Old Ladoga fortress is located in the village of the same name, in Leningrad region. According to dendrochronological studies, there was some sort of earth fort on the spot already in VIII century. The fortress stands on Volkhov river, and was thus very close to Vikings' trade routes. Ladoga is mentioned in legends about chieftain Rurik and his descendants.

882 Oleg the Wise constructs a stone fort, which is, however, destroyed by Norwegian Eirik Hákonarson and his troops in 997.

1019 Under the terms of a marriage settlement, Old Ladoga is ceded to Swedish princess Ingigerd. The village becomes mostly Scandinavian for some time.

1114 Ladoga's governor Pavel founds a new stone fortress, which is proven strong enough in just a few decades when Swedish troops besiege it. To commemorate this 1164 battle the church of St George is built in the late XII century. The church is famous for its fresco depicting its patron saint.

1495 The development of firearms forces to lay foundations for a new fortress with five watchtowers. The walls are up to seven metres thick.

1581-1582 At the end of Livonian War Swedish troops besiege the fortress, but the garrison doesn't surrender.

1584/1585 A Muscovite chieftain Vasily Golovin adds a town surrounded by earth walls to the stone fortress. There are three new bastions constructed.

1610-1617 The fortress is under Swedish rule until it is returned to Muscovy in Stolbovo treaty. It then marks the border for 85 years. In XVII century a new church devoted to the warrior saint Dimitri Solunski is built.

1702 Peter the Great makes Ladoga one of his army's bases. Sheremetev forms 14 regiments which Peter then leads to conquer the Swedish fortress Noteburg. After the town of New Ladoga is founded, the word "Old" is added to the first Ladoga's name.

1717 the garrison is officially abolished.

At the moment some fortifications have been conserved but restoration can continue. The Gate Tower, Klimentovskaya Tower as well as the wall between them have been reconstructed on ancient preserved foundations. The Arrow Tower dating back to the XV and XVI centuries is under restoration. During the first fourth of this century the north-western façade will be completely restored. Inside the XVII century earth wall town archaeological excavations are carried out, after which the defences will be restored and some examples of VIII, IX and X century buildings will be reconstructed.

The museum of Old Ladoga was opened in 1971. The whole area has been under government protection since 1984. Events dedicated to military history and other happenings mostly take place during the summer season.

Railways to Petersburg, Murmansk, and Moscow pass Old Ladoga at 12 km distance. A motorway leading to St Petersburg is quite near.