Who does not know about the city of Vyborg, which is located in the Leningrad region? There are many interesting sights here. Among them, a special place is occupied by the museum-reserve of national importance "Mon Repos". This park was founded in the 18th century. The history of its development is very interesting. For all tourists coming here, the doors of the museum are open from 10.00 to 21.00.
Glorious city of Vyborg
What is this subject of our boundless Motherland famous for? Far from its only attraction is Monrepos Park. How to get here? It's very simple: from St. Petersburg along the Scandinavia highway to Vyborg. This distance is approximately 130 km. From this we can conclude that the city is not far from the northern capital.
From the border with Finland, Vyborg is only 27 km away. This settlement arose in the Middle Ages. Founded by the Swedes. Vyborg is the only historical settlement in the Leningrad region. Heremany archaeological, architectural and sculptural monuments. Among them are the Vyborg Castle, the Vyborg Fortress, the Annensky fortifications, parks of culture and recreation, the House on the Rock, the Church of Hyacinth and much more. You can endlessly talk about all the interesting places that are worth visiting in this city. Each of them is worth a story in a separate article. The history of Monrepos Park will also be told here.
How to get there?
To visit Vyborg and not to visit the museum-reserve "Monrepos"? This park is the gem of the city. It is located on the shore of the Vyborg Bay in the northern part of Vyborg. The most convenient way to get here is by public transport. If you travel from St. Petersburg, you can choose one of three travel options:
• from Finlyandsky railway station by train to Vyborg station;
• from the metro station "Devyatkino" or "Parnassus" by regular bus to the reserve;
• from the railway station and bus station by bus number 6 and number 1.
General information
What is Mon Repos Park? Hours of operation are listed above. There are always a lot of people here, especially on weekends. Peak visiting season is from May to October. Despite the fact that this natural museum is located within the city, there is no usual fuss here. On the contrary, everything in the park seems to be imbued with the tranquility and grandeur of time. Its very name speaks of this (translated from French, Monrepos means "the place of my solitude").
This park is a unique example of the unity of the creations of human hands and mother nature. Its area is just over 160 hectares. The historical core of the reserve is a manor and park ensemble of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. These are architectural wooden buildings, sculptural compositions, and garden green spaces, which are over 200 years old. The almost pristine Karelian forest adjoins the historical part of the reserve. Here is a unique, untouched nature: huge bizarre boulders covered with lichens, rocks, hundred-year-old trees. The fence around this natural museum is symbolic. Paid entrance. Funds from ticket sales are used to maintain order and cleanliness in the park.
History of the park
On the land where the museum is now located, there was once a Karelian settlement. It was called "Old Vyborg". Once this territory was leased to the Swedish burghers. And in 1710 Peter I took the Vyborg fortress by storm. Several decades later the land was given to its commandant Peter Stupishin for use. It was he who began to ennoble the local territory, carrying out land reclamation, erecting an orchard, a greenhouse, planting outlandish deciduous trees and building a manor house. The owner named the park in honor of his beloved wife - Charlottendol. After his death, the brother of the Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna, Prince of Württemberg, took possession of the estate. He gave the name to the reserve.
Mon Repos flourish
What happened next? In 1788, the estate was acquired by the President of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences, Ludwig Heinrich Nicolai. After retiring, he devoted himself entirely to ennoblement of the reserve. During the years of his residence here, the Mon Repos park reached its peak.
Sights that have survived to this day come from that time. This is a manor house designed by Joseph Martinelli, and a library wing, and a statue of Väinämöinen with a Scandinavian harp, and Chinese bridges, and a "Hermit's hut", and Nicolai's family crypt with a mask of Medusa Gorgon on the island of the Dead, and much more. The fame of this romantic estate was so great that in 1863 Emperor Alexander II visited it. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, members of the youth Christian movement gathered here at the invitation of the last man from the family of Nicolai, Baron Paul Georg. After his death, the estate passed to his sisters.
Park during and after the war
The amazing history of the reserve does not end there. There are still many trials ahead of the Mon Repos park. Photos of many of its attractions are presented here. Some of them, unfortunately, have not survived to this day. Among them are the temple of Neptune, Turkish tent, Marienturm.
The Soviet-Finnish war, which ended in 1940, led to the fact that the city of Vyborg and the entire Karelian Isthmus fell into the possession of the USSR. The Soviet authorities showed great interest in the historical monument. Most of the valuable exhibits, the family archive of Nicolai, were removed from here. Many of the items ended up in the State Hermitage, where they are kept to this day. A recreation area was organized on the territory of the park for one of the rifle divisions.
Later, when the commission for the arts visited the reserve, it turned out that the military had been arbitrarily cutting downrare trees, the pavilions were partially destroyed, and some sculptures were simply destroyed. In 1941 the war resumed. The Finns, who by this time had occupied the local territory, adapted the estate for a military hospital. In 1944, Vyborg and Monrepos again came under the leadership of the Soviet authorities.
Further on, the territory and buildings on it changed owners and their purpose. There was a kindergarten here in different years, and a park of culture and recreation, and a resting place for the military, and others. Positive changes began only after 1988. Then restoration work began on the territory of the park, a museum was opened.
Chinese bridges
Thanks to the restoration work carried out here, we can admire the sights of the reserve. And there are many of them here. Mon Repos Park in Vyborg today attracts tourists from all over the world. People come here to see the quaint Chinese bridges.
The year of their creation is 1798. These were multi-colored Chinese-style arched bridges connecting the islands between artificial ponds. During the war they were lost. Bridges restored in 1998-2002.
There was once, but the so-called Chinese umbrella has not survived to this day. This building was a pavilion with an umbrella on top of a cliff. It was possible to climb the platform by stairs.
Väinämöinen sculpture
The monument was created in 1831. He depicts the hero of northern legends and traditions, sitting with a harp and telling people about the days of the country's former glory. To the present daythe monument has not survived. We can only see the reconstruction of the sculpture. Initially, it was made of plaster. This statue was soon smashed by vandals. Paul Nicolai ordered a copy of it from a famous Finnish sculptor. The new sculpture was made of zinc and also installed in Mon Repos. Unfortunately, she did not decorate the park for long. During the Second World War, the monument was lost. The statue was recreated and opened for viewing in 2007.
Isle of the Dead
Many tests fell on the share of the next monument. We are talking about an architectural ensemble on the so-called island of the dead. Its other name is Ludwigstein Island. The composition today includes a chapel, a grotto of Medusa, a gate, a necropolis, a pier and stone stairs.
And what was here before, in the days of the possession of the Nicolai family? In 1796, the owner, in memory of his deceased friend F. Lafermière, decided to install an urn here, which was later transferred to the island. Soon a dam, a stone staircase, a Medusa grotto and a terrace at the foot of the cliff also appeared here.
Somewhat later, Nicolai had the idea of creating a Gothic castle on the island. After the construction of this structure here, the place becomes a family necropolis. The remains of Johann Nicolai and Ludwig Heinrich were transferred and buried here, and then the urn of F. Lafermière. For four generations of the family, the island became the last refuge. In the post-war period, the family cemetery was desecrated, and the tombstones and part of the buildings were completely destroyed. Despite this, this area attracts many tourists,visiting Mon Repos park. The island of the dead amazes with the atmosphere of the mysticism of ancient legends reigning here.
Source "Narcissus"
This spring is located in the northwest of the reserve. Locals believe in the miraculous power of its water. There is a legend here that this water heals eye diseases. In the local dialect, the name of the source sounded like "Silma" (from the word "eye"). Then L. G. Nicolai renamed it after the nymph Silmia, who, according to legend, healed the shepherd Lars, blinded by love.
Why is the natural monument called "Narcissus" today? Before the war, a sculpture of the hero of ancient Greek myths, Narcissus, stood in the niche of the pavilion. The statue was later lost. During the restoration work, the lion mask and the lattice were restored here. The water from the spring is weakly mineralized, radon curative. Many tourists come to Vyborg to visit this source. Attractions, Monrepos Park, architectural and cultural monuments - everything here attracts them.
Manor house
The monument was built in 1804 under Pyotr Stupishin, has federal significance. Once it looked like this: the walls are painted in the style of grisaille technique, the ceiling is richly stuccoed, decorated with a painted ceiling, in the corners there are figured stoves. There was a luxurious Great Hall, two living rooms, a dining room, and living rooms. The redevelopment carried out here in Soviet times and the fire in 1989 destroyed part of the premises and objects. After 2000, the manor house heldrestoration work. Thanks to this, today we can see this monument in the Mon Repos reserve.
The park also attracts tourists with its other attractions.
Hermit's hut
The author of this building is unknown. Initially, the pavilion was built of logs. A tower with a bell was installed on the roof. The walls were upholstered with birch bark. In the hut there was a small table and a bed covered with reeds. In 1876 the building burned down. In its place today stands a new hexagonal pavilion without doors.
Reviews of tourists
You can get a true picture of this cultural monument by reading the comments of people who visited it. The first thing that tourists pay attention to is the amazingly beautiful landscapes.
It is known that many artists like to come here to paint their paintings. The park is especially good in summer and early autumn. But some like visiting the reserve in winter. After all, as you know, you can get to the island of the dead only by water. Officially, its visit is prohibited. However, many tourists go to the island on ice in winter. And some manage to ford the water area in the summer. The cost of a ticket, according to travelers, is small and in 2014 is only 60 rubles. Upon prior request, the administration of the reserve arranges excursions and thematic events.
We found out that the main attraction for which it is worth visiting the cityVyborg - Mon Repos Park. We already know how to get here. No wonder this place is called “an oasis of silence”. Tourists who have been here advise everyone not to pass by and be sure to visit this open-air museum.
