Vyborg is an atmospheric town where eras and cultures blend together. At different times it was ruled by Sweden, Finland and Russia. It has a real medieval castle, and the streets of the old town breathe history. Vyborg is the place to go if you want an unforgettable weekend. This route was designed specially for the BelkaCar car-sharing service.
Lallukka House
🏟️ Architectural landmark
Bank of Finland Building
🏟️ Architectural landmark · 📜 Historic site
Market Square
⛲ Square
Round Tower
🏯 Fortress remains · 📜 Historic site
Burgher's Estate
🏟️ Architectural landmark · 📜 Historic site
Church of St. Hyacinth (Knights' House)
🏛️ Museum
Hackman House (Granite Palace)
🏟️ Architectural landmark
Old Town Hall Square
⛲ Square · 🏟️ Architectural landmark · 📜 Historic site
Vyborg Castle and St. Olaf's Tower
🏛️ Museum · 🏟️ Architectural landmark · 📜 Historic site · 🔭 Viewpoint
Clock Tower
🏟️ Architectural landmark · 📜 Historic site · 🔭 Viewpoint
Burgher's House: Russia's Oldest Residential Building
🕵️ Urban legend
Vyborg Tram
🎨 Art installations
Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul
🕍 Place of worship
Cathedral Square and Transfiguration Cathedral
🕍 Place of worship · ⛲ Square
Alvar Aalto Library
🏙 Modern architecture
Red Square
⛲ Square
Point 15
🏙 Modern architecture
This library is one of Vyborg's most unusual places, and every tourist tries to visit it. The building was designed in the 1930s by the Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto. The library officially opened in 1935, with almost ideal conditions for storing books. The library survived the Soviet-Finnish War and World War II, but fell into neglect. Restoration began in the 1990s and was completed in 2013. Today the library looks just as the architect originally intended.
Alvar Aalto was 100 years ahead of his time: in the 21st century the library looks modern, and in the 1930s it was simply astonishing. Finnish functionalism is on full display here. The library has many unexpected architectural solutions, such as the wavy wooden ceiling in the lecture hall. There are no traditional windows in the walls — sunlight damages old books — so the architect came up with an alternative: unusual skylights in the ceiling make the reading rooms very bright. The library hosts concerts and lectures. Entry to the library itself is free; you just need to get a temporary reader's card.
Point on route “Vyborg's Architectural Contrasts”
Point 15
🏙 Modern architecture
This library is one of Vyborg's most unusual places, and every tourist tries to visit it. The building was designed in the 1930s by the Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto. The library officially opened in 1935, with almost ideal conditions for storing books. The library survived the Soviet-Finnish War and World War II, but fell into neglect. Restoration began in the 1990s and was completed in 2013. Today the library looks just as the architect originally intended.
Alvar Aalto was 100 years ahead of his time: in the 21st century the library looks modern, and in the 1930s it was simply astonishing. Finnish functionalism is on full display here. The library has many unexpected architectural solutions, such as the wavy wooden ceiling in the lecture hall. There are no traditional windows in the walls — sunlight damages old books — so the architect came up with an alternative: unusual skylights in the ceiling make the reading rooms very bright. The library hosts concerts and lectures. Entry to the library itself is free; you just need to get a temporary reader's card.
16 points
4 km
4 hours
