Kerch fortress assumed as the only bastion of Russia on the Black Sea. Famous Russian engineer and founder of the school of fortification in Russia, Eduard Totleben supervised the construction of the fortress. During the construction he used the most modern ideas and proven to combat the practice. Twenty years were built protective structures (1857 - 1877 gg.).

Strengthen located so that no vessel calling at the Sea of ​​Azov, could not escape the fire from the shore. The fortifications include a central fort (built at the height of his), Vilnius and Minsk lunettes (two fortifications around the edges). Fortifications were treated to a mixed type: kaponirnaya system and bastions. The rock had been carved ditches.

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

At one time, there were dungeons, they were torture chambers, and later housed the disciplinary battalion. Store in a fortress and a strategic stock of weapons destined for the Black Sea Fleet. Many objects in the fortress, and today are of interest to tourists.

Moat surrounds the castle. Its length - three kilometers, width - about fifteen meters, depth - five meters. Interesting for inspection caponiers seventeen, ten of which are well preserved. At the fortress there are secret underground passages, cellars where munitions were stored. The length of the longest underground tunnel reaches six meters. Most of this can be viewed. Also available for tourists countermine galleries, their number - about eighty, total length - thousand six hundred meters. This special tunnels for conducting mine warfare underground.

Awesome look tunnel gate for entrance to the fortifications. In 1863, there were ten in the fortress casemates, eight of them survived. You can also see the former cellars of ammunition, and even the largest facility - Provision Store in a tunnel under the Cape Ak-Burun.