Yeni-Calais or Yenikale in Crimea is a fortress on the coast of the Kerch Channel in the north-eastern city of Kerch. It was built by the Ottomans in 1699-1706.

Its name comes from the Turkish language and means “the New Fortress”.

In 1701, on the west bank of the Kerch Channel, the Turks started the erection of a new fortress to counter the Russian ships to get into the Black Sea.

The place was well chosen: the steep bank, opposite the sandy spit Chushka.

The location was very convenient for passing ships: because of the inability to make the maneuver the ship as if get under fire from coast batteries.

The position was well covered by sandbanks and Turkish vessels on the passable zones. The fortress Taman served as a rear.

Construction of the fortress was led by Goloppo, an Italian who accepted Islam. The construction was also attended by several French engineers.

Yeni-Calais had great strategic importance. It was located at the narrowest part of the channel and armed with powerful guns. The fortress controlled the passage of ships between the Azov and Black Seas.

Furthermore, Yeni-Calais served as the residence of the Turkish pasha. The fortress was of the shape of an irregular pentagon, and following the steep terrain, it was located at several levels.

There were five half-bastions in the corners, which were capable of withstanding a long siege and heavy artillery fire. Some of them were far pulled out of the wall.

Hence, the area of defeating the enemy was growing and it became possible to fire the flanking area bordering with the walls.

An additional tier of defense was a ditch surrounding the fortress from three sides, except for one from the coast.

Yeni-Calais occupied a territory covering around 2.5 ha and consisted of two powder magazine, armory, apartment houses, water tank, bath-house, and mosque.

About 800 Turkish and 300 Tatar soldiers were garrisoned in Yeni-Calais.

A major problem was the lack of fresh water – the only well in the fort could not provide water to all the population.

Therefore, for the water supply, there was built a ceramic underground water pipe connecting Yeni-Calais with a source located a few kilometers away from the fortress. In the summer of 1771 the Russian army invaded the Crimea.

Yeni-Calais was captured without any fight by parts of the Second Army of the Major General Borzov N.A.

The Turkish garrison arrived by ship several days before the Russian Army. However, despite the large reinforcements from the Turkish Army, the last left the fortress.

In 1774, according to the Kiutchouk-Kaynarca agreement Kerch and Yeni-Calais were handed over to Russia.

By the end of XVIII century Yeni-Calais has lost its military significance, and in 1835 there was built a military hospital in its territory.

During the Crimean War in 1853-1856 the fortress was partially repaired and there were installed several coastal batteries inside of it.

On the May 12th, 1855 the two cities entered into battle with the British squadron, which entered the Kerch Channel.

However, the guns were undershooting, so the Russian High Command ordered to rivet the guns, blow up the powder magazines and leave the position.

In 1880, after the abolition of the military hospital located inside of the fortress, Yeni-Calais was finally abandoned.

In the second half of the XX century the fortress had a number of restoration works, and Yeni-Calais was given the status of architectural monument protected by state. Today Yeni-Calais is one of the sights of the Crimea.