Every year the Festival changes its symbol - introducing guests to the interesting sights of Vyborg!
In 2023, we chose the Clock Tower as the symbol of the Baltic Rally! She will be featured on the festival's official merchandise: t-shirts and pins!
A bit of history:
The fate of the Clock Tower, the main dominant of the medieval part of Vyborg, is closely connected with the temple, the preserved ruins of which are located at its foot. The tower was erected as a bell tower of the temple, which received in the middle of the 16th century. the status of the cathedral of Vyborg. However, the first mention of the parish in Vyborg is found in the middle of the 14th century, when all the churches of the settlement were probably still wooden. At the beginning of the XV century. the fate of the cathedral in Vyborg was dealt with by the Pope himself - promising the absolution of sins to all who donate for the repair of the temple. Perhaps due to this fact, by the end of the 15th century. the temple has found stone walls.
In 1600, a clock was installed on the bell tower. In the last third of the same century, the tower, which was badly damaged in a fire, even grew after repairs - an octagon appeared on a tetrahedral base. It is known that in the middle of the XVI century. the tower received a large bell, and hence a powerful voice.
After the capture of Vyborg by Peter I, the damaged and damaged cathedral was repaired - the Orthodox Church of the Nativity of Christ was consecrated within its walls. A fierce fire in 1738 destroyed the spire of the bashi and 9 of its bells. The tower was again repaired - this time at the expense of the Vyborg customs, allocated by order of Empress Anna Ioannovna. In the middle of the 18th century, a new clock, purchased in Stockholm, was installed on the tower. Half a century after the “great fire”, the tower had to be reconstructed again, and this time the clock was ordered in Helsinki from master Peter Elfström. The clock mechanism was last replaced in 1848, and it is still in good working order. In Soviet times, the Clock Tower was restored and equipped with an observation deck. Now the tower is closed for inspection and awaits a worthy continuation of its difficult history.
They promise that the Clock Tower will be open to the public in the summer of 2023!