The history of Saint-Petersburg dates back to 16th (27th) May 1703, when a young tzar Peter the First laid the first stone here on Baltic lands. The first construction site was the fortress which got the name Peter and Paul Fortress. The main purpose of that construction was to defend these lands from Sweden. This is how Saint-Petersburg was born. The city was growing up and got the name after Saint Peter. In 1712 the capital moved from Moscow to Saint-Petersburg, and it was the beginning of Imperial period in Russian history. Saint-Petersburg was the official capital untill 1918. Today most of the citizens still call it the Northern capital of Russia.

Peter the First wanted his new capital to look like European city, that is why he invited a lot of talented architects from European countries to take part in creation of St. Petersburg.  Petersburg is often called  New Amsterdam or Northern Venice, because of numerous canals all over. When there were no bridges in 18th century, people had to use boats to travel all around the city.

The most important was the foundation of the first sea port in Russia, which significantly improved the economy of Russia. Getting these lands the country got the exit to the Baltic Sea, and St. Peter’s city became the “window to Europe”.

Sain-Petersburg, as Peter the First planned, became “the city of tolerance”- not only Orthodox cathedrals and churches were being constructed here, but also Catholic and Lutheran churches appeared . There is also Synagogue and Muslim Mosque in city center. From the very beginning lots of Germans, Swedish, Finns, Tartars and other foreigners moved in and settled here – they found a new homeland. Nevsky avenue (Nevsky prospect) became the main street.

Lots of monuments and architectural ensembles were created by the great masters of 18th and 19th century – Palace Square and Winter Palace (palace square 19 and palace square now), General Headquarter building, St. Isaac’s and Kazan cathedrals, the Admiralty, Spit of Basil island (are now world-known landmarks).

St. Isaac's 19 and St. Isaac's now:

One of the main attractions in Saint-Petersburg is the “White Nights” period, when in May and June it never gets dark and you can enjoy the view of drawbridges opened over the river Neva.

The city changed its name several times. In 1914 it was changed into Petrograd and later in 1924, after Lenin’s death, it was renamed into Leningrad.
The most tragic page in the history of Leningrad became the period of siege which lasted 900 day, from 1941 till 1944, and it was the longest siege in human’s history. Thanks to great courage of defenders, majority of them were teenagers, women and old people, city survived, and Nazis never entered Leningrad.

Nowadays, not Leningrad but Saint-Petersburg (city got its original name back in 1991) is the second largest city in Russian Federation. It is the biggest industrial port in Russia but also a “Mecca” for visitors from all over the world.

Welcome to Saint-Petersburg!