Few countries in the world have such a large number of interesting cities as in Russia. The theme of our review is the story of Vyborg. This city is rightfully proud of more than three hundred unique objects of cultural and historical significance.
Strategic Area
The foundation of Vyborg dates back to 1293. A part of historians disputes this figure, since representatives of Slavic and Karelian tribes lived in the territory of modern Vyborg already in the eleventh century. According to the annals, the Swedes constantly raided the lands of their neighbors. They sought to seize the islands of the Vyborg archipelago for strategic military purposes - the Vyborg archipelago is an exceptionally convenient place for deploying warships. Even a very large fleet is easy to hide in the rocks. In addition, numerous skerries with a depth of the straits that are not always sufficient for navigation are ideal natural traps for uninvited guests.
The main stages of the history of Vyborg
The history of Vyborg is usually divided into seven stages:
- The first stage is before the Swedish invasion. The first mention of this territory and its inhabitants dates back to the 9th century. The famous Russian historian Tatishchev in his writings mentioned a certain Ioakimovsky chronicle, which allegedly says that the fortress of Vyborg was founded by the elder of Novgorod Gostomysl. One of his sons was called Choice - hence the name of the fortress.
- The second stage is the Swedish period. Its duration is from 1293 to 1710, when it was included in the Russian Empire.
- The third stage is part of the Russian Empire.
- The fourth stage is Finnish.
- The fifth stage is the war of 1940-1944.
- The sixth stage - as part of the USSR
- The seventh stage is modern, that is, from 1991 to the present.
City founder
In 1293, the Swedish marshal and regent of the king, Torgils Knutsson, launched another, now victorious, campaign on the lands of the Karelians and Novgorodians. On one of the islands he founded a military fortification, which he called the Holy Fortress. That is how the word “Vyborg” sounds in Swedish. 1293 is considered to be the year of birth of Vyborg. Based on this, one can calculate how old Vyborg is, and there are almost eight hundred of them.
Guided by the convenient motives of the Crusades, the marshal hoped to extend the possessions of Sweden to further territories. He possessed outstanding talents not only in military affairs, but also in politics. As a representative of one of Sweden’s most generous and wealthiest families, Torgils Knutsson first became a shadow ruler under the ill king Magnus I Ladulos, and then, after the minor Birger Magnusson ascended the throne, he was appointed regent. Shortly before the death of his father, around 1290, the ten-year-old Birger Magnusson made Knutsson the Supreme Commander of Sweden.
The beginning of the next century can be considered a sunset in the biography of the courtier. In 1302-1303, a dispute arose over the right to succession between Birger Magnusson and his brothers. Torgils Knutsson was in a whirlpool of intrigue, but during this period his position was especially weak due to a conflict with Pope Boniface VIII. The fact is that the regent of the king, in great need of funds to govern the country, tried to seize rights over the treasury of the church. As a result, he was declared the enemy of faith and the country and beheaded publicly.
The memory of the founder of the city is immortalized in a bronze monument, installed on the square in front of the Old Town Hall.
Crusader castle
The main attraction of the city is Vyborg Castle. The Vyborg symbol was laid in 1293 by the leader of the crusade Torgils Knutsson. In those days, this territory belonged to the Novgorod principality, and Karelians lived on it. The Swedish marshal, having captured Vyborg, blocked the only trading route to Europe for the Novgorodians and set his plans on the more distant mainland lands of the Slavs.
The castle is a wonderful example of Western European medieval military architecture. It stands on Castle Island, which was formerly called Volovy. Its northern part is low and suitable for agricultural needs, and the eastern one is a rocky hill. A powerful wall with a thickness of almost 2 meters was built here. A watchtower was erected in the center of the island. At the base it has a square section. The monumental four-meter walls of the dungeon reliably protect the interior of the tower from cannonballs. Then this building was the highest in Scandinavia. It was named the tower of St. Olav in honor of the King of Norway, who baptized the Scandinavian lands.
In the middle of the XV century, the governor of the Swedish king Karl Knutsson Bunde thoroughly ennobled the interior of the donjon, dividing it into chambers for various purposes, knightly and ceremonial halls, and made tiled stoves. The lower part was surrounded by a fortress wall, and the upper part was paved with stone. He supplemented the fortress wall with watchtowers of square section, and in the courtyard he erected the Paradise Tower. This round tower is also considered a symbol of Vyborg and is often depicted on postcards with views of the city and on souvenirs. On the mainland, the governor built a fortress wall with defensive towers, thus turning the Vyborg Castle into a rear fortress with a double wall.
In 1556, the Swedish king Gustav Vaz visited a strategically important island. And again, Vyborg Castle underwent significant changes. The Vyborg fortress changed its silhouette: the main tower was built up with a seven-story octagonal pillar with loopholes. The dilapidated interior was replaced with a new one, expensive and exquisitely beautiful, and solid farm buildings were added to the castle courtyard.
Most of the buildings were wooden. They often burned, and in the XVI century part of the buildings were removed, and stone ones were erected in their place. Several ponds were dug in the courtyard of the castle and a fountain was built. Stone barracks were built along the northwestern wall from the outside. Some medieval houses that appeared at that time still exist.
Vyborg castle remained impregnable until 1710.
Vyborg as part of the Russian Empire
After the defeat in the Northern War and the fall of the Oreshek fortress, St. Petersburg was threatened by a direct attack from the Swedes. Since 1706, Peter I made several attempts to force the Swedes to give him an island so important for Russia, but they all ended in failure. Only the last, undertaken in 1710, brought the king victory. On June 23, the Swedish garrison signed an act of surrender.
The local population did not feel any oppression by the Russian conquerors. The serfdom law was not extended to them. In the Orthodox country, they preserved their native, Lutheran, faith. Moreover, the city continued to live according to its old, that is, Swedish, laws. With the advent of the Russians, trade revived in the city, industrial enterprises arose, the number of residential areas and settlements increased, the old fortifications were modernized. By the way, one of the mayors was Abram Petrovich Hannibal, the grandfather of the poet A.S. Pushkin.
From the provincial Swedish suburbs, the city of Vyborg turned into a prosperous province of Russia. Even the appearance of the city and its architecture have undergone tremendous changes. Many outstanding architects carried out their projects here, including Eduard Ivanovich Totleben and Yukhon Jacob Arenberg.
Since the mid-19th century, industrialization has been going on in Vyborg at a very fast pace. A navigable Saimaa canal was laid , the city was gasified, then the turn came to electricity, central water supply and telephony. From 1856 to 1912, Vyborg was in a zone of unprecedentedly rapid economic development. In three years, a railway with a length of more than 350 km was built, and in 1870 the first train passed along the route St. Petersburg - Helsingfors. In 1912, the most distant corners of Vyborg were connected by tram lines, and by that time the population of the city had grown to 50 thousand people. It was the second largest city of the Grand Duchy of Finland. The population consisted mainly of Finns - about 81%, Swedes were 10%, and Russians - only 6.5%.
The specific past, mentality and liberal traditions caused Vyborg to become a center of attraction for opponents of tsarist power. It was here that the famous Vyborg Appeal was born, which called for acts of civil disobedience. Before the revolution itself, V.I. Lenin was hiding here.
Architect Jacob Arenberg
Architect Arenberg was of the opinion that his hometown should be an example for everyone, should show and teach how representatives of different nationalities and religions can get along peacefully. It is not so important which authorities control the territory in which they live. The main thing is good neighborly relations and mutual respect.
Arenberg lived and worked in the Russian Empire and considered himself a Russian architect (at that time Vyborg was the Grand Duchy of Finland as part of Russia). It is noteworthy that he, a Swede by nationality, is currently considered a Finnish architect. This is the unique feature of Vyborg land.
In general, the history of Vyborg is the history of fierce aggressive wars, and the monument to Torgils Knutsson, created by Jacob Arenberg, is the first monument that romanticizes and reconciles the history of the region.
Jacob Arenberg (1847-1914) designed and built several buildings that still adorn the cities of three neighboring states. Vyborg streets such as Sovetskaya (formerly Posesskaya) and Krepostnaya (formerly Catherine), located in the city center, are most interesting for those who worship the work of the famous architect. Directly at their intersection is the building of the General Post Office. This is Arenberg’s latest project. Then the architect deviated somewhat from the usual neo-Renaissance, and, inspired by the beauties of Drottingham Palace, imitates the Peter's Baroque.
On Sovetskaya Street, you can see the former residence of the governor of Vyborg. Currently, the city council of deputies of the Vyborg district is located here. The governor's house can be considered the hallmark of Arenberg. A subtle imitation by the Italian architect of the 16th century is also expressed in the design of the facade. The project uses rustic tiles in the basement, ionic columns, semicircular windows, symmetry and strict geometric lines. On the same street is the well-preserved building of the former real lyceum, and if you go a little further to School Street, then you can look at the building of the former women's school, built by the famous master.
Finland period
The February Revolution of 1917 and the events of October that followed it served as an impetus to the civil war and the separation of the Grand Principality of Finland. In the new state, Finland, the red revolution was defeated, and republican rule was established in the country.
All ties with the USSR were severed. Equality of representatives of different nationalities was replaced by the leadership of the Finnish population. The Finnish language has received the status of the state.
Vyborg became the second most important city in the country - both as a cultural, and as an industrial, and as a socio-political center. The local architect Otto-Iivari Meurman developed a forty-year development plan for the city and its suburbs. The implementation of his ideas was started in 1929 in Finland, and completed in the 70s in the Soviet Union.
The history of Vyborg has preserved information that even before the war with Hitler Germany began, several very interesting buildings were built in the city, characteristic of the functionalist style. These are the Maritime School of Commerce designed by Ragnar Yupuy, the State Archives of the Uno Ulberg project and the Alvar Aalto Library.
Alvar Aalto Library
In 2013, after the completion of an extensive restoration, the Vyborg City Library opened its doors to readers. It is known throughout the world as the library of Alvar Aalto. This is the only structure of an outstanding Finnish architect that has found itself within our country. An adherent of functionalism combined with modernism, Aalto designed and built a building that meets all the requirements of architecture in the indicated styles.
The library was built for eight years and was opened in October 1935. During the war, it did not suffer, but was not exploited in the postwar years. As a result, communications, plaster, ceilings became unusable due to dampness and neglect, lamps and furniture were lost, and a unique ventilation system became clogged.
The first restoration of the 50s was carried out without original drawings, so by the opening in 1961 the library was a little like the creation of Alvar Aalto. The second restoration of 1994-2013. returned to her original form. The Committee for the Restoration of the Vyborg Library, created in 1992 in Finland, was included in the work. An international comprehensive scientific program for the restoration of the creation of architect A. Aalto was developed. On the Russian side, funding was provided from the federal budget.
Ceiling lighting was restored - 57 round windows in a flat roof. Their diameter is 1.8 m. Aalto calculated the thickness and bevels of the cylindrical openings so that the sunlight in them was refracted and reflected. Such diffused lighting does not harm the eyes and does not allow books to fade.
Ventilation again began to work with the climate control system. Alvar Aalto designed it so that the dust did not move in the air. He installed heating pipes in the ceiling, installed ventilation shafts in the walls, and installed air flow valves under the windows.
A unique wave-shaped acoustic ceiling was recreated in the lecture hall.
To restore the library, with few exceptions, the same materials were used that the architect himself used.
Three wars of 1939-1944
From November 1939 to June 20, 1944, the power and composition of the population changed three times in the territory of the Vyborg District. All three military campaigns are characterized by fierce fighting and heavy casualties among the civilian population.
The first remained in history with the name "Winter War". The Soviet version claims that the Finns started the fighting, shelling the border area of the USSR with artillery pieces. The world capitalist community announced the start of hostilities as a provocation of the Soviet state and expelled the Soviet Union from the League of Nations. On March 12, 1940, the war ended with the signing of the Moscow Peace Treaty, according to which 11% of the territory of Finland, including Vyborg, went to the Soviet Union. The Finnish government forcibly relocated the local population to Finland. They took 24 hours to the training camp: no one had time to really get together, all the acquired property was left to the mercy of fate. According to a special program, the annexed lands began to be intensively populated by Russians, industrial enterprises, cultural, educational and health institutions began to work.
Peacetime ended on August 29, 1941, when units of the 4th Corps of the Finnish Army retaliated and captured Vyborg. Russia again lost its northwestern fortress. The troops of the workers 'and peasants' Red Army left the city. The Finnish population returned to their homeland, but lingered here only for three years.
On June 20, 1944, Soviet troops again entered Vyborg - Russia took revenge, and the Finns hurriedly evacuated to the inner regions of their country.
The sixth stage - as part of the USSR
This period is considered to be from the summer of 1944 to the 1991th. Three wars caused great damage to the city. When leaving, the Finns mined most of the important industrial enterprises and residential buildings. Not everything was cleared. More than 500 buildings were destroyed. The burden of restoring the urban economy fell on the shoulders of the Soviet people. Vyborg was included in the list of 15 cities subject to state priority.
In 1947, a Vyborg infrastructure development plan was developed. By the mid-50s, instrument-making and shipbuilding plants, a citric acid plant and others began to work. The tram service was replaced by a bus, steam locomotives were replaced by electric trains. Historical monuments, such as the crusader castle, fortifications, bridges and many medieval houses, began to be restored. A sculpture park and a museum-reserve "Monrepos Park" opened. The clock tower of the cathedral was partially restored.
"Monrepos Park"
On the island of Tverdysh, in the northern part of Vyborg, is located the historical, architectural and natural museum-reserve "Monrepos Park". Initially, Tsar Peter gave these lands to the eternal use of the commandant of the Vyborg fortress Stupishin. He drained the swamps, brought in fertile land, planted fruit and deciduous trees. All subsequent owners also contributed to the refinement of the estate.
The most famous architects, artists, sculptors and garden masters at different times worked on manor buildings and landscape. It is enough to name such surnames as Montferrand, Martinelli, Gonzago, Tom de Tomon, A.I. Stackenschneider, Mettenleiter, Takanen. During the three wars of 1939-1944, most of the masterpieces were corrupted, exported or destroyed. In Soviet times, little was done on restoration work in the park. Most of the surviving buildings were used as social facilities - a kindergarten, a rest house, etc.
Currently, the park is being improved. Every summer, music festivals of Celtic and folklore music are held here, restoration of old and construction of new structures are underway, designed to restore the park to its former appearance and purpose.
The latest history of Vyborg
The latest history of Vyborg is counted from 1991 to the present. Despite the fact that some of our contemporaries claim that from the point of view of protecting the northwestern border of the Russian Federation, Vyborg has lost its former meaning, we consider these thoughts to be wrong and harmful. The fortified city still protects this region and our country from the invasion of an alien ideology and lifestyle. This is its political and military significance. It is the most important marine and land base of the country.
Modern Vyborg is a beautiful, modern city, living an active spiritual and business life. There are plants and factories, several higher and secondary educational institutions, schools, kindergartens, hospitals and rest homes. Problems with public transport are resolved thanks to the advent of new transport interchanges. The tourism sector is developing. In particular, the Vyborg fortifications on Battery Hill became part of excursion routes.
Symbols of the city
The main symbols of the city, which tour guides always talk about and depicted on souvenirs, include the Crusader castle, the Latin letter W, the city emblem, the famous Vyborg pretzel, dragrakars, the church of Hyacinth, St. Olav’s tower, Paradise and clock towers, as well as the aforementioned Monument to Marshal Knutsson.
The pretzel, as they say, is not the one that once brought glory to the city, but it is still unusually tasty, and tourists are still trying to buy and bring it to their loved ones.
As for the coat of arms, it changed several times. In 1710, after the victory of Peter I, there was an attempt to decorate it with an image of an elephant, but this symbol did not take root. The modern coat of arms of Vyborg is a slightly improved version of the coat of arms, approved by Empress Catherine II in 1788. There are three fields on it - blue, yellow and red. On them are three crowns and the letter W. To the right and left are two angels. The large wings of the heavenly patrons and the fortress wall in the background protect the well-being and peace of the inhabitants in the land entrusted to them.