Vyborg January 6, 2014

In the 13th century Vyborg was founded by Swedish. In the 18th century after the Great Northern War it became a part of the Russian Empire, but retained, however, some Swedish laws and Lutheranism. At the beginning of the 20th century Finland acquired Vyborg, and until 1940 it was the second largest city in the country after Helsinki. Since 1940 Vyborg became in fact a part of USSR.

In last seventy years anything interesting was built here. But the old part of the city deserves a bit of attention.

The Swedish built castle of the 13th century remains here still. A real stern one, made of big stone blocks.

With a stylish door.

With real cannons.

With a serve trash bin made out of a gas bottle.

The castle tower inside is being renovated.

From the top it is easy to observe fortress the walls structure.

And observe the city.

Nice hilly streets.

Several of the central streets only look quite neat.

Just few crossroads in fact do so.

The rest is as usual.

Devastation.

A common courtyard.

Medieval Clock Tower.

Street sign.

An old house.

An older one. In front of it there is an open manhole carefully signed with a stick and a plastic film.

Vyborg makes a feeling of two kinds. On the one hand there is a rich history and the beauty of an old architecture, on the other - indifference and apathy is in the air.