Sights of Russia

Vyborg is located in Leningrad region on the Karelian Isthmus at the distance of 130 km to the northwest of St. Petersburg, close to the Russian border with Finland. The historical centre of the town is formed by the Castle of Vyborg and other historical buildings of different architectural styles.

The Castle of Vyborg

The first castle was constructed in 1293 after the Swedish army conquered the Karelian Isthmus. The construction of the fortress was started under the command of Torkel Knutsson, the Lord High Constable of Sweden who was the leader of the so-called crusade to conquer Karelia in 1290. He chose the location for a new fortress to keep the Bay of Vyborg, which was a very important trading site used by the local people since a long time.

The Castle served as the stronghold of the Swedish kingdom in Karelian regions. Throughout the centuries, it was the first defensive point of the kingdom against Russians.

In the 16th century, the fortress was renovated and new parts were added. In the 17th century, the military significance of the fortress started to decrease because the danger from the Russian kingdom was not serious and the border was much more eastwards.

Vyborg was taken by the Russians in 1710 during the Northern War and became a part of Finland again only in 1812 when all areas of Old Finland were added to the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland. The appearance of the present castle dates back to the 1890s, when much restoration was implemented. The military services of the Russian Empire used the castle until 1918 for housing administration.