Kosyi (Oblique) Kaponir, Kyiv Fortress

The project of the Oblique Caponier was drawn up in 1843 and implemented in 1844-1845. This building was built of brick and stone as an additional element of the Hospital fortification of the Kyiv fortress, providing reliable protection for the place where the 2nd training ground was attached to the northern front of the fortification. Due to the peculiarities of the terrain, the new caponier turned out to be asymmetrical in plan, which secured the name “ Oblique ” for it.

Unlike the caponiers in the ranges of the Hospital Fortification, the Oblique Caponier was moved beyond the glacis line. From the ditch of the 2nd polygon to the Oblique caponier, a postern was laid through the thickness of the glacis. The ground part of the Oblique Caponier overlooks the western slope of Cherepanova Mountain. 15 gun embrasures and 6 gun loopholes were arranged in the walls about 1.3 m thick.

Because of the reinforced armament, it had a larger powder chamber. In addition, he did not have combat casemates separated from each other by capital walls, as in the caponiers of I, II and III polygons. The vaults of the caponier rested on the outer walls and walls of the powder chamber, and not on the dividing walls of the casemates, as in the caponiers of I, II and III polygons. The result was one casemate, covering the powder chamber around the perimeter.

Communication with the caponier was carried out through a postern, the entrance to which was located in the counterscarp of the fortress moat (the far slope of the moat).

In 1863, the oblique caponier of the Hospital fortification was adapted for the imprisonment of Polish insurgents. And since then it was used as a prison until 1917. He was also notorious for the fact that at the beginning of the 20th century, prisoners sentenced to death were transferred to the Oblique Caponier. From here they were taken to the area of the Lysohirskyi fort to carry out the sentence.

Since 1991, the Oblique caponier has belonged to the historical and architectural landmark-museum “Kyiv Fortress”. There is a museum exposition “The history of the use of structures of the Kyiv fortress”; it presents data on famous prisoners, the carriage of death row in which they were sent to the death penalty, describes the conditions of detention of prisoners.

Sources: Київська фортеця
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