Leningrad Oblast.

History

People settled here soon after the glaciers retreated. Tree-ring dating puts the founding of Staraya Ladoga at around 753; in the 8th and 9th centuries it was a wealthy trading post on the route from the Baltic into the interior, and the chronicles say Rurik began his rule here in 862. In the 12th–15th centuries the land was split between Sweden and Novgorod, and Peter the Great won it back in the Great Northern War. The present oblast was created on 1 August 1927, its land became a battlefield during the Siege of Leningrad, and since 2021 its capital has been Gatchina.

Culture & traditions

Staraya Ladoga preserves its fortress, St George's Church with 12th-century frescoes, and the Assumption Cathedral. Vyborg Castle was founded by the Swedes in 1293 on an islet in the bay and now houses a museum, while the town's library by Alvar Aalto is an icon of functionalism. Gatchina Palace, built by Antonio Rinaldi for Count Orlov and later the residence of Paul I, is on the UNESCO list with the Saint Petersburg ensembles. The Oreshek fortress, founded in 1323, served as an imperial prison and held out for 500 days during the war.

Nature

Lake Ladoga is the largest freshwater lake lying wholly within Europe, covering about 18,000 square kilometres and dotted with some 660 islands. It has its own subspecies of ringed seal, the Ladoga seal. The Neva flows out of it, while the Svir, Volkhov and Vuoksi flow in. The oblast also takes in part of Lake Onega, and to the north lies the rocky Karelian Isthmus. In Vyborg, Monrepos Park spreads above the bay as one of the most spacious landscape gardens in Eastern Europe.

Sport

Already in the 19th century the hills around Toksovo were nicknamed 'Finnish Switzerland' for their skiing. In the late 1950s Kavgolovo got a ski jump that was then the largest in Europe. National and international competitions are still held here, including a Cross-Country Skiing World Cup stage in 2003. For people from Saint Petersburg it is a favourite place for winter weekends.

Food & drink

A land of lakes and rivers naturally leans towards fish. Lake Ladoga alone is home to 48 fish species, including sturgeon and salmonids.

Practical information

The easiest way in is through Saint Petersburg: fly into Pulkovo Airport and continue by train or road. The oblast is on Moscow time. The weather is close to Saint Petersburg's, with cool summers and snowy winters. Summer suits the palaces and fortresses best, while Toksovo and Kavgolovo come into their own in the ski season.

What to see

• Staraya Ladoga — a fortress and 12th-century frescoes in the place called the first capital of Rus
• Vyborg Castle — a 13th-century Swedish fortress with the Tower of St Olaf
• Monrepos Park — a spacious landscape garden above Vyborg Bay
• Gatchina Palace — Paul I's castle-like palace and the Priory Palace on the Black Lake
• Oreshek Fortress — an island stronghold with a history from medieval Novgorod to WWII
• Lake Ladoga — a vast freshwater 'sea' with islands and its own seal

Cities on the map

• Gatchina 91,514