Photograph of Sevastopol taken from the Malakoff redoubt. On the hillside in the foreground there are a couple of ruined buildings and piles of abandoned wicker fencing. Behind are the buildings of Sevastopol with the former dock area to the left surrounding a tall mast. Beyond the city is the harbour, with Fort St Nicholas at the opening of the harbour to the left. The Siege of Sevastopol lasted eleven months, with the allied British, French and Turkish forces eventually capturing the city on the 8th September 1855. In order to prevent the restoration of Sevastopol as a Russian stronghold the British destroyed the dry docks in January 1856 and Fort St Nicholas was destroyed by the French in February 1856.