Photos

Vyborg's former Dome Cathedral - it's ruins with the bell tower in the backround.

This beautiful piece of architecture may have been constructed originally in the 15th century, but later styles (Neo-Classism as an example) have a strong influence as you can see. This beauty's current, really sad condition accrues from the Winter War - a firebomb was dropped by the Soviet army forcing Finnish troops to depart. Since 1945 these ruins have been used as a dump - for understandable reasons Soviet government wasn't disposed to restore this symbol of 738 years long Finnish and Swedish (partially even German Hanseatic) rule. These ruins are also a grave for 108 Finnish defenders who were slaughtered by the flooding Soviet army in 1940.