Fort I of Kaunas Fortress Fortification

Fort I of Kaunas Fortress, located in the Ringaudai eldership in Kaunas city, was built in 1882–1889 and reconstructed in the late 19th century - early 20th century.

The fort has the shape of a regular elongated hexagon, a strictly symmetrical structure, close to a typical project. There are barracks in the rear part. At the top of the defensive rampart were artillery and infantry combat positions. Ammunition depots were installed in the casemates located under the defensive rampart. The barracks and the inner courtyards of the fort are connected by an external ditch by underground tunnels - poternas. Caponiers and half-caponiers were intended for the flank defense of the ditch. The external defensive ditch is surrounded by a counterscarp vaulted wall of red bricks.

During the reconstruction of the fort, concrete structures were built - intermediate half-caponiers were built above the barracks to fire on the gaps between the forts, anti-assault gun shelters, ammunition depots and entrances to the half-caponiers were covered with concrete double walls, part of the counterscarp wall was reinforced with concrete, and other reinforcements were made.

During the First World War, during the assault on Kaunas Fortress, Fort I fiercely defended itself against the German army. This fort was subjected to intense shelling by German artillery. Large-caliber shells destroyed the left half-caponery postern, part of the central postern, the caponier, hit the left powder magazine, pierced the ceilings of the right powder magazine, and the vault of the left-wing barracks casemate. It is believed that Fort I was hit by as many as seven shells from "Big Bertha", causing the greatest damage.

During the interwar period, due to the lack of living space, people living in poverty settled in the fort premises. In 1938 - 1940, a gas chamber was installed in the left rear ammunition depot to carry out death sentences for criminals. During the Soviet era, Fort I belonged to the Kaunas Anti-Aircraft Defense Brigade of the Baltic District. Technical maintenance of C-125 missiles was carried out here.

Currently, Fort I is renovated: excursions are conducted, various events are organized. Nearby is the impressively beautiful Marvelė River Valley and cascades. In order to protect the bat population, visiting all the fort dungeons is prohibited from October 1 to May 1.