Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è Pasta... E Pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Russia Shlisselburg Oreshek Fortress

Oreshek Fortress

An abandoned 14th-century castle and prison complex on a small island in the Neva River.

Shlisselburg, Russia

Added By
ahvenas
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
  ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
  ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
  ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
Old prison cell   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
Old prison cell   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
  ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
  ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
Prison corridor   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The Oreshek Fortress, also called Shlisselburg, was first built in 1323 as a fortified outpost of Veliky Novgorod, one of the earliest cities in Russia. In 1478, it was incorporated into to the state of Moscow. Now abandoned, this island fortress situated at the head of the Neva River has played witness to some of the most important events in Russian history.

Over time, the initial 14th-century wooden structure was replaced by heavy stone walls. The bastion towers were also widened and rebuilt. The fortress, guarding the Baltic Sea, changed owners many times with the wars over the years, belonging first to the Russians, then to the Swedes. In 1702, Tsar Peter the Great captured the area once again and Russians regained access to Baltic. A year later he founded the city of St. Petersburg as the new capital of Russia, and the front line of defense was moved to the Finnish gulf.

The island fortress was deemed a perfect place for a political prison, and insubordinate solders, or on occasion, more famous personalities, were sent to the penitentiary cells in Oreshek. Most famously, the brother of Vladimir Lenin was imprisoned here and later hanged for treason. The complex was expanded year after year and by 1911 it could hold about a thousand prisoners.

The fortress was abandoned after the Russian Revolution in 1917, and barely survived the Second World War. The island was defended by Red Army soldiers during the siege of Leningrad and the structure was badly damaged. Today only 6 of the original 10 towers remain in tact. The historic site and castle remains are now open to visitors as a museum. 

Related Tags

Fortresses History War History Prisons World War Ii Military

Know Before You Go

To get to the fortress take a train from St. Petersburg, Finlandsky railway station to Petrokrepost. The lake and ferry dock are short walk away from the railway station (the way is not marked with any signs). You can take a ferry to the island from there. Plan your time; it's better to arrive early than late. Within the complex is a memorial to its defenders and a prison museum.

Community Contributors

Added By

ahvenas

Published

September 7, 2018

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.rbth.com/travel/2014/04/07/shlusselburg_the_russian_bastille
Oreshek Fortress
Санкт-Петербург
Shlisselburg
Russia
59.953781, 31.036556
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Street Art Museum

Saint Petersburg, Russia

miles away

Piskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery

Saint Petersburg, Russia

miles away

John Lennon Street

Saint Petersburg, Russia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Russia

Russia

Europe

Places 189
Stories 58

Nearby Places

Street Art Museum

Saint Petersburg, Russia

miles away

Piskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery

Saint Petersburg, Russia

miles away

John Lennon Street

Saint Petersburg, Russia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Russia

Russia

Europe

Places 189
Stories 58

Related Places

  • Newhaven Fort

    Newhaven, England

    Newhaven Fort

    A Victorian Fort built into the chalky cliffs that overlook the English Channel.

  • Castle Itter.

    Itter, Austria

    Castle Itter

    German and American troops joined forces to defend this fortress during the strangest battle of World War II.

  • Rohwer Heritage Site sign

    Tillar, Arkansas

    Rohwer Heritage Site

    Memorials are nearly all that remains of this Arkansas prison camp, where thousands of Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated during World War II.

  • Main gates

    Natzwiller, France

    Natzweiler-Struthof

    Today this former Nazi concentration camp stands as a poignant memorial to the victims of fascism, and a warning from history.

  • Stachelberg Fortress proper.

    Trutnov, Czechia

    Fort Stachelberg

    This fortress was designed to prevent a Nazi invasion but was never used.

  • The Human Shadow Etched in Stone.

    Hiroshima, Japan

    Human Shadow Etched in Stone

    An eerie reminder to the horrors of World War II.

  • The outer blast doors of the Cruciform station

    Kaohsiung City, Taiwan

    The Imperial Japanese Navy Fengshan Wireless Communications Station

    This former military installation was turned into a discipline center by the Taiwanese Navy.

  • Memorial cross near the soldiers’ graves.

    Kristiansand, Norway

    Executed Russian POWs' Memorial Graves

    Five soviet prisoners of war were executed at this spot just days before the liberation of Norway.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.