Battlefield of Sevastopol (Crimean War)

[DavidB]

Unlike Balaklava, I have to admit there's not a great deal in Sevastopol today that the casual visitor would recognise from studying the Crimean War.
A couple of reasons come to mind:
1. an urban environment, so inevitably there's a lot of modern redevelopment
2. the ravages of WW2. The city suffered hugely during the 2nd siege in 1942 and the recapture by the Red Army in 1944.

There are a few highlights though.
One is the "Museum of the Heroic Defence of Sevastopol 1854-55" and the famous panorama painting which is 14m high and 115m around. You view the circular painting from the centre and it depicts a snapshot from 6 June 1855 when the Russian defenders repelled an Allied attack on the Korabelnaya Quarter. The detail is stunning, and together with the other museum exhibits, it's a must for Crimean War enthusiasts. Also, the museum is on Malakov Kurgan and outside in what is now a park there's a mock-up of some of the Malakov defences of the time with period artillery pieces.
More info here:
http://sevastopol.russian-women.net/Panorama.shtml

[Garen]

That sounds amazing. Any photos of the painting? (edit - okay - just followed your link )

I presume this was an intended Crimean War-related trip. Did it make a good holiday as well?

Really enjoying your photos and comments.

[DavidB]

I presume this was an intended Crimean War-related trip. Did it make a good holiday as well?

Actually Garen, it was the other way round. First and foremost a good holiday, with Crimean War interest as a bonus.
I like slightly adventurous holiday destinations!
At the risk of sounding like a holiday rep, it a really good destination. Nice seaside resorts like Yalta where I was based (a day trip away from Sevastopol and history of its own), Mediterranean climate, fairly cheap by Western standards, plenty of attractions and no visas needed for Ukraine.
The only thing I would say is a specialist guide would be worthwhile for visiting the battlefields. The chap we had on that day was a perfectly good general tour guide, but he didn't have any specialist knowledge of the Crimean War sites and so there may well have been more we could have seen.

[DavidB]

Sevastopol harbour - this is the sunken ships monument that remembers the blockships that the Russians scuttled across the channel to deny access to the Allies. Whether it actually marks the position of the blockships isn't clear (to me at least).

Other monuments in the city that I didn't photograph are to Admirals Nakhimov and Kornilov, General Totleben and Lev (Leo) Tolstoy who was an artillery officer. Also Bratskoye Cemetery where defenders of 1854-55 are buried.

[DavidB]

A survivor of the 1850s!!!
The Konstantinovsky Ravelin (or Battery) on the north side of the harbour.
As I mentioned before, many buildings like this didn't survive WW2

Wish I'd taken this photo of it - then and now in the same shot!
http://sevastopol.russian-women.net/sev ... 9888.shtml

[sidney7]

Hi Everyone,

I was just researching my 'Gainsborough sword' when one thing led to another, and I ended up on this site that had 'before and after pics' of somewhere near Sevastopol.
The original photos were taken by Victorian Era photographer Robert Fenton sometime after the Siege of Sevastopol apparently.
Apparently there are 2 Fenton photos , one with cannonballs on road, and one without.
There seems to be some controversy as to which of the 2 original images was taken first!
(I hope there is no copyright on them )

Anyhow It makes compelling discussion, check out the site and see what you reckon!
http://filmchatblog.blogspot.com/2007/10/errol-morris-on-robert-fentons-war.html
http://morris.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/04/which-came-first-part-two/

Cheers
Sid.

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