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THE FORTRESS TODAY
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In 1866, on the order of the Tsar, the fortress was closed down and most of its fortifications were demolished.
Plan of detonations during the liquidation of the Zamość Fortress. The plan is of 1868, decision about deletion of the fortress was taken up in 1866.
What remained were cavaliers of Bastions VI and VII and small fragments of other fortifications with gates. The area was still military property, which made complex tidying up very difficult, in spite of many plans to that effect made by the local authorities. During WW I a railway line was built through Zamość, destroying part of the preserved remains of Bastion I in the process. However, the control of post-fortification area north-west of the town centre (remains of Bastion IV and adjacent fragments of fortifications with the moat, counterguard*, nearby ravelin* and the preserved caponier) was taken over by the municipality. In 1919-26 an imposing town park was set up on the site in accordance with Walerian Kronenberg’s design; in the park the outline of former fortifications was made clear and was integrated into park landscape. Since most of post-fortification area remained military property for many years, the town developed far from the former fortress, which provided a possibility of preserving its integrity. The Old Town complex and the area of the former fortifications were recognised as historical heritage in July 1936 and after they were taken over by the municipality, their complex preservation started. The 1930s also marked the beginning of historical and conservation research on the former fortress conducted by Professor Jan Zachwatowicz and employees and students of the Department of Architecture of the University of Warsaw. In 1936 an inventory of fortification facilities started to be made. Complex restoration of Zamość, conducted on the basis of act No 139 passed by the Council of Ministers in 1974 started with making a plan of development of the Old Town. At first works were to be done in the Old and New Lubelska Gates, the New and Old Lwowska Gates, Bastion VII and northern and north-western sections of curtain walls. On the recommendation of a scientific consultant J. Kowalczyk, a reconstruction of the Old Lwowska Gate and its ornaments was carried out. The preserved Old Lubelska Gate was supplemented with a bridge leading to the ravelin*, where an amphitheatre was built (designed by M. Pawlicki). The shape of the former moat was restored and fragments of the caponier* were uncovered and left as permanent ruin. Part of curtain wall VI –VII and Bastion VII were reconstructed on the basis of results of archaeological research and archive records. Although construction works were not completed as planned till the 400th anniversary of foundation of the town, in 1983 a tourist trail was made available to visitors; it led from the so-called Łukasiński’s Prison Cell by the Old Lwowska Gate through casemates to Bastion VII as far as the postern* in curtain VI-VII. The Old Lwowska Gate was fitted with a plaque with information about the foundation of Zamość. As a result of incidental discovery of a postern leading to 19th century gate in curtain wall I-II (called Furta Wodna) a passage for pedestrians was made there, leading from the Old Town to the southern fortification foreground. After a break in restoration works during which some reconstructed fortification fragments underwent secondary degradation in 2007 complex research and restoration of both fortification remnants and fortification landscape was resumed.

  • Plan of detonations during the liquidation of the Zamość Fortress. The plan is of 1868, decision about deletion of the fortress was taken up in 1866..

  • Plan of remains of the fortress in 1935, by J. Zachwatowicz.

  • Draft of organization of the after-fortress Zamość terrains of 1936 by Stanisław Herbst and Jan Zachwatowicz. . It is easy to notice the project of moving the railway and reconstruction of Bastion V and simultaneously skipping the ravelins between Bastions III and IV, II and III, I and II, I and VII.

    It is easy to notice the project of moving the railway and reconstruction of Bastion V and simultaneously skipping the ravelins between Bastions III and IV, II and III, I and II, I and VII.

  • Zamość revaluation plan of 1976. The plan covers the whole circumference of the fortress in its final form, including the adaptation of the lunette in front of the New Lublin Gate as an amphitheatre. Authors: J. Mach and A. Piątek.

    The plan covers the whole circumference of the fortress in its final form, including the adaptation of the lunette in front of the New Lublin Gate as an amphitheatre. Authors: J. Mach and A. Piątek.

  • Bird’s-eye view of Northern part of Zamość fortress with partly revalued Lunette V-VI. With inserted amphitheatre according to the project by M. Pawlicki (Today he is a professor at Cracow University of Technology).

    With inserted amphitheatre according to the project by M. Pawlicki (Today he is a professor at Cracow University of Technology).

  • View of the first amphitheatre by M. Pawlicki’s project. . It was a pioneer solution in range of adaptation of after-fortress works.

    It was a pioneer solution in range of adaptation of after-fortress works.

  • Moat of the Lunette V-VI in the first version of amphitheatre before the last reconstruction. Degradation of the investment from the 70s of 20th c. and it has a legibility of the sketch of the work.

    Degradation of the investment from the 70s of 20th c. and it has a legibility of the sketch of the work.

  • Conception of organization of after-fortress Zamość terrains of 2008.. Visible idea of turning out the amphitheatre to the town and organic insertion of its auditorium in the embankments of the reconstructed lunette.

    Visible idea of turning out the amphitheatre to the town and organic insertion of its auditorium in the embankments of the reconstructed lunette.