korela fortress

Korela Fortress, at the town of Priozersk, was founded by the Karelians who named the place Kkisalmi. Novogorodian chronicles refer to it as Korela. It was first mentioned in a Novgorodian chronicle of 1143 and archeological digs have revealed a layer belonging to the 12th century. Swedish chronicles first reported of the settlement of Korela (Keksholm in Swedish) in 1294. The Swedes captured Korela twice: in 1580 for 17 years and in 1611 for 100 years. Soon after seizure of the fortress in 1580, the Swedes rebuilt the fortress following a Western European pattern of bastion fortifications. In the mid-18th century, the fortress was turned into a political prison of the Imperial Russia. Some participants of the Decembrist Revolt (1825) were confined here.

Korela Fortress

See also