Who would have thought it, but there are ruins of a real fortress in Dnipro! Dnipro city is not famous for old buildings, especially castles and fortresses, and even most of the locals do not know about this construction. But it is there, and today we are going to see it!
Modern Novobogoroditskaya fortress
To learn about the fortress in detail and look at its remains, you need to go to the outskirts of the city of Dnipro – Shevchenko settlement.
Now there is not only a large private sector and a cemetery, but also a large piece of green territory with access to the Samara River. For the uninitiated, this is just a large park, with boulders, earth slides. However, only a few people know that before there was not just a fortress here, but the most ancient real city. Recently, even here put a sign, which and talk about the date of the founding of this settlement – “Old Samar 1524.
Now this part of Shevchenko settlement is used for picnics, fishing, walking and swimming. Shafts resemble natural earth formations and people sunbathe here among lush vegetation. Expeditions are organized here by students of the archaeological faculty and historians say that the place has been excavated by 5%, so the work here will continue for many decades to come. It is a pity that there is no budget for all this.
Where did the fortress in the Dnipro city come from?
The Bogoroditskaya (Novobogoroditskaya) fortress was founded in 1688 on the site of an ancient settlement.
Historians say that this is the first place where the troops of the Moscow state began to be stationed in violation of the Pereyaslavl agreements.
Soon a large fortress with a garrison, a rampart and a settlement of civilians, among whom were artisans and servants, grew here. Here the troops served directly natives of Muscovy, and those soldiers who had done wrong and it was a punishment for them to serve so far from home.
The Bogoroditskaya fortress was conceived as an outpost against the Crimean Khanate and as a control over the Zaporizhian Sich.
The future Hetman Ivan Mazepa played an active role in the construction.
It turned out to be an excellent construction. The total length of earth ramparts – more than 3500 meters. In the center on an elevation stood the fortress itself – a perimeter of 1200 meters. There were 4500 people serving here, not counting civilians. On everywhere there was a moat, over which the bridge was thrown.
Novobogoroditskaya fortress was the first in these places and later Kodak fortress will be built – from which now almost nothing is left.
Further history of Novobogoroditskaya fortress
The fortress was captured several times during Cossack uprisings. It was razed to the ground and rebuilt again, bringing in a new garrison.
The fortress finally fell after it was no longer needed. Catherine II in 1739 abolished all defenses, as there was no more threat from the south, neither from the Turks, not from the Ukrainian Cossacks.
According to legend, the only thing left of the fortress is the church, which was moved to the other side of Samara. It is still in operation today.
A fortress in the modern city Dnipro
Now only barely visible hills overgrown with grass remain from the Novobogoroditskaya fortress. Specialists will tell you where the walls, entrances, and the citadel itself are.
When you get here, you may not realize that there is something interesting here. Only an old peg in the thicket (put back in the USSR). Although the citadel itself received the status of the Monument of National Significance in 2009.
Now here in the warm season locals have a rest, sunbathe, fry kebabs. Nearby are high cliffs on the Samara and a small beach. It is quiet, calm, a lot of greenery and fresh air, especially beautiful and comfortable in spring, when it is not too hot.
The ruins are located in the Shevchenko settlement in Dnipro. A couple of years ago at the entrance to the territory of Novobohorodets fortress put a sign that here in 1524 there was a village Samar, founded in 1524.
How to get to Novobogoroditsky Fortress
The address of the fortress is the park, Khutorskaya Street, Shevchenko settlement, Dnipro.
You can get here by car – after entering the village on the main street to the left turn (there is only one) and straight on the dirt road to the park.
On Shevchenko goes 98 route from the center of Dnipro. You can also take 158, 37, 43 – to Semafornaya street (Severny settlement), and walk across the railroad to Shevchenko.