←Shlisselburg: Venice of the North and Russia's Bastille

Shlisselburg: Venice of the North and Russia's Bastille

Photo of route “Shlisselburg: Venice of the North and Russia's Bastille”
13 points12 km4 hours

Shlisselburg is an old town 50 kilometers (31 miles) from St. Petersburg. Its name means “key town,” and it has stood here for more than 700 years. That's reason enough to visit and see with your own eyes the “Russian Bastille” of Peter the Great's era, centuries-old canals, and a stunning sunset over the Neva. The route was designed especially for the BelkaCar car-sharing service.

Route author

Susanin Team

Things to do

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

Route points (13)

  1. Ladoga Bridge — point on route “Shlisselburg: Venice of the North and Russia's Bastille”

    Ladoga Bridge

    🌉 Bridge

  2. Breakthrough Panorama Museum — point on route “Shlisselburg: Venice of the North and Russia's Bastille”

    Breakthrough Panorama Museum

    🏛️ Museum

  3. Museum of Shlisselburg History — point on route “Shlisselburg: Venice of the North and Russia's Bastille”

    Museum of Shlisselburg History

    🏛️ Museum

  4. Cathedral Square — point on route “Shlisselburg: Venice of the North and Russia's Bastille”

    Cathedral Square

    ⛲ Square · 🕍 Place of worship

  5. Annunciation Cathedral — point on route “Shlisselburg: Venice of the North and Russia's Bastille”

    Annunciation Cathedral

    🕍 Place of worship

  6. Old Ladoga and New Ladoga Canals — point on route “Shlisselburg: Venice of the North and Russia's Bastille”

    Old Ladoga and New Ladoga Canals

    ⚙️ Industrial site

  7. Four-Chamber Granite Lock — point on route “Shlisselburg: Venice of the North and Russia's Bastille”

    Four-Chamber Granite Lock

    ⚙️ Industrial site

  8. Monument to Peter I — point on route “Shlisselburg: Venice of the North and Russia's Bastille”

    Monument to Peter I

    🗿 Monument

  9. House of the Merchant Alexei Grigorievich Potashov — point on route “Shlisselburg: Venice of the North and Russia's Bastille”

    House of the Merchant Alexei Grigorievich Potashov

    🏟️ Architectural landmark

  10. “Echo of Great Battles” Open-Air Museum — point on route “Shlisselburg: Venice of the North and Russia's Bastille”

    “Echo of Great Battles” Open-Air Museum

    🏛️ Museum · 🌿 Public garden or park

  11. Oreshek Fortress — point on route “Shlisselburg: Venice of the North and Russia's Bastille”

    Oreshek Fortress

    🏯 Fortress remains · 📜 Historic site

  12. Memorial Complex — point on route “Shlisselburg: Venice of the North and Russia's Bastille”

    Memorial Complex

    📜 Historic site · 🗿 Sculptures

  13. Nevsky Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Plant — point on route “Shlisselburg: Venice of the North and Russia's Bastille”

    Nevsky Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Plant

    ⚙️ Industrial site

Annunciation Cathedral in Shlisselburg

Point on route “Shlisselburg: Venice of the North and Russia's Bastille”

Annunciation Cathedral — point on route “Shlisselburg: Venice of the North and Russia's Bastille”

Point 5

Annunciation Cathedral

🕍 Place of worship

Architecture and History

The Cathedral of the Annunciation stands in the center of town, near the crossing to the Oreshek fortress, on the square named after it, Sobornaya (Cathedral) Square. It was built in 1764 in the Baroque style. It is the central building, with a bell tower 52 meters (171 feet) high topped by a 14-meter (46-foot) spire. It was rebuilt but not heated, so in 1768 a warm church, St. Nicholas, was built next to it. In 1933 the church was closed, and it reopened, together with the Kazan Chapel, only after restoration. In Soviet times the cathedral's bell tower was used for parachute training jumps, and the cathedral itself served as a warehouse.

Today

The Church of St. Nicholas and the chapel of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God are active and open to visitors. The Cathedral of the Annunciation was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church in the 1990s and is under restoration.