Ostrog (fortress)

Wooden fortress, historic Russia

The tower of Ilimsky ostrog, now in Taltsy Museum in Irkutsk, Siberia.

Ostrog (Russian: острог, IPA: [ɐˈstrok]) is a Russian term for a small fort, typically wooden and often non-permanently staffed. Ostrogs were encircled by 4–6 metres high palisade walls made from sharpened trunks. The name derives from the Russian word строгать (strogat'), "to shave the wood". Ostrogs were smaller and exclusively military forts, compared to larger kremlins that were the cores of Russian cities. Ostrogs were often built in remote areas or within the fortification lines, such as the Great Abatis Line.

## History

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The tower of Yakutsky ostrog in Siberia.

From the 17th century, after the start of the Russian conquest of Siberia, the word ostrog was used to designate the forts founded in Siberia by Russian explorers. Many of these forts later transformed into large Siberian cities.

When later Siberia became a favourite destination for criminals sent there to serve katorga, Siberian ostrogs became associated with imprisonment, and in the 18th and 19th centuries the word ostrog often meant prison.

## See also

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* Kremlin (fortification)
* Blockhouse

## References

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* Ostrog at the Great Soviet Encyclopedia (in Russian)

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Fortifications

Ancient|

* Abatis
* Acropolis
* Agger
* Broch
* Burgus
* Castellum
* Castra
* Castros
* Chengqiang
* Circular rampart
* City gate
* Crannog
* Ditch
* Defensive wall
* Dun
* Faussebraye
* Gatehouse
* Gord
* Hillfort
* Landwehr
* Limes
* Nuraghe
* Oppidum
* Palisade
* Pincer gate
* Promontory fort
* Rampart
* Ringfort (Rath)
* Refuge castle
* Schwedenschanze
* Stockade
* Sudis
* Trou de loup
* Vallum
* Wagon fort (Laager)
* Vitrified fort

Post-classical|

* Advanced work
* Albarrana tower
* Alcazaba
* Alcázar
* Amba
* Arrowslit
* Barbican
* Bartizan
* Bastion
* Battery tower
* Battlement
* Bawn
* Bent entrance
* Bergfried
* Berm
* Boom
* Bretèche
* Bridge castle
* Bridge tower
* Burh
* Butter-churn tower
* Caer
* Caltrop
* Castle
* Chamber gate
* Chartaque
* Chashi
* Chemin de ronde
* Chemise
* Cheval de frise
* Citadel
* Coercion castle
* Concentric castle
* Corner tower
* Counter-castle
* Curtain
* Drawbridge
* Enceinte
* Embrasure
* Flanking tower
* Fortified buildings (church, house, Dzong)
* Fujian tulou
* Ganerbenburg
* Gate tower
* Gabion
* Glacis
* Guard tower
* Gulyay-gorod
* Gusuku
* Half tower
* Hoarding
* Inner bailey
* Kasbah
* Keep
* Kremlin (Detinets)
* Ksar
* Landesburg
* L-plan castle
* Machicolation
* Merlon
* Moat
* Motte-and-bailey
* Murder hole
* Neck ditch
* Outer bailey
* Outwork
* Peel tower
* Portcullis
* Postern
* Powder tower
* Qalat
* Reduit
* Ribat
* Ricetto
* Ringwork
* Roundel
* Quadrangular castle
* Shell keep
* Shield wall
* Shiro
* Toll castle
* Tower castle
* Tower house
* Turret
* Viking ring fortress
* Wall tower
* Bailey (or ward)
* Watchtower
* Witch tower
* Yagura
* Yett
* Zwinger

Modern|

| Early modern|

* Abwurfdach
* Arsenal
* Barricade
* Bastion
* Blockhouse
* Breastwork
* Canal
* Caponier
* Casemate
* Cavalier
* Counterguard
* Couvreface
* Coupure
* Covertway
* Crownwork
* Device Forts
* Entrenchment
* Flèche
* Gorge
* Gunpowder magazine
* Hornwork
* Kotta mara
* Lunette
* Magazine
* Orillon
* Ostrog
* Palanka
* Place-of-arms
* Polygonal fort
* Presidio (Spanish America)
* Punji sticks
* Ravelin
* Redan
* Redoubt
* Retrenchment
* Sally port
* Sandbag
* Scarp and Counterscarp
* Sconce
* Schanze
* Sea fort
* Station
* Star fort
* Tenaille

|

19th century|

* Barbed wire
* Barbette
* Border outpost
* Bunker
* Coastal artillery
* Disappearing gun
* Fire control tower
* Gun turret
* Land mine
* Martello tower
* Outpost
* Polygonal fort
* Sangar
* Wire obstacles

20th century|

* Admiralty scaffolding
* Air raid shelter
* Anti-tank trench
* Barbed tape
* Belgian gate
* Blast shelter
* Blast wall
* Border security
* Bomb shelter
* Buoy
* Bremer wall
* Concertina wire
* Defensive fighting position
* British "hedgehog" road block
* Czech hedgehog
* Dragon's teeth
* Entry control point (ECP)
* Electric fence
* Fallout shelter
* Fire support base
* Flak tower
* Hardened aircraft shelter
* Hesco bastion
* Kabal
* Loophole
* Main line of resistance
* Missile launch facility
* Pillbox
* Revetment
* Sentry gun
* Spider hole
* Submarine pen
* Underground hangar
* Weapon storage area
* Weapons Storage and Security System

By topography|

* Cave castle
* Hill castle
* Hillfort
* Hillside castle
* Hilltop castle
* Island castle
* Lowland castle
* Marsh castle
* Moated castle
* Promontory fort
* Ridge castle
* Rocca
* Rock castle
* Spur castle
* Water castle
* Floating water castle

By role|

* Border barrier
* Coastal defence
* Coercion castle
* Counter-castle
* Fence
* Ganerbenburg
* Hunting lodge
* Imperial castle
* Kaiserpfalz
* Landesburg
* Lustschloss
* Military base
* Obstacle
* Ordensburg
* Refuge castle
* Toll castle
* Urban castle

By design|

* Bastion fort
* Bridge castle
* Circular rampart
* Concentric castle
* L-plan castle
* Motte-and-bailey castle
* Quadrangular castle
* Ringfort
* Ringwork
* Tower castle
* Z-plan castle

Lists|

* Bastion forts
* Castles
* Cities with defensive walls
* Defense line
* Fortified estate
* Fortifications
* Forts
* Military installations
* Walls

Related word|

* Castle town
* Château
* Dungeon
* Festung
* Fortified gateway
* Gatekeeper
* Loophole
* National redoubt
* Palas
* Picket
* Schloss
* Trench
* Vedette

Other topics|

* Civil defense
* Continuity of government
* Military urbanism
* Subterranean warfare
* Siege
* Siege engine
* list
* Tunnel warfare
* Trench warfare
* Urban warfare
* Guerrilla

* See also:  Category

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