In the village of Koporye, Leningrad Region, about 80 kilometers from St. Petersburg, there is a very interesting medieval architectural monument—Koporye Fortress. Among tourists, there is a belief that this attraction is hard to access, which is why it is not as popular as, for example, the Oreshek Fortress in Shlisselburg or the Pskov Kremlin. In reality, the journey to Koporye by public transport takes about two and a half hours, which isn’t too much.
How to Get There
You can reach Koporye by either personal car or by train with a transfer to a bus. We chose the second option. At 9:13 AM, an electric train departs from the Baltic Station in St. Petersburg to the Kalishche station in Sosnovy Bor. At this station, we cross the road and take bus 677A (Sosnovy Bor — Kotel’skiy), which will take us directly to the fortress.
Online, you may read that the bus runs very infrequently, but we waited only about 10 minutes. Most likely, the bus schedule aligns with the arrival of the train. The train fare is 185 rubles per person one way. The bus fare is 50 rubles (as of spring 2019).
You can check the bus schedule for the return trip at the museum ticket office. Due to the weather, we didn’t stay long at the fortress and left back at 1:00 PM. At this time, the bus arrives at the stop (across the road from the fortress).
A Bit of History
The first mention of Koporye Fortress dates back to the 13th century. The current structure was built in the late 15th to early 16th centuries. Throughout its history, this defensive structure changed hands several times between Sweden and Russia. In May 1703, during the reign of Peter I, the fortress was finally returned to the Russian Kingdom.
There is an interesting legend regarding the fortress. It states that when the Swedes left its territory, all valuable items were hidden in a golden carriage, which was buried somewhere in these areas. Since then, treasure seekers have attempted to storm the fortress, but not with weapons—rather, with shovels and pickaxes.
During the reign of Catherine II, Koporye Fortress was removed from the list of defensive structures. In modern times, in 2001, it became a museum.
Tour of Koporye Fortress
According to the tour guide, new visitation conditions have been introduced since 2019. Previously, you could pay 50 rubles and enter the fortress, but now this can only be done as part of a guided tour. The entrance fee is 200 rubles. It’s best to confirm the schedule in advance by calling the museum: +7 921 420 99 35. If you, like us, decide to take the train at 9:13, you’ll just make it in time for the 12 PM tour.
The duration of the tour is about an hour. It begins at the entrance to the fortress and continues throughout its territory. Inside, there is a semi-ruined chapel and a church, and archaeological excavations are underway. The guide warns that during the tour, you must stay on the paths and not enter the restricted areas. However, in practice, visitors often ignore these rules, and the staff turns a blind eye. After the tour, you can explore the ruins on your own, although access to many walls and towers is restricted as they await restoration.
If you’re not ready to travel that far, you can visit Oreshek Fortress in Shlisselburg. The journey from the Dybenko Street metro station takes about an hour.
In summary:
- A small but interesting tour;
- Getting to the fortress by public transport is not as difficult as it may seem;
- There’s an opportunity to take great photos by the ancient fortress walls.
