Możliwości adaptacji zabytków fortyfikacji nowożytnej na przykładzie fortu nr 1 w Zakroczymiu

There is a certain group of architectural objects in Poland whose place among those considered ais monuments is still far from to be duly appreciated. By saying this the au th o r has in mind a wide range of fortifications coming from th e 118th and 19th century which represent the lasting monuments of works carried out in this country by the Polish, Russian, Austrian and Prussian military engineers and architects. There are, however, also many reasons to grow seriously disquiet by the fact th a t the state of p r e servation of these fortifications deteriorates at an increasing rate as a result of the lack of proper legal protection and preserving care they are fully deserving. In a situation where no adequate financial means are available for preservation of the 19th-centu ry objects the only proper solution may be found in form of a suitable and appropriate adaptation of the afore-mentioned fortifications to the modern in dustrial, scientific, touring and recreational purposes, however, with this indiispensible condition in view th a t all these adaptative works should be carried out by experts notorious of the ir high sensibility for matters connected with the preservation of monuments and protection of historical sites. • A number of attempts of th a t kind have been undertaken by the author within the activities of the Chair of Polish Architecture, Polytechnical School, Warsaw under the guidance of Professor Dr. J. Zachwatowicz and Docent A. Gruszecki. The present publication deals with one of workis in this field. Its chief objective consists in adaptation of the Fort No 1 at Zakroczym forming a p a rt of Modlin fortified system, which is to be converted into a modern cider producing plant and at the same time giving this valuable object the function of museum and a place of inte rest for tourists. The stimulus for the beginning of works connected with this object has been given by the fact th a t the Modlin fortress talkes quite an exceptional place among the 19th-century fortifications still existing on the Palish territory. After several modernizations within a period of Napoleonic wars and those ranging to the I World War, as the time passed it has become some kind of living museum enabling 'to observe the development of a rt of fortification. An attempt of adapting the Fort No 1 at Zakroczym undertaken by the author has been preceded by a wide range of architectural and historical studies (mainly basing on recorded sources) as well as by a series of on-the-spot investigations and excavations. They allowed ito find out th a t he fort has been built prior to 1885 and later was subjected to reconstructions in 1>91:2'—1914 which resulted in its actual mixed brickwork and concrete construction. There are two main elements defining the historical value of the object, namely its unique multi-level gun shed located in the fort gorge and the rarely found ea rth-built rifle squad trenches in the main bulwark. ^ As a re su lt of the above-mentioned studies and technical and economic analyses an adaptative design has been prepared covering the three following lines: (a) adaptation of fort to industrial purposes (cider producing plant) where as an additional factor, to a great ex ten t facilitating the production, could be considered the relatively great areas of casemates allowing to mellow and store wine a t the proper temperatures, (b) suitable exposure of the fort as an architectural monument with its internal pathway for visiting tourists (by no means obstructing the industrial handling lines) and the establishing of the Modlin fortifications museum, (c) linking of fort with a touring and recreational system of the town of Zakroczym and its nearest re gion, among the others, comprising the design of a motel, cider testing room, motor-car servicing sta tion and the camping site on the Vistula river side, all connected with the fort.