Tower of St. Olav
Encyclopedia
The Tower of St. Olav is the one remaining tower of Vyborg Castle. It is a symbol and an architectural landmark of the city of Vyborg
.
, the Lord High Constable of Sweden
, who led in the 1290s a crusade to Karelia
, the Third Finnish Crusade
, which was actually aimed against the Russian state of Novgorod. He chose the location of the new fortress to command the Bay of Vyborg, which was a trading site already used by locals. From the bay, a river leads inland, ultimately connecting the place to several districts, lakes, and indirectly also to rivers going to Lake Ladoga
.
the main fortress tower was constructed in 1293.
According to the Russian military historians the first fortifications consisted of a rectangular donjon type tower
and the closed perimeter of a defensive wall
, which surrounded the tower.
Russian archaeological excavations confirm this fact.
The builders constructed the tower from huge boulders, according to traditions of the Italian fortification style
then dominant in Europe.
The tower was named for a legendary king of Norway, Olaf Sacred
, who confirmed Christianity in Scandinavia and was later canonised.
The foundation of the tower is made of stone laid without application of a building solution; the tower walls are composed of stones cemented with use of a strong solution and revetted by boulder
s.
The tower is rectangular (size is 15.5 х 15.6 meters), with walls 4.5 meters thick.
The tower top has a crenelated wall on which a wooden gallery for defenders was erected.
The castle cellar was used for storage of supplies
and a prison
, while the ground floor was used for living space.
The new fortress was repeatedly besieged by the armies of the Novgorod Republic
, the most serious siege occurring in 1322.
In this siege the most advanced artillery of the age was used: stone fougasse, including possibly the heavy arbalest
.
As a result of excavation, it has been discovered that wooden structures were once attached to the walls of the stone structure.
Researchers have discovered traces burnt down in 14th century of a workshop processing bone
and sheet bronze
. They cannot, however, conclude with confidence whether or not a foundry works
was present.
In 1403 Vyborg
received the official status of a city
.
Most likely at the beginning of 15th century the coast was connected with the lock by a bateau bridge
named Fortress bridge.
Before attaining the royal throne of Sweden, Karl Knutsson (Bonde)
took residence in Vyborg in 1442 and began strengthening and expanding the castle.
He constructed new premises and strengthened the castle with new walls and towers, arranging it on the model of the European cities of that time.
The tower of St. Olav received one more circle around it, connecting it with a group of buildings with which it was brought under a single roof in 1442–1448.
reconstructed and strengthened a fortress for expansion of borders of the state on the east.
In 1525 the German count Johan von Hoya, brother-in-law of Gustav Vaza, became deputy of the castle.
Instead of taking actions to strengthen the castle as a military fortress he began to arrange balls
and tournaments
which demanded considerable expenses.
King Gustav sent an army to conquer Vyborg and count Johan von Hoya fled to Lübeck
.
In 1555 when Gustav Vaza was preparing for his next war with Russia he visited Vyborg and spent some time living in the castle.
He noted its shabby condition and mentioned in a letter «those lacks and errors» which he has seen in Finland.
The king considered it a priority to carry out an urgent reconstruction of the defensive works both in the castle and in the city.
Between 1556 and 1560 building was directed by deputy Klas Kristersson Horn.
During this reconstruction Vyborg сastle took the general form that it has retained to this day, but Horn did not have time to finish the defensive works and Tower of St. Olav was finally reconstructed by his son, Eric XIV
.
In 1561–1564 the top part of the quadrangular tower was disassembled, and three floors re-erected in the form of an octangle.
The tower was built of brick
with a roof covered in lead
specially brought from Stockholm
.
Over an entry gate, by order of the king, were placed the arms «three crowns»; in the tower were placed artillery of large calibre; and in a cellar was installed a warehouse for kernels
.
During the Great Northern War
Russian armies under Peter I
took all the fortresses of Karelia
and Ingria
: in 1703–1704 – Nyenschantz, Jama
, Koporye
, Noteburg
, and Ivangorod
.
Vyborg
fell on June, 13th 1710.
The Medieval interiors
of the castle remained up to the middle of 19th century, but the most part have been destroyed by fire.
In 1834 lightning struck a flagstaff of the tower, sparking a fire that burnt down the wooden support beams
; the tower was restored in 1844.
From during celebrations on the occasion of opening of Saimaa Canal
fireworks
were arranged. These ignited the dome of the tower and from there the fire was thrown down on buildings standing nearby, consuming all of Vyborg Castle in flames.
The fire consumed the wooden buildings abutting the Tower of St. Olav, and only the Commandant's house and buildings of the Forward courtyard escaped.
Tower restoration was undertaken by the engineer corps under Colonel E. Lezedov on the orders of Russian Military Office in 1891–1894.
The tower gate was given a granite stoop, and the internal premises were built anew, including the addition of a metal ladder mounted to the top part of the tower leading up to a viewing platform.
From May 1, 1913 through August 6, 1914 Nikolay Suhomlin supervised engineering and civil work on the fortress.
In the 1920s Finnish authorities
again repaired the tower and partially opened it to the public, but it remained a military facility.
.
The castle lagged behind as a military facility and after 1964 it was transferred to the Vyborg state museum of local lore.
In the castle, work continues on the maintenance and safety of the monument, and now Vyborg Castle is seen as a unique monument of West European military architecture that was shaped by developments from the 13th through 19th centuries.
Since 2000 the museum has been known as the State museum «Vyborg Castle».
It is now due for major restoration. Artem Novikov, chairman of the Russian Association of restorers, plans to begin restoration in 2010–2012.
Vyborg
Vyborg is a town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated on the Karelian Isthmus near the head of the Bay of Vyborg, to the northwest of St. Petersburg and south from Russia's border with Finland, where the Saimaa Canal enters the Gulf of Finland...
.
History
The fortress was conceived by Torkel KnutssonTorkel Knutsson
Torkel Knutsson, known well as Marshal Torkel, of Aranäs, was constable and virtual ruler of Sweden during the early reign of King Birger Magnusson ....
, the Lord High Constable of Sweden
Lord High Constable of Sweden
The Lord High Constable was a prominent and influential office in Sweden, from the 13th century until 1676, excluding periods when the office was out of use. The office holder was a member of the Swedish Privy Council and, from 1630 and on, the head of the Swedish Council of War...
, who led in the 1290s a crusade to Karelia
Karelia
Karelia , the land of the Karelian peoples, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Finland, Russia, and Sweden...
, the Third Finnish Crusade
Swedish-Novgorodian Wars
Swedish–Novgorodian Wars were a series of conflicts in the 12th and 13th centuries between the Republic of Novgorod and medieval Sweden over control of the Gulf of Finland, an area vital to the Hanseatic League and part of the Varangian-Byzantine trade route...
, which was actually aimed against the Russian state of Novgorod. He chose the location of the new fortress to command the Bay of Vyborg, which was a trading site already used by locals. From the bay, a river leads inland, ultimately connecting the place to several districts, lakes, and indirectly also to rivers going to Lake Ladoga
Lake Ladoga
Lake Ladoga is a freshwater lake located in the Republic of Karelia and Leningrad Oblast in northwestern Russia, not far from Saint Petersburg. It is the largest lake in Europe, and the 14th largest lake by area in the world.-Geography:...
.
1293 construction
By request of Torkel KnutssonTorkel Knutsson
Torkel Knutsson, known well as Marshal Torkel, of Aranäs, was constable and virtual ruler of Sweden during the early reign of King Birger Magnusson ....
the main fortress tower was constructed in 1293.
According to the Russian military historians the first fortifications consisted of a rectangular donjon type tower
Tower
A tower is a tall structure, usually taller than it is wide, often by a significant margin. Towers are distinguished from masts by their lack of guy-wires....
and the closed perimeter of a defensive wall
Defensive wall
A defensive wall is a fortification used to protect a city or settlement from potential aggressors. In ancient to modern times, they were used to enclose settlements...
, which surrounded the tower.
Russian archaeological excavations confirm this fact.
The builders constructed the tower from huge boulders, according to traditions of the Italian fortification style
Watchtower
A watchtower is a type of fortification used in many parts of the world. It differs from a regular tower in that its primary use is military, and from a turret in that it is usually a freestanding structure. Its main purpose is to provide a high, safe place from which a sentinel or guard may...
then dominant in Europe.
The tower was named for a legendary king of Norway, Olaf Sacred
Olaf II of Norway
Olaf II Haraldsson was King of Norway from 1015 to 1028. He was posthumously given the title Rex Perpetuus Norvegiae and canonised in Nidaros by Bishop Grimkell, one year after his death in the Battle of Stiklestad on 29 July 1030. Enshrined in Nidaros Cathedral...
, who confirmed Christianity in Scandinavia and was later canonised.
The foundation of the tower is made of stone laid without application of a building solution; the tower walls are composed of stones cemented with use of a strong solution and revetted by boulder
Boulder
In geology, a boulder is a rock with grain size of usually no less than 256 mm diameter. While a boulder may be small enough to move or roll manually, others are extremely massive....
s.
The tower is rectangular (size is 15.5 х 15.6 meters), with walls 4.5 meters thick.
The tower top has a crenelated wall on which a wooden gallery for defenders was erected.
The castle cellar was used for storage of supplies
Food storage
Food storage is both a traditional domestic skill and is important industrially. Food is stored by almost every human society and by many animals...
and a prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
, while the ground floor was used for living space.
The new fortress was repeatedly besieged by the armies of the Novgorod Republic
Novgorod Republic
The Novgorod Republic was a large medieval Russian state which stretched from the Baltic Sea to the Ural Mountains between the 12th and 15th centuries, centred on the city of Novgorod...
, the most serious siege occurring in 1322.
In this siege the most advanced artillery of the age was used: stone fougasse, including possibly the heavy arbalest
Arbalest
The arbalest was a late variation of the medieval European crossbow. A large weapon, the arbalest had a steel prod . Since an arbalest was much larger than earlier crossbows, and because of the greater compressive strength of steel, it had a greater force...
.
As a result of excavation, it has been discovered that wooden structures were once attached to the walls of the stone structure.
Researchers have discovered traces burnt down in 14th century of a workshop processing bone
Bone
Bones are rigid organs that constitute part of the endoskeleton of vertebrates. They support, and protect the various organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells and store minerals. Bone tissue is a type of dense connective tissue...
and sheet bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
. They cannot, however, conclude with confidence whether or not a foundry works
Foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
was present.
In 1403 Vyborg
Vyborg
Vyborg is a town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated on the Karelian Isthmus near the head of the Bay of Vyborg, to the northwest of St. Petersburg and south from Russia's border with Finland, where the Saimaa Canal enters the Gulf of Finland...
received the official status of a city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
.
Most likely at the beginning of 15th century the coast was connected with the lock by a bateau bridge
Pontoon bridge
A pontoon bridge or floating bridge is a bridge that floats on water and in which barge- or boat-like pontoons support the bridge deck and its dynamic loads. While pontoon bridges are usually temporary structures, some are used for long periods of time...
named Fortress bridge.
Before attaining the royal throne of Sweden, Karl Knutsson (Bonde)
Charles VIII of Sweden
Charles VIII of Sweden , Charles I of Norway, also Carl, , was king of Sweden and king of Norway ....
took residence in Vyborg in 1442 and began strengthening and expanding the castle.
He constructed new premises and strengthened the castle with new walls and towers, arranging it on the model of the European cities of that time.
The tower of St. Olav received one more circle around it, connecting it with a group of buildings with which it was brought under a single roof in 1442–1448.
Constructions of later time
In the middle of 16th century Swedish king Gustav VazaGustav I of Sweden
Gustav I of Sweden, born Gustav Eriksson of the Vasa noble family and later known simply as Gustav Vasa , was King of Sweden from 1523 until his death....
reconstructed and strengthened a fortress for expansion of borders of the state on the east.
In 1525 the German count Johan von Hoya, brother-in-law of Gustav Vaza, became deputy of the castle.
Instead of taking actions to strengthen the castle as a military fortress he began to arrange balls
Ball (dance)
A ball is a formal dance. The word 'ball' is derived from the Latin word "ballare", meaning 'to dance'; the term also derived into "bailar", which is the Spanish and Portuguese word for dance . In Catalan it is the same word, 'ball', for the dance event.Attendees wear evening attire, which is...
and tournaments
Tournament (medieval)
A tournament, or tourney is the name popularly given to chivalrous competitions or mock fights of the Middle Ages and Renaissance . It is one of various types of hastiludes....
which demanded considerable expenses.
King Gustav sent an army to conquer Vyborg and count Johan von Hoya fled to Lübeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
.
In 1555 when Gustav Vaza was preparing for his next war with Russia he visited Vyborg and spent some time living in the castle.
He noted its shabby condition and mentioned in a letter «those lacks and errors» which he has seen in Finland.
The king considered it a priority to carry out an urgent reconstruction of the defensive works both in the castle and in the city.
Between 1556 and 1560 building was directed by deputy Klas Kristersson Horn.
During this reconstruction Vyborg сastle took the general form that it has retained to this day, but Horn did not have time to finish the defensive works and Tower of St. Olav was finally reconstructed by his son, Eric XIV
Eric XIV of Sweden
-Family and descendants:Eric XIV had several relationships before his marriage. With Agda Persdotter he had four daughters:#Margareta Eriksdotter , married 1592 to Olov Simonsson, vicar of Horn....
.
In 1561–1564 the top part of the quadrangular tower was disassembled, and three floors re-erected in the form of an octangle.
The tower was built of brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
with a roof covered in lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
specially brought from Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
.
Over an entry gate, by order of the king, were placed the arms «three crowns»; in the tower were placed artillery of large calibre; and in a cellar was installed a warehouse for kernels
Seed
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
.
During the Great Northern War
Great Northern War
The Great Northern War was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in northern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedish alliance were Peter I the Great of Russia, Frederick IV of...
Russian armies under Peter I
Peter I of Russia
Peter the Great, Peter I or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov Dates indicated by the letters "O.S." are Old Style. All other dates in this article are New Style. ruled the Tsardom of Russia and later the Russian Empire from until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his half-brother, Ivan V...
took all the fortresses of Karelia
Karelia
Karelia , the land of the Karelian peoples, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Finland, Russia, and Sweden...
and Ingria
Ingria
Ingria is a historical region in the eastern Baltic, now part of Russia, comprising the southern bank of the river Neva, between the Gulf of Finland, the Narva River, Lake Peipus in the west, and Lake Ladoga and the western bank of the Volkhov river in the east...
: in 1703–1704 – Nyenschantz, Jama
Kingisepp
Kingisepp , formerly Yamburg , Yam , and Yama , is an ancient town and the administrative center of Kingiseppsky District of Leningrad Oblast, Russia, located along the Luga Riverw west of St. Petersburg, east of Narva, and south of the Gulf of Finland...
, Koporye
Koporye
Koporye is a historic village in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, located about 100 km to the west of St. Petersburg and 12 km south of the Koporye Bay of the Baltic Sea...
, Noteburg
Shlisselburg
Shlisselburg is a town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated at the head of the Neva River on Lake Ladoga, east of St. Petersburg. From 1944 to 1992, it was known as Petrokrepost...
, and Ivangorod
Ivangorod
Ivangorod is a town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated on the right bank of the Narva River by the Russian-Estonian border, west of St. Petersburg. Population: The town is known for the Ivangorod fortress....
.
Vyborg
Vyborg
Vyborg is a town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated on the Karelian Isthmus near the head of the Bay of Vyborg, to the northwest of St. Petersburg and south from Russia's border with Finland, where the Saimaa Canal enters the Gulf of Finland...
fell on June, 13th 1710.
The Medieval interiors
Medieval art
The medieval art of the Western world covers a vast scope of time and place, over 1000 years of art history in Europe, and at times the Middle East and North Africa...
of the castle remained up to the middle of 19th century, but the most part have been destroyed by fire.
In 1834 lightning struck a flagstaff of the tower, sparking a fire that burnt down the wooden support beams
Beam (structure)
A beam is a horizontal structural element that is capable of withstanding load primarily by resisting bending. The bending force induced into the material of the beam as a result of the external loads, own weight, span and external reactions to these loads is called a bending moment.- Overview...
; the tower was restored in 1844.
From during celebrations on the occasion of opening of Saimaa Canal
Saimaa Canal
The Saimaa Canal is a transportation canal that connects lake Saimaa with the Gulf of Finland near Vyborg, Russia. The canal was built from 1845 to 1856 and opened on 7 September 1856 .It was overhauled and widened in 1963–1968....
fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
were arranged. These ignited the dome of the tower and from there the fire was thrown down on buildings standing nearby, consuming all of Vyborg Castle in flames.
The fire consumed the wooden buildings abutting the Tower of St. Olav, and only the Commandant's house and buildings of the Forward courtyard escaped.
Tower restoration was undertaken by the engineer corps under Colonel E. Lezedov on the orders of Russian Military Office in 1891–1894.
The tower gate was given a granite stoop, and the internal premises were built anew, including the addition of a metal ladder mounted to the top part of the tower leading up to a viewing platform.
From May 1, 1913 through August 6, 1914 Nikolay Suhomlin supervised engineering and civil work on the fortress.
In the 1920s Finnish authorities
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
again repaired the tower and partially opened it to the public, but it remained a military facility.
Current state
Following the Second World War the territory on which the tower is built passed under the jurisdiction of Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
The castle lagged behind as a military facility and after 1964 it was transferred to the Vyborg state museum of local lore.
In the castle, work continues on the maintenance and safety of the monument, and now Vyborg Castle is seen as a unique monument of West European military architecture that was shaped by developments from the 13th through 19th centuries.
Since 2000 the museum has been known as the State museum «Vyborg Castle».
It is now due for major restoration. Artem Novikov, chairman of the Russian Association of restorers, plans to begin restoration in 2010–2012.