The Ditch, the Small Ditch, Half-Wall Defenses, and Outer Defenses

The Ditch’s original appearance is unknown, though it was probably much more modest when the Garrison and Civil Yard curtain walls were first constructed.

The Ditch’s current appearance, with its inner and outer masonry-faced, nearly vertical walls, resting upon bedrock in most places, was probably achieved during the transformation of the Garrison and Civil Yard curtain walls into a more-or-less concentric scheme modeled on Constantinople’s defenses which use a double-wall scheme where larger inner walls are fronted by shorter half-walls in front. Given the nature of Akkerman’s half-wall defenses, especially the manner in which some of the half-wall towers protrude into the Ditch and descend to its bottom, it seems almost certain that they were constructed at the same time as the masonry-faced ditch we see today.

The Small Ditch

The width of the Small Ditch between the fortress’s curtain walls and the half-walls varies from place to place. [Fig 1] Sometimes it is easily passable when walking along the Small Ditch, while at other times reconstructed towers along the curtain wall leave very little room between them and the half-wall. At a number of places, the Small Ditch has eroded away with the collapse of the half-wall defenses into the main Ditch. This is the case in front of Tower 20, between Towers 18, 17, and 16, between Towers 15 and 14, around Tower 13, and around Tower 2.

Entry into the Small Ditch is provided at a number of locations by doorways (posterns) (now mostly blocked) through the curtain walls. The only unblocked example exists near Tower 1 where a passage from the Garrison Yard enters the Small Ditch through the north curtain wall. [Figs 18 and 90] Evidence for blocked passages exists on both sides of Tower 6 [Figs 44 and 45], between Towers 11 and 12 [Fig 91], between Towers 12 and 13 (though only one, not two as depicted on the 1950s plan, p. 90) [Figs 55 and 92-93], between Towers 14 and 15 [Fig 94], and between Towers 19 and 20 [Figs 63 and 95].

Half-Wall Towers

Along the Ditch’s inner wall, there are a number of half-wall towers that project into the Ditch (Towers 30, 3A, 8A, 11A, 13A, 17A, 19A, and 20A). Openings in the walls of these towers, whether at the level of the Small Ditch or lower in the Ditch, would have allowed flanking fire up and down the main Ditch.

Tower 30

This tower is actually a projection of the half-wall defenses outward to the north at the north end of the main Ditch. [Figs 1 and 96] It was previously surmounted by a gun emplacement whose cannon embrasure opening to the north was recorded in the 1950s (p. 91, fig. 50).16 Four external buttresses have been added to this projection (three on the east and one at the northwest corner) to ensure it does not collapse.

Tower 3A

This half-wall tower (briefly discussed above with Tower 3) descends from the half-wall defenses all the way down to the base of the Ditch, where it rests upon a bedrock foundation. [Fig 97] In the 1950s, steps were apparently recorded near its base on its north side (p. 91, fig. 50). At its top level, an arrow loop can be seen to face to the north. Its eastern face is decorated by three stone cannon balls, while its southern face has a musket loop facing outward.

The most interesting feature of this tower is its hollow nature almost down to the level of the Ditch bottom. [Fig 98] On its south side, there are two loop openings, the lowest of which could have been climbed into as recently as 2006. It may have served as a clandestine postern gate from the fortress. [Fig 99] Further exploration is required to fully understand the significance of this half-wall tower and its connection to the enigmatic Tower 3 behind it.

Tower 8A

This half-wall tower descends to the base of the Ditch but does not appear to have any openings below the level of the Small Ditch (p. 91, fig. 50). [Fig 100] At this level, a window faces south and a gun loop faces east.

Tower 11A

This half-wall tower descends to the base of the Ditch but only has one gun loop opening on its north face, just below the level of the Small Ditch (p. 91, fig. 50). [Fig 101]

Tower 13A

The footings of this half-wall tower descend to the Ditch bottom. [Figs 102 and 103] About halfway down the tower’s west side there is a doorway that would have provided access to the Ditch bottom. [Fig 104] In front of the tower, within the Ditch, there are two substantial agglomerations of masonry that clog the Ditch’s bottom. These could be the collapsed remains of Tower 13A’s upper levels. Alternatively, they could be the footings of a bridge that crossed the Ditch and gave access to the outer bastions (see below for the map in Şlapac that marks this space as a possible bridge).

Tower 17A

This half-wall tower does not extend down to the bottom of the Ditch. Instead, it has been corbelled out to overhang the Ditch. [Fig 105]

Tower 19A

This half-wall tower descends to the Ditch bottom. On both east and west faces, it has a gun loop providing flanking fire down the main Ditch. More significant is the (now blocked) doorway on the west that provides access to the Ditch bottom from within the tower. [Fig 106]

Tower 20A

Most of the remains of this half-wall tower have disappeared, but some of the plans and maps within Şlapac indicate its previous existence (p. 147, fig. 96). [Fig 68]

The Bottom of the Ditch and its External Wall

The bottom of the Ditch is basically flat and maintains a relatively consistent width from its west end to its north end. [Figs 107 and 108]

In most places, the external Ditch wall (which is nearly vertical) rises up to the ‘normal’ ground surface outside of the fortress. However, near the Ditch’s west end, this outer wall rises above the ground surface, sometimes forming the back wall of nearby modern buildings. [Figs 68 and 109]

Opposite Towers 17 and 18, in the outer Ditch wall, there is a natural fissure in the bedrock beneath the wall. [Figs 110 and 111]

Opposite Tower 11, near the SE corner of the Ditch, along its outer southern wall, a water spout projects into the Ditch and still drains the outer glacis when it rains. [Fig 112]

The Bridge to Akkerman’s Main Gate

Although currently blocked with debris, the bridge to the main gate appears to have been built on an arch that spanned the Ditch and would have allowed passage beneath it along the Ditch bottom. [Fig 44]

The Ends of the Ditch

Currently, both ends of the Ditch open up onto their respective terminal beaches. [Figs 113, 114 and 115] The only notable features are the buttresses at the north of the Ditch which have been added to support the projection of the half-wall Small Ditch of Tower 30. [Fig 115]

Outer Defenses

Inspection of the area to the east and south of the fortress did not reveal any clear evidence of outer defenses. The only feature identified was a slight rise in ground surface as one approaches the fortress from the south—a possible glacis. This lack of evidence is notable given the extensive documentation of (proposed) outer works in the late 18th and early 19th centuries (see next page)..

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