- Type
- Fortress
- Origins
- 1237 · 13th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Location
- Northwestern, Russia
- Coordinates
- 59.7092°, 29.0322°
History
The first, wooden fort was built here around 1240 by the Livonian knights, but in 1241 Prince Alexander Nevsky captured and destroyed it. In 1280 his son Dmitry raised the first stone fortress, which the Novgorodians soon pulled down and then rebuilt in 1297. After Novgorod was annexed by Moscow, around the turn of the 16th century, the stronghold was thoroughly remodelled for the age of firearms. The Treaty of Stolbovo handed it to Sweden in 1617, and in 1703 Boris Sheremetev won it back. Peter the Great gave Koporye to Alexander Menshikov, but the fortress soon lost its military value.
What to see
A stone bridge over a ravine leads to the gate, flanked by two towers. Walls with four round towers enclose a courtyard where the small Church of the Transfiguration, dating from the early 16th century, still stands. The walls look out over the Koporka valley and, on clear days, towards the Gulf of Finland. The tower interiors and sections of the walls are open to visitors.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q1402157
Popularity: articles about this site in 26 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).