Underground passages

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Petrovaradin fortress countermine system

In 1762, the Austrians lost Schweidnitz Fortress to the Prussian army, in part, because they were not able to fight well underground. The Austrians learned from this failure, and Austrian engineer A. Heinrich Schroder (Major commandant of Mineurs Corps) was brought in to develop a way to protect Petrovaradin fortress network of tunnels in the event of another war with the Ottoman Empire. By 1764 he had put together a plan for more tunnels beneath Hornverk. Four hundred people worked from 1764 to 1776 on the project. Emperor Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor, himself, visited the tunnels in 1768, 1783, 1786, and 1788. During his first visit, he was so impressed during the military inspection that he promoted Schroder, and ordered the building to continue at an accelerated rate. To this day, there is a well in the fourth level named after Joseph II.

When the tunnel system was completed, the Petrovaradin fortress has 16,000 meters (9.94 miles) of tunnels. Greatest countermine systems are in Luxembourg (23,000 meters) and Fortress Josefov (45,000 meters)

In a time of siege, Petrovaradin fortress can accommodate 10,000 people, and 4,000 cent of powder. The underground system can handle an additional 6,000 people, but the powder magazines can only hold 2,000 cent of powder, and not enough food for everyone.

Powder Magazines: One in upper fortress One in Hornverk Three in downtown One in bridgehead One near Kamenitz village Three on the left side of the Danube

In times of war, Petrovaradin standing garrisons is: General staff: 64 Infantry: 8,134 Cavalry: 120 Artilleryman: 863 Chambermaid's: 21 Engineer's and Miners: 93 Proviant service: 89 Total: 9384

Links

Petrovaradin fortress on-line

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