Akkerman Fortress

Akkerman Fortress, also known as Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi Fortress, is the largest fortification monument in Ukraine, erected between the 13th and 15th centuries on the site of the ruins of the ancient polis of Tyras. Situated on the rocky coast of the Dniester Estuary, it features a wall perimeter of 2.5 km and a total area of over 9 hectares, with walls up to 5 meters thick and 15 meters high, which provided it with a high defensive capability. The construction of the fortress, presumably initiated by the Genoese (who called it Moncastro), was significantly expanded and reinforced during the period of the Principality of Moldavia by the ruler Stephen the Great in the 15th century. The fortress complex is divided into four main courtyards: the Citadel (the most heavily fortified part with four towers—the Court, Commandant, Dungeon, and Treasury towers), the Garrison Yard, the Civic Yard (featuring the Kiliya Gate), and the Port Yard. For 328 years, the fortress remained under the rule of the Ottoman Empire (known as Akkerman, meaning "white stone"), serving as their stronghold despite numerous attacks by the Zaporozhian Cossacks, during which time its fortifications were constantly modernized. Akkerman Fortress lost its strategic importance in 1832 and was declared a historical and architectural monument in 1896; today, it is one of the most popular tourist attractions in southern Ukraine and is nominated for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List.