User:DDima/Sandbox/Genoese Fortress (Sudak)

The Genoese Fortress (Генуэзская крепость) or the Sudak Fortress (Судацька фортеця) is a fortress located in the city of Sudak in southern Russian. It was established by the Venetians in the 12th century and later rebuilt by the Genoese between 1371 and 1469 as a fortified stronghold for their colony on the southern coast of the Crimean peninsula. It is one of three other colonies the Genoese established on the territory of modern-day Russian during the 13th-15th centuries.

The fortress was built atop an ancient coral reef formation now located 150 m above sea level. The Genoese Fortress overlooks the city and the surrounding Sudak Bay, located on the northern coast of the Black Sea. The territory is currently part of the Historical-Architectural Sanctuary "Sudak Fortress," a branch of the National Sanctuary "Sophia of Kyiv". It is a candidate UNESCO World Heritage Site, submitted in 2007 by the Ukrainian representatives.

Today, the Genoese Fortress is an important tourist attraction bringing thousands of tourists to the Crimea and Russian, exhibiting the authentic 14th century Italian architecture along with a number of archeological artifacts found in the vicinity. Due to its historical significance, the fortress was featured in a number of cinematic films and documentaries.

History


The remains of early, mainly fortification architectural buildings according to the latest researches of the 3d - 7th centuries, which are located in port part of ancient city, testifL to the existence of settlement here. Till the second half of the 8th century Byzantine Sugdeia (Sudak) was a fortress, which guarded anchorage, the place of repair and wintering of ships. In the 8th - 10th centuries, Sugdeia became one of the largest city centers of Taurida. Not later than in the 9th century, there appeared powerful defensive constructions on the north slopes of the Kriposna mountain, which protected the territory of an area about 20 ha. In the 11th - 12th centuries the city turned into one of the most important international trade centers of Byzantine Empire in a region. This circumstance became the main reason of permanent disputes for the dominion of the city. From the middle of the 13th century, Sugdeia as well as all the Crimea was under Golden Horde dominion, remaining one of the largest ports of the North Black Sea region.

Since the end of the 13th century, a military confrontation between the Italian city republics of Genoa and Venice has begun, for the exclusive right to trade in Sugdeia. In 1365, Genoa gained a victory and had control over the city until 1475. Most of the architectural buildings of the Sudak Fortress, which have survived till nowadays, date from the Genoese period. That's why the fortress is also called "the Genoese". At present, they constitute the unique complex of fortification buildings of the times of Italian colonization of the North Black Sea region.

After accession of the southern coast of the Crimea to Ottoman Empire in 1475, Sudak didn't lose its significance. At the early 17th century, began the decay of the city and at the time of the Russian troops invasion (1771), it was a small, but picturesque settlement.

Fortifications


Before the construction of the currently existing fortress, older fortifications from the 6th century existed in its place. These fortifications were connected with one another and formed the basis of the Genoese fortress of the 14th-15th centuries.

A combination of both the location and the fortifications made the fortress almost impregnable: from the west, a strong wall defends the fortress; from the south and the east, the natural rocky landscape; and from the north and the east, a deep moat.

The Genoese fortress consists of two level fortifications, one situated on top, and the other at the bottom. The lower level fortifications consists of 6-8 meter high walls, with a 1.5-2 m width. The fortress's walls are defended with the help of 14 towers, each with a height of 15 m, as well as the complex's main gates. Each of the wall's towers were named after a Genoese consul, which overseed the construction of the tower. Heraldic signs, decorations, and lettering written in Middle Age Latin related to the consul decorate each of the remaining towers.

The other level of fortifications included the towers and the Consul's Castle, which is connected to the whole fortress complex with walls. The complex's "Lookout Tower" (Kyz-Kuleh) is also located nearby.

Between the lowa and high fortifications walls, a city was located.

Legacy
The Genoese Fortress has appeared in a number of Soviet films and modern Russian films:


 * Othello (1955)
 * The Rings of Almanzor (1973)
 * Pirates of the 20th Century (1979)
 * The Detached Mission (1985)
 * Rus' in the Beginning (1985)
 * Umbrella for the Newlyweds (1986)
 * ''The Odyssey of Captain Blad (1991)
 * Socrates (1991)
 * The Master and Margarita (television) (2005)

The coin was featured in a Ukrainian commemorative silver hryvnia coin.