Vyborg, Russia
May. 1st, 2013 09:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
peacetraveler22
After a few days in St. Petersburg, we hopped in the Land Rover for a day trip. I don't remember the name of the "highway" we traveled on, but again I was very nervous driving this route with cars constantly passing in head on traffic, etc. I think the road takes you all the way to Finland but I could be mistaken. When we arrived in Vyborg after a few hours, I was immediately delighted with the medieval town. The complex history of this place makes it a really interesting destination, particularly for a tourist from a very young country like America.
1. The city sits on the shores of the Gulf of Finland and has changed hands throughout history. It's home to many fortifications but the focal point of the city is Vyborg Castle, built in 1293 by the Swedes. Imagine - 1293! Almost 500 years before America's birthday. :) The city was first controlled by the Swedes, then Finland. The Soviets gained control of Vyborg in 1944 during World War II. I'm pretty sure that's the basic history, although I understand there were many battles in between these points (including a big one during Peter the Great's reign). My intelligent readers can correct me if I'm wrong. I think I also read somewhere that Vladimir Lenin lived here while planning the Bolshevik Revolution.
The cover photo was taken from the top of Olaf Tower. A lot of steps to the top and they're in serious disrepair. Caution is necessary when climbing, but the views are very cool! Here at the castle I also experienced a real horror - no toilet paper in a restroom I had to pay to use. There wasn't even a place for toilet paper rolls in the stall, so I guess it simply doesn't exist here. Maybe they want guests to live "medieval style" when it comes to sanitation. Unacceptable for a major tourist destination.
2. View of surrounding walls from the top of Olaf Tower. And very frozen water! It's difficult for me to imagine these sites in other seasons, when you can actually see water rather than ice. As an American tourist, it's sometimes difficult to tell where land ends and water begins. Visually, the landscapes often merge together. Interesting fact - as of January 2013 images of the castle and grounds can be viewed through Google Street View (though they aren't very good).
3. Vyborg is an important industrial producer of paper, but the city's main advantage is its close proximity to richer Finland. The city is a main transportation hub with a sea port and shipyard. However, the provincial city itself is very poor and rundown. This will be clear based on other photos.
4. Pathway down from the castle. Not entirely clear and very slippery.
5. I'll call these "baby" icicles because they're very small. During the trip I was always warned by my host to not walk close to buildings for fear of death by icicle. Some of them are quite stunning but of course dangerous. In DC it never gets cold enough for magnificent icicles to form, though on occasion we will have small ones which melt within a day or two.
6. Many interesting sites in the city, including the Clock Tower which is surrounded by ruins from a cathedral. The Clock Tower was built in the late 1400's. I'm not sure if it's possible to climb to the top?
7. A fortification known as the "Round Tower", built in the mid-1500's. It has been used as a warehouse, prison, drugstore and currently houses a restaurant. The restaurant, like most other things, was closed during our visit. I guess I'm the rare person who chooses to tour Russia in winter.
8. Old church. I cannot find the name of it?
9. Very colorful Town Hall. I assume it houses local government offices.
10. Local resident and blue truck!
11. Vyborg was almost completely empty during our visit, like a ghost town out of a movie. Almost all restaurants closed and no people on the streets.
12. Abandoned, dirty street with buildings in disrepair.
13. By mid-afternoon we were completely starving but few dining options available. Then we stumbled upon this place. Perfect I thought! They have pizza. How can pizza be bad? Well, it was in this restaurant I learned another life lesson. Pizza CAN be bad, and it was! Covered in some strange curry sauce and fatty chicken.
14. I don't know this Russian word OXPAHA? I think this is some type of security guard policing the area.
15. There are signs of modern times in the midst of this medieval town, including some nice murals. I don't know who created them or when, but I'd guess they're less than 20 years old because the colors are still very vibrant. To me this is an iconic Russian scene - old car buried in dirty winter snow. Perhaps some object to such a modern piece of art in an old historical region, but I like it. The murals add a lot of life to a somewhat grey, decrepit scene.
16. This one is really impressive! A flat surface but the illusion of dimension in walking down a path.
17. Some of you will recognize this man from my first post on Russia, the one that brought many of you to my journal. He has lived in Vyborg his whole life. His mother was Finnish, his father Russian. In Vyborg, traces of Finland everywhere. Many store names and signs appear in both Russian and Finnish. The old man approached us on the street, probably just looking for someone with whom to share an afternoon chat. He kissed my hand, gave me a book and posed for a photo. Very kind eyes and gentle spirit. I'll remember him always.
18. Here's the book he gave me. I don't think it's well known because I can't find any information about the author online. His name is Valery Musakhanov.
Tell me please other interesting facts about Vyborg and let me know if there are any factual errors in the report. There's not a lot of English language resources available for this city.
I hope you all enjoy the May holidays! In America, it's work as usual. However, I will travel to Dallas, Texas next week. If anyone knows interesting sites in this city, please let me know.
P.S.: For those on Instagram, you can follow me under the same username peacetraveler22 if you're interested in seeing photos from everyday American life and my travels.
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no subject
Date: 2013-05-02 02:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-02 02:02 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2013-05-02 02:05 am (UTC)That's a view from Olaf Tower in summer. Kinda more cheerful :)
From what i know Viborg is a tourist town, so it's no wonder there was not much liveliness on streets. Plus we russian IS lasy, especially in cold weather :)
no subject
Date: 2013-05-02 02:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-02 03:16 am (UTC)I spent a couple of days there in November once, it was equally empty and not too vibrant. Food at every restaurant we went to was pretty bad, and every room at the hotel was smoking, stinking of tobacco. Otherwise worth a short visit, to have a look at the castle and some traces of Finnish architecture.
To put history into perspective, the town changed hands a couple of times during WWII. Basically, Finns had entire town's population evacuated, then returned, then evacuated again. And then it was repopulated mostly with families of Soviet military personnel. So there is not a lot of cultural tradition.
no subject
Date: 2013-05-02 02:04 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2013-05-02 04:18 am (UTC)Funny enough, I'll be in Dallas next week, too;) I always like going back to my second hometown. While there I enjoy the Arboretum and White Rock lake nearby. This time, I'll try to visit the new Perot museum of Science. I'm told it's quite impressive. Also, the Dallas World Aquarium is good, if you like this sort of thing. It has not only fish, but many animals, birds, plants. Reunion Tower downtown has a revolving cafe upstairs with nice views of the city.
If you can travel a bit, Fort Worth has the Stockyards with all the stereotypical cowboy displays. Pretty touristy but it might be interesting. Oh, and eat a lot of steak.
no subject
Date: 2013-05-02 02:07 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2013-05-02 04:18 am (UTC)Yes, it's private security company
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Date: 2013-05-02 02:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-02 07:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-02 02:07 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2013-05-02 07:28 am (UTC)That's what I found about him in internet:
- http://www.ozon.ru/context/detail/id/3762975/ - your book
- http://www.ogoniok.com/archive/1997/4499/16-46-48/ - an interview with him
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Date: 2013-05-02 02:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-02 07:45 am (UTC)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speyer
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Date: 2013-05-02 02:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-02 08:14 am (UTC)As for the dining place...Yo'd better avoid any kind of places in Russia which advertise themselves with placing names of fast food "meals" at the front window etc. In most cases the quality of the food will be extremely low not to metion the inner uncomfortableness. Using Yandex.ru to search for decent places to eat is a soiltion for a "starve" problem)
no subject
Date: 2013-05-02 02:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-02 09:28 am (UTC)8 - This is not a church but a medieval living house, the oldest one in the city
Vyborg is actually older than its castle, once there was a Karels' village since IX century (at least), and the castle was build on the islet where Karelian tribes had their own fortifications. Sweds conquered them and destroyed. The Karels were the allies of Great Novgorod (one of Russian principalities), and Novgorod troops tried to recapture this point in 1293 and 1322 but failed both times. So we have rights to say that Vyborg is initially ours, not Swedish :) (Karelia is a part of Russia nowadays as well).
The oldest part of the castle is 4-angle lower part of Olaf tower. It is practically the same that was built in XIII century. The rest of the castle was wooden and burnt many times. It has got its current look since 1710 when Peter The Great conquered it. As Finland used to be a province of Russian Empire and got its independence only in 1918, so we can say Vyborg belongs to Russia since 1710 with small interruption (1918-1940).
no subject
Date: 2013-05-02 02:17 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:Pictures
From: (Anonymous) - Date: 2013-05-02 05:48 pm (UTC) - Expandno subject
Date: 2013-05-02 09:43 am (UTC)I can write a lot about Vyborg as it is my favorite Russian town and I visit it several times a year. Some historical and folk festivals take place in summer there. "The May Tree" in late May and "The Knights' Castle" in late July are the biggest and most fascinating ones. Both are open airs inside the castle continuing for a whole week-end.. People (incl. most of visitors) dress in medieval and folklore clothes of different epochs and cultures (European and Slavic), dozens of music bands play medieval and folk music at the stage, there are also a lot of contests (dance, "King and Queen of the Castle", knights' fights, archery shooting etc.) - so always a lot of fun and great, truly medieval atmosphere.
no subject
Date: 2013-05-02 11:08 am (UTC)Monrepos differs completely from Peterhof or every other famous park of St Petersburg region. Actually it is just a piece of primordial beatiful Karelian forest on the shores of gulf among granite cliffs, with no artificial straight lanes or something "cultured". Just curving forest paths and some small rare buildings (bridges, pavillions, obelisks, statues) here and there.
My photos:
The Clock Tower you mentioned above is the only survived part of the Cathedral. Its ruins can be seen at the Tower's backyard.
On the other end of medieval part of Vyborg "Batareynaya gora" ("Battery mountain") lays. It is a natural granite hill with a lot of wild berries bushes (cranberry, bilberry, cowberry, strawberry, raspberry, bird cherry, etc), you can just pick them up while hiking there in July-August, even with no need to look for.
The hill has one more big fortification (besides the Castle) upon its top - "The Eastern fortifications of Vyborg" since 1863. They are abandoned and dilapidated for many decades, but there is a "Central recreation park" inside the walls with some modern entertainments and granite walls and plains.
no subject
Date: 2013-05-02 11:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-02 02:32 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2013-05-02 12:28 pm (UTC)But indeed, traveling to Vyborg in winter is not popular at all.
no subject
Date: 2013-05-02 02:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-02 07:19 pm (UTC)Интересно было поглядеть на Россию, места где я был.
no subject
Date: 2013-05-02 07:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-02 07:36 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2013-05-02 09:36 pm (UTC)As for food options in small Towns it is not popular. Once I talked to.Marketing Director of McDonalds and he told that their main competitor
no subject
Date: 2013-05-02 09:37 pm (UTC)As for food options in small Towns it is not popular. Once I talked to.Marketing Director of McDonalds and he told that their main competitor is a home fridge which is stocked up and people don't go out:)
no subject
Date: 2013-05-02 11:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-02 11:09 pm (UTC)Without Dark Ages we would probably already have travelled to Alpha Centauri :)
Yes, pizza can be bad, and this is all pizza in Pizza Hut.
Genuine Italian pizza should have thin flatbread and natural ingredients...
But pizza in Vyborg is probably even worse :))
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Date: 2013-05-02 11:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-04 09:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-04 10:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-05 07:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-06 12:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-08 02:59 am (UTC)"And just a week ago some creeps destroyed 7 XVIII century buildings in the center of the city..." What did they do to the buildings?
I saw lots of fast food in Russia, many of them American chains (McDonalds, Burger King, Wendys, KFC). But I hate such places and don't eat at them ever in the States and certainly not in Russia. In America, you can get very decent meals at restaurants for cheap prices. More difficult to find in Moscow, though St. Petersburg seemed to be cheaper.
If I return to Russia this summer then I'll definitely visit some parks and I love forests!
no subject
Date: 2013-05-08 09:30 am (UTC)А тем временем,
наши взяли водокачку. :))
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Date: 2013-05-09 05:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-09 05:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-09 05:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-11 07:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-11 12:55 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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