Meanings of an Urban Space: Understanding the historical layers of Vyborg

After wars, borders tend to shift. With changing borders, many towns have moved from one state to another. This may happen to one town several times during its history. These historical layers can still be seen in the urban space.

Vyborg, a town in present-day Russia near the Finnish-Russian border, has just such a complex history. It has belonged to the Swedish realm, Russian Empire, Finland, the Soviet Union and now, again, to Russia. Traces of this multifaceted past are still visible in the town today.

In this book, we study the processes that shaped the urban space of Vyborg and how its complex past and historical layers have been interpreted up until today.

Kimmo Katajala is Professor of History in the Department of Geographical and Historical Studies at the University of Eastern Finland.

ISBN 9783643907844 (sid.)