Vyborg - the sights of the city. Vyborg and its environs

Russia is interesting not only in the capital cities. Not less valuable are small historical settlements, such as Vyborg. Attractions: Monrepos Park, the streets and squares of this city are worthy of attention because of its beauty and historical significance. Today, tourists again discover this region. Here there are holidays and various reconstructions, but so far the city has not turned into a solid tourist attraction and keeps its living soul.

Attractions of Vyborg and its surroundings can be viewed slowly in 2-4 days and get real pleasure from contact with such an interesting and ancient history that lives very close by.

The emergence of the settlement

Vyborg, whose history and sights today attract more attention from scientists and tourists, arose in 1293 when the Swedes built the Vyborg Castle here. There is a version of an earlier settlement in this place. Ostensibly the Novgorodian elder Gostomysl created here a city in honor of his son in the 9th century. There are finds of archaeologists who prove that even in the Stone Age there were sites of ancient people. But the appearance of a permanent settlement for residence is fixed only in Swedish documents, therefore the official date of the emergence of Vyborg is the end of the 13th century.

Archaeological excavations confirm that even at the beginning of the first millennium, tribes, called Karelians, lived in this region. They actively traded along with the inhabitants of Novgorod with Dutch merchants and representatives of the Hanseatic League, and obtained fish. In the area of present-day Vyborg there was a storage depot, which housed the guards that accompanied the cargo. A very advantageous location of this guarded point attracted the Swedes, who built a stone fortress on the Castle Island.

Swedish period in the life of Vyborg

During the third crusade on the land of the Karelians, at the behest of the Swedish king, Castle Castle - Vyborg was built on the Castle Island. Photos of the city, attractions and monuments of architecture today retain the feeling of power that the building had. This reliable outpost remained inaccessible for several centuries, despite the fact that the Novgorodians made repeated attempts to knock Swedes out of Vyborg. The castle grew older, and in 1403 the Swedish king appropriated the status of the city to the settlement. Successful location quickly transformed Vyborg into a major center of trade. The city was governed by a Swedish governor, he had a great deal of independence, the city was paid by the city for flax (tribute), otherwise the mayor ran everything.

In 1442, Karl Knutson Bunde rose at the head of the city, which for six years transformed the city. Under him, Vyborg Castle became the most beautiful in Sweden. The mayor built several towers, rooms for knights and receptions, and updated the interiors. In 1525 the city went to Count von Goya, who was related to the King of Sweden. With him a large stream of people from the Hanseatic League poured into the city: from Bremen, Hamburg, Lubeck. The city grows, becomes more beautiful and grows rich. Russian troops continue to make attempts to conquer Vyborg, but each time fail. During the Northern War, Vyborg was the main source of threat to the new capital of Russia - Petersburg. Peter the Great in 1706 personally led the siege of the city, but to no avail. And only in 1710, thanks to the well-coordinated efforts of the army and navy, Vyborg was taken by Russian troops, and in 1721, by agreement on peace, became part of the Russian Empire.

Russian submission

Entering Russia, Vyborg becomes the center of the commandant's district and a new Russian port. A number of privileges remain in the countryside: Swedish laws continue to work here, residents are allowed to retain their Lutheran faith, there was no serfdom here. Merchants and soldiers immediately rushed into the new Russian city. The settlement begins to expand. It builds the Petersburg and Vyborg forstadts.

The main sights of the city of Vyborg of that period are residential buildings, new parts of the bastion. From 1730 to 1741 the city is actively building, new parts of the fortress are being built. It is worth noting that the Vyborg fortress has never had the chance to experience its new fortifications in battle. Probably, therefore, the sights of the city of Vyborg are so well preserved to this day. The new building, despite the established Russian order, retained European features. Especially since the architects were mainly Swedes, Germans, Scandinavians. In 1811, the Vyborg gubernia was part of the Finnish principality. By 1910, more than 80% of the population were Finns.

The city has long been experiencing a mixture of ethnic groups, which can not do without confrontation and flight, but gradually there was a special atmosphere that always distinguished Vyborg from the usual provincial towns of Russia. After the Decembrist uprising, several hundred rebels were sent to the Vyborg fortress, which also affected the spirit of the city. In the second half of the 19th century the railway reaches the city, gasification and electrification begins. He is experiencing rapid economic growth and is becoming the second largest in the principality.

Vyborg and Finland

In 1917, after the revolution in Russia, Vyborg is actively entering into revolutionary transformations. After declaring Finland's independence from Russia, the city departs to a new state. He again changes the ethnic composition. Now the Finnish population is predominant, and Russian, German and Swedish are greatly reduced. But the development of the city continues. Soon, the architect O. Meurman creates a project to unite the city with suburbs. This is how Big Vyborg appears. Natural attractions now enter the city limits. At this time the settlement acquires the status of the cultural capital of Finland, many sports, cultural, and temple structures are being built here.

The sights of the city of Vyborg of this period still make up its fame: the district archive, the new library, the art museum - all this greatly beautified the settlement.

During the Second World War

In 1939, the Russian-Finnish war begins, and the city of Vyborg, whose attractions are endangered, becomes a zone of fighting. The active military actions of the Red Army led to the fact that the Karelian Isthmus, together with the city, became the power of the Soviet Union. In 1941, the war returned to Vyborg, and the Red Army was forced to surrender it to the Finns. Until 44 the Karelian Isthmus was occupied by the Finnish armed forces. During the fierce fighting on June 20, 1944, Vyborg was released. There was a difficult period of recovery. The city of Vyborg, whose sights were badly affected in the Second World War, suffered huge material and cultural losses.

The Soviet period

At the end of the war, a long recovery of the country begins. The same fate befell Vyborg. The city's photos, sights and architecture represented a terrifying sight - most of the settlement lay in ruins. But the authorities and the people are making titanic efforts, and the city is beginning to reborn. In 1947, a plan for a new building was created, residential areas and industrial enterprises were again being built. The streets are renamed in such a way as not to remind of the past of the city. Vyborg takes on features typical of Soviet cities. In the sixties micro-districts of multi-storey buildings appear here, old-building buildings are being restored, new cultural facilities are being built.

Since 1950, the city has become attractive to tourists, and much has been done to attract them. In 1988, it was decided to create a state museum-reserve - the Monrepo Park.

Modern Vyborg

The city at the present stage actively restores its historical roots, seeks to attract tourists. The ties with the countries historically united with Vyborg are being actively established: with Sweden, Norway, and Finland. In 1999, UNESCO is making the central city library a list of sites in need of protection and support. In 2000, active restoration work is under way. The city restores the historical appearance of many objects, which attracts the public movement of historians. In Vyborg, festivals of ethnic cultures are regularly held, and major reconstructions of historical events are held.

Vyborg - the city of tourist attractions

The richest history of this settlement left a lot of traces on its appearance. Attractions of the city of Vyborg allow to see the multilayered unique culture that has been formed here. The influence of Russian, German, Swedish and Finnish culture can be found in the most interesting monuments of architecture. The atmosphere of the streets of the old city resembles the medieval times, this feeling intensifies when you visit the Vyborg Castle. Of particular interest are natural attractions, unusual sculptural groups and monuments.

Vyborg Castle

The most ancient construction of the city is the castle, which, despite numerous tests, is very well preserved. From the walls of the castle you have a beautiful view of Vyborg. Sights, addresses of which can be found in any excursion booklet, today allow you to see all the power and talent of Swedish and Russian architects. The fortress walls impress with the thickness and accuracy of the masonry, and the surviving towers -Rayskaya and Bashmachina-impress with their height and perfection.

In the castle there is a real pearl - the Olaf tower almost 50 meters high, its base has remained unchanged since the 13th century, the upper tiers were rebuilt in the middle of the 19th century. Also in the castle you should pay attention to the Commandant's House, where Peter the Great once stayed.

Clock tower

Sights of the city (Vyborg) and a description of their history is a real textbook on the architecture and culture of the country. The Clock Tower is a bell tower, left from the Church of St. Mary and Olaf, built in the 15th century. It miraculously survived and during the destruction of the temple in the fire of 1793, and during the hostilities of the Second World War. At the base of the tower lies a large stone, and the clock goes back to the 19th century. This is one of the most beautiful historical buildings of Vyborg.

Natural attractions

Monrepos Park - the former residence of the Swedish barons - is one of Europe's oldest and most beautiful landscape parks. It represents a harmonious combination of grottoes, forests, rocks, waterfalls, lakes. The magnificent island of the Dead with a decorative castle is located in the middle of the lake and makes an indelible impression. The main house of the manor is interesting - a wooden building in classical style, and also the Library wing is a rare example of wooden manor architecture. These miraculously preserved buildings from the 18th century are extremely valuable monuments of architecture.

In the vicinities of Vyborg there is another natural place worthy of attention - this is Lake Mezhgornoye Maloe. It is an example of a harmonious northern nature, and the beauty of the landscape and pristine silence make this place the best place to rest from the city bustle. Here you can also have a great time fishing.

Architectural monuments

Vyborg is rich in other sights. These include the Round Tower, the same age as the Castle. Its appearance became a recognizable symbol of the city. The tower was erected in the middle of the 16th century as part of the fortification wall. The diameter of the structure is 20 meters, the thickness of the walls is 4 meters. It is the brainchild of the northern late Gothic, whose samples are extremely few in the territory of Russia.

The Transfiguration Cathedral is another subject of Pride of Vyborg. It crowns the harmonious appearance of the Cathedral Square and represents a perfect construction in the style of classicism. Architect N. Lvov, in designing, tried to follow the principles of A.Palladio in all respects , practically copying its constructions. The temple was erected in 1786, but was later reconstructed.

The Church of St. Hyacinth is a Gothic building of the 16th century, which is one of the oldest in the city. The church, nicknamed Knight's House, served as a temple, a monastery school, a guest house. Today it belongs to the list of cultural objects protected by the state.

Also it is possible to name such sights of the city of Vyborg, the addresses of which are included in every guidebook, like the architectural complex of Cathedral Square, which was established at the end of the 18th century, the Vyborg Town Hall erected in the middle of the 17th century in the Neo-Renaissance style, Annenskie fortifications - fortress walls built by Peter the Great.

How to get there

Vyborg is located in the north of St. Petersburg, near the Finnish border. It's easiest to get to him from St. Petersburg. This can be done in several ways:

By car. The distance from St. Petersburg is 130 km.

By bus. From the bus station "Severny" four times a day leaves the bus to Svetlogorsk, which stops in Vyborg. Also buses run from Parnas metro station. The journey takes about 2 hours.

By train. From the Finland Station three times a day, a fast train leaves for Vyborg. The journey takes 1 hour and 15 minutes.