Solovyovo: Military History and the Taipale Redoubt

Solovyovo and its immediate surroundings can be explored through tangible traces of wartime history: memorial sites tell of Red Army soldiers who fell in battle, while the Taipale Redoubt—with its distinctive shape and dimensions—serves as a structural landmark. The history spans the battles of the Soviet-Finnish War and burial ceremonies in 2019.

Memorial Sites and Different Eras

On May 26, 2015, a solemn burial ceremony was held at the military mass grave in Solovyovo for the remains of 62 members of the Red Army. They had fallen during the Soviet-Finnish War at the Taipale bridgehead. The location and the historical events are connected: the ceremony took place in Solovyovo, while the fallen soldiers were associated with the fighting at the bridgehead.

In 2019, the remains of 87 members of the Red Army’s 150th and 49th Rifle Divisions were buried at the military cemetery near Solovyovo. They had fallen in battle in 1939–1940. This burial is a separate event in the area around the settlement. The figures and dates make the different connections tangible: one account focuses on 62 soldiers and the Taipale bridgehead; the other, on 87 soldiers from two divisions and the fighting from 1939 to 1940.

The Taipale Redoubt and Its Surroundings

The Ulytsky Redoubt, also called the Taipale Redoubt or Ulla Redoubt, lies about 700 meters northwest of Solovyovo. The square earthwork has a ditch and an octagonal gun emplacement. An open drill ground lies at its center. The outer ramparts measure 64 × 64 meters, and the gun emplacement measures 190 × 190 meters. The ramparts rise about eight meters above the bottom of the ditch.

This description brings together several distinct features of the fortification: its square ground plan, the octagonal gun emplacement, the open space at its center, and the dimensions of the ramparts. The height measurement is made clear by its reference point: it is measured from the bottom of the ditch. To understand the redoubt, it is worth considering these details together rather than relying on the name alone as a clue to its shape.

Nature and Culture in Leningrad Oblast

Vepsian Forest Nature Park lies in the far east of Leningrad Oblast and includes seven nature reserves with particularly strict conservation rules. The park has numerous lakes; the largest is Lake Lerinskoye, in the reserve of the same name. Among its special features are well-preserved old spruce and pine forests in the “Vepsskiy les” and “Ashchozyorskiy” reserves. These forests are important for the many organisms that depend on woodlands undisturbed by economic activity.

The nature park’s wildlife and culture also shape the regional picture: brown bears are found there in relatively large numbers, and the wolverine, extremely rare in the region, has also been recorded. The Vepsians, a small people of Russia with their own culture and traditions, have traditionally lived in the park. Nature and culture thus sit side by side in Leningrad Oblast, distinct from Solovyovo’s local wartime history.

Another distinct topic in Leningrad Oblast is Koporye Fortress. It is a museum and a monument of ancient Russian stone architecture. It has survived in its present form since the 16th century, while parts of the masonry date back to the 13th century. Climbing the walls and towers is prohibited because of their emergency condition. You can visit without a guide using the “Koporskaya krepost 2.0” multimedia guide; check its current availability before making plans.

Routes Through the Regional Landscape

A regional description dated December 24, 2019, mentions ecological routes across seven regionally significant protected areas. It says they are intended for independent visits and equipped with informational materials and various visitor facilities. Check current conditions before making plans. A page from 2019 describes a circular ecological trail at the Toksovskiye Vysoty Natural Monument, passing over sandy hills and through depressions, as well as old spruce and pine forests. A 2019 description also mentions a cycling route in the Gryada Varyamyansel'kya protected area in Priozersk District. It passes through a landscape of lakes, bogs, and dry, old pine forest; here too, check current trail conditions in advance.

The Ladva Trail leads to glacial landforms, middle-taiga vegetation, and the Vepsian village of Ladva. It also leads to Lake Ladva in Podporozhye District. Near the settlement of Kurba in the same district, an ecological trail runs alongside lakes in Vepsian Forest Nature Park. Its description comes from a regional government website dated 2019; check current trail conditions before adding it to your plans.

When looking for a vacation rental, it helps to decide what you want to focus on: if you are interested in the memorial sites and nearby Taipale Redoubt, Solovyovo is the relevant location. Vepsian Forest Nature Park and Koporye Fortress are separate destinations within Leningrad Oblast. This can help you decide whether local history or a broader regional itinerary is more important to your travel plans.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Orekhovo, Udaltsovo, Vesnino, Gromovo.

Go to the higher-level travel overview: Priozerskiy District.