4K Heritage TV - Ivangorod Fortress, Russia (2020)

The castle of Ivangorod, named after the 'Grand Prince of Moscow' Ivan III of Russia is a medieval fortress built for battle. The castle stands high above the Navrona River on a bluff opposite the Estonian City, Narva. The bastion is strictly quadrilateral with walls 14 meters tall. It was constructed during the reign of Ivan III as a counter to the Teutonic Knights' Livonian fortress city.
Inspired by the orthodox gothic-church style and ancient architecture it is one of the impenetrable offensive strongholds of the 15th century. This Russian medieval castle was established by Moscovian Grand Prince Ivan III in 1492, and for almost 10 years, the territory around the fort was in constant warfare. The citadel and the region changed hands repeatedly. In 1496 the entire garrison fell in the course of the seven hours' Swedish siege, but was won back and taken by the retinue of Voyvode Ivan Gundar and Mikhail Klyapin later in the same year.
The castle was reconstructed and fortified many times, becoming one of the strongest defensive structures in the 16th century. In 1564, fortress was essentially ready for the new phase of fighting between Russia, Poland, and Sweden. The castle was in development until the 17th century, becoming a large, sprawling fortress with several lines of defense. Ivangorod was controlled by Sweden after the end of the Livonian War in 1583, changing hands numerous times during conflicts and border shifts over the following centuries.
In 1704, following the capture of Narva by the troops led by Peter the Great, the Swedish garrison of Ivangorod surrendered. Russia yet again regained control over the fortress. Then in the second half of the 18th and a large part of the 19th century, the fortress was under the supervision of the war ministry, and engineering teams carried out repairs on its fortifications. Already in this time, the historical and architectural value of the ensemble was known. Following World War I, the fortress was used as a prisoner of war repatriation camp from 1920-21. After World War II, the fortress returned to permanent Russian rule through the Soviet Union.
Once home to noblemen and royals, today it resembles the hundreds of years of prominence and heritage of the then-thriving Russian Empire. This remarkable fortress stands as a testament to the architectural prowess of its time and the strategic importance it held in various conflicts throughout history.