Vyborg's Architectural Contrasts

16 points4 km4 hours

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.

Route author

Susanin Team

Things to do

📜 Learn the city's history
🏛️🕰️ Compare the eras

Route points (16)

Church of St. Hyacinth (Knights' House) in Vyborg

Point on route “Vyborg's Architectural Contrasts”

Point 6

Church of St. Hyacinth (Knights' House)

🏛️ Museum

Historical Background

This stone building on Vodnoy Zastavy Street is one of the oldest stone houses in Vyborg. It consists of two parts built at different times. The main part is rectangular, built of granite boulders and brick. Its exact date is unknown; experts say late 16th or early 17th century. What we can say for sure is that the old part was built before the town was replanned, which is why it stands at an angle to the street line. One theory is that the building was originally the school of the Franciscan monastery. Another is that it was home to the pastor of the local cathedral's Lutheran parish.

The Knights' House

In the 17th century the house passed into private hands. It had various owners, the best known being Peter Georg Janisch, a wealthy local merchant. It was under him, in the 1760s, that a pentagonal eastern stone wing (without a basement, but the same height as the old house) was added, giving the building its odd L-shape. Janisch later fell out with the town commandant, and the merchant was jailed and his property confiscated. In 1794 the stone building became home to the Vyborg Nobility Assembly. Most of its members came from German and Swedish families, and in the Swedish manner the assembly came to be called the Knights' House (Riddarhuset).

Church of St. Hyacinth

In 1799 Paul I, a patron of the Order of Malta, gave the house to the Catholic Church. In 1802 it became the Chapel of St. Hyacinth; a Roman Catholic parish had been established in the town shortly before. In 1856 the chapel became a Roman Catholic parish church. Between 1915 and 1930 the building was rebuilt and took on the look of a typical Catholic church. The parish was closed in 1944. In 1995 the building was listed as a cultural heritage site of federal significance. Today the church is part of the local museum and is open to visitors.