The defensive structures combined with the natural landscape form the basis of the urban carcass of historic cities. Their preservation enhances the compositional impact of fortification monuments in the urban environment. Most city fortifications remain in a degraded condition. The most complex group is represented by multicomponent «city-fortress» complexes, which, subject to professionally performed works on conservation, restoration and revitalization, can become a leading factor of the integral architectural and urban value. The main problem of restoring degraded cityfortresses is keeping the balance between artistic integrity and material authenticity. Undoubtedly, only the ruin can be completely authentic. But the purpose of restoring fortifications in an urban environment is not to perpetuate their degradation in order to preserve material authenticity. This actualizes the use of a synthetic conservation and restoration methods (in particular an analogy method), which provides not only documentary conservation, but a certain environmental aestheticization of the object by a wider range of restoration means than those stipulated by the Venice Charter.