# Genoese fortress

- **Country:** Ukraine
- **Coordinates:** 44.841554, 34.957852
- **Location Text:** The  in Sudak, Crimea

The Genoese fortress, also known as the Sudak fortress, is a prominent historic site located in the coastal town of Sudak in Crimea. Constructed primarily during the 13th to 15th centuries by the Republic of Genoa, this expansive complex covers an area of nearly 28 hectares. While the current stone structures date to the medieval period, the location holds deeper historical roots, with initial fortifications established by the Romans in the third and fourth centuries and later utilized by the Bosporan Kingdom. The site represents a significant example of medieval military architecture, blending strategic coastal defense design with the engineering practices of its various rulers over the millennia.

The fortress possesses a turbulent history marked by conquest and reconstruction. After the original Genoese defenses were ruined during Mongol invasions in the early 14th century, the Genoese retook the city, then called Soldaia, and erected a new, robust fortress following the death of Khan Berdi Beg. Inscriptions left on the walls by the builders provide valuable historical records of this era. Control later shifted to the Ottoman Empire in 1475 and subsequently to the Russian Empire in 1771. Under Russian rule, the structure lost its strategic value, leading to the dismantling of many buildings for construction materials elsewhere. Despite this degradation, the site remains a crucial archaeological resource and was nominated as one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine.

Today, the Genoese fortress serves as a protected national landmark and functions as part of the National Reserve Sophia of Kyiv. Following the establishment of a museum on the grounds in 1925, extensive restoration efforts have been continuously underway since 1959 to preserve the remaining towers and walls. Although the text cuts off regarding its final status, the site is currently maintained as a major cultural attraction, allowing visitors to explore the remnants of Genoese power and the layered history of Crimean defense systems.

![Photo of Genoese fortress](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/%D0%93%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%83%D0%B5%D0%B7%D1%8C%D0%BA%D0%B0%20%D1%84%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%82%D0%B5%D1%86%D1%8F.%20%D0%9F%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B0.jpg)

**Source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genoese_fortress,_Sudak (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)