Vyborg is a small medieval town situated on the shore of the Gulf of Finland close to Russia’s border with Finland, 300 kilometers far from Helsinki.
The name of the town Vyborg from Swedish means Saint Fortress. The history of the town began in the 13th century when the attention of the Swedish military commander Torkel Knutsson was attracted by this land. It happened during the third Swedish Crusade as a result Vyborg Castle was founded. The monument to the founder Torkel Knutsson is located on the oldest square of the town.
How many time has Vyborg changed hands? A small Karelian settlement transformed into prosperous town under Swedes, then it was conquered by Peter the Great and became part of Russia. For some time it was a part of Finnish territory but joined Russia again during the Soviet time.
In spite of numerous wars many buildings preserved from medieval times. For example you can find here the oldest dwelling-house in Russia that was built in the 16th century. There are also many other interesting places to see and to visit. This town is full of history and interesting stories.
When you are in Vyborg town we recommend you to try local beer and crendel ( local brezel). The crendel recipe goes back to medieval times.
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