In the Leningrad Region there are many cities near St. Petersburg that you must visit immediately after you visit the main attractions of the Northern capital. In this article we will talk about the most interesting places that even experienced travelers who have seen a lot in their lifetime should go to.
Vyborg
One of the most interesting cities near St. Petersburg is Vyborg. It is located on the shores of the bay of the same name. At the moment, it remains a large industrial, economic and cultural center of the entire region.
The first settlement on this site was founded in 1293. It was then that the Swedes built a castle in this place. Vyborg received the status of the city in 1403. While he was in Swedish territory, he withstood long sieges and assaults for several centuries.
Only during the Northern War did Peter I manage to conquer it. It is interesting that at the very beginning of this confrontation, Vyborg was considered a fortress in the rear of the Swedes, which was considered by many to be outdated. However, after the fall of Noteburg, known to us more as the Oreshek fortress, Vyborg was at the forefront. Moreover, the Swedes could seriously threaten the newly founded Petersburg from there.
The first attempt to capture it was made by the Russian tsar in 1706, but only four years later the city was taken by our army with the support of the fleet. After concluding a peace treaty with Sweden, Vyborg officially became part of the Russian Empire.
Sights of Vyborg
Among the cities near St. Petersburg that are worth visiting, Vyborg is always named in the forefront. Its main attraction is the castle of the late 13th century. It was a powerful fortification for its time, erected by the Swedes. The thickness of the walls in it reached two, and in the towers four meters. From above, they ended with teeth, and a hinged wooden gallery passed along the entire perimeter.
It was a reliable Swedish outpost, which for several centuries ensured their influence on the Karelian Isthmus. Until 1710, the castle remained impregnable.
In total, over 300 various monuments have been preserved in Vyborg to this day. Therefore, this is a city near St. Petersburg, which is worth a visit. In addition to the Vyborg castle, among the attractions are Monrepos Park, a rocky landscape park located in the Protective Bay. It has beautiful nature and dozens of unique monuments and sculptures that attract many travelers.
Also in Vyborg it is recommended to visit the library of Alvar Aalto. This building is considered a classic example of modern architecture of the XX century. It was built by the famous Finnish architect Aalto in 1935, when Vyborg was part of Finland. Here, for the first time, bright individual features of the master's style appeared - this is a combination of strict functionality with smooth natural lines. After completing work on the Vyborg library, Aalto began to actively use natural materials, primarily wood.
A real sensation in the architectural world of that time was the undulating acoustic ceiling in the lecture hall, which collapsed during the Great Patriotic War, but is now restored according to the drawings. The reading room, whose walls do not contain any windows, attracts the attention of tourists. All light enters the room through round windows in the ceiling.
Gatchina
Another city near Peter, which will be interesting even for sophisticated travelers, is Gatchina. The city was founded in 1500, although archaeologists now claim that the earliest finds found in these places date back to the 13th century.
Gatchina was originally part of the Novgorod lands. In 1765, Empress Catherine II presented it to her favorite Grigory Orlov.
In 1900, at the famous World Exhibition in Paris, Gatchina was recognized as the most comfortable of all of the small towns of Russia. Currently, little has changed in this regard, so this is one of the closest cities near St. Petersburg, which you must definitely drop by.
Palace
The main attraction of this city is the Grand Gatchina Palace. It was built in 1781 by the architect Antonio Rinaldi for Grigory Orlov. This amazingly beautiful building is located on a hill directly above Silver Lake. It organically combines the features of a medieval castle with elements of a country residence.
It is noteworthy that for many decades the palace was a favorite vacation spot of the royal family. Its interiors of the 18th century have been preserved to our time.
The palace itself is located on the territory of the palace and park ensemble, which is now the Gatchina Museum-Reserve. Its area is almost 150 hectares. The main architect here was Rinaldi, who created artificial islands on its territory. Later appeared Chesmensky obelisk, a column of Eagle. It is interesting that an underground passage was laid from the palace to the park, which ended with a grotto with the symbolic name "Echo".
During the Great Patriotic War, the entire palace and park ensemble was badly damaged. After the victory over the Nazis, restoration work began. Since 1985, the halls began to open to visitors. So this is an interesting city near St. Petersburg, visiting which you will not regret.
Shlisselburg
In 1323, the city, now known as Shlisselburg, was founded on the territory of the Leningrad Region. It is constantly included in the list of cities near St. Petersburg, a must to visit.
Initially, it was founded by the Novgorodians as the fortress of Oreshek. The Swedes repeatedly besieged her, trying to push the Novgorodians away from the sea, in 1613 during the intervention they finally managed to capture her.
In 1702, Peter I conquered the city, which by that time was already called Noteburg.
During World War II, Shlisselburg was occupied, withstood the heroic 500-day defense, preventing the Germans from gaining a foothold on the right bank of the Neva. In January 1943 he was released, immediately after that the construction of a temporary railway crossing across the Neva began. The work was completed in record time, in just 17 days. Over time, a pile bridge was built on this site. In 1944, the city was renamed Petrokrepost, the historical name returned to it only in 1992.
Fortress Oreshek
Oreshek Fortress is the main attraction of Shlisselburg, which is worth a visit in this city near St. Petersburg.
Initially, it was founded by the Novgorodians, for almost a hundred years it was in the hands of the Swedes. Starting in the 18th century, the Russian authorities began to use it as a prison for political prisoners.
The first prisoner was the sister of Peter I, Maria Alekseevna, whom he imprisoned in 1718. Later, the first wife of the emperor Evdokia Lopukhin was imprisoned.
In 1756, Emperor John VI appeared in the Shlisselburg Fortress, who was overthrown by Elizabeth Petrovna as a child. At the beginning of the XIX century, many participants of the Decembrist uprising were kept here.
In 1907, Oreshek turned into a central hard labor prison. It contained many revolutionaries, in particular, Mikhail Bakunin, Nikolai Ishutin, Nikolai Morozov, Yuri Bogdanovich.
Their other attractions of Shlisselburg should be mentioned the monument to Peter I, the museum-reserve "Breakthrough of the blockade of Leningrad", Annunciation Cathedral, Staroladozhsky Canal.
Tikhvin
Tikhvin, located in the east of the region, in the so-called southern Ladoga part of the Leningrad Region, is always ranked among the beautiful cities near St. Petersburg.
The first information about the settlement at this place dates back to 1383. Over time, the city grew rapidly, at the beginning of the XVI century it became a major craft and trade center.
Today, Tikhvin has already lost important strategic importance as a developed industrial city, as in terms of infrastructure it is inferior to most settlements in the Leningrad Region. However, it remains interesting for its historical sights, primarily temples.
Assumption Monastery
In this article we tell in detail which cities are near St. Petersburg, where it will be interesting for a traveler to look into them. For example, in Tikhvin the most famous attraction is the Assumption Monastery. It was founded in 1560 by decree of Ivan the Terrible.
His main relic is the icon of the Tikhvin Mother of God Hodegetria, which the Orthodox consider miraculous. At the beginning of the XVII century the Swedes besieged the monastery, but the monastery survived, waiting for reinforcements.
Under Soviet rule, the Tikhvin Monastery was closed, the miraculous icon was moved to the local museum of local lore. When the Germans retreated during the Great Patriotic War, the icon was taken out, as a result, it ended up in America with Bishop John. He bequeathed that the shrine should return to the Tikhvin Monastery after its complete revival.
The state transferred the monastery to the Russian Orthodox Church in 1995. Nine years later, a miraculous icon returned to him.
Zelenogorsk
In this article we tell in detail which cities near St. Petersburg are really worth a visit. Zelenogorsk also belongs to them. This is a real resort on the northern shore of the Gulf of Finland.
The whole city stretches 13 kilometers along the coast of the Neva Bay. He will conquer travelers with his beauty: sandy beaches, a ridge of hills and dunes, which are interrupted only by small sections of moraine and lakes.
Until 1721 Zelenogorsk belonged to Sweden. It was a fishing village called Terioki. According to the results of the peace treaty after the end of the Northern War, these lands passed to the Russian Empire.
What can be seen at the resort?
Of course, the main thing that attracts tourists to Zelenogorsk is its nature. But there are also fascinating sights. For example, the Bel-Vue Hotel. This is a classic example of old original architecture. Or a small wooden building of the Muser dacha, in which stoves and fireplaces of particular artistic value are preserved.
A wooden mansion with a pond in the courtyard is known as the former Ainola villa. Also, travelers in Zelenogorsk are attracted by the former Novikov mansion and the Lutheran Church of the Transfiguration.
Happinnes exists
There is already a settlement with a unique name on the territory of the Northern capital: the village of Happiness in St. Petersburg. Which city is nearby, tourists are asking such a question or those who wish to stay there and purchase housing. Nearby is the city of Kommunar of the Gatchina district, and Pavlovsk, belonging to the Pushkin district.
The village of Happiness itself is located only three kilometers from the border of Pavlovsky Park. Active construction is underway there, mainly townhouses. You can get to this residential complex in several ways at once: along Moskovsky, Pulkovsky, Petrozavodskoye shosse or Sofiyskaya street.
Travel to Finland
The proximity to this foreign country made the trips of residents of St. Petersburg over the weekend abroad very popular. Therefore, many of them are interested in which cities of Finland are near St. Petersburg.
From the city on the Neva, it is easiest to get to Imatra on the island of Saimaa. There you can see the famous castle hotel, and if you want and opportunities and stay in it, enjoy the beauties of the Vuoksa River.
Another Finnish city close to Russia is Lappeenranta. He will soon be 400 years old. Previously, he was part of the Russian Empire, there are still preserved Russian barracks and military redoubts.
Today it is calm and comfortable, you can see how pre-revolutionary Russia looked before all the upheavals of the 20th century. The past is cherished here, regardless of what period of history it refers to - Finnish or Russian. For example, an Orthodox cross is installed on the old barracks. There is even Suvorov Street, which once visited this city.