Genoese fortress
There are several thousand kilometers between Italy and Ukraine. But there is also a strong centuries-long connection between these countries. Proof is standing on a 157-meter-high mountain above the sea with walls extended as far out as 2 km. This is the Genoese fortress in Crimea.
Venetians came here in the 13th century. These famous medieval traders couldn't help but make the peninsula one of the final destination points within the Great Silk Road, a system of caravan routes connecting China with Europe for centuries. However, in 1365, the Venetians were driven from Crimea by Genoese Italians. They then built most of the fortifications that have survived to this day.
The Genoese fortress occupies 30 hectares and has two powerful defense belts: two-meter-thick walls up to 8 meters high. The key points of the Genoese fortress are 14 towers up to 15 meters high. Each bears the name of the Genoese consul in power when it was built. For example, the Tower of Jacobo Torselo (1385), the Tower of Pasquale Giudice (1392), or the Tower of Corado Cicalo (1404). In general, the fortress is an example of the Italian school of defensive architecture in the 14th and 15th centuries. That said, there are quite a few such structures still in Italy today.
The Crimean fortress was also preserved against all odds. In 1475, it was captured by the armies of the Turkish sultan, and the Italians were forced to leave. However, most damage to the fortification was inflicted by other armies. After 1775, it became a military post of the Russian Empire. For years, they dismantled its ancient walls for other construction needs, and destroyed the rest searching for treasures. Still, even they could not destroy the ancient structure. Under independent Ukraine, the Genoese fortress became a well-known tourist center. However, hard times returned when Crimea was once again occupied by the Russians. In 2015, one tower collapsed. Quote marks must be used for the word “refurbishment” – builders without any experience in handling historical facilities simply erected a copy of the unique tower using modern cement mortar. Over the centuries, the