There are three parts of this project:
Part I: Vyborg.
Part II: Cats of Vyborg.
Part III: Mon Repos.
It was an exciting one day trip full of beautiful views, old buildings, lots of cats, smiley and nice locals. If I had to describe Vyborg in a several words, I would say, "A cozy cat-friendly old town".
Part I: Vyborg.
Vyborg: Russian: Выборг; Finnish: Viipuri; Swedish: Viborg; German: Wiborg; Estonian: Viiburi is a town and the administrative center of Vyborgsky District in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, located on the Karelian Isthmus near the head of the Vyborg Bay, 130 kilometers to the northwest of St. Petersburg and 38 kilometers south of Russia's border with Finland, where the Saimaa Canal enters the Gulf of Finland.
Vyborg Castle (Russian: Выборгский замок, Finnish: Viipurin linna, Swedish: Viborgs fästning) is a Swedish-built medieval fortress.
Vyborg Cathedral.
The construction of stone-made cathedral was began in 1430s and in was completed around 1445. The medieval appearance is unknown, because parts of the cathedral have been changed and demolished several times. The original nave was probably about 37m long and 20m wide. In addition to the main altar there were also few side altars. Unfortunately the interior is completely disappeared or destroyed in wars and reconstructions. In the Winter War (1940) the aerial bomb hit the church and only walls survived.
To see the cathedral before bombing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vyborg_Cathedral
Part II: Cats of Vyborg.
Vyborg is full of friendly cats. They are not scared of people and do not mind if you pet them. Locals treat them with love and respect.
A lady in a souvenir shop told me about a belief, that long long time ago there was a ginger cat and it brought luck. Later, when I was sitting at the market a cat came and jumped on my laps. I think it was that cat and he certainly would bring me luck. It does not happen very often, that a cat who sees you for the first time jumps on your laps, does it?
The cat is sitting on my friends laps. Some time before that he jumped on me and spent at least 10 minutes enjoying me petting him. What a friendly creature, I beilive this one will certainly bring me luck.
Part III. Mon Repos.
Mon Repos or "Monrepos" (Russian: Монрепо́) (French "my rest", here written in one word) is one of the most spacious English landscape gardens in Eastern Europe. The garden was laid out on behest of its owner, Baron Ludwig Heinrich von Nikolay, at the turn of the 19th century. Most of its structures were designed by the architect Giuseppe Antonio Martinelli. Previously, the estate belonged to the future king Frederick I (Maria Fyodorovna's brother), who called it Charlottendahl in honor of his second wife.
To read about the history of the park: http://www.parkmonrepos.org/en/museum/history-monrepos
Ludwigstein Island or the Island of the Dead.
On Ludwigstein Island Paul Nicolay (1777–1866), a notable Russian diplomat, built a memorial chapel in Neo-Gothic style, establishing a Nicolay family mausoleum.
