Oreshek Fortress — Attraction in Shlisselburg

Shlisselburg is located at the source of the Neva River from Lake Ladoga. The main attraction of the city is the ancient fortress of Oreshek (sometimes mistakenly called Oreshnik), one of the oldest in Russia. The fortress was founded in 1323 by Prince Yuri Danilovich of Novgorod, the grandson of Alexander Nevsky, on Orekhov Island, which was named after the abundance of hazelnuts. In the same year, the Orekhovsky Peace Treaty, the first agreement between Novgorod and Sweden, was signed here. In 1612-1702, the fortress was under Swedish rule and was called Noteburg. Peter I recaptured it in 1702 during the Great Northern War, giving it the name Shlisselburg.

The fortress has an irregular triangular shape with seven towers (five of which have been preserved), the main one being the Tsar's Tower with its unique curved entrance. Inside, there is a citadel with additional fortifications and a...

Oreshek is a fortress founded by Novgorod at the source of the Neva, and most famous as a prison that housed political dissidents in the late czarist era. From Petersburg you can reach it by train to Petrokrepost, or by bus to Schlisselburg. Train is faster, but the Schlisselburg side is more exciting.

You need to take a ferry to the island, where you can explore the island individually, with an audio guide, or a tour. Much of it is in ruins, but a few buildings have been restored. There is a cafe and a toilet on the premises. Two to three hours should be plenty to see all there is to see.

The nature is particularly stunning here, so consider making some time to hire a boat, go for a swim, or just...

Super fortress worthing a visit. Nice reconstruction and some explanations in English. Better a guide if you don't know Russian for further knowledge. A little preparation for a small picnic at the lake shore of the island is to recommend. Easy to spend 2-4 hours. For kids would be a fantastic visit. 250rub the ferry (every 30minutes) and the entrance 200rub. The fortress was the key to reach S.Peterburg and it was also used as prison for Dekabrists (s.XIX) and anarchist (end of XIX and beginning of XX). Then it was a bastion to leave open the access of Leningrad to the rest of Russia against the nazi troops...