Fort Bridgehead in Toruń

The Bridgehead Fort in Toruń, built between 1824 and 1828, is located in the left-bank part of the city, at Podgórska Street. Its main purpose was to protect the wooden bridge and the Toruń Główny railway station. The oldest element of the fortification is a long wall with embrasures, which is still visible from Podgórska Street. The fort originally featured a deep moat and a caponier, and in 1827, a monument to the Austrian Colonel Franz Brusch von Neuburg was unveiled. Over time, part of the fort's area was handed over for the construction of the railway station. In 1888, the fort was reinforced with a concrete covering, and its slopes were forested, which altered its architecture. In the 20th century, the fort housed "family homes" for officers and the Lacpol factory, which produced processed cheese, though it was closed in 2022. In the 1920s, the fort was used as a uniform factory and a supply station for military transports. The site also holds significant historical importance, as at the turn of 1981 and 1982, protest slogans against the communist regime in Poland appeared on the fort's wall. These inscriptions were entered into the register of monuments in 2020. The Bridgehead Fort is also listed in the municipal register of monuments under number 288, highlighting its importance as a historical and cultural landmark in Toruń.