Model by: Atlas 3D – Photogrammetry Poland

The Kościuszko Mound – a symbolic tomb of Tadeusz Kościuszko – was built on Saint Bronisława Hill between 1820 and 1823, initiated by the authorities of the Free City of Kraków and its residents. The mound was intended to be a lasting and simple monument commemorating the Leader, modeled after the Krakus and Wanda mounds, and became a major patriotic undertaking. The ceremonial start of construction took place on October 16, 1820, and the work was completed three years later – on October 25, 1823. The mound, approximately 34 meters high, has remained under the care of the Kościuszko Mound Committee in Kraków from its inception to this day. More than three decades later, during the Austrian partition, the area around the mound was handed over to the occupying army to construct a fort surrounding the site. Fort 2 “Kościuszko” was thus built in the mid-19th century – long after the mound itself – integrating this patriotic monument into the Kraków Fortress fortification system.

History of Fort II Kościuszko in Kraków

The citadel-type Fort “Kościuszko” was built by the Austrians between 1850 and 1856 around the Kościuszko Mound, as they considered Saint Bronisława Hill a key strategic point for defending Kraków from the west. It was the largest and one of the oldest forts of the Austrian Kraków Fortress – designed to house over 730 soldiers, armed with 60 cannons (field guns and howitzers) and 6 mortars. The fort had a roughly hexagonal plan with bastions at its corners: three large bastions extended from the west side, and two smaller ones from the east, forming a ring of brick fortifications around the mound. The fort was likely designed by Polish military architect Feliks Księżarski. Between 1907 and 1910, the fort was modernized and incorporated into the new defensive core of the Kraków Fortress, with reinforcements built near the mound. Despite its military potential, the fort saw no combat action during World War I.

During World War II, the fort again played no major combat role, although in September 1939 it hosted an anti-aircraft artillery battery defending the city. During the German occupation, the hill and mound served as an observation point, and some of the fort’s rooms were used as a camp for interned Italian soldiers after 1943. Near the end of the war, retreating German troops blew up parts of the fort’s defenses. After 1945, the new communist authorities deemed the Austrian fortress remains unnecessary – a systematic demolition began to recover bricks and erase the trace of the former occupiers. The demolition continued until 1957, during which the western part of the fort, including the main bastions, was destroyed. Fortunately, thanks to protests from preservation enthusiasts, further destruction was halted. The surviving fort fragments were listed as historical monuments in 1968, granting them legal protection.

In the following decades, the abandoned fort fell into ruin and obscurity. It wasn’t until around 1970 that the first adaptation efforts began – some buildings were converted into a hotel and tourist infrastructure. After the fall of communism, the site’s function changed: in the early 1990s, Poland’s first private radio station – RMF FM – established its broadcast headquarters in the fort. At the same time, work began to secure and renovate the site for museum and recreational purposes. Some rooms and exhibitions dedicated to Tadeusz Kościuszko were opened to the public. Today, the fort serves only civilian purposes – it houses the Kościuszko Museum, the RMF FM radio station, as well as a viewing point, cafés, and hotel facilities for tourists visiting the mound. Ongoing renovations have improved the fort’s technical condition – for example, the walls near Bastion V and the southern caponier were restored in 2013, now housing a conference and exhibition center. Fort Kościuszko and the mound together form one of Kraków’s key attractions, blending historical value with modern use.

Bastions I–III – from destruction to revitalization

Bastions I–III of Fort Kościuszko were three large western bastions that originally protected the fort from the most vulnerable western side. Unfortunately, they were almost completely destroyed in the mid-20th century – demolished during postwar dismantling work and later buried under rubble. For decades, this area remained inaccessible, overgrown with vegetation and forgotten ruins.

At the end of the first decade of the 21st century, Kraków’s authorities decided to reclaim this area for the public. In 2011, the Municipality of Kraków, through the Municipal Buildings Authority (ZBK), launched a revitalization project for the ruined Bastions I–III. During the works, the buried remnants were uncovered, damaged bricks were replaced, and the outlines of the walls were reconstructed, adapting everything to new civilian functions. The former fortification area was transformed into a park with walking paths – existing old trees were preserved, new decorative plants were added, lighting and small architectural elements were installed. Surviving wall fragments were shaped into an amphitheater layout, allowing for small concerts and open-air cinema events. Today, the restored Fort Kościuszko Park serves as a recreational space, offering a unique blend of greenery and historic fortress ruins. The revitalized bastions and the surrounding park are open to residents and tourists alike.

The development of Bastions I–III took over a decade – with interruptions. The project began in 2011 and was completed in autumn 2024, when the renewed area was ceremonially opened to the public. The investment was carried out by the City of Kraków (ZBK) in cooperation with heritage conservators. The total cost of the revitalization amounted to approximately PLN 35 million, of which PLN 4.5 million came from the Social Committee for the Restoration of Kraków’s Monuments, and PLN 13.5 million from European Union funds.

Today, the former bastions of Fort Kościuszko have been given a second life – as a green historical park that enriches Kraków’s recreational offerings and preserves the remains of this unique fortification from further decay.

Architectural Model of Fort No. 2 “Kościuszko”

At the entrance to the Kościuszko Museum at the mound, there is a model presenting the original appearance of Fort No. 2 “Kościuszko” – including the full layout of bastions, such as Bastions I–III, which were completely destroyed after World War II. The model allows visitors to see how impressive the fortifications surrounding the mound once were. Thanks to years of effort by the Municipal Buildings Authority in Kraków, the destroyed bastions have been partially reconstructed and revitalized. The former fortification site has been transformed into a publicly accessible historical park with walkways, greenery, and elements of former defensive architecture.

Model by: Atlas 3D – Photogrammetry Poland

3D Model

As part of my Kraków 3D project, a detailed digital spatial model of Fort Kościuszko and the Kościuszko Mound was created. The model was developed using photogrammetry – a technique for producing three-dimensional representations of objects based on thousands of overlapping photographs taken from different perspectives. To create the virtual model of the fort and mound, I used over 12,000 photos taken with a drone and a digital camera. Producing such a rich model required dozens of hours of work by a high-performance computer, and the project occupies over 200 GB of data. The version presented on the Kraków 3D website has been simplified compared to the original high-resolution version to ensure smooth viewing via a web browser. This digital model allows for interactive exploration of Fort Kościuszko and the Kościuszko Mound – we can view them from a bird’s-eye perspective, examine architectural details, and freely rotate and zoom the model, making it a great complement to a physical visit to this remarkable site.