The story of Hermann Castle

Across the river from the Ivangorod fortress stands its old rival, Narva's castle. Its story begins with the Danes, who conquered northern Estonia in the 13th century and built a wooden border stronghold where the Narva River met an old road; it is first mentioned in writing in 1256. At the beginning of the 14th century, after conflicts with Novgorod and Pskov, they began building in stone.

Because the town had no wall under Danish rule, a large forecourt was added on the west side where townspeople could shelter in wartime. In 1346 King Valdemar IV of Denmark sold northern Estonia, Narva included, to the Livonian Order, which rebuilt the stronghold as a convent building around a central courtyard.

When Muscovite Russia founded Ivangorod on the opposite bank in 1492, the Order completed the tall Hermann Tower you see today. The Order also ringed the town with a wall roughly a kilometre long, with four gates, which was ordered demolished in 1777.