Koporskaya fortress or Koporye is located in the Leningrad region, halfway from St. Petersburg to Narva, just 12 km from the iconic Gulf of Finland. There are a lot of fortification structures in this region, but Koporye is remarkable because its purpose was fulfilled long enough - until the 18th century, until the border moved longer to the west and the need for it did not disappear by itself. But, despite this, the structure is not very popular with tourists. The reason is that the object is difficult to reach, the terrain is not pleased with the developed transport connection. You can get here only by car or by bus, having previously reached the Kalishche railway station. With a little attendance, they associate a very deplorable state of outpost, in the restoration of which money is not invested.
History of the Koporsk fortress
The fortification was founded presumably in 1237 by the Germans, the Knights of the Livonian Order. In the Russian annals the first mention of it is dated 1240, and 1241 fortress was taken and destroyed by Prince Alexander Nevsky. In 1280, for security reasons, on the initiative of Dmitry Alexandrovich, the son of the great Novgorod governor, the fortress was rebuilt, and two years later it was dismantled, having overthrown the ruler. Again, forced to restore the strengthening of the threat from the Swedish border in 1297. Since then, Koporye has become the most important defensive object of the Novgorod Republic.
At the beginning of the XVI century, because of the active use of firearms, the fortress had to be thoroughly rebuilt and strengthened. In 1617, after a long siege, the fortress was handed over to the Swedes and consolidated by agreement. In 1703, it was returned to the Russian troops, and in 1763 and completely abolished, depriving the status of the defensive structure. But on this the heroic past of Koporye did not break off - in 1919, using the fortress to its destination, Red Army soldiers successfully repulsed the attack of the White Guards, landing in the rear. In 1941, she again served the Soviet army, but this time was captured by the enemy and was released only in 1944.
Since the 1970s, the first attempts to restore the fortress began, the towers have been mothballed. And only in 2001 the fortress of Koporye was given the status of a museum, and the cashier was opened at the entrance. Since 2013 the fortress Koporye is closed for visits and excursions due to an emergency condition.
Architectural ensemble of the Koporskaya fortress-museum
Since the structure was erected on a natural elevation above the Koporka River, an area of approximately 70 by 200 m, it partly repeats its outlines, forming a half-ellipse. The thickness of the walls is 5 meters, the height is 13. 4 towers have a height of 15 meters. In the Middle Ages, they were crowned with tent roofs, which, unfortunately, were not preserved. The architectural complex includes: a gate, defensive hay, a bridge, a chapel in which the family tomb of Zinovievs is located, in whose ownership the fortress passed in the 18th century, the Transfiguration Church.
How to get to the fortress of Koporye?
As mentioned above, the easiest way to get to the fortress of Koporje is by car. To do this, proceed from St. Petersburg along the highway leading to Tallinn to the village of Begunitsy, and from there turn in the direction of the sign to Koporye and drive another 22 km. Having reached the settlement, you should move towards Sosnovy Bor, until the outline of the outpost appears. Another option is on the train from the Baltic station to the station Kalishche, from where the bus №421 directly goes to the fortress. There is also a car transport from the town of Sosnovy Bor, which runs according to the schedule from the store "Leningrad".
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