Olomouc Fortress

Work on the fortress began in 1742 and was completed in 1757. The author of the project was Pierre Philippe Bechade de Rochepipe, a member of the Habsburg Engineering Corps, a colonel and a baron. The project was approved by Maria Theresa and the President of the Court War Council in Vienna in 1742. The Bastion Fortress and its construction cost 10 million gold pieces at the time and for more than 100 years it was the main pillar of Moravian protection.

The beginning of the construction meant the removal of unnecessary objects, within a range of up to 800 m from the fortress. More than ten villages and suburbs fell into its construction. Around six thousand workers worked on the construction site, who transferred a huge amount of earth masses, which is still evident in the places of today's Smetanovy sady or the lowering of Tabulový vrch.

Then ditches were dug, watercourses were adjusted and ramparts were poured. From 1750, bastions number 8 and 9 were reinforced at the western fortress, which was supposed to be the most suitable for the attack. In 1752, almost the entire southwest side of the fortress was completed, and 3 years later the fortress defended the city from the west and north. In 1755, the works moved to the southwest and a year later the works were completed in the area of ​​the Imperial Redoubt, ie on the right bank of Moravia.

When completed, the fortress had bastions and casemate spaces, two corner and one advanced fortress and four redoubts. The city could only be entered through four gates.

The fortress had the opportunity to show its qualities a year after its completion, when the city was defended against the Prussian army. During the 18th century, the fortress was rather maintained and the last preparations for defense took place in 1866.

During the 1970s, Olomouc wanted to remove the fortress, some city gates were demolished and the function of the fortress was completely abolished on March 9, 1886. It was actually abolished in 1889.

Individual parts of the fortress began to be demolished in 1876 and demolition work continued until the 1970s.

Author: Andrea Štyndlová