Location: Leningrad Oblast Map
Fort Alexander I, also known as Fort Alexander or the Plague Fort (Russian: Форт Александр Первый or Чумный форт), is a historic naval fortress built on a small artificial island in the Gulf of Finland, about 2.5–3 km south of Kotlin Island and roughly 20 miles (32 km) west of central Saint Petersburg, near the naval base of Kronstadt. Its isolated, oval-shaped structure—resembling France’s Fort Boyard—stands as a striking example of 19th-century Russian coastal defense engineering and later became infamous as one of the world’s early specialized bacteriology research sites focused on plague and other deadly diseases.
Construction (1836–1845)
Emperor Nicholas I ordered the
fort’s construction in the mid-1830s as part of a major upgrade
to Kronstadt’s defenses, which protected the southern approaches
to Saint Petersburg along the Baltic Sea. The project aimed to
create a cross-fire barrier on the southern fairway (shipping
channel) in combination with other forts like Peter I (Citadel),
Pavel I (Risbank), and Kronshlot.
Initial designs came from
French-Russian engineer Louis Barthélemy Carbonnier (Lev Lvovich
Carbonnier) in the 1820s, who envisioned a casemated sea fort
shaped like the upper half of a horizontal torus for ricochet
defense against cannon fire. After Carbonnier’s death in 1836,
engineer Jean Antoine Maurice Destrem (Moris Gugovich Destrem)
revised the plans, with supervision by Russian military engineer
Mikhail von der Veide (or von der Weide). Construction
officially began in 1838.
Engineers drove over 5,300–5,535
wooden piles (each about 12 meters long) into the seabed to form
a stable foundation, then layered sand, concrete blocks (using
hydraulic lime), and granite slabs. The walls were built of
high-quality brick faced with granite for durability against
waves and artillery. The result was a three-story oval building
measuring roughly 90 by 60 meters (about 5,000+ square meters of
floor space), with a central courtyard, a pier on the Kronstadt
side, and over 100 cannon ports (103 in the casemates, plus
space for 34 more on the roof). It could house a garrison of up
to 1,000 soldiers and included features like hot-shot furnaces
for heating cannonballs and rocket-launching positions in the
base.
The fort was ceremonially transferred to the military
on July 27, 1845, and named in honor of Nicholas I’s brother,
Emperor Alexander I. It was one of the most advanced
fortifications of its era in Russia.
Military Service
(1845–1896)
Fort Alexander I served as a key defensive
outpost in the Kronstadt fortress system but never fired a shot
in anger. During the Crimean War (1853–1856), it played a
critical deterrent role against British and French naval
threats. In 1854, a Royal Navy squadron under Admiral Charles
Napier approached but was turned back by minefields and
fortifications. In 1855, an Anglo-French fleet under
Vice-Admiral James Dundas attempted minesweeping but suffered
losses and withdrew. The fort benefited from innovative Russian
naval mines: galvanic (electric) mines by Moritz von Jacobi and
contact mines by Immanuel Nobel (father of Alfred Nobel).
The
fort remained on high alert during other tensions, such as the
1863 Polish uprising (when conflict with Britain seemed
possible) and the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878. Minor upgrades
occurred in the 1860s–1880s (e.g., 1867–1869 and 1885), but by
the late 19th century, advances in rifled artillery and naval
technology rendered its smoothbore-era design obsolete. It was
mainly used for ammunition storage before being struck from the
active military register in 1896, along with nearby forts Peter
I and Pavel I.
Transformation into a Bacteriological
Laboratory (1897–1917)
Following the 1894 discovery of the
plague bacterium Yersinia pestis by Swiss-French scientist
Alexandre Yersin (during the third plague pandemic), Russia
faced growing fears of outbreaks. The government established a
special Commission on the Prevention of Plague Disease. The
isolated Fort Alexander I—far from population centers yet
accessible by boat—proved ideal for high-risk research.
In
January 1897, the Imperial Institute of Experimental Medicine
(now part of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences) took over
the fort. Extensive renovations (1897–1899), largely funded by
Prince Alexander Petrovich of Oldenburg (a major patron of
science), transformed the bare structure into a modern lab.
Additions included research laboratories (with containment
areas), a science library, horse stables with steam heating and
an animal elevator, a cremation furnace for infected animals and
waste, and other support facilities. A small steamer named
Mikrob (“Microbe”) provided the only regular transport to the
mainland.
The lab was solemnly inaugurated on July 27, 1899
(research operations began in August). It became Russia’s first
dedicated anti-plague facility (and reportedly the third in the
world). Under directors like Professor Sergei Mikhailovich
Lukyanov, a team of about 20 scientists—including pioneers such
as Danylo Zabolotny, Mikhail Gavrilovich Tartakovsky, and
Nikolai Mikhailovich Berestnev—worked there. Primary focus was
on Yersinia pestis: studying the pathogen, immunizing horses to
produce anti-plague serum and vaccines, and developing
treatments. They also researched cholera, tetanus, typhus,
scarlet fever, and staphylococcal/streptococcal infections. The
lab produced large quantities of serums and vaccines used across
Russia and even exported (e.g., to combat outbreaks abroad).
The “Plague Fort” Era: Dangers and Achievements
Despite
strict biosafety protocols, the work was extremely hazardous.
Plague outbreaks occurred inside the fort in 1904 and 1907. In
1904, head physician Dr. V.I. Turchinovich-Vyzhnikevich (or
Turchinovich-Vyzhnyevich) contracted the disease and died; his
body was cremated on-site. In 1907, Dr. Emanuel F. Schreiber
died from the highly lethal pneumonic form of plague (he
self-diagnosed it). Days later, Dr. Lev Vladimirovich Podlevsky
contracted the bubonic form but survived after treatment with an
experimental serum developed at the lab itself. Overall, there
were at least three confirmed plague cases among staff, with two
fatalities. These incidents earned the fort its grim nickname
“Plague Fort” (Чумный форт), though it also handled other
pathogens.
The lab operated until the 1917 Russian
Revolution. World War I had already slowed research as many
scientists were drafted. After the February Revolution, Prince
Oldenburg resigned his oversight role. By late 1917, plague and
cholera cultures were relocated to Saratov, where they helped
establish Russia’s first dedicated anti-plague institute
(“Mikrob”) in 1918.
Post-Laboratory History
(1917–Present)
After 1917, the fort returned to military use
under the Soviet Navy as a storage facility and repair workshop
(including for mine and torpedo equipment). It was largely
stripped and abandoned by the early 1980s (around 1983). In
1985, it served as a filming location for the Soviet movie
Gunpowder (Porokh), depicting the defense of Leningrad; a
large-scale fire scene required for the plot gutted much of the
interior, leaving charred walls visible today.
In the 1990s
and early 2000s, the abandoned ruins attracted urban explorers,
photographers, and even illegal raves and private parties. Since
the 2000s, it has been under federal ownership and secured
access (managed at times by entities linked to the Konstantin
Palace). Boat tours around or to the fort have been offered
intermittently since around 2011 (though access has varied and
was restricted at times). It is part of the UNESCO World
Heritage site encompassing Kronstadt’s defensive structures.
As of the mid-2020s, the fort is undergoing restoration as part
of the “Island of Forts” (Ostrov Fortov) cultural-historical
park project in Kronstadt, with involvement from the Russian
Ministry of Defense. Plans have included turning parts into a
museum on microbiology/history, a hotel, or related facilities,
with some anti-emergency and reconstruction work completed or
ongoing. It was also used for filming a Russian adaptation of
the French game show Fort Boyard in 2025. The site remains a
striking, atmospheric ruin accessible primarily by boat,
symbolizing both imperial engineering and pioneering (if
perilous) scientific courage.
A. Pier
B. Main Entrance
C. Inner courtyard
D. Doors
F Crematorium
E. Elevator
Foundation and Site Engineering
The fort stands on a purpose-built
artificial island in shallow but challenging Baltic waters. Construction
began with extensive seabed preparation:
Pile foundation: 5,335–5,535
wooden piles, each 12 meters long, were driven into the seabed (spaced
about 75 cm apart) using 40 mechanical copers operating round-the-clock.
This created a stable grid to reinforce the soft marine soil.
Base
layers: Spaces between piles were filled with coarse sand and a
1.8-meter-thick concrete cushion (made from hydraulic lime, sand, and
gravel, poured in submerged boxes and leveled underwater). Over 11,000
square meters of granite slabs were then laid on top using manual cranes
on wooden trestles.
Protective perimeter: The island outline was
initially formed by 12 protective "ryazh" (crib) boxes filled with
cobblestones, raised above water level to support early construction
platforms.
This engineering feat allowed the massive structure to
resist waves, ice, and currents in the Gulf of Finland. The lower walls
at the waterline were given a concave (inward-curving) profile to
deflect surf and protect against erosion.
Overall Design and
Shape
The fort follows a classic casemated sea fort design, closely
resembling (but predating) France’s Fort Boyard. It is oval or
elliptical in plan (90 meters long by 60 meters wide along the major
axes), creating a compact, efficient footprint with a central open
courtyard. This shape was inspired by engineer Louis Barthélemy
Carbonnier’s 1820s concept of the upper half of a horizontally lying
torus (a surface of double curvature). The idea was to make the outer
walls curve in two directions so that round cannonballs would ricochet
off rather than penetrate. Although the full torus design was modified,
the double-curved granite facing was retained for wave resistance and
ballistics.
Total floor area: Over 5,000 m².
Height and tiers:
Three main floors of casemates, plus an open roof battery (creating four
fighting levels in total). The seaward (frontal) side has full
three-tiered casemates plus the open top deck; the rear "gorge"
(landward-facing) side has only two tiers for logistical reasons.
Capacity: Designed for a garrison of up to 1,000 men, with living
quarters, kitchens, guard rooms, powder magazines, and ammunition
storage integrated into the casemates.
The structure is oriented
to provide enfilading crossfire over the southern shipping channel in
coordination with neighboring forts (Peter I, Pavel I/Risbansk, and
Kronshlot).
Walls, Casemates, and Defensive Features
Materials: Thick brick walls (typically 2.4–3.5 meters thick in places)
clad entirely in precisely dressed granite blocks for durability and
impact resistance. Casemate ceilings are brick vaults 2–2.5 bricks thick
at the crown. Embrasures (cannon ports) are formed from complex,
laboriously cut granite stones.
Armament: 103 embrasures for cannon
in the casemates, plus space for 34 additional guns on the open roof
battery (total ~137 pieces). These included the most powerful fortress
guns of the era, such as 3-pood bomb cannons and 1-pood unicorns.
Casemates also housed hot-shot furnaces (ядрокалильные печи) for heating
cannonballs to ignite wooden ships.
Internal layout: Casemates are
arranged in long enfilades (connected vaulted galleries) around the
perimeter. Inner-facing walls included loopholes (small firing ports)
for defense against potential landing parties. The design emphasized
all-around fire capability.
Courtyard and Interior Architecture
The central courtyard is a key architectural feature, providing light,
ventilation, and internal circulation while remaining sheltered. It
contains:
Two semi-circular (half-tower) extensions housing
elegant cast-iron spiral staircases for rapid movement between floors.
One source also mentions a stone staircase.
Ammunition handling
buildings: Two three-story structures for storing and lifting shells and
charges.
Decorative and functional elements: Ornate gorge gates (main
entrance) adorned with lion heads, anchors, and flags. The courtyard
also housed shot-heating furnaces.
A pier and service building
(with offices and a winch) were added on the Kronstadt-facing side for
access and logistics.
Later Architectural Adaptations (Plague
Laboratory Era)
In 1897–1899, the fort was radically repurposed as
Russia’s first plague research laboratory (under Prince Alexander
Petrovich of Oldenburg). The core structure remained intact, but
interiors were modernized with:
Plumbing, electricity, steam heating,
and sewage systems.
Specialized facilities: animal stables (with a
unique single-horse elevator/lift to the courtyard), crematorium for
infected carcasses, autoclaves, and isolated "contagious" vs.
"non-contagious" zones.
Safety modifications to contain pathogens
while preserving the historic casemates.
These changes highlight
the fort’s robust adaptability without compromising its monumental
brick-and-granite shell.
Current State and Significance
Today,
the fort is abandoned but structurally sound, with some recent
restoration work (e.g., recreated wooden watchtower, courtyard facades,
and cast-iron elements). Its blackened granite-and-brick exterior,
overgrown courtyard, and dramatic island setting make it an iconic
example of 19th-century Russian military architecture—combining
engineering ingenuity, ballistic science, and aesthetic fortification
style. It stands as a testament to the Kronstadt fortress system, one of
the most advanced naval defenses of its time.
Doctors at the bed side of their sick colleague. He survived.
