Kopor Fortress

Kopor Fortress is a medieval defensive complex in the village of Koporie, Leningrad Region, founded in 1237 by the Knights of the Livonian Order and became a bone of contention between Russia and Sweden for several centuries. The semicircular citadel is located on an isolated rocky site connected to the road by a massive stone bridge. Today, the architectural ensemble of the Kopor fortification can be counted among the few ancient monuments that managed to avoid depersonalizing restoration and, despite the serious damage, to preserve the historical appearance as much as possible.

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Video: Koporsk Fortress

Contents

History of the fortress

The history of the construction of the Kopor citadel is inextricably linked with the Teutons who settled in these lands. In the early XIII century, the ubiquitous knights conquered part of the Novgorod territories and began to rob nearby villages and passing trade caravans. And in order to have a place to hide from the Russian troops that periodically appeared here, the prudent Livonians acquired a wooden fortification – the ancestor of the modern stone fortress.

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‘ Koporsk fortress from the height

Koporskaya Fortress today

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For the record: the food stores, stables, order house and soldiers’ barracks have not stood the test of time, so the only reminder of the presence of these buildings on the territory of the fortress is the fortification plan.

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‘ Koporskaya fortress from a bird’s eye view

How to get there

Getting to Koporje is more convenient and faster if you have your own car. Just take the Tallinn highway and follow it to the village of Begunitsy, where you turn off at the sign “Koporje”. Traveling by public transport will be longer and more tiring. To begin with, you will have to get to the Baltic railway station (St. Petersburg), where you need to take any bus passing through the station “Kalishche”. When you arrive at your destination, you need to change to bus 677A, which will take you to the Koporsk Fortress.

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