Ivangorod, which arose more than five hundred years ago, occupies a very small area on the border between Russia and Estonia. Today it is a popular border crossing point, through which thousands of cars and buses pass every day. But to visit here with tourist purposes still worth it, because in the city is located a very unusual ancient fortress, laid at the end of the 15th century.
Ivangorod is a small provincial town, and it received the city status only in the second half of the last century, this working village, whose residents were employees of enterprises of Estonian Narva. Life here flows very peacefully and measuredly, it is unlikely that you will be able to find here modern shopping and entertainment centers or nightclubs. But the city is rich in its history, which was embodied in the architecture of the city fortress
Average strip of Russia from 800 rubles. • Krasnaya Polyana from 650 rubles
Belarus from 650 rubles. • CMS from 1,500 rubles
Children's rest from 25 300 rubles / shift.
Crimea from 500 rubles.
Improvement in the "Open South" program.
Excursion tours for children and adults.
"Green Guy" in Tuapse - from 1 800 rubles per day!
"Cape Vidny" in Sochi - from 2 900 rubles per day!
"Narzan Valley" in Nalchik - from 2 070 rubles per day!
High commission!
Atelika Slavyanka KO 20.05 for 3 nights, from 1 784 rubles
Sunville Argo Mini-Hotel 28.04 for 3 nights, from 1 800 rubles .
Sunville Paradise Hotel 20.05 for 3 nights, from 1 860 rub
We work for you since 1929! Book a tour online!
Super prices for tickets from 1 290 rub. under the "Open South" program
Hits of sale: AquaLoo, Pearl, Bridge Resort, Dagomys, Rixos, Polyana 1389. Promotions and discounts. Tours for February and March.
How to get
To go to Ivangorod most conveniently from St. Petersburg by train or by bus, which leaves several times a day from the city bus station. In addition, Ivangorod has a railway connection and a train leaves Moscow from the Leningrad station for a train to Tallinn.
A bit of history
Ivangorod Fortress was built by order of Ivan III in 1492 on the high Maiden Hill above the Narva River on the border with Livonian Order. It is precisely at this time that the end of the 10-year truce between Russia and Livonia ends, and it was necessary to strengthen its western borders. Already in 1496, the first enemy attack struck this fortress, which resulted in almost instantaneous capture, the siege lasted less than ten hours.
And although the fortress was on a high mountain, surrounded on all sides by a river and steep slopes, and also built according to the advanced at the time military engineering developments, its main drawback was extremely small. That, firstly, it did not allow enough soldiers to be accommodated in its walls, and secondly, left a huge space between the river and the fortress walls, from which it was very easy for the enemy to conduct his assault.
Effective weight loss for 14 days
Complex detoxification of the organism for 7 days
Early booking 2015
"Generous winter" in "Valuev" - discounts up to 20%
Fortress in Ivangorod
As a result, in a record short three months to Ivangorod on the east side, just to one of its walls, a fortification was added, named "The Big Boyard City", which had more powerful walls and two additional towers . Later the space between the river and the old fortress was surrounded by another wall that had circular Wells and Powder Towers . The latter, by the way, is the highest in the whole fortress . Thus, Ivangorod, built in 1492, became a fortress in a fortress or an unusual matrioshka town that practically left no chance for the enemies to enter his center . This complex ensemble is one of the best examples of the defensive architecture of his time . It's been brewed for almost two hundred years .
The fortress was harsh and unapproachable, had the right architectural forms and was distinguished by original engineering solutions. But at the same time, she harmoniously blended into the surrounding landscape and gave him special charm.
The population of the city grew rapidly, the locals mainly engaged in trade, there were also skilled artisans. But the development of Ivangorod was largely suspended in the middle of the 06th century during the Russian-Livonian, and later Russian-Swedish war, which began precisely with the blow inflicted on the Livonian Knights from the walls of Ivangorod. After the end of the war, in 1617 the city-fortress for a whole century passes under the rule of Sweden, which in no way contributed to its prosperity.
Peter I and Ivangorod
And only in 1704 Ivangorod again became part of Russia, and was included by decree Peter I in the Leningrad region (then Ingermanland province). Since then, the Linen Factory has been established here, and pottery has developed, and local residents have successfully engaged in fishing and hunting.
Ivangorod in the Second World War
During the Second World War, Ivangorod was badly damaged - its walls also suffered from German explosions invaders, and from air strikes by Soviet troops. But now most of the fortress has survived a successful reconstruction, as a result of which the original appearance of the fortress was as accurately as possible recreated. Therefore, today the architectural complex of the Ivangorod Fortress attracts more and more tourists who are not indifferent to the history and the old, really majestic architecture.
Photo by Ivangorod (11)