Sights of Vyborg
Vyborg is an open-air museum city. We invite you to get acquainted with its main attractions and new objects.
Park "Mon Repos"
In the northern districts of Vyborg, on the shore of the bay, there is a unique park-reserve, operating in this status since the end of the last century and restored at the initiative of Dmitry Sergeevich Likhachev (Soviet and Russian philologist, culturologist, art critic, doctor of philological sciences, professor).
Mon Repos is translated from French as "my peace" or "my rest" and is quite consistent with what a tourist who finds himself here feels. Picturesque capes and grottoes, lakes and backwaters, gray rocks hanging over the sea. All this beauty looks natural, but in fact, the park was planned in advance and created by human hands. European artists and architects worked in Mon Repos.
According to its landscapes, the park was considered one of the most beautiful in Europe, and now you can wander here along the bridges over streams and bays, climb rocks, walk along paths between heaps of boulders, witnesses of the Ice Age.
Vyborg castle
The only fully preserved ancient fortress in Russia, a real monument of Western military architecture, was built in 1293 by the Swedes, who have held this territory for more than 400 years.
Today the Vyborg Castle with its snow-white tower of St. Olaf has become one of the symbols of Vyborg. The attraction is located on the Castle Island.
From the observation deck of the donjon tower, magnificent panoramas of the city and its surroundings open up. In clear weather, they say, you can see Finland, which is about 30 kilometers away.
Esplanade Park
Esplanade is an open space in front of the fortress. It was originally planned that in this part of the city there would be no green spaces, and the park would rather resemble a square. But the modern look is fully consistent with the classic ideas about parks. A huge number of trees, shrubs, flower beds have been planted here.
Lawns are broken, comfortable benches are installed. Since its foundation (mid-19th century), the park has been constantly expanding and becoming more comfortable and suitable for recreation. Today, three fountains function here, there are modern attractions, and colorful sculptures are located throughout the territory.
At the end of the 19th century, the main attraction of the park was a trendy restaurant, but during the war it was completely destroyed. The city authorities have tried to restore the entertainment facility, and today everyone can come here again to have dinner or listen to live music.
Vyborg Old Town Hall
The picturesque City Hall building stands in the very center of the main city square. In the 17th century, burgomasters sat here, meetings of the boards were held - trade, judicial, financial, construction.
The history of the Town Hall is not simple: the building was destroyed during the war, suffered from fires, and in the 20th century the building was restored and given out for residential apartments. Now the Town Hall is included in the list of cultural heritage sites, but people continue to live here to this day.
Clock tower
The tower got its name from the large clock that was first installed here in the middle of the 17th century. The last time the clock on the tower was changed was in the 19th century, and the mechanism still functions without breakdowns. The height of the Clock Tower is 25 meters. It is clearly visible from all the surrounding area.
The tower was once part of the old cathedral. Until now, the tower has a huge alarm bell weighing 61 tons. Its ringing notifies the residents of major church holidays.
The round tower is an ancient artillery structure
The tower is a striking example of Western architecture from the 16th century. In the Middle Ages, the building was used for artillery fire, but over time, its military significance was lost, and the tower began to be used as a warehouse, weapons storage and even a prison. After the war, a pharmacy warehouse was opened in the building, and in the 70s of the 20th century it was decided to restore the building.
A trendy restaurant and a banquet hall were later opened in the Round Tower.
Exhibition Center Hermitage-Vyborg - a branch of the famous museum
2010 became a landmark in the creative and cultural life of Vyborg. The Hermitage-Vyborg exhibition center was opened in the building of the former school of painting and the museum of arts. Collections of works from the funds of the State Hermitage are presented to the attention of visitors. In addition to permanent and temporary exhibitions, lectures, seminars and master classes are held here.
The massive colonnade of the museum center and copies of antique sculptures located on the territory deserve special attention.
Alley of sculptures
An unusual alley of sculptures is located next to the Hermitage-Vyborg exhibition hall.
There are 10 figures in total, most of which are talented copies of works by the 17th century Italian artist Andrea Chibei. Against the background of bright green trees and wide sidewalks, an interesting architectural and landscape complex was created.
Viking drakkars - "dragon ships"
One of the most curious sights of the city is the unusual Viking drakkars, installed on the Vyborg embankment, opposite the Druzhba hotel. Drakkars are huge boats that the Vikings used to sail to sea. These ships are characterized by a highly curved keel and bow, and the image of a fierce dragon signified the high status of the owner of the boat.
In 1984, the shooting of the feature film "And Trees Grow on the Stones" took place in Vyborg. The plot told about the Viking era, and according to the script it was necessary to make huge boats. At the end of filming, the director of the film presented the drakkars to the city, and the ships took their rightful place on the embankment, instantly becoming popular among residents and guests of Vyborg.
Church of St. Hyacinth - a stone building in the Gothic style
One of the most ancient buildings in Vyborg is the Church of St. Hyacinth.
The massive, squat structure was once a monastery school. In the 16th century, the house went to a merchant family and was converted into living quarters. With the advent of the 18th century, the “Vyborg Knights Society” was established in the building. On the second floor there was a spacious hall for dancing and parties, the first floor and cellars were used for household needs. In 1800 the house was transferred to the Catholic parish. The believers built a chapel here, which later received the status of a church.
After the war, a warehouse was located here: the building was dilapidated and lost its former grandeur. After restoration, one of the exhibitions of the Vyborg Museum-Reserve was located in the Church of St. Hyacinth. To this day, tourists can come here, inspect the building from the outside and go inside to get acquainted with an interesting exposition.
Chocolate Museum.
The Chocolate Museum in Vyborg is a unique place that combines a museum with exhibits of Vyborg sights and a chocolate shop of its own production.
Here you can see chocolate sculptures, taste the highest quality Belgian chocolates, have a cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate, take part in master classes on chocolate art, tasting evenings and themed events.
The museum has collected a variety of "exhibits", including the chocolate cathedral, the Vyborg castle and the clock tower.
