Peter and Paul Fortress The Peter and Paul Fortress is architectural and historical center of Saint-Petersburg. The fortress was designed to protect the Neva lands that were won from the Swedes during the Northern War (1700 - 21). Its powerful stone walls rising almost out of the water, and the cathedral spire soaring into the skies, make up a unique view opening from afar as a part of the wide Neva panorama.
A Neva island called Zayachy (Hare) or Vesioly (Cheerful) was chosen as a construction site; its location was unique from the military point of view. The wide, deep Neva served to protect the fortress, while the latter, in its turn, was covering the entrance to the Neva from the Gulf of Finland. The whole island built up because of its small size.
On 27 May 1703, the foundation of the fortress was laid, that was to be named Saint-Petersburg. This day is considered to be the day when the city got its start. The city was soon named after the fortress, Saint-Petersburg. Meanwhile the fortress acquired the name of Peter and Paul (after the name of the cathedral built there).
Construction of the earthen and wooden fortifications was completed by the autumn of 1703. The outlines of the fortress depended on the shape of the island proper; it was designed in the shape of an elongated hexagon with six projecting bastions. In 1706 they started to rebuild the wooden fortress in stone; the reconstruction lasted till 1740. This work was entrusted to D.Trezzini, the forts fortifier and architect of the new capital.
The Peter and Paul Fortress was put up for fortification purposes; however, it had never been used as such. Beginning from 1718 it was turned into a prison for political convicts. Since 1924 Peter and Paul Fortress has been a museum.
The Peter and Paul Cathedral is a unique sample of Russian 18th-century architecture that has reached us. Its grand multi-tier belfry with a gilt spire is an architectural dominant of the city, an integral part of its silhouette. The Peter and Paul Cathedral had for almost two centuries served as a burial-place for Russian emperors. This was done at the order of Peter I, who is himself buried at the southern wall of the cathedral.
For a long time the cathedral had performed the functions of the museum of Russian military glory, where enemy banners, keys of the cities and fortresses captured by Russian troops were kept. In the early 20th century all the trophies were transferred to museums. The cathedral now holds replicas of captured Swedish and Turkish banners. The building, topped with a dome and a bulbous cupola is perceived as an integral part of the cathedral. In front of the entrance a fence was put up, designed on the model of the Summer Gardens railing.
The Peter and Paul Fortress is open daily, except Wednesdays and the last Tuesday of each month, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
Summer Garden The Summer Gardens are almost as old as the city. It might date back to the early 1704, when on the order of Peter I they started to bring saplings of various trees, flower seeds, marble statues, columns, etc. to Petersburg from all parts of Russia and Europe. By 1707 much of the work on laying out the gardens, planting the trees and setting up the fountains had been completed.
It was a regular garden with a geometrical pattern of crossing alleys and with trimmed shrubs, symmetrically arranged statues and fountains. In the early 18th century the Summer Gardens occupied a much larger territory: from the Neva bank and almost reaching Nevsky Prospekt.
In the 1720s the Lebiazhya (Swan) Kanavka was laid that separated the Summer Gardens from the Field of Mars (Marsovo Pole); the Mya (Moika) River was deepened and connected with the Fontanka. Thus the Summer Gardens surrounded by the Neva, Fontanka, Moika and Lebiazhya Kanavka became an island.
The Summer Palace of Peter I was small and not suited for large receptions; so in summer court festivities and receptions were held in the garden alleys. Dinners were given in the galleries on the Neva bank built especially for this purpose. There were many other entertainments in the garden, including pavilions, a grotto, curvy paths, a maze, etc. The contemporaries left a lot of descriptions testifying of its extraordinary beauty and luxury.
According to the tsar's directions statues were bought or ordered in Europe, especially in Venice, famous for its sculptors. The 250 sculptures decorating the garden make up a genuinely unique collection of Italian Baroque sculpture, performed by P.Baratta, D.Bonazza, F.Cabianca and others. In 1773 - 86 the famous railing was put up on the side facing the Neva (architects Yu.Velten, P.Yegorov).
The terrible storm and flood of 1777 caused the Summer Gardens irreparable damage: the fountain system was wrecked, many statues were lost or damaged, the maze destroyed, a lot of trees pulled out. After this disaster the former decoration was never restored, and the Imperial summer residence was moved to the suburbs. In the 19th century the Gardens became open to the public (with the exclusion of the "common people").
Summer Garden and Palace is open daily except Tuesdays and the last Monday of every month, from 11:00 a.m to 5:30 p.m. |
