NARVA FORTRESS

View of part of Narva from across the river

Another view of the High Herman castle keep in Narva

View of one of the 17th century bastions of Narva city built by Swedes - from across the river at Ivangorod fortress in Russia.

In the forground is the parapet of the Ivangorod fortress on which we are standing. In the distance are two of the bastions of Narva with the curtain wall between them, now a park.

View of the Danish "High Herman" castle keep and inner bailey from the Ivangorod fortress across the river.

A telephoto view of the "high herman" castle keep.

View of "high herman' through an embrasure in the Ivangorod fortress wall.

View from the inner bailey in front of the castle keep during winter visit in December 1991.

A section of the outer wall of the medieval Narva castle in winter.

The inner bailey and castle keep of Narva with the walls of Ivangorod looming across the river - a visit in December 1991.

The 'high herman' stands above the castle bailey during a visit on a snowy December day.

A closer view of the High Herman castle keep and fortress in Narva from across the river in Ivangorod

Map from Beskrovni's atlas showing on the left the first Siege during which Swedish King Charles XII relieved the fortress and destroyed a Russian army - on the right is the second siege in which the Russians captured the fortress

Another map showing the Russian siege of Narva, then held by the Sweds, in 1704. Note that this time instead of deploying most of their artillery and army on the 'Swedish side - in front of the powerful Narva bastions in a location that was vulnerable to Charles' counter attack, they placed their artillery on the Russian side around Ivangorod fortress .From these heights they could make the city largelly vulnerable to bombardment.