Ivangorod was founded and named after Grand Prince Ivan III the Great as the site of a fortress to protect Rus from the Teutonic Knights. Today the impressive Ivangorod Fortress remains standing on the River Narva, still overlooking the Teutonic Knights' Hermann Castle on the other side of the river in Narva, Estonia. Due to the city's location on the Russian-Estonian border, a special border security zone regime applies for visiting the city.