The ancient Korela Fortress in the Leningrad region is one of the oldest cities in Russia. It played an important role in the country's history, protecting the northwestern borders from Swedish attacks in the pre-Petrine era. In October 1996, the fortress became famous due to the filming of a cult domestic movie, and today a museum is open here.

The fortress is located on the banks of a northern river. The exact date of its construction is unknown, but scholars suggest it was built in the late 13th or early 14th century. The Novgorodians built a wooden fortress on the banks of the Uzerve River (now Vuoksa) to protect against the Swedes and to control Lake Ladoga. The settlement covered about 6 square kilometers and housed around 300 people engaged in agriculture and fishing. Fifty years after its founding, the fortress suffered from a fire but was soon restored, and the first stone tower was built, which has not survived to this day.

The fortress has several names. In Finnish, it is called "Käkisalmi," meaning "Cuckoo Strait," and in Swedish, "Kexholm," or "Cuckoo Island." These names are associated with the large number of cuckoos in the area.

In 1580, the fortress and the surrounding territory passed to the Swedes after the Livonian War. The Swedes restored the fortress and built a stone tower that still stands today. In 1595, after the signing of the Treaty of Tyavzin, the fortress returned to Russia. In 1609, Tsar Vasily Shuisky offered the fortress to the Swedes in exchange for military assistance, but the locals bravely defended it until 1611. After a siege, the fortress fell, and the territory remained with the Swedes for a hundred years. In 1710, following the Great Northern War, the fortress became Russian again.

In the 18th century, the fortress was used as a prison. Many prisoners were held here, including the family of Yemelyan Pugachev and participants of the Decembrist uprising of 1825. In 1785, a mysterious unnamed prisoner appeared in the fortress, who spent 18 years in captivity until he was freed by Emperor Alexander I. Modern scholars believe he was the illegitimate son of Catherine II.

In 1917, Finland gained independence, and the Korela Fortress passed to it. Thirty years later, after the Winter War, it became Russian again, but only for a short time. In 1941, the Finns regained the territory with the support of Germany, but in 1944, Soviet troops finally returned the fortress. Today it is the city of Priozersk, where Finnish and Veps languages are still spoken.

After the Great Patriotic War, excavations began on the fortress grounds, and in 1960, restoration work commenced. In 1962, the fortress became a museum. The stone gate tower and defensive wall have been preserved. The museum features a gunpowder cellar and arsenals, as well as souvenirs for sale. The exhibition tells the history of the region from ancient times and includes a collection of weapons.

Korela Fortress also inspires reenactors and filmmakers. Festivals such as "Russian Fortress" and "May Tree" are held here, as well as the autumn festival "Garrison of Kexholm." The fortress also became a filming location for Alexei Balabanov's movie "Brother."