Ivangorod Fortress

Ivangorod Fortress is a medieval castle in Ivangorod, Leningrad Oblast, Russia. It is located on the Narva River along the Russian border with Estonia, across from the Estonian city of Narva.

Ivangorod Fortress was established by Ivan III in 1492, intended to reaffirm Muscovy's access to the Baltic Sea and to form a bulwark against the Teutonic Order, being built opposite the powerful Teutonic Hermann Castle. The fortress eventually grew into the town of Ivangorod, and the structures of the fort were gradually expanded and strengthened. Ivangorod Fortress was controlled by Sweden after the end of the Livonian War in 1583, changing hands numerous times during conflicts and border shifts over the following centuries. Following World War I, the fortress was used as a POW repatriation camp from 1920-21. After World War II, the fortress returned to permanent Russian rule via the Soviet Union. Today, Ivangorod Fortress is a museum and a tourist attraction.