Kerch fortress was supposed to be the only Bastion of Russia on the Black sea. Famous Russian engineer, founder of the fortification school in Russia, Eduard Ivanovich Totleben supervised the construction of this fortress. During the construction he used the most modern ideas, proven in battle practice. Twenty years have been constructing protective structures (1857 – 1877).

Positioned strengthening so that no vessel coming into the Azov sea, could not escape the fire from the shore. Strengthening included Central Fort (built it on top), Vilna and Minsk lunettes (two reinforcements on the edges). Strengthening belonged to the mixed type: capanina system and Bastion. In the rock were carved moats.

Among other objects of the Crimean Peninsula Kerch fortress was most prepared for a long defense. Totleben even voiced an opinion, this is the best of all the fortresses.

One time there was a dungeons and torture chambers, and later housed the disciplinary battalion. Kept in the fortress and strategic stockpile of weapons intended for the black sea fleet. A lot of objects on the territory of the fortress today are of interest to tourists.

Surrounds the fortress moat. Its length is three kilometers in length and about fifteen feet deep and five meters. Interesting to explore seventeen caponiers, ten of which are well preserved. In the fortress there is an underground secret passages, cellars, where ammunition was stored. The length of the longest underground tunnel up to six hundred meters. Most of it can be explored. Also available for tourists contrinue gallery, the number of about eighty, the total length of one thousand six hundred meters. This special tunnels for conducting mine warfare underground.

Impressive look of the tunnel gate to enter the building. In 1863, in the fortress existed ten casemates, eight of them have survived. You can also see the former cellars of ammunition, and is the largest structure – provision shop in the tunnel under the Cape AK-Burun.