GEPN - diving in Fort Zbarzh

The group exploring Podwarszawskie diving sites has attacked once again! This time, the group of Warsaw divers took as their target the flooded ruins of an old fort. Below is a report from the participants of the expedition to this interesting location.

-- Advertisement --

“On Thursday 30 May, a representation of the Sub-Warsaw Diving Exploration Group made an exploration of Fort Zbarż located at Okęcie in the Warsaw District of Włochy.

Maximum logged depth 3.5 metres in open water, inside neck barracks max 2 metres. Visibility max. 1-2 metres. The area is not suitable for larger groups, and it is advisable to wear a helmet when entering the barracks. The bricks, which have been in contact with water for many years, crumble when touched, so be careful when penetrating the inside of the barracks.

We located a sunken boat in the main corridor and sunken trees in the open part of the basin. There was a lot of flora and fauna underwater. We managed to observe dwarf catfish, as well as perch and minnows.

Fort VII (“Zbarż”) – is one of the forts of the outer ring of the Warsaw Fortress, built in the 1880s. The previous one is Fort VI “Okęcie” and the next one is Fort VIII “Służew”.

The single-ramparted fort surrounded by a moat was built on a pentagonal plan. As part of the liquidation of the fortress after 1909, the fort was partially demolished. During one of the modernisations a concrete escarpment caponier was built, one of the few in Warsaw, whose massive ruins still exist today. Later, the fort was flooded, which led to the ruin of the brick barracks.

Currently, the surroundings of the fort are used as allotment gardens. The fort itself, which is in ruins, is owned by the Military Property Agency and is almost entirely open to history enthusiasts and anglers.”

More photos on the GEPN website