Vyborg Clock Tower
Vyborg Clock Tower is the former bell tower of the old cathedral, erected in the late 15th century. The tall tower is considered one of the most picturesque sights of Vyborg and an architectural dominant of the historical building. It rises 25 meters and is clearly visible from everywhere. The old building looks especially beautiful from the side of the Vyborg Castle. The image of the Clock Tower adorns the pages of advertising booklets and guidebooks. In the early 1970s, the architectural monument was filmed in the popular movie “Sannikov Land.”
Video: Vyborg Clock Tower
Highlights
The clock tower stands on a huge block of granite, and its walls, up to 1.6 meters thick, are built of boulders and bonded with lime mortar. A 61-ton drum bell, given to the city by Empress Catherine II, is kept here. Its melodious ringing has been ringing the streets of Vyborg for more than two centuries. The clock was last changed in the middle of the 19th century, and it has served well until today. The caretaker regularly lubricates the gears with machine oil, and the clock mechanism itself does not require any repairs.
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There is an observation deck at the top of the Vyborg Clock Tower. It offers an excellent view of the streets and rooftops of the central part of the city, the Vyborg Bay, the castle and the faceted tower of St. Olaf. However, today the entrance to the observation deck is closed for tourists. The reason for this is that for several centuries the old building has become dilapidated and in a state of disrepair. Fungus settled on its walls and cracks appeared. In the 1970s and 1980s, the tower was restored, but the work performed did not meet the design recommendations and was aimed only at restoring the appearance of the building.
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Several years ago, experts thoroughly examined the building, assessed its condition as critical, and concluded that it could collapse. In the winter of 2015, the Clock Tower was mothballed in preparation for a large-scale restoration. It is believed that in this form it can stand for another 3-5 years.
.Next to the Clock Tower, the ruins of the cathedral can be seen. The cathedral church was destroyed during the 1940 war between the USSR and Finland and it was decided not to restore it.
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History of the Clock Tower
In 1494-1498, a large Catholic church in honor of St. Mary and Olaf was erected in the center of the city. The lower part of the belfry was built next to the church building. In the XVII century the tower was damaged by fire, it was repaired and superstructured. In 1660 the first clock appeared on the cathedral bell tower, and since then the tower has been called the Clock Tower.
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In 1738, there was another major fire. The flames destroyed the tower spire and damaged 9 bells. After the fire, Russian Empress Anna Ioannovna ordered that the money collected for the treasury by the customs of Vyborg be used to rebuild the tower.
In 1753, the authorities ordered that the tower be rebuilt with the money collected for the treasury by the customs of Vyborg.
In 1753, the city authorities bought a clock with a bell made by clockmaker Peter Elfström in Stockholm and mounted it on the tower. To accommodate the massive chains and weights, a special shaft was built inside the building, between the staircases.
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After 40 years, another tier was added to the Clock Tower in the Classicist style. The reconstruction project was carried out by the provincial architect Johann Brockmann. The new tier not only made the tower more slender, but also played a utilitarian role. An observation platform was created at the top, so the Clock Tower was used as a fire tower. There were constantly on duty here, who in case of danger could notify the residents of the surrounding neighborhoods about the fire.
.How to get there
The Vyborg Clock Tower is located in the historic center of Vyborg, on Krepostnaya Street, 5. It is a 20-minute walk from the city railway station, covering 1.5 kilometers.
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