Peter and Paul Fortress

The first construction of the new Russian capital, the Peter and Paul Fortress, occupies the central position in the architectural ensemble of city center, and the Peter and Paul Cathedral with its high bell tower is one of the main landmarks of Saint Petersburg. The silhouette of the Peter and Paul fortress became the main symbol of the city on the Neva River.

The plan of the fortress was worked out by Peter himself who made it in the shape of elongated hexagon with six projecting bastions, connected by curtain walls. The ensemble of the Peter and Paul Fortress includes Commandant’s House, the Engineers House, the Artillery armory, the Mint, the Treasury, the Guardhouse and other historical constructions.

Paradoxically but although the Peter and Paul Fortress was built as a fortification construction it was never used as such. For almost two centuries it served as a main political prison of the country. One of the first convicts became Tsarevitch Alexey, the son of Peter the Great, who was against the politics of his father. Among the convicts were Decembrists, organizers of the failed attempt at the life of Alexander II, writers Nikolay Chernyshevsky and Maksim Gorky and many others. It was impossible to escape from the prison: during the whole period of the prison existence nobody managed to escape it.

The special place in the fortress ensemble belongs to the Cathedral of Peter and Paul. It was built in 1713-1733 by architect Tresini on the place of a wooden church, founded in honor of apostles Peter and Paul. The cathedral is decorated with gilded spire, topped with the weather vane shaped as an Angel, who is said to watch over and protect the city. The cathedral of Peter and Paul served as a royal burial-vault. The founder of the city, Peter the Great is buried close to the south wall of the cathedral. The last Russian Emperor and his family are buried in the Ekaterininsky (Catherine) chapel of the cathedral.

Nowadays on the territory of the fortress several interesting museums are functioning. The gas-dynamic laboratory and the printing house are also worth visiting.