Rajsko Fort in Kraków
Monuments
The artillery fort built in the years 1881–1884 was one of the largest forts of this kind in the entire Habsburg Monarchy – its area is about 2,600 square metres.
It was located on Rajsko Hill, the highest hill in the area (349 m above sea level), thanks to which it was an excellent observation point. Rajsko Fort was one of the first forts to be built with the use of cast concrete – this material was used to mould the monolithic blocks of the barracks, shelters or the caponiers and traverses, the majority of which was covered by thick sod walls, according to the principles of the contemporary art of architecture. The fort was also a crucial structure in the southeast corner of the fortress – its capture or destruction would allow an attack on the group of forts of Kosocice and Prokocim. Therefore, the Russian artillery bombarded this particular fort most intensely in December of 1914. However, the Russians did not have heavy cannons at their disposal, therefore, the fort was practically undamaged after the fights.