The Lavra fortification ( uk, Лаврські фортифікаційні споруди, translit=Lavrs’ki fortyfikatsiini sporudy; russian: Лаврские фортификационные укрепления, translit=Lavrskie fortifikatsionnye ukrepleniya) is a system of walls, towers and other constructions built for the protection of the
Cave Monastery
A cave monastery is a monastery built in caves, with possible outside facilities. The 3rd-century monk St. Antony the Great, known as the founder of monasticism
Monasticism (from Ancient Greek , , from , , 'alone'), also referred to as monach ...
in
Kyiv
Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...
, the capital of
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
.
History
The fortification around the monastery first arouse at the end of the 12th century, when a 2 metre wide leave, 5 metre high stone wall was erected. This wall was destroyed during the
Mongol invasion of Rus
The Mongol Empire invaded and conquered Kievan Rus' in the 13th century, destroying numerous southern cities, including the largest cities, Kiev (50,000 inhabitants) and Chernihiv (30,000 inhabitants), with the only major cities escaping dest ...
and was finally excavated by archeologists in 1951. After the Mongol invasion, the monastery was defended by wooden walls. In 1679,
Hetman
( uk, гетьман, translit=het'man) is a political title from Central and Eastern Europe, historically assigned to military commanders.
Used by the Czechs in Bohemia since the 15th century. It was the title of the second-highest military co ...
Ivan Samoylovych
Ivan Samoylovych (, , ; died 1690) was the Hetman of Left-bank Ukraine from 1672 to 1687. His term in office was marked by further incorporation of the Cossack Hetmanate into the Tsardom of Russia and by attempts to win Right-bank Ukraine from ...
had a moat and new ramparts added to the fortification around the "upper monastery."
Hetman
Ivan Mazepa
Ivan Stepanovych Mazepa (also spelled Mazeppa; uk, Іван Степанович Мазепа, pl, Jan Mazepa Kołodyński; ) was a Ukrainian military, political, and civic leader who served as the Hetman of Zaporizhian Host in 1687–1708. ...
financed the fortification's construction at the height of the
Great Northern War
The Great Northern War (1700–1721) was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedi ...
, and had a thick stone wall with four towers added for protection of the monastery in case of
Swedish
Swedish or ' may refer to:
Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically:
* Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland
** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
attack. The total length of the walls was , thickness - , and height - . The fort had three gates, Holy gates with the Trinity Gate Church, Economy gates with the All Saints Church, and Southern gates or Caves gates. There were also four towers,
Ivan Kushchnyk Tower, Onufriy Tower, Painter Tower, and Clock Tower.
In 1706,
Tsar
Tsar ( or ), also spelled ''czar'', ''tzar'', or ''csar'', is a title used by East Slavs, East and South Slavs, South Slavic monarchs. The term is derived from the Latin word ''Caesar (title), caesar'', which was intended to mean "emperor" i ...
Peter I Peter I may refer to:
Religious hierarchs
* Saint Peter (c. 1 AD – c. 64–88 AD), a.k.a. Simon Peter, Simeon, or Simon, apostle of Jesus
* Pope Peter I of Alexandria (died 311), revered as a saint
* Peter I of Armenia (died 1058), Catholico ...
ordered the construction of the so-called "Old Cave Fortress." The earliest plans for the fortress were done by engineer named Gellert. It was completed in 1723, and consisted of a semicircular
citadel
A citadel is the core fortified area of a town or city. It may be a castle, fortress, or fortified center. The term is a diminutive of "city", meaning "little city", because it is a smaller part of the city of which it is the defensive core.
In ...
with a 6 metre high earthen rampart, eight
bulwarks, and other fortifications. The new fortress had an arsenal of 467 artillery guns, 27 mortars, and 3 howitzers.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the fortress was rebuilt again, particularly around the near and far caves. The new project was created by
Otto von Freiman and carried out by Lieutenant Colonel Burman. The new walls were in length, three and half brick thick and high with a brick fundament deep. During that time, the Old Cave Fortress constructed in the 18th century was the base for the administrative and military institutions of the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
in the city.
Constructions
The fortification consisted of a total of four towers:
* the Southwest Tower, also called the tower of ''Ivan Kushchnik'', taken from the name of the church that was supposed to be constructed in the tower but was not built;
* the South Tower, or the ''Horologium'', also called the Clock Tower, because it had an installed clock up to 1818;
* the North Tower, also called the Painting Tower, because it once held a painting studio;
* and the East Tower containing the church of Saint Onufry, also called the Chamber Tower because at one time it contained Hetman Mazepa's chambers.
Near the North Tower, there is a
water tower
A water tower is an elevated structure supporting a water tank constructed at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system, distribution system for potable water, and to provide emergency storage for fire protection. Water towe ...
, which is not part of the Lavra fortification system. It was designed by the architect V. Sychugov and constructed to ensure the Lavra's fresh water supply in 1879.
References
*
Kyivan Cave Fortressa
the Encyclopedia of Ukraine
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pechersk Lavra Fortification
Kyiv Pechersk Lavra
Walls
Fortifications in Ukraine
Buildings and structures in Kyiv
Pecherskyi District
Buildings and structures completed in the 12th century
Buildings and structures completed in 1723