Monument to the Scuttled Ships - a monument in Sevastopol, Crimea

Monument to the Scuttled Ships - a monument in Sevastopol the emblem of the city designed by sculptor Amandus Adamson, architect Valentin Feldman and military engineer Friedrich Enberg.

The monument was built in 1905 for the 50th anniversary of the First Defense of Sevastopol (1854-1855) during which were flooded Russian sailing ships and blocked up the entrance to Sebastopol Bay.

In June-July 1854 the superior forces of the Allied navy (Britain, France, Turkey and Sardinia) - 34 battleships and 55 frigates (most of them were steam ships) blockaded the Russian fleet (14 sailing ships, six frigates and six steam-frigate) in Sevastopol Bay.

On 9th of September vice-admiral Vladimir Kornilov assembled the military council. At the council he proposed to immediately attack the enemy's fleet which stood at the Cape Lucullus. According to him if successful could destroy the enemy ships and in case of failure - to blow up themselves and part of the Allied navy.

But most of captains offered another plan. Block the path of the enemy and save the city can be scuttling the ships across the bay. Admiral Alexander Menshikov considered both points of view and agreed with military council. Vice-Admiral Vladimir Kornilov who was strongly against such a sacrifice had to obey the orders of Chief of the Army.

The ships sunk during the night by shooting at them from guns. The sailors wept as they watched they disappear under water. On 11th of September 1854 plunged into the water seven vessels - five battleships and two frigates (battleships "Silistra", "Uriel", "Selafail", "Three Saints" and "Varna", frigates "Sizopol" and "Flora"). Between Konstantinov and Alexander batteries were just the tops of the masts over the sea surface.

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