Description of the attraction
The old part of Vyborg is undoubtedly one of the most interesting places in the city. It is worth looking at the panorama, and the amazing harmony of medieval towers creates the illusion of immersion in the world of the past. Vyborg can be safely called the city of the most beautiful towers in the world. Moreover, each of these beauties has its own interesting story. There is a lot to say about the past of the Round Tower, Paradise, Olaf, the bell tower of the Transfiguration Cathedral that has soared into the sky. However, perhaps the most interesting past is the tower of the former belfry of the cathedral and the Clock Tower.
The Clock Tower completes the ensemble and perspective on Vodnaya Zastava Street. This is one of the city's most favorite architectural monuments. If you go up to the observation deck, then from there you can see almost all of Vyborg at a glance: the castle, the port, the old quarters, the ruins left from the cathedral, to which it was attached.
The bell tower of the cathedral in Vyborg was built in 1494, and in 1753 a clock with a bell was installed on it. After a fire in 1793, the tower was rebuilt according to the project of the architect Johann Brockmann; it got a third tier, made in the classical style, with an observation deck. And the first church in Vyborg was built in the first half of the 14th century. It is possible that she had a wooden bell tower with her.
In 1561 the church was rebuilt. At the same time, the first bell was brought to the city to be placed on the newly rebuilt stone bell tower. The buildings on the lower tier of the Clock Tower are the very bell tower. In the middle of 1600, a dial was installed on the wall of the belfry. Since that time, the tower was called the Sentry.
Due to frequent fires, both the cathedral and the belfry were repeatedly damaged and constantly rebuilt, repaired many times. The Vyborg fire of 1678 was so strong and destructive that the bells of the belfry melted down. After that incident, the tower was urgently strengthened and rebuilt, and a cock-weather vane appeared on the top.
In the 18th century, Vyborg already belonged to the Russian Empire. According to documents that have come down to us since that time, the Clock Tower was made of stone with a wooden spire. It had 9 bells, of which only one was intact.
In June 1738, another fire broke out in Vyborg, during which the spire burned down. Then one of all the bells remained intact. When there was a fire in 1793, during which almost all buildings in the city were destroyed, it was decided to rebuild the bell tower again. The project was developed by the provincial architect Johan Brockman. On the 8-sided base remaining from the previous reconstruction, a new one was installed, with semicircular arches. The clock was moved to the first tier of the upper structure. The watch was ordered in Helskinki from the master Peter Elfström. At the same time, an alarm bell weighing 61 pounds, made in Moscow, which was a gift from Empress Catherine II to the Vyborgs, appeared on the tower. Since then, the tower began to function as a fire tower. A commemorative inscription reminding of the fire remained on the bell.
In the middle of the 19th century, a modern clock mechanism was installed on the clock in the tower, in which there were 12 and 8 pounds weights. The dials were also replaced with new ones. On the north and south sides of the tower, a dial was added. After that, the Clock Tower was not rebuilt.
During the Great Patriotic War, a bomb hit the cathedral and the building was completely destroyed. Until now, the Clock Tower of the old cathedral continues to faithfully serve Vyborg and its townspeople, continuing, as in previous times, to regularly count the minutes and hours.
It is interesting that the Vyborg Clock Tower "starred" in the film: in the film "Sannikov's Land" the adventurer Krestovsky will climb on it for a bet.
