten naval infantry brigades were formed in Kronstadt. German air raids damaged the naval dockyard. Workers continued despite the siege.
The Kronstadt Fortress helped prevent the destruction of Leningrad. In 2009, Kronstadt was named a City of Military Glory. This recognized the courage and heroism of its defenders. Today, Kronshtadt Bychye Pole serves as a reminder. It reminds us of the city’s long and important history.