Stone Redoubt in Kołobrzeg

The Stone Redoubt (Kamienny Szaniec) in Kołobrzeg, formerly the Waldenfels Redoubt, is a structure of the former Kołobrzeg Fortress. It lies in the belt of dunes right on the Baltic shore, at the junction of Fredry Street with Sułkowskiego and Sikorskiego streets, and closes the Stefan Żeromski Spa Park from the east. Today it is largely a ruin.

Name and place

The German name commemorated Captain Karl W. E. Waldenfels, who fell in 1807 in the nearby Wolf Fort. The Polish name comes from a boulder wall that protected the redoubt from the sea side. In 1807 the bloodiest fighting between the defenders of the fortress and the 1st Infantry Regiment of the Poznań Legion took place here.

Construction and function

The redoubt was built in 1832-1836. It was meant to cover the outskirts of the fortress and the port, including engaging ships. Together with Wolf Fort, today an amphitheatre, it formed the eastern system of Kołobrzeg's fortifications. The bastion had the shape of a redan and consisted of two earth ramparts with casemates and a moat on the north and east. The entrance was on the western side.

Recreation grounds of the spa

From 1887 recreation grounds for the spa began to be laid out around the redoubt. Part of the moat was filled in, trees were planted, a garden restaurant was built inside, and on the rampart on the sea side a glazed veranda with a terrace and café. It was one of the most fashionable places of the resort, a destination for walks and excursions.

Destruction and today

In 1945 the structure was adapted for defence and was destroyed during the Battle of Kołobrzeg. In 1950-1951 it became part of the coastal defence fortifications. Despite being entered in the heritage register on 2 August 1967, it continued to deteriorate, and without scientific consultation the stone breakwater on the sea side was demolished. After that the erosion of the shore intensified and the beach disappeared. For over a dozen years intensive shore protection work has been carried out here, and proposals to rebuild the breakwater have also appeared. In 1995 a food outlet and a discotheque were set up in the ruins.

Nearby

The redoubt closes the Stefan Żeromski Park from the east.

The structure belonged to a system of fortifications whose history is covered under Kołobrzeg Fortress.

Practical information

• Location: Kołobrzeg, the dunes at the junction of Fredry, Sułkowskiego and Sikorskiego streets.
• The site is a historic ruin, and the area around it is covered by shore protection work. Before your visit check with the tourist information office what is currently accessible.