The only surviving fortress of three that were built in Podgórze in the mid-19th century to protect the Vistula River and the road to Lwów, Fort Benedict is one of only a few citadels of the 'Maximillion Tower' type left anywhere. An impressive two-storey brick artillery tower in the shape of a sixteen-sided polygon with a round interior yard, the fort has a total surface area of 1500 square metres. Atop the Krzemionki cliffs on Lasota Hill, it takes its name from nearby St. Benedict's Church. The fortress quickly lost its usefulness in the 1890s and has since been used as Austrian military barracks and was even converted into apartments in the 1950s, though today it lies in general dereliction, filled with abandoned furniture and building materials. After numerous projects involving the fort failed to develop, care of Fort Benedict has recently been transferred back to the city of Kraków, with plans for its renovation awaiting approval. At the moment, however, it remains impenetrable to tourists, adding to the scenery and mystique of one of Kraków's most surprising and strange corners.