- Address: Vasknarva küla, Alajõe vald, Ida-Viru maakond, Estonia;
- Construction: from 1427 to 1442 years.
Vasknarva Castle is located at Lake Peipsi - in a place where the Narva River flows from it. Once a powerful defensive structure on the border of Estonia and Russia, now the castle lies in ruins. Traveling through Northern Estonia, it is interesting to look at this historical monument, with which a number of military events of the 16th-17th centuries are associated.
History of Vasknarva Castle
The history of Vasknarva Castle, or "Copper Narva", began in 1349, when the Knights of the Livonian Order placed a wooden fortress at the source of the Narva River. In 1427 the fortress was rebuilt in stone. Its roof was covered with copper tin - according to one version, hence the Estonian name of the castle. The Germans themselves called it the "Neuschloss" - "New Castle", the Russians called it the Syrenets fortress.
In 1558 during the Livonian War the fortress was taken by Russian troops. According to the peace treaty concluded between Russia and Sweden, in the middle of the XVII century. the castle was fixed for the Russian kingdom, then - under another treaty - was given to Sweden. After 1721 the fortress again became Russian - however, by that time it had already been almost completely destroyed.
Castle now
Now Vasknarva Castle lies in ruins. Until now, only the remnants of castle walls of 3-meter thickness have been preserved. From the Vasknarva berth you can ride along Narva by boat and see the castle from the river. Vasknarva itself is a village in a hundred houses, and if you have already reached here, you can still see the Orthodox Ilyinsky temple in it.
How to get there?
Bus No. 545 from Jõhvi , the capital of the Ida-Virumaa county, goes to Vasknarva. There is no railway connection with the village.