The (de)construction of the Medieval Vyborg Image in Local Historians’ and Tour Guides’ Practices

DOI: https://doi.org/10.34680/urbis-2022-2(3)-109-118

Alexandra Shurinova
National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia
[email protected]

ORCID: 0000-0002-5634-4692

Anastasia Parshutich
National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia
[email protected]

ORCID: 0000-0003-4023-6483

Abstract

The tourist image of modern Vyborg consists of various layers of the city's history – Swedish, Finnish and Soviet. The most attractive for tourists are few “medieval” objects of Vyborg, the main of which is the castle. To increase the tourist attractiveness of the place, local historians and tour guides deal with Vyborg monuments and historical sources, as well as construct the “medieval” Vyborg, using popular representations of the Middle Ages. Based on the in-depth interview method and on online survey, the article analyzes the perception of Vyborg by its inhabitants and the practices by which local historians and guides create the medieval image of the city. Such practices include theatrical excursions, quests, composing legends, etc. In addition, the authors take into account an alternative approach of the local history community, – deconstruction and problematization of the medieval past of Vyborg due to the lack of written and material sources on this period.

Keywords: urban environment, Middle Ages, tourism, local history, Vyborg, public history, invention of tradition.

REFERENCES

Eco 1987 – Eco U. Dreaming of the Middle Ages. Travels in Hyperreality. London, 1987. Pp. 61–72.

Frost, Frost 2021 – Frost J., Frost W. Medieval Imaginaries in Tourism, Heritage and the Media. London, 2021.

Hobsbawm, Ranger 2012 – Invention of Tradition. Ed. by E. Hobsbawm, T. Ranger. Cambridge, 2012.

Samutina, Stepanov 2014 – Tsaritsyno: Historical Amusement. Ed. ed. N. V. Samutina, B. E. Stepanov. Moscow, 2014. In Russian.

About author

Alexandra M. Shurinova
National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia
E-mail: [email protected]

Anastasia O. Parshutich
National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia
E-mail: [email protected]

For citation:
Shurinova A. M., Parshutich A. O. The (de)construction of the Medieval Vyborg Image in Local Historians’ and Tour Guides’ Practices. Urbis et Orbis. Microhistory and Semiotics of the City. 2022. 2 (3). P. 109–118. DOI: https://doi.org/10.34680/urbis-2022-2(3)-109-118