The Peter and Paul Fortress (Petropavlovskaya Krepost') is historical core of St.Petersburg. It is a monument of military and engineering craft. It was laid by the order and to the plot-plan of Peter the Great on May 16, (27) 1703 on Zayachy Island that is linked with Petrogradsky Island by Ioanovsky and Kronverksky bridges.

the PETER and PAUL FORTRESS in the night

The Fortress forms an irregular hexagon stretched from West to East with 6 bastions at the corners. The fortress was constructed "in quite a haste" under supervision of Peter the Great and his closest associates. In 1706-1740 the walls of fortress that face the Neva River were lined with granite blocks. For defense of the northern approaches to the Peter and Paul Fortress the Kronverk fortifications were constructed on the southern bank of the Petrogradsky Island. A canal was dug in the territory of the fortress to bring construction materials and supply the garrison with water. It was filled up with ground in 1882. The parade Petrovsky gate is located in the Eastern Wall of the fortress. Vasiliev gate is in the Western Wall, Kronverk and Nicholas gates are in the Northern Wall, and Neva gate (leading to the jetty) is in the Southern Wall. Ioannovsky Ravelin was constructed in 1731-1740 outside the fortress on the eastern side, while 1733-1740 Alexeyevsky Ravelin was built on the western side.

The new Peter and Paul Cathedral of stone appeared in 1712-1733 in place of the old wooden church of St.Peter and St.Paul. The cathedral became the burial-vault of Russian Emperors.

Metro: Gor'kovskaya

Map of the PETER and PAUL FORTRESS

1. The St.Peter and Paul Cathedal 2. The Yawl House 3. The Commandant's House 4. The Mint 5. The Engineers House 6. The St.Johns Bridge 7. The St.John's Gate 8. The Peter's Gate 9. Artillery Arsenal 10. The Guard-house

11. The Nevskie Gate 12. The Commandant's Pier 13. The Naryshkin Bastion 14. The Nikolskie Gate 15. The Zotov Bastion 16. The Vasilyevskie Gate 17. The Trubetskoi Bastion 18. The Alexeevsky Ravelin 19. The Museum of Artillery