For the 200 year anniversary of founding…
There are remnants of the foundation of a Russian fortress located on Kaua’i, one of the Hawaiian Islands. The fortress was built in 1816 by Siberian industrialists (promishlenniki) and native residents of the islands under the leadership of Dr. George Scheffer, an employee of a Russian-American company. The fortress was built in accordance with the leading achievements for the time in the science of fortificationand had significant defensive power. Siberian and Alaskan traditions of architecture of Russian industrialists (promishlenniki) were reflected in the architecture of the Hawaiian fortress and structures inside the territory of the fort. It is interesting that the lava rock fortress of the bastioned type was unique for the whole region of territory reclamation in North America by Russian industrialists (promishlenniki) of the 18th-19th centuries.
During the past 50 years, a number of archeological and general historical studies have been made researching the presence of Russians on the Hawaiian Islands. Up until recently no complex historical-architectural studies have been completed. This website presents the results of scientific research on the architecture of Kaua’i’s Fort Elizabeth. The reconstruction has been done based on descriptions and graphical images in the documents of the Russian-American company, official reports, observations of eyewitnesses and private correspondence in the first half of the 19th century that are held in the archives of the Russian Federation and the USA, as well as based on modern archeological, cartographical and aerial photography data. The experience collected when researching Russian architectural heritage in North America in Alaska and California (Fort Ross), as well as the experience of construction of fortification structures of the 18th-19th centuries on the territory of Siberia, Europe and America was used to reconstruct the fortress. Using modern computer technology and world experience of 3D modeling of fortificating structures allows us to reconstruct the appearance of the fortress in detail, as well as its separate structures, its connection and position relative to the existing natural-geographical landscape, as well as analyze its defense options. The 3D computer model created allows it to be used for a cultural-educational and teaching process, and touse it for popularization of the historical park and attracting tourists to the Hawaiian Islands. Fort Elizabeth is still an underestimated cultural heritage of the United States and Russia at the same time, playing an important role in forming mutual cultural connections of two nations.Its uniqueness in the architectural and historical aspects makes work of studying it and reconstructing it relevant, important and timely.

Alexander Molodin, PhD

Follow this links to download software v1.0:
1. Link to Web version (You’ll need to instal special plugin for your brouser)
2. Link to Download PC version of interactive model package
3. Link to Download Mac version of interactive model package
4. Link to Download Virtual reality for Oculus Rift DK2 glasses package

Please find more materials in:

1. Description

2. Resourses