Castles and fortresses in the Leningrad region
In the Leningrad region there are several fortresses and castles, covered in the spirit of the Middle Ages. Romance, and that's all!
Fortress "Bip" or "Big Toy of Paul I"
When Paul ascended the throne, he wished to see a funny castle in place of Marienthal, a house that would delight the heart when clouds were gathering in St. Petersburg and the heart yearned for something bright and... funny .
Therefore, the citadel, which began to be called the “Big Toy of Paul I” - BIP, was built in the shortest possible time - 3 years. With its shape and architectural design, the fortress resembled a knight's castle with a courtyard, towers and drawbridges. Bastions and flashes were scattered around the bridges, a garrison was stationed in the fortress, and on festive occasions, such as the arrival of the imperial family, ceremonial dinners and ordinary promenades in the park, twenty-eight guns were fired. Since 1807, part of the premises was occupied by the School of the Deaf and Dumb. Later there was a School for the Disabled, a hospital and other institutions. During the Great Patriotic War, the building was heavily damaged by artillery shelling and fire, so throughout the second half of the 20th century it was a picturesque ruin. The fortress was restored just a few years ago, and now there is a hotel and restaurant here. Pavlovsk, Mariinskaya street, 4
Vyborg Castle
Vyborg Castle is the only European-type castle in Russia.
The castle was founded by the Swedes in 1293; in the 18th century it was conquered by the troops of Peter I. The main attraction of the castle is Olaf's Tower. You can go up to the observation deck and explore the entire city. The museum has six thematic exhibitions, revealing different periods in the history of the city and the castle.
Time: Tue - Sun 10.00 - 19.00
Place: Vyborg, Castle Island
Fortress in Staraya Ladoga
This fortress is the oldest in the Leningrad region, it was built at the beginning of the 12th century.
The walls of the fortress were up to 8 meters high and about 3 meters thick at the base. During the Time of Troubles, the fortress changed hands several times. In the mid-20th century, restoration of the fortress began, which by that time was almost destroyed, and in 1971 a museum was opened here. Visitors can look at archaeological excavations and objects related to the history of the fortress. Time: Tue - Sun 10.00 -17.00
Place: Volkhov district, Staraya Ladoga
Fortress in Ivangorod
The fortress was built in 1492 by order of Ivan III and his part was named Ivangorod.
The Ivangorod Fortress is the western outpost of Russia (or rather the Principality of Moscow), built at the end of the 15th century by Ivan III. Its goal is to confront the fortress of the Knights of the Teutonic Order (Narva Fortress), built on the other bank of the Narva River back in the 13th century. The fortress is currently being restored, but you can walk freely around its territory. There are also secret passages here, but they are littered with stones. Time: Tue - Sun 10.00 - 18.00
Place: Ivangorod
Koporye Fortress
The first mention of this fortress dates back to 1240.
It was rebuilt several times and passed into the hands of the Swedes several times, then returned back to Russia. In 2001, the fortress received the status of a museum. Now it is partially destroyed, but you can go down into the ancient cellars-dungeons. Of the four towers, three are accessible to visit. The corner tower of the fortress has practically not been preserved, and entry into it is prohibited. Time: Wed - Sun 10.00 - 19.00, Mon - Tue 10.00 - 17.00
Place: Koporye village, 20 km from the turn from 76 km of the St. Petersburg-Tallinn highway
Oreshek Fortress (Shlisselburg Fortress)
The fortress was founded by the Novgorod prince Yuri Danilovich, grandson of Alexander Nevsky, in 1323 year.
In 1612, the fortress came under Swedish rule, at which time it was renamed Noteburg (Walnut City). In 1702, during the Northern War, the fortress was recaptured by Russian troops and renamed Shlisselburg - “key city”. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Shlisselburg fortress was called the “Russian Bastille” - members of the royal family, pretenders to the throne, prominent government and public figures were kept here. Now you can visit the inner passages of the two towers, the old prison "Secret House", and the exhibition, which is located in the building of the "New Prison".
Time: from May 1 to October 31, 10.00 - 17.00
Place: o.
Orekhovy Vysotsk Fortress
In the city of Vysotsk you can find the remains of a fortress built at the end of the 19th century, located on Cape Otradny.
Here the first coastal batteries were erected against a possible approach of the Swedish fleet to help the besieged Vyborg. Unfortunately, in our time there is literally no trace left of those first batteries - one can only guess where exactly they were located. During the next Swedish-Russian war, and then the Crimean War, it was planned to build a strong fortress on this site, but the projects were not implemented. During the next revision of the tactics of the defense of Vyborg and the redevelopment of the naval positions of the Vyborg fortress in the early 1860s, one of the important nodes of the defense of the strait, called the Transund Redoubt, was organized here. Location: Vysotsk, Cape Otradny, Vyborg district of the Leningrad region.
The Korela fortress
Korela is strikingly different both in style and in spirit from most defensive structures in the northwestern region.
The history of the fortress is the story of the constant struggle between Russia and Sweden for control of the route from Lake Ladoga to the Gulf of Finland. Also, the modern appearance of the fortress was influenced by the fact that it lost its defensive significance about 200 years ago and has not been modernized since then. Entrance: 30 - 50 rubles
Time: in the summer Mon - Sun 9.00 - 19.00, the rest of the time Tue - Sun 10.00 - 17.00
Place: Leningradskoe Shosse, 3.
When Paul ascended the throne, he wished to see a funny castle in place of Marienthal, a house that would delight the heart when clouds were gathering in St. Petersburg and the heart yearned for something bright and... funny .
Therefore, the citadel, which began to be called the “Big Toy of Paul I” - BIP, was built in the shortest possible time - 3 years. With its shape and architectural design, the fortress resembled a knight's castle with a courtyard, towers and drawbridges. Bastions and flashes were scattered around the bridges, a garrison was stationed in the fortress, and on festive occasions, such as the arrival of the imperial family, ceremonial dinners and ordinary promenades in the park, twenty-eight guns were fired. Since 1807, part of the premises was occupied by the School of the Deaf and Dumb. Later there was a School for the Disabled, a hospital and other institutions. During the Great Patriotic War, the building was heavily damaged by artillery shelling and fire, so throughout the second half of the 20th century it was a picturesque ruin. The fortress was restored just a few years ago, and now there is a hotel and restaurant here. Pavlovsk, Mariinskaya street, 4
Vyborg Castle
Vyborg Castle is the only European-type castle in Russia.
The castle was founded by the Swedes in 1293; in the 18th century it was conquered by the troops of Peter I. The main attraction of the castle is Olaf's Tower. You can go up to the observation deck and explore the entire city. The museum has six thematic exhibitions, revealing different periods in the history of the city and the castle.
Time: Tue - Sun 10.00 - 19.00
Place: Vyborg, Castle Island
Fortress in Staraya Ladoga
This fortress is the oldest in the Leningrad region, it was built at the beginning of the 12th century.
The walls of the fortress were up to 8 meters high and about 3 meters thick at the base. During the Time of Troubles, the fortress changed hands several times. In the mid-20th century, restoration of the fortress began, which by that time was almost destroyed, and in 1971 a museum was opened here. Visitors can look at archaeological excavations and objects related to the history of the fortress. Time: Tue - Sun 10.00 -17.00
Place: Volkhov district, Staraya Ladoga
Fortress in Ivangorod
The fortress was built in 1492 by order of Ivan III and his part was named Ivangorod.
The Ivangorod Fortress is the western outpost of Russia (or rather the Principality of Moscow), built at the end of the 15th century by Ivan III. Its goal is to confront the fortress of the Knights of the Teutonic Order (Narva Fortress), built on the other bank of the Narva River back in the 13th century. The fortress is currently being restored, but you can walk freely around its territory. There are also secret passages here, but they are littered with stones. Time: Tue - Sun 10.00 - 18.00
Place: Ivangorod
Koporye Fortress
The first mention of this fortress dates back to 1240.
It was rebuilt several times and passed into the hands of the Swedes several times, then returned back to Russia. In 2001, the fortress received the status of a museum. Now it is partially destroyed, but you can go down into the ancient cellars-dungeons. Of the four towers, three are accessible to visit. The corner tower of the fortress has practically not been preserved, and entry into it is prohibited. Time: Wed - Sun 10.00 - 19.00, Mon - Tue 10.00 - 17.00
Place: Koporye village, 20 km from the turn from 76 km of the St. Petersburg-Tallinn highway
Oreshek Fortress (Shlisselburg Fortress)
The fortress was founded by the Novgorod prince Yuri Danilovich, grandson of Alexander Nevsky, in 1323 year.
In 1612, the fortress came under Swedish rule, at which time it was renamed Noteburg (Walnut City). In 1702, during the Northern War, the fortress was recaptured by Russian troops and renamed Shlisselburg - “key city”. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Shlisselburg fortress was called the “Russian Bastille” - members of the royal family, pretenders to the throne, prominent government and public figures were kept here. Now you can visit the inner passages of the two towers, the old prison "Secret House", and the exhibition, which is located in the building of the "New Prison".
Time: from May 1 to October 31, 10.00 - 17.00
Place: o.
Orekhovy Vysotsk Fortress
In the city of Vysotsk you can find the remains of a fortress built at the end of the 19th century, located on Cape Otradny.
Here the first coastal batteries were erected against a possible approach of the Swedish fleet to help the besieged Vyborg. Unfortunately, in our time there is literally no trace left of those first batteries - one can only guess where exactly they were located. During the next Swedish-Russian war, and then the Crimean War, it was planned to build a strong fortress on this site, but the projects were not implemented. During the next revision of the tactics of the defense of Vyborg and the redevelopment of the naval positions of the Vyborg fortress in the early 1860s, one of the important nodes of the defense of the strait, called the Transund Redoubt, was organized here. Location: Vysotsk, Cape Otradny, Vyborg district of the Leningrad region.
The Korela fortress
Korela is strikingly different both in style and in spirit from most defensive structures in the northwestern region.
The history of the fortress is the story of the constant struggle between Russia and Sweden for control of the route from Lake Ladoga to the Gulf of Finland. Also, the modern appearance of the fortress was influenced by the fact that it lost its defensive significance about 200 years ago and has not been modernized since then. Entrance: 30 - 50 rubles
Time: in the summer Mon - Sun 9.00 - 19.00, the rest of the time Tue - Sun 10.00 - 17.00
Place: Leningradskoe Shosse, 3.