The Fortress

In 1810, just before the war with Napoleon, Russian emperor Alexander I ordered to build a fortress in Dinaburg in order to strengthen the western border of the Russian empire. However, by the beginning of the war with France only the works have been completed half-way. On the 1-st of July of 1812 the 35 000 corps of the French marshal Udino approached the fortress. At the moment all the defence of the fortress consisted of 2 500 people. Nevertheless, it took the French army 3 effortless days to storm Dina