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THE FORTRESS YESTERDAY
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Zamość Fortress, one of the largest fortresses in the First Republic of Poland and then in the Duchy of Warsaw and in the Congress Kingdom of Poland was built in 1579-1618 to defend a town founded by Hetman Jan Zamoyski in 1580. Started in 1586 and completed in 1618, the construction of bastioned fortifications was based on Bernardo Morando’s design.
The fortifications were modernized several times by the following outstanding military engineers:
The southern front of the fortress in 19th c. by Jan Mallet-Malletski
  • Andrea dell’Aqua in 1618-23
  • Jan Michał Link in 1687-93
  • Jean-Baptiste Mallet (later during his service in the Congress Kingdom of Poland known as General Jan Mallet-Malletski) in 1809-13 and 1817-26.
works lasted till 1856.
In 1866 -1868, on the order of Tsar Alexander II, the fortress was closed down and most of its fortifications were demolished. Their preserved remains have been maintained (with some elements being supplemented) since the 1930s till the present day.
Only some fragments hidden in the ground have remained from the oldest stages of southern fortifications of Zamość Fortress (Bernardo Morando and Andrea dell’Aqua). Some of them were partly uncovered during the latest archaeological explorations, including an outline of bastion fortifications and remains of earthen embankments, small fragments of lower parts of walls of Bastions I and II and curtain walls. The most important preserved element from the stage of Jan Michał Link’s activities include a complex of earthen fragments of Bastion III, only slightly changed in the 19th century. Most preserved fragments are the remains of the fortress dating back to Russian times – the Congress Kingdom of Poland and earlier: flank casemates* of Bastions I and II and posterns* connected with them, Furta Wodna – a relic of Haxo* casemate as well as remains of external earthen fortifications. The southern part of the fortress, except for the Rotunda, is definitely the worst-preserved area of the former fortress. Thanks to the latest reconstruction works, the basic elements of fortification landscape have become visible.

  • The southern front of the fortress of Zamość in 17th c. before or during the modernization by Jan Michał Link. One draws attention to the provisional form of Bastion III, which is likely to be an ad hoc rescue after the construction disaster, in which the front of the bastion collapsed.

    One draws attention to the provisional form of Bastion III, which is likely to be an ad hoc rescue after the construction disaster, in which the front of the bastion collapsed.

  • The southern front of the fortress of Zamość in 1704, on the plan made by king of Sweden, Karol XII. . Bastion III is rebuilt in the two-level form. We can also see double, 2- level artillery battery that flanks in the necks of Bastions, also in Bastion I and II.

    Bastion III is rebuilt in the two-level form. We can also see double, 2- level artillery battery that flanks in the necks of Bastions, also in Bastion I and II.

  • The southern front of the fortress in 19th c. by Jan Mallet-Malletski. Deepening the defense consisted of the introduction of two ravelins (the first one was built by the Austrians at the end of the 18th c.) and tower battery.

    Deepening the defense consisted of the introduction of two ravelins (the first one was built by the Austrians at the end of the 18th c.) and tower battery.

  • 3._front_poludniowy_1847.jpg.