Vyborg considerably decayed, but its charm remained.
The city offers travelers a variety of restaurants, hotels and shops. Even a simple walk through the alleys of the seaside city, among the buildings, telling about his past greatness, can be called atmospheric journey through time and history.
The most ancient objects of unique architectural heritage still preserved since the middle Ages.
In the Central part of the city, however, there was something new or “new old”. “Aspis” — once in the street Torkkelinkatu, now the street Lenin at the time was the most famous restaurant of Vyborg.
After all the wars from the restaurant remained only the Foundation. The new building, reminiscent of the previously destroyed, appeared on the same Foundation.
The new restaurant is not very advertised himself. But in spite of this, in a spacious hall for 300 seats, even on a weekday winter day you can see dinner or coffee drinkers of the Finns.
Large Windows let in like a restaurant Park located around.
The menu is very varied: there are and chicken Kiev, and soups, and kebabs. Offers and menus in 1935, served hot in Karelian and vinaigrette.
The prices here are reasonable, and a large portion is available for 10-12 euros.
The first restaurant at this place was a restaurant Bavarian Frans Ehrenburg (Ehrenburg Frans) “Belvedere”, which was opened in 1868. In a wooden building with carved was a small tower with observation platform.
In accordance with the development plan of 1860, the year on the street Torkkelinkatu, that is, at the present Lenin street, was a large Park, which occupied the territory from the Market square to square red source (now Red square). The territory of the Park, planted with cabbage and turnips, were turned into lime Avenue.
Belvedere burned down in 1887, and in 1890 there appeared a wooden restaurant “Esplanade”, designed by city architect, Johan Blomqvist (Johan Blomkvist). Resembling in its style the restaurant Kappeli in Helsinki, the restaurant was later renamed “Aspis”.
In front of the restaurant was the scene. It was one of the centers of the entertainment life of Vyborg, and in the evenings, many loved to walk around here.
About the bright past of the restaurant is evidenced by the countless phrases of Finnish jokes, for example: “I’ll pay, said Lallukka “Aspila””.
Known in Vyborg Commerce adviser Lallukka Juho (Juho Lallukka), as they say, consistently paying bills poor artists when they came to “Aspis” to celebrate the premiere.
The owners of the new “Aspila” entrepreneurs Larisa and Konstantin Fomichev and their partner Olga Smolin. They rent this land from the city since 1998.
Fomicheva moved to Vyborg from Estonia in 1989 and engaged in the restaurant business. Their restaurants “Siesta” and “Slavic meal” known and Finns.
When Konstantin Fomichev learned that this area was a well-known restaurant “Aspila” he came up with the idea to build a new restaurant in the Finnish spirit.
“I love Finland, and I want to pay tribute to a Finnish style and history,” says Fomichev.
Work on the project began in 2002, but was delayed for several years because of archaeological excavations. The restaurant is on the built in XV-XVI centuries and demolished in the 1860s the city wall and the ruins of a defensive fortress.
Only after medieval buildings were studied, in 2006 construction began.
Work, however, progressed rather slowly. “It was most difficult to get financing from the Bank,” − says Larissa Fomichev.
The restaurant, for example, has its own heating plant, and Konstantin Fomichev chose the best building materials.
“This is a commercial secret, but the construction took a lot of money,” he says.
Fomichev said that finishing work is still underway. He has a dream: to make the entrance to the restaurant through the remains of a historic wall, which is located at a depth of four meters.
History and architecture
The architectural heritage of Vyborg for the most part is under threat of extinction. For example, started restoration of the tower of the medieval Cathedral stopped, although the tower and went with a scary crack.
However, the city has renovated buildings and buildings in good condition.
Vyborg castle was built in 1293, and his permanent historical exhibition have reported a surprisingly international city with different points of view.
© RIA Novosti, Konstantin Chalabov | go to photolanguage castle in Vyborg
The exhibition “Swedish Vyborg” tells the story ended in 1721, the period of the Swedish authorities. Finns must be especially interested in the exhibition, telling about Viipuri in the Winter war and the Soviet-Finnish war of 1941-1944, and the Vyborg, in the Grand Duchy of Finland and independent Finland.
The Museum also has a Department devoted to the nature of the Karelian isthmus, a shop of Souvenirs and the knights ‘ hall, where you can try on medieval armor of knights and try their hand at fencing.
With a 75-meter towers of St. Olaf provides a breathtaking view of the Vyborg and beautiful surroundings, but the tower is closed until the end of the year due to renovations.
School of the arts at the Pantserlaks Bastion of the sea makes a great impression even as a building. The school was built in 1930 on the project of the UNO Ulberg (Uno Ullberg).
Now the building houses not only an art school, but a branch of the Hermitage. This year there are two exhibitions of the West European art XVIII-XIX centuries, collected from the exhibits of the Hermitage.
In early April, it opened the exhibition “Birds: messengers of the gods”, as well as the end of the year, the exhibition “Flemish art.”
The renovation of the Library Alvar Aalto (Alvar Aalto, famous Finnish architect and designer — approx. TRANS.), which began in 1990 and ended in 2013. This restored building in functionalist style in the street Lenin — a real work of art.
Here not only has a library, but also hosts concerts, lectures on art and literature, and courses in needlework. You can enjoy a tour of the library in the Finnish language.
At this link You can see the work of a photographer of Grendale Jukka (Jukka Gröndahl) from Vyborg in 1991.
Massage, shopping and food for every taste
In Vyborg, the tourist can profitably buy petrol, winter tyres and tools. You can also make the nails.
In the old market, you can buy a variety of products, from pickled garlic to chocolate. In addition, you can buy clothes, embroidered boots and a crystal.
The old town became dilapidated, but the old stone Foundation there are beautiful shops and restaurants in the spirit of Tallinn.
For example, on the street Linnankatu, that is, at castle 6, is the charming restaurant “the Bear”. On the Square in the Old town Hall opposite the Vyborg castle café “Krendel”, which has the facilities and services in the Finnish language.
Services in the sphere of beauty, for example, offers the largest SPA Vyborg “Tutafe”. “20% of our clients are Finns,” says Director Tatiana Orlova.
Here you can get a manicure and pedicure, lengthen lashes, make use of the services of a hairdresser and masseur.
In Vyborg there are restaurants for every taste. Russians favorite sushi you can try in front of Neste Oil in the fast food restaurant “Eurasia”. Popular pub “champion” offers, in addition to beer, food and sports events on TV.
The medieval spirit is present in the restaurant “Tavern”, located in the old town, and nearby is made in the medieval spirit of “Shop of Goodies Wiborg=”.
Must be the most famous hotel Vyborg — hotel “Victoria” in the corner of the Market square. It was built almost 20 years, and construction was finally completed in 2008. On the top floor of the hotel has a restaurant with a terrace that offers stunning views of the city and the sea.
Facts
2.5 hours by train
The route from Helsinki to Vyborg by train Allegro lasts for two hours and 22 minutes and is only 48 Euro per ticket one way.
Many regular buses from Helsinki to St. Petersburg stops in Vyborg.
The agencies offer various trips to Vyborg.
The EU citizen needs to obtain to travel Russian visa.
During the summer period from 19 may to 9 September in Viborg you can get on the ship M/S Carelia from Lappeenranta via Saimaa canal. For a cruise visa is not required.
