Monument to the Scuttled Ships: Sevastopol. Monument to the Scuttled Ships in Sevastopol - the most mysterious monument of the city

The symbol of Sevastopol is the Monument to the Scuttled Ships. Photo crimea-voyage.info.

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fairway barrier

At the beginning Crimean War, after the unsuccessful Alma battle for the Russian army, real threat hung over Sevastopol. To prevent the enemy fleet from breaking through to the inner roadstead, by order of the commander-in-chief, Prince A.S. Menshikov, obsolete sailing ships were flooded at the entrance to the Sevastopol Bay.

Remembering that "Pre-World" war and the sinking of Cherno navy, most often they call the date September 11 (23), 1854, when the ships Varna, Silistria, Selafail, Three Saints, Uriel and two frigates: Sizopol and Flora. But after the autumn-winter storms, due to the partial destruction of this barrier, in November-December, the ship "Gabriel" and the corvette "Pylades" had to be additionally flooded. So total number sailing ships on the barrier line reached nine.

And on February 13 (25), 1855, the ships "Twelve Apostles", "Rostislav", "Svyatoslav" and the frigates "Cahul" and "Messemvria" landed at the bottom of the Sevastopol Bay between the Mikhailovskaya and Nikolaevskaya batteries. Three days later, on February 16 (28), the frigate "Midiya" joined them. Thus, the second line of the barrier was formed by six courts.

Teams of 15 sunken warships joined the ranks of the defenders of the Sevastopol bastions.

Many facts indicate that the issue of protecting the Sevastopol Bay was discussed long before the outbreak of hostilities. Therefore, since 1853, various measures have been taken to test the effectiveness of coastal batteries. In August 1854, one old merchant brig was donated for this purpose. Taking advantage of a fair wind, they put sails on it, fixed the rudder and let it sail under the shots of all coastal guns. But what was everyone's surprise when the ship received only minor damage, and on the contrary, noticeable cracks appeared in the forts from frequent shots ... So they came to a not simple, but most reasonable way out of this situation: to help coastal batteries across the fairway to the bottom of obsolete sailing ships.

On the one hand, the idea is correct, but on the other hand... sinking your own ships is scary to even think about. Therefore, the final formulation of such a decision required not so much tactical wisdom as courage and determination.

On September 9, at the military council, the chief of staff of the Black Sea Fleet, Vice Admiral Kornilov, proposed to go to sea and attack the enemy ships with all his might, and in case of failure, board and die with glory, blowing himself up and part of the enemy fleet. But the commander battleship"Selafail" captain 1st rank Zorin decided to express a different point of view. He proposed to flood part of the old ships across the entrance to the bay, and bring the sailors ashore, and there, on the bastions, defend Sevastopol. Many agreed with this proposal, including the squadron commander, Vice Admiral Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov.

The enemy also recognized the effectiveness of such an action:

If the Russians had not blocked the entrance to the Bay of Sevastopol by sinking five of their ships and two frigates, I have no doubt that the allied fleet, after the first fire they sustained, would have penetrated there with success and would have entered into communication with their armies from the depths of the bay. Commander of the French fleet, Vice Admiral Gamelin.

The key to a quick and easy victory was the Bay of Sevastopol. But even the clear advantage of the attackers could not bring them success. Their naval attack on the Sevastopol batteries ended in embarrassment, many of their ships were seriously damaged and hurried to be out of range of Russian bombardiers.

Later, to capture the bay, the British came up with a more radical means ... It is difficult to judge what would be the use of their invention, and they would not have received the same "on the ears" as in the counter-mine war, but this time nature itself intervened. On November 2, during a storm, the screw steamer "Prince" went to the bottom, which was carrying a secret weapon to undermine the flooded Russian ships that blocked the entrance to the Sevastopol Bay.

But no matter how strange it may seem, the greatest danger was not the enemy ships and not even their "secret weapon", but the sincere and honest, but still erroneous belief that the ships in the bay did not need to be sunk at all. Some researchers, even after the war, were of the opinion that blocking the fairway with scuttled ships was a mistake.

Therefore, we must pay tribute to the commander-in-chief, Prince Menshikov, that he insisted on such a truly saving decision.

Let's not forget that the goal of the Anglo-French-Turkish coalition was to capture the entire Crimea. And the fall of Sevastopol at the beginning of the campaign made this plan not so fantastic.

It can be said without exaggeration that the blocking of the fairway significantly reduced the enemy's capabilities and was the first decisive factor that influenced the course of the war. The enemy fleet, many times superior in strength and capabilities, has significantly lost its dangerous advantage without a single shot being fired and practically without losses on our part.

The sunken ships least of all deserved to be called a loss. It was they who participated in the defense most of all, closing the path to victory for the entire enemy fleet.

When, 349 days after the start of the defense, the Russian heroic army left the southern side, the enemy armies, brought to extreme moral and psychological exhaustion during the siege, no longer dreamed of Crimea. And European politicians were forced to abandon their "Napoleonic" plans.

For 11 months, the weakly fortified city fettered the many times superior enemy forces. The unparalleled heroism of the valiant warriors holding the defense was respectfully written in the newspapers even of those states that, with new and new forces, were trying to wipe out invincible bastions from the face of the earth.

The 349-day epic of Sevastopol glorified its defenders throughout the world.

solemn monument

50 years after the heroic defense, in memory of the sinking of ships, a monument was erected on the second barrier line, not far from the former Nikolaev battery, in the sea, ten sazhens (23 m) from the shore. From the side of the embankment, its octagonal pedestal was adorned with a small (50 x 75 cm) bronze picture, in which the masts of the ships going to the bottom cross majestically and menacingly. At the same time, the first name was born: "a monument to the sinking of ships." That is how he is mentioned in the message of the construction commission, which announced the complete completion of work on July 29, 1905.

More than a century has passed since then, and the monument has developed its own history, as amazing and unique as the monument itself.

For example, few people know that after the transfer of the memorial building to the jurisdiction of the city government, its grand opening has not yet taken place. Interfered far from holiday events Russo-Japanese War and the beginning of the first Russian revolution.

In the 30-40s, the Monument received another name: "the column of memory of the dead sailors" (over the entire history, in reference books, guidebooks and periodicals, the Monument has more than 10 different names).

Well-meaning fighters against remnants of the past proposed to replace the imperial crown above the eagle with a star with electric lighting. Perhaps it was then that the cross was removed from the crown and a legend was invented that on the capital of the monument "a bronze eagle holds a laurel wreath in its beak."

This "wind of change" was more serious than the earthquake of 1927, which the Monument also withstood.

Another amazing fact: despite the most dangerous location, he somehow incomprehensibly survived in the crucible of the Great Patriotic War and in May 1944 met the liberators.

Already at the very beginning of the war, early in the morning of June 22, 1941, one of the first mines dropped into the Sevastopol Bay exploded between the Monument and the shore (another, unexploded, was discovered by divers near this place in July 2005). Here, during the fighting, bombs fell and shells flew. And on May 9, 1944, the forward detachments of the Red Army, approaching the embankment of Primorsky Boulevard, saw in the sea not only the Monument that had miraculously survived, but also the German tanker Prodromos burning next to it. In many photographs of that time, a huge plume of black smoke is clearly visible, which escaped from a wrecked fascist tanker lying at the foot of the Monument to the Scuttled Ships.

Back to the monument

Standing on the shore, it is good to admire its granite pedestal and a seven-meter diorite column, but only from the sea in the symbolic image of a double-headed eagle can you see how, many years after the legendary events, the great power of Russia honors its heroes. Including those whose efforts successfully solved the task of defending the Sevastopol Bay with a unique economy of manpower and resources.

In relation to the viewer, looking from the side of the bay, the left half of the wreath is composed of laurel leaves, which symbolize glory, victory, triumph, purification, and the right half is made of oak leaves with acorns, which also symbolize glory, strength, stamina, maturity, potential and self-confidence.

Crowned with a large imperial crown, with the image of George the Victorious on his chest, the mighty eagle honors the heroes.

It is facing the sea. Therefore, in the minds of those who look at it from the side of the Sevastopol Bay, a simple and beautiful definition arises: the monument to the Scuttled Ships is a solemn monument of glory.

The world-famous memorial structure has three main authors: military engineer Friedrich Oskar (Oskar Ivanovich) Enberg, architect Valentin Avgustovich Feldman and sculptor Amandus Heinrich (Amand Ivanovich) Adamson.

In the newspaper "Krymsky Herald" it was possible to find short message that A.G. Adamson visited Sevastopol on October 25, 1904. Perhaps he brought the bronze parts of the Monument cast in St. Petersburg and watched their installation, because the work went on not only until the autumn of 1904, but also after that time, since the festivities were postponed until the end of the Russo-Japanese War, and the official transfer of the monument to the city took place only in 1905. The technical side of the business was led by a talented military engineer, builder Friedrich Oskar Enberg.

Magic card

Some guidebooks say that on the monument to the Scuttled Ships there is a map of the Sevastopol Bay with the designation of the lines of the flooding of the ships.

However, if you swim up to the monument and examine it carefully, you will not see any map. But on the bronze picture, in the lower right corner, you can see a distinct autograph of Amandus Heinrich Adamson: "A.Adamson Sculp. 1904".

Some sources say that "the author of the monument remained unknown for a long time. Only in 1949, a list of works by the famous Estonian sculptor Amandus Adamson (1855-1929), compiled by himself, was found in the Central State Historical Archive of the city of Leningrad, in connection with his election as a valid a member of the Academy of Arts. This list also includes a monument to scuttled ships. "

Apparently, it was more difficult for someone to swim 20 meters from the embankment and climb to a height of 7 meters above sea level than to get to the Leningrad archive.

Description of the Monument to the Scuttled Ships

The world-famous Monument was designed by sculptor Academician A.G. Adamson, architect V.A. Feldman and military engineer F.O. Enberg. It is an artificial granite rock standing in the sea, 23 meters from the embankment, with an octagonal pedestal protruding from it towards the embankment, on top of which rises a light gray diorite column of the Corinthian order with a bronze eagle facing the sea on the capitals.

The double-headed eagle, crowned with a large imperial crown, spreading its mighty wings, holds a wreath with an anchor in its beaks (a sea anchor hanging on a chain is chained to the upper part of a complex wreath of laurel and oak leaves). On the chest of the eagle is a shield with a relief image of St. George the Victorious.

The base of the column, its capital and the entire sculptural composition crowning the column, as well as the eagle, are made of bronze.

From the waterfront upper part The pedestal is decorated with a bronze bas-relief depicting the sinking of ships. In the lower right corner, the author's signature: "A. Adamson Sculp. 1904". Below the bas-relief, on the granite slabs of the pedestal, the words are carved: "In memory of the ships scuttled in 1854 and 1855 to block the entrance to the roadstead." Overall Height monument - 16.7 m, the height of the column - 7.1 m, the average diameter of the column - 0.95 m, the wingspan of the eagle - 2.67 m.

At the top of the cliff, opposite sides two granite bas-reliefs are built in. On the left - the number "1854" is depicted, on the right - "1855".

From the side of the sea, a protruding from sea ​​waves bronze mast of a sailing ship.

On the retaining wall of the embankment opposite the Monument, two anchors from sunken ships are installed.

The Monument to the Scuttled Ships is the main symbol of Sevastopol, built in 1905 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the First Heroic Defense.

The Monument to the Scuttled Ships is the most famous landmark of Sevastopol. Since 1969, the image of the monument appeared on the coat of arms of the city.

Geographical coordinates of the monument to the Scuttled Ships on the map of Crimea GPS N 44.618364 E 33.524212

Its underwater part of the monument to the Scuttled Ships consists of well laid stone blocks, in the shape of a square. This is clearly visible from the air. On this reliable foundation, an artificial stone cliff rises, 3 meters high. On the cliff you can see the base of the column, on which there is a quote: In memory of the ships sunk in 1854-1855. to block the entrance to the raid. "A 7-meter column rises above the base of the cliff, ending with a capital or a pedestal on which the royal double-headed eagle stands. The Royal Eagle proudly spread its wings, and holds a wreath in its beaks. An anchor chain hangs from the top of the wreath, ending directly with an anchor, and the laurel wreath itself consists of two parts: laurel leaves - a symbol of victory and oak leaves - a symbol of faith and glory.Above the head of the double-headed eagle, the royal crown, with a cross, completes the composition.

The history of the monument to the Scuttled Ships.

In 1953, in the month of November, Admiral Nakhimov, near the city of Sinop (Turkey), utterly defeated the Turkish naval squadron, along with 6 coastal batteries. Thus, he thwarted Turkey's plans to form and equip an amphibious assault force for landing on the territory of Georgia, with subsequent intervention.
Naval victory of Nakhimov, greatly changed the balance of power in the Black Sea, which aroused the concern of the maritime powers - England, France and Italy. Concern increased every day due to the strengthening of the navy and the approach of Russian troops to the Bosphorus. England and France offered military assistance to Turkey in a full-scale war with Russia. After much persuasion, Turkey decided to start a war with Russia. Italy joined this alliance, without discussing its benefits, although it did not particularly participate in sea and land battles. Several times, Italian troops were seen looting, captured villages, and one corps participated for about an hour in the siege of the Mikhailovskaya battery. But under the pressure of the Russian troops withdrew from the battle.

In 1854, the combined fleet of 4 states approached Sevastopol, the main base of the Black Sea Fleet. tsarist Russia. According to the enemy’s plan, the campaign was designed for two weeks, during which the Black Sea Fleet was to be completely destroyed, Sevastopol was taken and big cities Crimea. The territory of Crimea was to be partially given to Turkey, and Russian troops were to withdraw to the mainland.
The famous Defense of Sevastopol was headed by Vice-Admiral V.A. Kornilov, his closest assistant, Vice-Admiral P.S. Nakhimov. It was they who made the fateful decision to sink most of the sailing ships of the Black Sea Fleet in order to prevent the vastly superior enemy fleet from getting into Artbukhta. The plan was as follows: ships, landing on the bottom, leave protruding masts, which, when enemy ships approach, pierce their bottoms or harm steering, and at this time, coastal batteries shoot helpless ships.

According to one version, the plan belongs to Admiral Nakhimov, and most of the ships that he sank participated in the Battle of Sinop. As contemporaries wrote, Nakhimov cried like a child during the flood. But be that as it may not be - the plan fully justified itself. The enemy flotilla tried several times to enter the bay of Sevastopol, but each time retreated from heavy losses. Thus began the 349-day defense of the city of Sevastopol, and the 14-day campaign turned into an annual one. The enemy fleet grew to 350 ships with several amphibious landings. Fierce fighting, with little respite, lasted 11 months. A talented organizer and leader of the defense, V.A. Kornilov, died. And then, almost immediately, PS Nakhimov. Forces were exhausted on both sides. The heroic defense of Sevastopol ended with the signing of the Peace Treaty on March 8, 1856.

Because of this heroic story and appeared Monument to the Scuttled Ships in the city of Sevastopol. Walking along Primorsky Boulevard, near the Grafskaya pier or along the embankment, you will definitely see the monument to the Scuttled Ships. AT summer time there are always a lot of vacationers, and sunrises and sunsets are a little more romantic and pleasant there than on the entire Crimean peninsula, although it is up to you to judge this. If you are planning to visit the Crimean peninsula, be sure to visit. Sevastopol, with its history and history, will not leave you indifferent and will most likely become one of your favorite cities in the world.

The symbol of Sevastopol - the monument to the Scuttled Ships - has become the most recognizable of the many other images with which the glorious city with an eventful history is associated. Most of the buildings of antiquity and architecture, natural wonders - no matter how historical or political significance they did not have - can be attributed to the sights, but this monument is something much more, as it carries a deep meaning. It is dedicated to more than a dozen old sailing ships, as many believe. First of all, it is a symbol of courage, steadfastness and courage of the sailors of the Black Sea Fleet, whose unparalleled heroism he immortalized. A certain sign of honor and self-sacrifice for the good of the Fatherland and as a reminder to future generations of the immortal glory of their ancestors.

Where is the monument in Sevastopol?

It rises on a man-made cliff in the middle of the North Bay, located just a few meters from the glorious.

Monument on the map of Crimea

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History of the attraction

In the city of Sevastopol, the monument to the Scuttled Ships is dedicated to the events, or rather to one of its episodes, when over locality threatened to be captured by enemy troops. All this became possible after the defeat of the Russians in the battle on, when the Anglo-French fleet concentrated ships to break into the Sevastopol Bay.

Most historians agreed that the idea of ​​sinking the ships belonged to Vice-Admiral Kornilov, and not to Prince Menshikov, the commander-in-chief of the Black Sea Fleet, which was the prevailing version at the time the memorial was built. He took this initiative on September 9, 1854, and in this he was supported by the majority of naval commanders, including the illustrious Admiral Nakhimov, after which Menshikov gave the order to chop the bottoms of obsolete sailing frigates.

At that time it was the only correct and effective solution, although today there is heated debate about it. On the night of September 11, 1854, having previously removed the equipment and guns that strengthened the coastal fortifications, the teams launched the first 7 ships to the bottom, lined up from north to south - between Aleksandrovskaya and the batteries that created crossfire for the enemy fleet. It was said that even the old, gray-whiskered sailors sobbed, punching their bottoms and then watching them sink into the abyss.

In 1855, after strong winter storms, 6 more ships were sunk - to the east of those that had been sunk before. Between the Mikhailovskaya and Nikolaevskaya batteries, newer ships found their last shelter. After a year of bloody defense, the soldiers of the garrison were forced to leave the South Side, and it became a cemetery for the remaining ships of the Russian fleet. And yet they achieved their goal - the enemy could not advance like that, the sacrifice was not in vain. That is why the symbol of Sevastopol is a monument to the Scuttled Ships!

Monument to the scuttled ships: the history of modernity

Fifty years later, in 1905, a monument dedicated to the 349-day heroic defense cities. It was erected on an artificial cape, built of granite blocks, not far from the coast, so that it could be seen from everywhere. The author of this significant monument was a sculptor from Estonia -
Amandus Adamson, architect Feldman and engineer Enberg helped him. Of more than a dozen of its original names, not one caught on, and the current one came into use already in the late 1930s. Amazing Fact, but over the 100 years of its existence, the monument to the Scuttled Ships in Sevastopol survived. It was destroyed neither by the frantic blows of the waves breaking on the base, nor by the Great Patriotic War.

What is interesting about the monument?

It is a diorite marble column, 7 m high and resting on an octagonal granite base rising from a cape represented by a chaotic heap of granite boulders. A snow-white, carefully crafted column is crowned with a capital, where a double-headed imperial eagle with outstretched wings, facing the sea, sits.

In the upper part of the composition, a crown sparkles, replaced in the Soviet period by a star. In its beaks, the eagle holds a wreath of laurel and oak branches, a ship's anchor with a chain, and its chest is decorated with a figured shield depicting George the Victorious. Like the capital, the entire monumental sculpture is made in bronze, as are two memorial plaques on a pedestal with a bas-relief depicting sinking ships with commemorative inscriptions.

How to get (get there)?

By public transport, by buses (minibuses) No. 12, No. 16 or No. 117, trolleybuses No. 5, No. 12 or No. 13. You should get up at the stop "pl. Admiral Nakhimov”, from where it is literally 2-3 minutes on foot.

In this material we will tell you the history of the main military symbol of Sevastopol - the monument to the Scuttled Ships.

What historical events does the monument remind of?

It was erected in 1905, on the 50th anniversary of the end of the Crimean War. In the summer of 1854, a coalition of British, French, Ottoman Empires and the Kingdom of Sardinia blocked the Russian fleet in the Sevastopol Bay. The enemy association planned to take the city in a week and triumphantly end the war. But the sharp engineering thought of General Eduard Totleben, the courage of our soldiers, the right strategy and tactics of the commanders Nakhimov and Kornilov did not allow the plans to come true.

Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov figured out how to block the way to the bay for French and English ships. In September 1854, 15 sailboats were sunk in the fairway - their outdated modifications. Initially, 7 were lowered to the bottom, but they suffered during the storm that broke out. Then they sank 2 more, and then 6 more. Bad weather destroyed the underwater defensive fortification, and the defenders of the city had to restore it, adding new ships.

The masts hidden by the water prevented the enemy fleet from coming close to the shore and opening artillery fire on our defensive fortifications.

Researchers military history countries condemn this decision, but it was not at all extravagant and thoughtless. The idea came to the mind of many, including Rear Admiral of the Fleet, Vladimir Ivanovich Istomin.

The commanders-in-chief faced an almost impossible task. The enemy forces were several times superior to ours. The decision was correct. The enemy fleet tried to pass through the obstacle, but was riddled with coastal batteries.

Interestingly, the Russian ships on the water could not help in the battle. Moreover, before the surrender of the city, they were also flooded, but for other reasons: they should not have gone to the enemy. After the end of the Crimean War, many of them were raised from the bottom. About 20 objects were restored and returned to the water.

The history of the creation of the monument to sunken ships in Sevastopol

The height of the stele on a granite base reaches 16.5 m. It was installed next to the square, which bears the name of the famous general of the Crimean War - Pyotr Stepanovich Nakhimov. This is the most recognizable location in the city, an object of cultural heritage of federal and national significance. In 2016, the photo of the monument to the lost ships received the most votes in the state competition and was chosen for the new banknote of 200 rubles.

The sculptor A.G. Adamson from the Petrograd Academy of Arts, the architect V.A. Feldman and military engineer F.O. Enberg.

Adamson was scolded for being too naturalistic. He managed to "revive" the coat of arms of the country. A large double-headed eagle holds in its beak a large wreath, the left side of which is laurel, and the right side is oak. An impressive sea anchor is pinned in the upper part. In heraldry, oak is a symbol of strength, valor, glory, and laurel - victory, purification, triumph. This combination is also on the large coat of arms of Russia. The anchor hangs on a chain of 15 links. Exactly so many ships were lowered under water for strategic purposes.

The proud bird is topped with an imperial crown and St. Andrew's ribbon. On his chest he has a shield with George the Victorious. This is the image of Russia, which honors its defenders and heroes. Symbols banned in Soviet times were destroyed everywhere after the revolution, but the Bolsheviks did not touch the Sevastopol stele.

Zealous followers new government they were indignant and said that the royal crown insulted the memory of those who died during the defense of the city. They offered to replace it five pointed star and provide electricity to it. Written reports of party members have been preserved in which this issue was put on the agenda. The government did not make major changes. The cross was removed from the crown. It was returned back only in 2003. After the restoration, the Latin creed was installed, while originally there was the St. George Cross.

Practically in original form it successfully existed throughout the Soviet period. Moreover, in 1969 a photo of the monument to the scuttled ships appeared on the coat of arms of Sevastopol.

But some changes did take place. In 1905 there was not only a stele on the granite pedestal, but also a ship's mast. It is clearly visible on the old pre-revolutionary postcards. It could be seen by people using sea transport. It was impossible to see it from the shore.

After 50 years, it was lost. Until 1975, its remains were preserved on the granite monument, approximately 80%. The people involved in the restoration of the monument were not savvy in ship modeling. They did not pay attention to the fact that one element was missing.

In the 60s, the architect Adolf Lvovich Schaeffer took a unique photograph. Experts can restore the original appearance of the object, focusing on this image. But some details were missing already at the time when the photo was taken. The study showed that the mast was of the English type of the late XVIII - early XIX century.

If you look at the stele from Primorsky Boulevard, you can see a bas-relief. Contours of sunken ships are cast on it in bronze. This is another creation of Adamson. In the lower right corner, a careful look will find the sculptor's autograph and the year of creation of the bronze tablet - 1904. Probably, it was cast at the very beginning of work on the main symbol of the defense of Sevastopol.

Historian Vladimir Saltanov suggests that people walking along the city's embankment at the beginning of the 20th century could easily see the author's signature. At that time, the water surface did not separate the monument from the land. The sea was filled up.

By a strange coincidence, tour guides rarely talk about him. Mentions in guidebooks are reduced to quoting the inscription located under the bas-relief. Sometimes it is said that the plate shows the line of flooding of sailboats.

During the years of the Great Patriotic War the stele miraculously survived the Nazi bombardments. Not a single shell hit her. This is an amazing set of circumstances. Enraged by the fierce resistance of the Russian army, the Germans sought to wipe the city from the face of the earth, which did not want to surrender. The first mine between the stele and the shore fell on June 22, 1941, and on May 9, a fascist tank burned down at its foot.

In 2007, the reconstruction was carried out. The monument to sunken ships was covered with a special wax formulations: a photo of the main symbol of Sevastopol, taken in that time period, is shown below.

The wax was supposed to protect the monument from corrosion and give it a golden glow at sunset and sunrise. For the first six months, everything was like that, but then the composition was erased, and the stele faded again.

Monument to the Scuttled Ships in Sevastopol on the map: how to get there

The bay where the monument stands is located within the city. If you are coming from the railway station or bus station, take public transport and go to the Nakhimov Square stop. Suitable for you:

• Trolleybuses No. 1, 3, 7, 9.
• Buses number 29, 32, 107, 109.
• Minibuses numbered 4, 71, 109, 110, 112.

In the North Bay you can take a boat. All ships going to the Count's Quay will suit you. They pick up passengers every 10-15 minutes. The first one leaves at 05:10, the last one at 23:45.

When you arrive in the city, don't be surprised if locals will not be able to describe the monument to you correctly. Someone thinks that a seagull is sitting at the top of the stele, others believe it is a dove, others are sure that it is an airplane. The reason for this is the remoteness of the monument from the coast, poor quality guidebooks and souvenir products. Thanks to our material, you have learned everything about the main attraction of Sevastopol and now you will definitely bring home its correct miniature.

The Monument to the Scuttled Ships is the most famous military monument of Sevastopol, it was depicted on the Soviet coat of arms of the city and is considered one of the main city symbols. The monument is located in the Sevastopol Bay, near the embankment of Primorsky Boulevard.

The monument was erected in 1905 in honor of the 50th anniversary of the first defense of the city of Sevastopol during the Crimean War, in memory of those flooded in 1854-55. ships to block the fairway from the entrance to the raid of the Anglo-French fleet. In total, over 80 sailing ships were sunk. Scuttled ships and fire from coastal batteries made the Northern Bay inaccessible to the enemy fleet. The author of the project was the Estonian sculptor A. Adamson. Also involved in the construction of the monument were military engineer O. Enberg and architect V. Feldman.

The light gray column was set on a cliff built of unworked granite blocks. A huge bronze double-headed eagle with outstretched wings sits on the capital of the column facing the sea. Bowed heads of an eagle, crowned with a large imperial crown. In its beaks it holds a massive wreath, the left side of which is composed of laurel leaves, and the right side of acorns and oak leaves. A sea anchor hanging on a chain is attached to the wreath. On the chest of the eagle hangs a shield with the image of St. George the Victorious.

At the base of the column is a hexagonal pedestal of hewn granite blocks. The pedestal facing the embankment is adorned with a bronze bas-relief depicting a scene of the sinking of ships. Below the bas-relief there is an inscription reading: “In memory of the ships sunk in 1854-1855. to block the entrance to the raid. The author's signature is displayed in the lower right corner: "A. Adamson Sculp. 1904".
On the northern side of the granite cliff, an almost five-meter mast was installed - a bronze fore-topmast.

The majestic and proud monument to the scuttled ships is one of the most beloved by residents and guests of the city. It is a symbol and visiting card of Sevastopol.