January 14 marks ten years since the reconstructed casemates of the Victoria Bastion were reopened to visitors. This is one of Narva's most important historical and cultural heritage sites and a monument to 17th-century fortification architecture.
The Victoria bastion suffered damage during the Great Northern War in 1704, but has largely retained its historical authenticity. It also houses Estonia's only authentic casemates, or internal passages.
Following extensive restoration work carried out as part of the project "Development of the unique Narva-Ivangorod trans-border fortresses ensemble as a single cultural and tourist object" and the opening of a modern exhibition in January 2016, the "Victoria Bastion Casemates" has become an important destination on the Narva tourist map. During the restoration work, a gunpowder cellar was accidentally discovered, which now houses the visitor center for the tourist attraction.
In its first year of operation, the casemates were visited by approximately 12,000 people, and in the "Best Tourism Developers in Northern Estonia 2016" competition, the Victoria bastion casemates were recognized as the best tourism project in Northern Estonia in 2016. Over the past decade, the number of visitors has exceeded 50,000, including both residents of Narva and visitors from other parts of Estonia and abroad.
According to Denis Bjorkland, senior guide and customer service representative at the Narva City Development and Economy Department, interest in the site remains high. "The unique feature of the casemates is that visitors are literally transported into a historical environment, which helps them to perceive events and the role of the bastion system in defending the city from a different angle. This is supported by both the exhibition and the characteristic atmosphere of the underground passages," Bjorkland noted.
Since its opening, dozens of excursions, educational programs and cultural events have been developed in the casemates. Today, the site functions not only as a tourist attraction, but also as a place where visitors can learn about the rich military and cultural history of Narva, a border town.
From October 1 to April 30, the bastion is open only on Saturdays. Tours take place at specific times:
– at 11:00 a.m. in Russian,
– at 2:00 p.m. in Estonian,
– at 4:00 p.m. in English.
Groups of 10 or more people can book a tour at a convenient time.
More information about the site can be found on the official website of the Victoria Bastion and about the project HERE.
