Pechersk Lavra fortification

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The Lavra fortification (Ukrainian: Лаврські фортифікаційні споруди, Lavrs’ki fortyfikatsiini sporudy; Russian: Лаврские фортификационные укрепления , Lavrskie fortifikatsionnye ukrepleniya) is a system of walls, towers and other constructions built for the protection of the Cave Monastery in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine.

The fortification wall around the monastery was built in stone during the hetmanate of Ivan Mazepa, who financed its construction at the height of the Great Northern War. The wall was to defend the monastery in case of Swedish or Russian attack.

The fortification consisted of a total of four towers:

• the Southwest Tower, also called the tower of Ivan Kuschnik, taken from the name of the church that was supposed to be constructed in the tower but was not built;
• the South Tower, or the Horlogium, because it had an installed clock up to 1818;
• the North Tower, also called the Painting Tower, because it once held a paining studio;
• and the East Tower containing the church of Saint Onufry, also called the Chamber Tower because at one time it contained Hetman Mazepa's chambers.

Near the North Tower, there is a water tower, which is not part of the Lavra fortification system. It was designed by the architect V. Sychugov and constructed to ensure the Lavra's fresh water supply in 1879.

[edit] References

Kiev Pechersk Lavra
Dormition Cathedral | Great Lavra Belltower | Refectory Church
Church of All Saints | Church of the Saviour at Berestove | Church of the Exaltation of Cross
Gate Church of the Trinity | Church of the Nativity of the Virgin | Church of the Conception of St. Anne
Church of the Life-Giving Spring
Near Caves | Far Caves
St. Nicholas Monastary | Typography | Theological Academy and Seminary
Debosquette Wall | Lavra fortification