The bastion fortress of Kilia and the French fortification school

Abstract

The bastion fortress of Kilia, now non-existent, was designed by the French engineer François Kauffer on October 8-9, 1794. The French specialist received the order to build this fortress in April, 1795 from Sultan Selim III, and the final of the construction took place in 1797. Thus, the old stone fortifications of Kilia were replaced by a rectangular bastion fortress with four corner bastions. The period between 1680 and the Great French Revolution was called the “classic century of military engineering”, when the capabilities of the bastion system were particularly appreciated. The French military architecture of that time massively influenced on the defensive system of several countries. The bastion fortress of Kilia was also designed according to the principles of the French fortification school. Comparing several parameters of the quadrilateral bastion model proposed by the French engineer Vauban with the project made by F. Kauffer, we will notice a certain influence of this model on the bastion fortress of Kilia. Only some proportions and the plan of a corner bastion is due to the configuration of the river line. The Danubian fort also contains other component elements, that belong to the Vauban’s first manner of fortification.