- Type
- Castle
- Origins
- 1293 · 13th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Location
- Northwestern, Russia
- Coordinates
- 60.7158°, 28.7289°
History
The castle was founded in 1293 by the Swedish marshal Torgils Knutsson during a crusade into Karelia, to secure Swedish rule over the region. For more than four centuries it was the eastern bulwark of the Swedish realm and withstood repeated sieges by Novgorod and Muscovy. In 1710 the army of Peter the Great captured Vyborg and the castle became part of the Russian Empire. After Finland gained independence the town belonged to it until, following the wars with the Soviet Union in 1940–1944, it passed under Soviet rule. Today the castle houses a museum.
What to see
The islet is dominated by the tall St Olaf's Tower, whose gallery looks out over the bay and Vyborg's old town. The courtyards and former castle buildings hold exhibitions on the history of the fortress and the region. A bridge across a narrow channel links the castle to the town.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q2272243
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