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3755-05. Armored cupola of an experimental observation post, built in 1891. This was part of the "Engineer Polygon" tests to see how well concrete structures combined with armor could withstand enemy fire. Coastal Fort "Reef", Kronstadt, Russia, September 27, 2025Similar picturesLarge thumbnails | Use small thumbnails | View as slideshow |
 Remains of the Engineer Department s Experimental Battery, also known as the "Engineer Polygon". These structures were bombarded to test the resistance of Portland cement. Coastal Fort "Reef", Kronstadt, Russia, September 27, 2025  Remnants of an engineering testing structure or "polygon" located on the shoreline near Fort Reef and Fort Shanetz. Kronstadt, Russia, September 27, 2025  A museum exhibit inside the historical Coastal Fort "Reef" The scene reconstructs a Soviet-era military office or command post (likely a clerk s or commander s office) located within one of the fort s fortified casemates. Kronstadt, Saint Petersburg, Russia, September 27, 2025  Interior of a shaft for a "disappearing" Moncrieff gun within the fort s underground galleries in the historical Coastal Fort "Reef". The large hole in the ceiling "Oculus" is not a window or a skylight, but a gun pit. The rough, stained concrete walls and heavy metal brackets on the walls are remnants of the lifting mechanism and the platforms where the gun crew would operate. Kronstadt, Russia, September 27, 2025  A view from the gun deck of the Moncrieff gun pit, with the "shaft" construction visible as a two-level system: the Gun Deck (Top), the Crew Floor (Bottom), Mechanism Traces. Coastal Fort "Reef", Kronstadt, Russia, September 27, 2025  Rangefinder (dalnomernyi) pavilion belonging to one of the coastal batteries of the Kronstadt fortress, situated near Fort Shanetz. Kronstadt, Russia, September 27, 2025  Ruined brick tower on the beach, which is the remains of a searchlight station (prozhektornaya stantsiya) belonging to Fort Shanetz. Kronstadt, Russia, September 27, 2025  Fort Alexander (Chumnoy). Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, July 11, 2009  Large brick building of the Officer s Building (Officers Assembly) of the Fort Shanetz. Kronstadt, Russia, September 27, 2025  Fort Menshikov (Menshikovskaya Batareya). Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, July 11, 2009  Fort of Kronshlot in Gulf of Finland. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, July 11, 2009  Lighthouse of Fort of Kronshlot in Gulf of Finland. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, July 11, 2009  Navigation sign north from Fort of Kronshlot. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, July 11, 2009  Lighthouse south-west from Fort Menshikov. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, July 11, 2009  V.A. Schroter House (built in 1891) at a corner of 114 Naberezhnaya Moyki and 2 Pisareva Street near Novaya Gollandiya (New Holland). Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 30, 2013  View of Fort Alexander (Plague) from Fort Constantine, Kronstadt. Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 21, 2011  Ruins of Fort Pavel I (Risbank), view from Fort Constantine, Kronstadt. Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 21, 2011  Fort Pavel I (Risbank) with Lomonosov in background, view from Fort Constantine, Kronstadt. Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 21, 2011  Red Cascade or Turkish Cascade in Catherine Park. The Red Cascade is a dam that regulates the water level between the Upper Ponds and the Great Pond. The two "towers" flanking the crossing are designed in the Gothic style, featuring red brick walls with white limestone details, pointed arches, and niche windows. It was built in the 1780s by the engineer Ivan Gerard, likely based on designs by the architect Vasily Neelov. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Central part of gates of Petrovsky Dock. Kronstadt, part of Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 28, 2013  View of Fort Rif from a rocky beach in West Kotlin Nature Reserve in Kronstadt. Saint Petersburg, Russia, September 2, 2018  Old Passenger Terminal of Tallinn Airport. Built between 1945 and 1954 (opened in 1955), this building is a classic example of Stalinist architecture. Its symmetrical facade, rusticated ground floor, and the distinctive control tower with a viewing gallery reflect the monumental style favored in the Soviet Union during that period. An earlier Art Deco/Functionalist terminal was designed in 1938 by the architect Arthur Ju"rvetson, but construction was halted by World War II. The post-war redesign incorporated the Soviet aesthetic. This building served as the main passenger terminal until 1980, when a new, larger terminal (the current one) was built for the Moscow Olympics sailing regatta held in Tallinn. Today, this historic building has been repurposed for VIP services and administrative offices. It stands separately from the modern glass-and-steel terminal but remains an integral part of the airport s history, visible to passengers taxiing on the runway. View from a window of an airplane from Tallinn to Helsinki. Estonia, October 17, 2025  Rebuilding of the Forest Building (Russian: Lesnoy Korpus) in a major reconstruction project at the historic Sestroretsk Resort (Sestroretsky Kurort). The original Sestroretsk Resort was a famous health spa complex founded in 1898 by engineer Peter Avenarius. It featured several grand wooden structures, including a massive Kursaal (concert hall), a mud bath facility, and the Forest Building. The resort was a hub for St. Petersburg s elite and intelligentsia in the early 20th century. The original Forest Building was a beautiful wooden hotel and sanatorium building constructed in the early 1900s. It was a key part of the ensemble but was destroyed during World War II. The new structure faithfully replicates the "Northern Art Nouveau" style of the original resort architecture, characterized by its complex roofline, spires, towers, and wooden detailing that harmonizes with the surrounding pine forest and dunes. The exterior appears nearly complete, showing the elaborate wooden facade, the large central dome, and the corner towers with their needle-like spires. The scaffolding indicates that finishing work is still in progress. Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 9, 2025  The central alley leading to the Arsenal Pavilion, a red-brick neo-Gothic structure designed by Adam Menelaws. Completed in 1834, the Arsenal resembles a medieval castle with crenellated towers and massive arched windows. It was originally built to house Nicholas I s vast collection of medieval arms and armor. The straight alley is a remnant of the formal layout from the earlier "Monbijou" pavilion that stood here, now framed by the mature trees of the surrounding landscape park. After severe damage in WWII, the building was restored and reopened in 2016 as a museum displaying imperial weaponry. Aleksandrovsky (Alexander) Park in Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Observation deck of Al Thugab Fort, on northern coast. Qatar, December 12, 2015  This is the No~elasilma ("Eye of the Needle") Gate, a reconstructed section of the medieval urban fabric located at the end of Niguliste Street. Originally, this area was a densely built-up part of the Old Town, near the historic Harju Gate. However, the neighborhood was largely destroyed during the March 1944 Soviet bombing, which leveled about 20% of Tallinn s buildings, particularly in the Harju and Niguliste street areas. The ruins stood for decades before the area was cleared and later redeveloped as a green space and memorial. The No~elasilma Gate itself was reconstructed in 2006-2007 as part of an effort to restore the medieval street network and mark the historical boundary of the former churchyard. The structure consists of two limestone walls with arched openings, mimicking the narrow passageways typical of the medieval city. Looking through the gate, you see the cobblestones of Niguliste Street. In the background stands a distinct corner tower with a red tiled roof, part of the residential block that survived or was restored after the war. The modern apartment buildings on the left (Harju Street area) are post-war constructions, filling the void left by the bombing. The gate now serves as a poignant reminder of the city s lost layers and its resilience. Estonia, October 16, 2025  Ruins of the former "Okhotnichy Domik" (Hunting Lodge) restaurant, built in 1958 in the Stalinist Neoclassical style. The structure, located near Prospekt Engelsa, features a distinctive rotunda with columns and a now-exposed skeletal dome, having fallen into disrepair after a fire in 2010. The ruins are now heavily vandalized with graffiti and overgrown with vegetation, standing as a decaying relic of Soviet-era recreational architecture within the park. Udelnyi Park, St. Petersburg, Russia, October 4, 2025  Part of a broken glass bottle at archeological display near Zubara Fort. Northern Qatar, September 20, 2014  View of Kronstadt from Fort Constantine. Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 21, 2011  Film City in Ras Abrouq peninsula in west central coastal area, north from Zekreet, view from observation platform. Qatar, November 14, 2014  Powder bunker in Fort Constantine, Kronstadt. Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 21, 2011  View of a lighthouse from Fort Constantine, Kronstadt. Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 21, 2011  The stall labeled "Moskva" that honors a favorite horse of Emperor Nicholas I in Pensioner Stable (Pensionnaya Konyushnya) in Alexander Park, Tsarskoe Selo. This horse, a veteran of military reviews like the one in Elisavetgrad, spent its retirement in the stable built by the Emperor for his own and his predecessor s faithful steeds. The nameplate was reinstated during the 2024-2025 restoration of the pavilion. Saint Petersburg, Russia, September 21, 2025  View of Gulf of Finland and a fort built by Peter the Great in Sestroretsk, 15 miles north-west from Sankt Petersburg. Russia, October 2, 2000  Gun battery "Kane" (1897) in Fort Constantine, Kronstadt. Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 21, 2011  Chinese Gazebo (often called the Creaking Pagoda or Skripuchaya Besedka) which is one of the most eccentric and picturesque structures in Catherine Park. Built between 1778 and 1786, this pavilion was designed by Yury Felten (Georg Friedrich Veldten) at the height of the 18th-century craze for Chinoiserie (Chinese-style art). The pavilion gets its popular nickname from the metal weather vane on its roof. Shaped like a Chinese banner, it was intentionally designed to creak loudly in the wind. Originally, such pavilions served as tea houses or resting spots for the Empress and her court during their walks. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Concrete structure of a sewage outlet on a beach in Fort Funston. San Francisco, California, March 16, 2024  Stone stairs of Gril Platz in Fort Constantine, Kronstadt. Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 21, 2011  Obvodny Canal. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, July 11, 2009  Petrovsky Dock. Kronstadt, part of Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 28, 2013  Stray dog on a beach. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  Shops at 8 Red Street. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  Artillery Fire Control tower on Gooseberry Neck disguised as lighthouse, built in 1930s. Westport, Massachusetts, May 17, 2003  Petrovskaya Street in snow. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  Old house at 5 Kommunisticheskaya Street. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  Makarovsky Bridge in snow. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  Smokestack of an excursion ship. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, July 11, 2009  Petrovsky Dock Channel. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, July 11, 2009  Komsomola Street in snow. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  South end of Komsomola Street. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  A window at 5 Kommunisticheskaya Street. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  Old houses at Komsomola Street. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  Checkpoint gate of Naval Plant. Kronstadt, part of Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 28, 2013  Gear of gates of Petrovsky Dock. Kronstadt, part of Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 28, 2013  Cross channel of Petrovsky Dock. Kronstadt, part of Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 28, 2013  Petrovsky Dock behind 5 Kommunisticheskaya Street. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  Rusty gates of Petrovsky Dock. Kronstadt, part of Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 28, 2013  Petrovskaya Street paved by iron. Kronstadt, part of Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 28, 2013  Engineering School of Baltic Fleet. Kronstadt, part of Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 28, 2013  South end of Komsomola Street in snow. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  Lighthouse of Petrovsky Dock Channel. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, July 11, 2009  Maritime plant on Petrovskaya Street. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  Fishing from Petrovsky Dock Channel. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, July 11, 2009  House with pillars at 16 Kommunisticheskaya Street. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  Boats from Petrovsky Dock Channel. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, July 11, 2009  Round tower at 3A Kommunisticheskaya Street. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  Military ships in Petrovskaya Harbor. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, July 11, 2009  Modern sculptures near city museum. Kronstadt, part of Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 28, 2013  Cargo ship in Gulf of Finland. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, July 11, 2009  Rusty sculptures near city museum. Kronstadt, part of Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 28, 2013  Burnt barracks at Komsomola Street. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  Apollo Colonnade in Pavlovsk Park. Originally built by Charles Cameron in 1783, this was a complete double ring of limestone columns surrounding the Apollo Belvedere statue. However, in 1817, a violent thunderstorm struck the colonnade, collapsing part of the structure. The owners decided not to repair it, realizing that the "broken" form created a much more poetic, ancient feel that perfectly suited the Romantic era s obsession with decay and nature reclaiming art. Pavlovsk, a suburb of Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 15, 2025  Obvodny Canal from Roshalia Street bridge. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  Thrift grocery shop at Komsomola Street. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  Round tower in a yard at 3A Kommunisticheskaya Street. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  Makeshift fence of Military Commandment from a beach. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  Gutter (rainwater) pipe at Petrovskaya Street. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  Iron paved road on Yakornaya Square in Kronstadt, part of Saint Petersburg. Russia, August 28, 2013  Makarovsky Bridge over Petrovsky Ovrag (ditch). Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  Monument on Roshalia Street at Yakornaya Square. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  Debarcader (train shed) of the Vitebsky Railway Station, Russian Art Nouveau (Style Moderne). Massive riveted steel spans were designed by architect Stanislav Brzhozovsky and engineer Sima Minash. It is serving the historic route to Tsarskoye Selo (Pushkin) and Pavlovsk. Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 15, 2025  Houses in Film City built for a television production in Ras Abrouq peninsula in west central coastal area, north from Zekreet. Qatar, April 8, 2011  Kommunisticheskaya Street with Peter the Great monument in background. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  Ammunition storage over Obvodny Canal from Komsomola Street. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  Mine School of Baltic Fleet on Petrovskaya Street. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  Wooden gate in Film City built for a television production in Ras Abrouq peninsula in west central coastal area, north from Zekreet. Qatar, April 8, 2011  Barracks of VMF Rocket Military Training, view from Flotskaya Street. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, July 11, 2009  Obvodny Canal from a corner of Karl Marx and Sovetskaya streets. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 10, 2013  Pochtovyye(?) Vorota (passage to Gulf of Finland) of Middle Harbor. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, July 11, 2009  Trash receptacle styled as old cannon on Petrovsky Dock Channel. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, July 11, 2009  Window of Mine School of Baltic Fleet on Petrovskaya Street. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  Antituberculous hospital (former admiral M. P. Lazarev House) at 30 Proletarskaya Street. Kronstadt, part of Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 28, 2013  Antituberculous hospital (former Admiral M. P. Lazarev House) at 30 Proletarskaya Street. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  Buildings of Mine School of Baltic Fleet on Petrovskaya Street. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013  Interior of Vladimir Cathedral (orthodox church) at 9A Lenina Street. Kronstadt, part of Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 28, 2013  Central part of coneflower (Echinace purpurea) in Antique Rose Emporium. Independence, Texas, September 5, 2025  Traditional wind tower in Film City built for a television production in Ras Abrouq peninsula in west central coastal area, north from Zekreet. Qatar, April 8, 2011  Gate of antituberculous hospital (former Admiral M. P. Lazarev House) at 30 Proletarskaya Street. Kronstadt (part of Saint Petersburg), Russia, February 11, 2013 |
