Peter and Paul Fortress

Welcome to the Peter and Paul Fortress, the foundational stone of Saint Petersburg. As we stand within these formidable walls on Zayachy Island, we are at the very spot where, in May 1703, Peter the Great declared the birth of…

We enter the fortress across the Ioannovsky Bridge, the oldest bridge in the city, though often rebuilt. Before us stands the St. …

Dominating the center of the fortress is the Peter and Paul Cathedral. Built between 1712 and 1733, its design by Domenico Trezzini was a radical departure from traditional Russian Orthodox architecture. …

Inside the cathedral, we find the burial place of the Russian Emperors and Empresses. Starting with Peter the Great, whose simple white marble tomb is located near the iconostasis, almost every Romanov ruler is interred here. …

Turning from the sacred to the somber, we visit the Trubetskoy Bastion, which for decades served as the 'Russian Bastille.' This high-security prison was designed to hold the most dangerous enemies of the state—not common…

For a different perspective, we climb the fortress walls. The 'Neva Curtain Wall' provides one of the most breathtaking views in the world. …

Our final stop within the walls is the Commandant’s House, which now serves as the headquarters for the Saint Petersburg City History Museum. The Commandant was the highest-ranking officer of the fortress, responsible not only…

As we conclude our journey through the Peter and Paul Fortress, we leave behind the place where Saint Petersburg began. We have walked the ramparts that guarded the empire, stood in the silent presence of the Romanov tsars, and…