From the era of Russia’s medieval precursor, Velikiy Novgorod, through 300 years of the Romanovs, through the tragic Blockade of Leningrad, the Oreshek Fortress has persisted. Whether its survival is stubborn or heroic, however, is incumbent upon each to decide for themselves.
The fortress sits on a tiny island in Lake Ladoga, just a five minute boat ride from the nearest pier. We visited on a particularly pleasant day: the wind was blowing, there were no clouds in the sky, and the deep unwavering blue of the lake contrasted beautifully with the green of the island and the brown stone of the fortress walls. Oresehek was originally built as a wooden fortress by the Novgorod Republic in the early 14th century, its stone walls constructed more than a hundred years later.
For nearly 400 years, Oreshek was the site of countless battles between the Russians and the Swedes and its sovereignty was constantly changing hands. The strategic importance of this fort may at first be unapparent, as it was to me when I first visited; its small size in Lake Ladoga seems fit to guard the local dachas, but not much else. It was challenging to understand why thousands of soldiers, throughout several centuries, died defending this fortress. Its significance, however, lies in the name Peter gave it: “Shlisselburg”, German for “key city”. Russia’s first emperor named it such because control over the fort granted access to the Gulf of Finland. How is this so, considering Shlisselburg sits on the south end of Lake Ladoga? The answer is the Neva River, which flows from the lake to the Gulf.
Peter’s victory over the Swedes in the Great Northern War led to lasting control over Shlisselburg from 1702, predating the establishment of Saint Petersburg by one year. The decisive victory for the Russians meant that Shlisselburg was now relatively inland, and no longer served any purpose as an important military outpost. This medieval fortress was thus given a medieval role, that of a brutal prison housing mainly political prisoners and terrorists.
The tour of Shlisselburg exposes the various macabre historical sites of the fortress, such as the wall where Lenin’s older brother was hung and the punishment cell of the prison. In the punishment cell, one slept on a weave-pattern, cast iron bed with nothing on it. The prison was particularly harsh, with those in good standing only permitted 30 minutes of outdoor time a day. Many prisoners died in their cells due to the harsh conditions. Revolutionaries, dissidents, domestic terrorists, and even a Tsar were held here. Yes, Tsar Ivan VI was imprisoned at Shlisselburg years after he was overthrown by the empress Elizabeth in a palace coup in 1740, and died in detention.
The prison’s history concluded with the revolution of 1917, when the Bolsheviks liberated the inmates and set the prison alight. Several prominent members of their party were imprisoned there. It was then converted into a museum not long after, but Shlisselburg’s future soon returned it to its founding in war.
When the Germans initiated the Blockade of Leningrad, the Soviets installed a small garrison of soldiers at Shlisselburg to defend the fortress. Its strategic significance to the citizens of Leningrad cannot be understated. The famous “Road of Life” over the frozen Lake Ladoga, the only route by which the Soviets could deliver food and supplies to their starving citizens, required protection at all costs. For 500 days, the soldiers at Shlisselburg defended the fortress and the Road of Life from the German onslaught.
The visit to Shlisselburg was fascinating for both its long survival and opposite roles of brutal prison and site of heroism. It is also a beautiful relic of medieval Slavic architecture which is striking in its own right. To get the full effect it may be necessary to visit during the dead of winter, but a visit to Shlisselburg is obligatory nonetheless. The fortress certainly feels impactful, as it played a genuinely prominent role in the days of the Novgorod Republic, the Russian Empire, and the Soviet Union.
