For the first few years, the main construction work was carried out on Hare Island. Here grew the fortress of St. Peter-Burch, which was the core of the future city. Its location was determined by Peter himself, who assessed the strategic expediency of locating an outpost in the Neva delta.
A year later, all six bastions appeared (protruding from the fortress wall of the fortification). Although there were bastions, taking care of the stone construction of the new city was one of the most important for Peter. A special decree of 1714 in Russia prohibited the construction of buildings made of stone, and all master masons were sent by order to the Neva banks. Peter established a kind of “stone” duty: each ship, each convoy arriving in the city, had to bring a certain amount of building material.

The fortress was supposed to be a closed chain of bastions and curtain walls (walls connecting the bastions). The construction of fortifications took place under the supervision of the closest associates of the king, and therefore the bastions were named after them - Naryshkin, Trubetskoy, Zotov, Golovkin, Menshikov.

One of the southern bastions was under the direct supervision of Peter, therefore he received the name Sovereign. On the eastern side of the island, in the curtain that connected this bastion with Menshikov, the main fortress gates were built. They were protected by a ravelin (external auxiliary triangular in terms of building), named after St. John. To get to the fortress, one must pass through the Ioannovsky wooden bridge, the Ioannovsky gates and enter the Petrovsky gates, above the arch of which there is a coat of arms double-headed eagle made of lead. The gates are decorated with a large bas-relief “The Fall of Simon Magus” by the German sculptor and carver G.K.Osner. It is believed that this work depicting the Apostle Peter, who, by the power of his prayer, casts down a pagan sorcerer from heaven, glorifies the victory of Tsar Peter over the Swedish king Charles XII in allegorical form. Behind the Peter's Gate on the right is the Artillery Storehouse (1801), on the left - the Engineering House (1749).
By 1787, the entire fortress was dressed in granite. In 1840, the reconstruction of all the fortifications into stones was completed. A flagpole signal tower and a cannon were installed on the Naryshkin bastion, the shot of which announced the onset of noon - a tradition that has survived to this day.
Not far from the Peter and Paul Cathedral is the Commandant's House (1743-1746). For 200 years, 32 commandants have changed. This position was often for life. It was received by honored military generals, who enjoyed the special confidence of the sovereign.
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The Peter and Paul Fortress was founded according to the plan of Peter I and the French engineer Lambert on the territory of Hare Island, in the historical center of St. Petersburg, on May 27, 1703 in order to protect against the Swedes in the Northern War. How the museum began to function since 1924. It was originally called the St. Petersburg Fortress, and during the Great October Revolution - the Petrograd Fortress.

The territory of the island in the wide mouth of the Neva is not too large - 750 × 400 m.

It takes several hours, or even a whole day, to see with your own eyes all the buildings, buildings and exhibits located here.

Prices in the Peter and Paul Fortress in 2019

That the cost of viewing the expositions of the bastions, the cathedral and museums without a guide is quite low, especially if the visitor is a student or a pensioner. Furthermore, separate categories citizens, such as: disabled people, large families, etc. ( full list presented on the website of the Museum of History) - have the right to free admission everywhere. However, speaking with a tour guide has no perks and is definitely worth the money for everyone.

The most popular in the Peter and Paul Fortress is Peter and Paul Cathedral and Grand Duke's Tomb- the cost of a ticket here for an adult is 550 rubles, for a student - 300, for a pensioner - 250.

Prices for visiting the Trubetskoy Bastion Prison are 250/150/150 rubles, respectively.

In the halls with permanent exhibitions, if you have tickets, you can take free photo and video shooting. At the Center for Museum Pedagogy, you can also listen to lectures or attend master classes, such as glass painting or drawing. Such an occupation costs 600 rubles. You can take part in the quest games of the fortress for 250 rubles.

Opening hours of the Peter and Paul Fortress

St. Petersburg is famous not only for its culture, but also for its white nights, when it would be nice to walk and walk ... However, romantics will not be able to get to Hare Island at night. Only "larks" - those who get up early. The guards of two bridges - Ioannovsky and Kronversky, from which you can enter or ride a bicycle, begin to let such visitors through. from 6 o'clock in the morning. But quite recently, during the time of the first mayor of St. Petersburg Anatoly Sobchak, cycling was banned here!

You can enter or enter the gates of the fortress only from 9.30. The work of ticket offices and museums starts at 10.00, but stops in different ways - from 17.00 to 19.00.

So that tourists do not get lost, signs are installed on the territory of Petropavlovka, and stands with leaflets-schemes are located at the entrance. There are several ticket offices here. However, if someone needs detailed advice about sights and excursions, then it is better to look at the Information Centers. There are two of them on the territory: one is in the Botanical House next to the Peter and Paul Cathedral, the other is right behind the Ioannovsky Gate on the left.

Story

Inspired by the first captures of the Swedish fortresses in the Northern War - Oreshek and Nienschanz, Peter I decided to urgently build a new fortress right on the shore in order to be able to repulse the enemy from afar - at the first appearance of Swedish ships on the horizon. Having studied the area, Peter, together with engineer Joseph Gaspard Lambert de Guerin, recruited by Prince Grigory Dolgoruky in Poland shortly before, draws a scheme for construction on the island of Enisari (Hare). And the great Pushkin wrote about this event a hundred years later: From now on we will threaten the Swede, Here the city will be founded To spite the arrogant neighbor. Here we are destined by nature to cut a window into Europe. Lambert soon fled to Europe. The king began to rely on the advice of another foreigner - the architect Domenico Trezzini. That is why the main value of the historical complex - the Peter and Paul Cathedral - looks somewhat Western-style with its long spire instead of a dome. At one time it was the tallest building in Russia. However, the construction of the fortress did not proceed quickly. How many nameless Russian peasants and captured Swedes laid down their lives here for the glory of the capital of the Russian Empire? God only knows...

Fortress bastions

The idea of ​​Peter I was military literate, but the Peter and Paul Fortress was not destined to take part in the battles, despite the fact that the nobles of the tsar even invested in the construction of the granite walls of the bastions. To this day, these bastions bear the names of these close associates, except for the Sovereign's bastion: Naryshkin bastion, Menshikov, Trubetskoy, Golovkin and Zotov. Of course, they all have historical value. But Naryshkin is now the most popular, due to the fact that a cannon fires from him every day at noon.

Politics

The main essence of the Peter and Paul Fortress after the completion of construction was the punishment of high-ranking persons. And the first who, after numerous court intrigues, ended up in prison was the eldest son of Peter I, Alexei Petrovich. Accused of treason, he was escorted from Austria to the dungeons of the St. Petersburg dungeon by cunning. After severe torture, having renounced the succession to the throne, he died here. Other famous political prisoners imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress were the Decembrists. Opposite the fortress was the place of execution of the instigators of the rebellion. Now there is a nine-meter obelisk, on which in profile there is a bas-relief of five rebellious nobles.

Sights of the Peter and Paul Fortress

One of the legends says that Hare Island was named so because of the many hares that lived on it. Moreover, it seems like one of them jumped right on the boot of Peter the Great, fleeing the flood. According to another version, the hare jumped right into the hands of the emperor, who was furious from the poor work of the peasants. Thus, they say, the animal unwittingly pacified the anger of the hot-tempered king, and the poor unfortunate builders were pardoned.

Gates

Having approached the Ioannovsky bridge leading to the gates of the fortress, the guests of the northern capital of Russia see a sculpture of a hare sitting on a breakwater post nearby in the Neva. It was installed for the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg - in 2003. As you know, the birthday of the city is the date of birth of the Peter and Paul Fortress. Generous visitors throw coins to the hare, "for good luck", and to come back here again. And children love to be photographed with other sculptures of hares, which are easy to meet here, walking along the paving stones with adults in good weather. The Petrovsky Gates themselves look very impressive. Walking slowly along the Ioannovsky Bridge, which expanded and strengthened over time, you can feel the greatness of the victory of the Russian army - after all, from above this magnificent Triumphal Arch of Peter, a large-scale carved panel by the famous sculptor Konrad Osner silently looks at us. In addition, on both sides of the gate are symbolically guarded by two ancient Greek goddesses - Athena and Poliada. Of course, the biblical imagery and philosophy of the front gate cannot be compared to the other two entrances and exits. But they should be mentioned. Another bridge, from which you can enter the Hare Island and the fortress, Kronversky, leads to the Nikolsky Gate. On the territory of Petropavlovka, there are also the Nevsky Gates leading to the Commandant's Quay and the beach. Heavy in appearance, they were nicknamed by the people, not impartially, "the gates of death." Since it was from here at night that the jailers sent the prisoners to the scaffold.

Beach

And yet, even in the cool summer St. Petersburg weather, there are always sunbathers on the beach. Swimming, however, is prohibited. But there are brave ones who even get their feet wet in the cold Neva. Such entertainment - lying on the sand under the fortress wall is mostly aesthetic pleasure, rather than a really full-fledged chocolate tan. The view from the beach to the architecture Winter Palace and Palace embankment, the sculpture of the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island, drawbridges, undoubtedly pleases the eye. Another curious spectacle in the summer on weekends is the guard of honor. And for young people, museum organizers, in addition to historical and educational excursions, provide scenarios for several adventure quests. The local aborigines, who have walked the length and breadth of the fortress more than once or twice, are also unable to resist the harsh magic of this place. They come here just to lie down with a book on the grass, sit in the "Leningrad Cafe", on a bench with ice cream, or go for health jogging. And someone comes to pray...

Cathedral in the name of the chief apostles Peter and Paul

... After all, the Peter and Paul Cathedral, where the relics of the Russian rulers of the Romanov dynasty, including Peter I himself, are kept, is active! Since 2000, Orthodox services have been held here, as well as Sunday concerts of carillon music. During its history, the temple survived fires, storms and bombings. But thanks to the restoration of professional craftsmen, it survived to the 21st century in the form in which Peter I conceived it: with an angel on a long spire, with architectural baroque, with small chimes. Now the rector of the temple is Archbishop Alexander Fedorov. The ringing of bells, the rich decoration of the interior of the temple and the stunning twenty-meter iconostasis performed by the architect Ivan Zarudny create a magical atmosphere, the light of which does not leave the soul of those who come here for a long time.

Monument to Peter I

Once in America, shortly before his death, the famous bard and actor Vladimir Vysotsky saw his drawings of Peter I visiting the artist and sculptor Mikhail Shemyakin, and inquired about the monument to the tsar. Shemyakin was modest and replied that his sculptures of prominent personalities were not as good as his paintings. However, he returned to this idea later and began to study archival materials about the parameters of Peter's appearance. Contrary to the generally accepted view, the king did not come out tall. Then the sculptor decided to leave the head identical to the cast from the face of the late emperor, and slightly enlarged the body. This is allowed in art. So the bronze Peter I sits on the Main Alley of the Peter and Paul Fortress from the beginning of the 90s, brought from the distant United States of America, as if looking into the distance of centuries over the everyday bustle surrounding him.

Mint

Surprisingly, on the territory officially classified as a cultural monument of antiquity and which is part of the Museum of the History of St. Petersburg, there is a functioning financial enterprise. Visitors are not allowed here. The mint, founded over three centuries ago, still mints money, orders and medals. By the way, the spire of the Peter and Paul Cathedral can be seen on the reverse side of 50-ruble bills. Collectors-numismatists often look into the brand shop of the Mint. True, ancient relics cannot be purchased here, but some of the new products that may become a rare value in the future are possible.

Video: Peter and Paul Fortress and surroundings, aerial photography

How to get there

You can get to the territory of the Peter and Paul Fortress by one of two bridges: along Ioannovsky or along Kronverksky.

Stop land transport from the side of the Ioannovsky bridge - "Trinity Square".

The Kronverksky bridge leads to the western part of the island, and you can get to it by trams, following to the stop "Kronverksky Prospekt" / "Prospect Dobrolyubova".

How to get to the Peter and Paul Fortress by metro

It is close from the Gorkovskaya metro station (line 2) to the Ioannovsky bridge - you need to go through the Aleksandrovsky park to the Kronverskaya embankment.

And the metro from the side of Kronverksky bridge is located further - 1.2 km from the bridge, Sportivnaya station (line 5)

By car and taxi

When the routes are not loaded, it is convenient to use taxi services, moreover, all the most popular applications work in St. Petersburg: Yandex. Taxi, Gett, Uber, Rutaxi.

Description

The Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg is located at the mouth of the Neva River on Hare Island. It was founded by Emperor Peter I on May 27 (May 16 according to the old style) 1703 at the very beginning of the Great Northern War (1700-1721). Initially, the first Russian outpost in the Baltic was called “St. But in its history, the fortress was never used for defensive purposes. She was destined to become the core of a new city - the rapidly developing capital of the Russian Empire - St. Petersburg.

The first fortress was built from earth, turf and wood, designed by the French engineer Joseph Gaspard Lambert de Guérin. It is believed that the plan for fortifications was proposed by the sovereign Peter Alekseevich himself. The fortress was built according to the latest fortification art in accordance with the laws of the Western European bastion system. The outlines of Hare Island determined the shape of the fortress: an irregular hexagon with six protruding massive bastions named after the associates of Peter I (Gosudarev, Menshikov, Zotov, Naryshkin, Trubetskoy, Golovkin) and curtains connecting them (Petrovskaya, Nevskaya, Ekaterininskaya, Vasilievskaya, Nikolskaya, Kronverkskaya) . In the eastern part of the Hare Island, outside the fortress walls, an earthen ravelin was erected - an additional defensive structure, and on Berezovy Island, to the north of the fortress, Kronverk was built.

The work was carried out at a "shock pace" - the earthen fortress was completed by October 1, 1703. 52 guns each were installed on the Trubetskoy and Naryshkin bastions, 58 on the Sovereign. The raising and lowering of the flag on the Sovereign's Bastion meant the beginning and end of the working day.

The working conditions of the workers were appalling. According to the testimony of the chamber junker Berchholz, the workers "were dying like flies from cold and hunger." Another eyewitness recorded that the earth was carried in the hems of clothes or on the shoulders in small bags. Work on the construction of a new city was equated with hard labor, deserters from the army were exiled here (Peter's decree of July 4, 1705), criminals, and special groups of workers from the provinces. Bases were created for the delivery of food in Novgorod and Ladoga, but interruptions still arose. To combat dysentery and scurvy, vodka infused with pine cones was used. Complicated the situation and constant flooding.

But the wood-and-earth fortress did not stand for long, and three years after its laying, perestroika began. The stone fortress is being built according to the project of the architect Domenico Trezzini. From 1706 to 1740, new curtain walls and bastions made of brick and stone were erected on the site of earthen ramparts, which almost completely repeated the outlines of their wood-and-earth predecessors. Casemates for barracks and ammunition depots were built inside the fortress walls. In 1707, the tsar ordered the construction of a front gate in the fortress. In 1708, work began on the construction of the Petrovsky Gates. They were designed by Domenico Trezzini, first wooden, then stone, they retained the composition conceived by the architect. Peter's Gate is a vivid example of Peter's Baroque.

In 1731-1740, during the reign of Anna Ioannovna, on the western and eastern ends of the island, according to the project of B.-Kh. von Minich, additional external fortifications were erected - Ioannovsky (in place of the first earthen ravelin) and Alekseevsky ravelins. They got their name in honor of the father and grandfather of Empress Anna Ioannovna. Ditches with drawbridges were built between the fortress walls and ravelins (filled in at the end of the 19th century).

During the reign of Empress Catherine II, work on the arrangement of the Peter and Paul Fortress continued. By her highest order in 1779-1786, the walls of the fortress facing the Neva were faced with granite. At the same time, the Nevsky Gates of the fortress and the Commandant's Quay (architect N.A. Lvov) were decorated in grand style.

Main dominant architectural ensemble fortress - Peter and Paul Cathedral. The first wooden church was founded in the center of the fortress on July 12 (June 29, old style), 1703, on the day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. In its place, in 1712-1733, according to the project of D. Trezzini, a stone Peter and Paul Cathedral was built. According to the name of the cathedral, the fortress also became known as Peter and Paul.

During the XVIII-XIX centuries, buildings for various purposes were built on the territory of the fortress - the Commandant's and Engineering houses, the guardhouse, the Boat House, the Artillery storehouse, the Mint, the Trubetskoy Bastion prison, the Treasury, the House of Fund Capital, the Depot of measures and weights, the Major Square and the Wing adjutant house, Grand Duke's burial vault, Church house and others.
The Peter and Paul Fortress in Tsarist Russia had another purpose - a prison, it was also called the "Russian Bastille". Since the beginning of the 18th century, it has become a place of detention for especially important state criminals. The prisoners were placed in the casemates of the bastions and curtain walls and in specially constructed prison buildings.

For the first time, the Peter and Paul Fortress was opened to visitors under Emperor Alexander I at the beginning of the 20th century. The first excursions began to be held in the Peter and Paul Cathedral in the imperial necropolis in the 1900s.

After 1917, construction on the territory of Hare Island was not carried out. In 1924, the Peter and Paul Cathedral and the Trubetskoy Bastion prison were transferred to the Museum of the Revolution. In 1954, the complex of buildings of the Peter and Paul Fortress became part of the State Museum of the History of Leningrad (St. Petersburg).

Today, the Peter and Paul Fortress is part of the State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg, where the museum's funds are located, permanent expositions are opened, and temporary exhibitions are held.

Notable exhibits

• Carved gilded iconostasis and altar canopy

  A gift to the temple from Peter I and Catherine I. The iconostasis was created in Moscow according to the drawings of D. Trezzini by a group of carvers led by I. P. Zarudny. Peter and Paul Cathedral and the Grand Duke's Tomb

Peter-Pavel's Fortress was founded on May 27, 1703 for the defense of Russian territory. The fortress is located on Hare Island, the Ioannovsky Bridge connects the Ioannovsky Gates of the Peter and Paul Fortress with the Petrograd Side. The Peter and Paul Fortress did not take part in the hostilities. The official name of the St. Petersburg fortress, in the period from 1914 to 1917, the fortress was called Petrogradskaya. Currently, the fortress is part of the Museum of the History of St. Petersburg.

History of the fortress

One of the first images of the fortress on Zayachy Island (from the educational tables of the Navigation School in Moscow; compiled by Vasily Kipriyanov, 1705).

Since 1700, Russia has been at war with Sweden for access to the Baltic Sea. By the summer of 1703, Russia managed to win back the lands at the mouth of the Neva, which were conquered by Sweden back in the 17th century, and in order to gain a foothold and protect themselves from attacks, it was necessary to create defensive structures. Peter I considered the captured fortress Nienschanz to be insufficiently fortified and decided to build a new fortress in order to permanently gain a foothold in this territory, the place for the new fortress was chosen on the island, which the Finns called Yenisaari (Hare Island), and the Swedes called Lust-Eiland (Merry Island), from the island, the entrances to the branches of the Neva from Gulf of Finland. On May 27, 1703, Peter I founded a fortress on the island, which gave rise to the city of St. Petersburg. The city got its name in honor of the Apostle Peter. It is believed that the drawing of the first earthen fortress belongs to Peter I himself and the French engineer Joseph Lambert de Guerin. According to the plan, the fortress included: 6 bastions connected by curtains, 2 ravelins, crownwork. In 1703 Zayachy Island was connected to the Petrograd side by the Ioannovsky Bridge. In just four months, they managed to build defensive structures made of wood and earth. The Peter and Paul Fortress did not take part in the hostilities, but nevertheless it was an important link in the defense of the Finnish Strait during the Great Northern War.

Plan of the location of structures on the territory of the Peter and Paul Fortress.

The construction was supervised by an associate of Peter I Menshikov A. The fortress was built with the help of soldiers, captured Swedes and peasants, a certain number of whom were called from each province. The construction of the wood-and-earth fortress was completed in October 1703. This event was celebrated both in Moscow and on the banks of the Neva. Initially, the fortress was called St. Petersburg, but another name was also used - Peter and Paul - after the Peter and Paul Cathedral, located in the center of the fortress, which after 1917 becomes official. During the October Revolution, the fortress became the field headquarters of the Petrograd Military Revolutionary Committee, which led the uprising and the capture of the Winter Palace. In 1924, the Museum was opened in the fortress, and since 1993, the Peter and Paul Fortress has been declared a historical and cultural reserve. At different times, both fortifications and buildings for household needs were built and modernized on the territory of the Peter and Paul Fortress.

Most of the buildings are currently used as museum premises, but there are also functioning in their own way. intended purpose buildings such as the Mint.

Buildings on the territory of the Peter and Paul Fortress

Peter and Paul Cathedral

Peter and Paul Cathedral. Peter and Paul Fortress.

The wooden Peter and Paul Cathedral was founded on June 29, 1703 on the day of the holy apostles Peter and Paul, and already on April 1, 1704 the cathedral was consecrated. On May 14, a festive service was held here in honor of the victory of Field Marshal B.P. Sheremetyev by our Swedish ships on Lake Peipus. The stone Peter and Paul Cathedral was founded on May 30, 1712 according to the project of D. Trezzini and its construction lasted 20 years until 1732. The construction was carried out in such a way that the wooden church remained inside the stone cathedral under construction. wooden church was dismantled and moved in 1719 to the City Island, where it was placed on a stone foundation and renamed the Church of the Apostle Matthew. Later, this church was also rebuilt in stone and stood until the Great Patriotic War.

The construction of the cathedral, by order of Peter I, began with the bell tower, which was completed only in 1720. The construction began with the bell tower not by chance, but on the basis of strategic considerations, since it could be used as an observation platform to detect enemy troops. A chiming clock was installed on the bell tower even in the process of its construction, without waiting for the end, by order of Peter I himself. The clock began to play in August 1720. At the initiative of Peter I, an elevator could have been installed in the bell tower, the idea of ​​which Peter saw from the court mechanic of the Saxon elector Andreas Gertner, but for unknown reasons the idea was never put into practice (some materials for the elevators had already been purchased).

The creation of the spire of the Peter and Paul Cathedral began in the winter of 1717, with the preparation of rafters. To work on the spire, on May 1, the Dutch master Hermann van Boles was invited, who created the project of a 25-meter spire and has been implementing it for several years. In September 1718, an apple was raised to the spire. In May 1719, the Chancellery of City Affairs concluded an agreement with the Riga master Zimers F., according to which he forged 887 sheets of red copper. In April 1721, an agreement was concluded with the Riga masters Steinbeis I.P. and Eberhard I.V. on the gilding of copper sheets, which was completed in November 1723. The cladding of the spire with sheets and the installation of the angel was completed in 1724. The height of the bell tower from the foundation to the top of the cross was 106 meters. After the cathedral was completed, it became the most tall building in St. Petersburg until 2012.

In May 1722, Trezzini D. was asked to install an angel on top of the bell tower. Trezzini made a drawing, according to which the figure was made by the peasant Lesser I. and the silversmith L. Zadubsky. But their work was recognized as poor quality, so the angel was redone by Steinbes and Eberhard. That angel was different from the one that exists now. It was made in the form of a weather vane, the figure of an angel was held with two hands on the axis, in which the turning mechanisms were placed.

Brass figure of an angel (third), mounted on a spire before 1858. History Museum. Peter-Pavel's Fortress.

The Peter and Paul Cathedral has become the object of using many solutions and approaches that have not been used before. Its architectural design was influenced by Western traditions. The walls are much less thick than those of traditional Russian churches, large windows, high narrow pillars (pylons), only one dome (instead of the usual five domes). This cathedral became an example for all other churches until the middle of the 18th century. Further, by decree of the Synod, churches again began to be built with five domes. Painting inside the Peter and Paul Cathedral is also important from the point of view of the development of Russian art. Prior to this, the walls of temples were painted in a completely different way, only biblical scenes were allowed to be reproduced. Secular artistic ornaments are also used here. The painting of the walls of the temple belongs to the Russian artists Vorobyov and Negrubov. Plafonds in the central nave were made by Pyotr Zybin.

After the death of Peter I in 1725, the coffin with his body was placed inside the unfinished cathedral, and waited for burial there for 6 years. Later, a coffin with the body of his wife Catherine was also placed nearby. In 1732, when the construction of the temple was completed, the bodies of Peter I and Catherine were buried near the southern wall in front of the altar. Initially, only marble slabs were installed at the burial site, without tombstones. Tombstones made of white marble slabs were placed in the 1760s. Tombstones of crowned persons have coats of arms in the corners. Two gravestones are unique, the graves of Alexander II and his wife Maria Alexandrovna are made of jasper and orlets. They are monolithic, each weighing about 5-6 tons.

Scheme of the iconostasis of the Peter and Paul Cathedral. Peter and Paul Fortress.

The iconostasis of the Peter and Paul Cathedral is considered unique. The iconostasis is made in the form of a triumphal arch symbolizing Russia's victory in the Northern War. The iconostasis was made in Moscow in 1722-1726 in the workshop of Ivan Zarudny from oak and linden. The initial drawing of the iconostasis belongs to D. Trezzini. More than 50 workers were involved in the production of the iconostasis, led by Zarudny I. During the manufacture, small details were constantly refined, therefore the authorship of the iconostasis is attributed to both architects Trezzini D. and Zarudny I. The iconostasis was brought from Moscow disassembled dismantled in 1727, and then it was assembled in the cathedral itself and covered with gilding. The icons for the iconostasis were created for another two years, under the guidance of Andrei Merkuliev. Some of these icons have survived to this day, their forms are unusual. In the center of the iconostasis of the Peter and Paul Cathedral - the royal doors with sculptures of the apostles. Under the iconostasis in the 19th century to strengthen the structure and protect against impacts environment a marble base was built, the wooden gates were replaced with new ones made of bronze, as the old ones were very dilapidated. After there was no space left for burials in the Peter and Paul Cathedral, a tomb was built next to the temple by 1908, connected to the cathedral with a corridor. In front of the western entrance in 1904-1906 a fence was installed on the model of the fence summer garden. It was decided to bury only members of the imperial family in the tomb. Before the outbreak of the First World War, 8 graves were transferred from the right nave of the cathedral. In addition, 5 more grand dukes managed to bury here. In total, 30 crypts were provided in the tomb.

Engraving by D. Gobbert after a drawing by F. Clagens. Peter and Paul Cathedral. 1834.

On the left side of the central aisle, in 1732, Nicholas Proskop equipped a pulpit. It is made of carved gilded wood. In the lower part of the pulpit are paintings depicting the parable of the sower. Above are the figures of the apostles Peter and Paul, above them are the four evangelists. At the very top of the pulpit is the figure of a dove, symbolizing the holy spirit. On the right side of the central aisle is the royal place. It is also made of gilded carved wood, covered with velvet. There was never an armchair here; during the services, the tsar did not sit down. The central nave is illuminated by crystal chandeliers from the late 18th century. Closer to the altar - genuine, others restored after the Great Patriotic War. Captured banners, keys to cities and fortresses taken in the wars with Sweden and Turkey were kept in the Peter and Paul Cathedral. Now the originals of the flags are in museums, their copies are placed on the walls. The consecration of the completed Peter and Paul Cathedral took place on June 29, 1733. It acquired the status of a cathedral and was such until the opening of the new St. Isaac's Cathedral in 1858. It became the largest building in St. Petersburg. The walls of the temple were painted blue, the pilasters and cornice - white, the roof, the domes of the bell tower and the altar dome - dark blue.

The appearance of the cathedral did not change until 1756, when on the night of April 29-30 lightning struck the spire and the burning spire fell causing great damage to the cathedral: the bell tower was completely destroyed, the roof was damaged, the portico was broken at the entrance, and as a result of the fire the bells of the chimes melted. The iconostasis was saved from fire, thanks to its collapsible design, which was used by the soldiers of Prince Golitsin, who carried the iconostasis out of the cathedral in parts. On April 31, a decree was issued on the speedy restoration of the Peter and Paul Cathedral. Builders were urgently gathered from all construction sites, and the roof of the cathedral was quickly restored. During the restoration, the shape of the roof was changed from a gable to a flatter one. It was decided to restore the bell tower in stone, which took 20 years. Since the mass of the building increased, piles were driven into the base of the bell tower. An additional wall appeared, as a result of which additional premises were formed. Thus, the Catherine's vestibule, sacristy, a separate space for the stairs to the bell tower appeared in the Peter and Paul Cathedral. At the same time, volutes appeared on the second tier of the bell tower, the height of the spire was increased to 112 meters, and the shape of the dome drum was changed.

Under Catherine II, a special architectural competition was organized for the reconstruction of the cathedral. Several projects were submitted for the competition in which it was planned to change the appearance of the cathedral, but at the insistence of Catherine II, they began to restore it according to the original project of Trezzini D.. The new wooden construction of the spire was made according to the Brauer project. The new spire grew from 112 meters to 117. The angel was made according to the original drawing. The new chimes were proposed to be made by the Russian watchmaker Miller. The foreman agreed to perform the work, but refused to give the necessary guarantees, as a result of which the contract was not concluded with him. Then, as a result of the competition, the Dutch master Oort-Kras won, with whom an agreement was concluded, according to which the master's fee was paid in two parts: the first part after the presentation of the mechanism, and the second part after the installation of the chimes on the bell tower. In the autumn of 1760, the chimes were delivered to St. Petersburg. Oort-Kras was paid the promised first part of the fee, however, due to the fact that the bell tower had not yet been completed, the chimes were placed on a small temporary bell tower. Oort-Kras died before the completion of the construction of a new bell tower. The chimes were installed in the late 1770s.

Used figure of an angel (fourth) on the spire of the Peter and Paul Cathedral. Peter and Paul Fortress.

The second version of the angel on the spire of the cathedral was destroyed during the hurricane of 1778. The figure was broken by a strong wind. The third angel was designed by Antonio Rinaldi. In Rinaldi's project, the centers of gravity of the cross and the angel were combined; now the figure did not "fly" holding the cross with both hands, but, as it were, sat on it. In addition, the angel ceased to function as a weather vane. It still rotated under the gusts of wind, but only to stabilize and reduce its windage.

In the late 1820s, a strong gust of wind from an angel placed on a spire, the wing was torn off. The restoration of the figure required the construction of scaffolding around the bell tower, which was very expensive, but a young roofer from the Yaroslavl province, Pyotr Telushkin, came to the aid of the authorities. He himself volunteered to climb the spire of the bell tower without scaffolding and repair the angel. Moreover, he left the payment for his work open and left it on the conscience of the authorities. The discussion of this version of the restoration of the angel lasted for a year and a half, and as a result, in October 1830, the work was completed by Peter Telushkin. A large crowd gathered to look at the work of the master, using only ropes with loops and a movable knot. Repairs continued for six weeks. For his work, the roofer received an award of 3,000 rubles and a silver medal "For diligence" on the Anninsky ribbon.

In the middle of the 19th century, the need arose again for the restoration of the spire of the Peter and Paul Cathedral. In the competition for work, engineer Zhuravsky. The new spire was created in 1857-1858 in the Urals, at the Nivyansk plant. The spire was made of a metal frame sheathed with gilded copper sheets. The height of the spire was 47 meters, weight - 56 tons. Inside the spire there is a staircase for 2/3 of the height, then there is an exit to the outside, brackets lead to the end of the spire. The total height of the spire with the cross and the figure of an angel is 122.5 meters. The figure of an angel was replaced, which slightly changed its appearance, in which it is today. At the same time, the chimes were also reconstructed, a minute hand was added, and the chimes began to play one of two melodies - "How glorious is our Lord" and "God save the Tsar."

After the revolution of 1917, the Peter and Paul Cathedral was recognized as an architectural monument, the decoration of the cathedral was preserved. The cathedral was closed in 1919, while the valuables were taken out. The Museum of the History of the City was opened in the building of the cathedral. War trophies were transferred to the Hermitage and other museums. The Grand Duke's tomb was plundered, marble tombstones were broken. For a long time there was a warehouse. In the 1930s, workers put forward an initiative to replace the angel with a ruby ​​star, but the planned work was not completed due to the outbreak of World War II. During the siege of Leningrad, the spire of the Peter and Paul Cathedral was painted over, the angel was covered with burlap. In 1992, Vladimir Kirillovich, a member of the Romanov family, was buried in the restored grand ducal tomb. The next burial in the Peter and Paul Cathedral took place in 1998, when the remains of Nicholas II and his family were transferred to the Catherine's Limit. The wife of Emperor Alexander III was buried here last. Her remains were brought here from Denmark.

Grand Duke's Tomb

Grand Duke's tomb against the backdrop of the Peter and Paul Cathedral. Peter and Paul Fortress.

The Grand Duke's tomb was built in the period 1896-1908 according to the project of the architect D.I. Grimm. compiled in 1896, architects Tomishko A.O. (1896-1901), Benois L.N. (1901-1907), Stukolkin N.T. (1907-1908) were responsible for the implementation and completion in different years. Benois L.N. interiors were designed, a gallery connecting the Peter and Paul Cathedral with the tomb, a fence in front of the Tsar's entrance. In the design of the tomb, baroque and renaissance motifs were used; when designing the tomb, they were based on the architecture of the already erected Peter and Paul Cathedral, and the tomb harmoniously fit into the overall architectural range. The Grand Duke's tomb is one of the last buildings on the territory of the Peter and Paul Fortress of that time. When decorating the interiors, Serdobol granite, Italian white marble and labradorite were used. On the facades there are three mosaics with icons of the Mother of God: Iverskaya, Kazanskaya and Feodorovskaya, which are connected with the history of the Romanov dynasty. The mosaics were created in the workshop of Frolov V.A. and installed in 1907. In the period from 1906 to 1908, a chapel was built in the name of the Holy Blessed Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky.

Grand ducal burial vault. Peter and Paul Fortress.

Initially, the tomb was intended for the burial of uncrowned members of the imperial family (for persons who had the title of Grand Duke and Princess), but, in addition to this, members of the Beauharnais family, who had the title of Dukes of Leuchtenberg and His Serene Princes Romanovsky, could also be buried in the tomb. The tomb is designed for 60 burials. In the period from 1908 to 1915, 13 burials of members of the imperial family were made. In 1992, Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich was buried in the tomb, and in 1995 his parents, Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich and his wife Grand Duchess, were reburied in the tomb Victoria Fedorovna.

Since 1994, the Grand Duke's tomb has been under the jurisdiction of the State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg.

Complex of the St. Petersburg Mint

The main building of the Mint. Peter and Paul Fortress.

The Mint was transferred from Moscow to St. Petersburg by Peter's decree in 1724 and is one of the oldest industrial enterprises in the city, the founding date is December 12, 1724. The stamp on the coins of s.p.b appeared 175 years later in 1899. Initially, the mint building was located in the curtain wall between the Naryshkin and Trubetskoy bastions. In March 1800, the project of a new building of the Mint was approved according to the project of Porto A. In June of the same year, the construction of the main building began, which ended in 1806. The length of the main facade is 157 meters. The main building is crowned with a low triangular pediment. The side wings end in round towers covered with domes. The originality and expressiveness of the composition of the facade, the skillful solution of the plan make it possible to classify the building of the Mint as one of the best buildings of Russian industrial architecture in Russia during the period of late classicism. Gradually, new outbuildings and buildings began to appear next to the main building, thus the area of ​​the mint gradually increased. In the 40s of the 19th century, food stores, laboratories for separating gold from silver, a stamp forge, an administrative wing, and workshops for medal redistribution and instrumental were additionally built. The construction of new buildings ended in 1844. In parallel with this, from the period from 1810 to 1841, the territory of the mint was surrounded by a fence on the northern and western sides, on the eastern side, the fence was erected after 1917. After the revolution of 1917, the Ober-officer and Platz-major houses were attached to the territory of the Mint.

At the Mint, coins were minted not only for the Russian Empire and its successors, but also for foreign countries: Dutch ducats, Turkish piastres. Coins were also minted for other Russian mints. In addition to minting coins, medal work was also carried out at the Mint. Also, in the middle of the 18th century, a laboratory for the separation of precious metals was founded on the territory of the plant.

In August 1941, in connection with the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War, the main part of the equipment of the Mint was evacuated to Krasnokamsk and located in the premises of the Goznak paper mill. In connection with the blockade of Leningrad and the entry of many workers and employees of the Mint into the militia units, only about forty qualified workers were seconded to the Krasnokamsk Mint, which was being created, who put it into operation in October. The Krasnokamsk Mint, in terms of its production capacity, did not satisfy the increased need for orders and medals, and there were no opportunities for its expansion. Therefore, the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR instructed the People's Commissariat of Finance of the USSR to create a Mint in Moscow, which was allocated production facilities on the territory of the Moscow Printing Factory.

Currently, the St. Petersburg Mint, the oldest enterprise of the famous Russian association Goznak, is considered the leading manufacturer of awards, orders and medals, commemorative coins made of precious metals, badges, and commemorative signs. Along with government orders, the company performs work on orders from private individuals and firms. Its products are distinguished by a high level of artistic design, impeccable quality of coinage, and are invariably recognized and in steady demand both in Russia and abroad.

Letter coin sign - SPB, SPM, SPMD, SP, SM, L, LMD.

Guardhouse

Guardhouse. Peter and Paul Fortress.

The guardhouse was built in 1748-1749 and was a one-story building with an open gallery on the main facade, the building came to replace the old dilapidated wooden guardhouse. The guardhouse was intended to contain officers and lower ranks who were under arrest. In 1908, the building was rebuilt, a second floor was added, and instead of an arcade, four paired columns were used. The restructuring was carried out according to the plan of Asmus V.F. (presumably).

From 1970 to the present, the building houses the directorate of the St. Petersburg State Museum of History.

boat house

Boat house. Peter and Paul Fortress.

A copy of the boat of Peter I in the Boat House. Peter and Paul Fortress.

The boat house is made in the style of early classicism and baroque, the house is a shelter for the boat of Peter I. The house is located next to the bell tower of the Peter and Paul Cathedral. The construction and finishing works of the Botanical House lasted from 1762 to 1766, according to the project of Vista A.F. Decorative decorations above windows, cornices, shapes and curves of the roof, forms of platforms and pedestals under the statue on the roof, the combination of different styles in the construction are an outstanding work of their time. The boat of Peter I was on the territory of the house in the period from 1767 to 1931, later it was transferred to the Naval Museum, where it is now. On the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the Russian Navy, a small copy of the boat on a scale of 1 to 10 was placed in the house. During the Great Patriotic War, the house was badly damaged and in the 1950s was restored according to the surviving drawings.

Initially, there was a wooden statue on the pedestal on the roof of the house, but in 1826 it was replaced by a stone figure of Naiad according to the project of the sculptor N. Tokarev. In 1891, this statue was also replaced by a terracotta statue of a woman with an oar by the sculptor D.I. Jensen.

engineering house

Engineering house. Peter and Paul Fortress.

The engineering house was built according to the project of Muravyov N.I. in 1748-1749. Initially, the buildings of the building formed a quadrangular courtyard with two gates, but in 1886 the gates overlooking the main alley were built up and both buildings were brought under one roof.

At different points in time, the building housed a drawing workshop, an archive of the Engineering Department, and living quarters for employees of the Engineering Department. Now the building of the Engineering House houses the expositions of the State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg.

Cavalier of Anna Ioannovna

Cavalier of Anna Ioannovna. Peter and Paul Fortress.

Cavalier of Anna Ioannovna. Plan of the building. Peter and Paul Fortress.

Cavalier of Anna Ioannovna was originally an auxiliary structure inside the bastion for the purpose of additional protection of Kronverk by artillery fire, at the same time, the cavalier would be used to organize defense when the enemy penetrated the territory of the fortress itself. The cavalier was built in 1731-1733 according to the project of Minich B.Kh. On three sides, the cavalier was surrounded by a moat, which was filled up in 1812. In 1795-1796, the cavalier was connected to the left flank of the Golovkin bastion, in order to raise the guns, with the help of a two-span arched bridge. The cavalier was rebuilt in 1836-1837, the decoration of the facade was changed, which became decorated in the style of late classicism, the brick parapet was removed, and a pitched iron roof was built. In 1837, the Artillery storehouse was placed in the Cavaliere. Since 1961, it has been under the jurisdiction of the State Enterprise "St. Petersburg Mint".

Treasury Department

Treasury. Peter and Paul Fortress.

The Treasury building was built in 1837-1838 according to the project of Galberg I.I. in order to accommodate the Main Treasury and store the finished products of the Mint, and also included the building of the Secret Chancellery and the Treasury of residual and staff amounts. Since 1862, the building housed the administration of the St. Petersburg Engineering and Artillery districts. Since 1868, the building was adapted by the Mint for administrative and residential premises. In 1900, buildings of the boiler room, laundry and workshops of the garrison, designed by Asmus V.F., were added to the building. Currently, the building is under the jurisdiction of the State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg.

carriage maker

Karetnik. Peter and Paul Fortress.

The carriage house was built in 1846 according to the project of Batorsky, the official name is the "Services of the commandant's department", in everyday life it is simply "The carriage house". The building was a one-storey building in the style of late classicism, with a gate opening located in the western part of the facade. The building included two carriage sheds, a stable with six stalls located in it, a covered courtyard with a dung pit and a glacier. Geographically, the carriage house is located between the Commandant's House and the Naryshkin Bastion. Since 1994, the building has been under the jurisdiction of the State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg.

commandant's house

Commandant's house. Peter and Paul Fortress.

Commandant's house. Inner courtyard. Peter and Paul Fortress.

The commandant's house was built in 1743-1746 according to the project of H. de Marina. In 1747-1748, a detached U-shaped stone one-story outbuilding was erected on the western side of the commandant's house. In 1750, the building of the commandant's house and the outbuilding were combined, resulting in a rectangular courtyard. The facade of the commandant's house is decorated in the Baroque style. The building is located between the Naryshkin Bastion and the Peter and Paul Cathedral. Initially, on the site of this building there was a wooden commandant's house built in 1704. In 1874 and 1892, the service outbuildings were built on the second floor, which housed the living and front rooms of the commandant of the garrison, as well as the house church in the name of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos. office, stable. In honor of the celebration of the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg in 2003, a glass roof was erected over the courtyard. In the 19th century, investigations and trials in the case of the Decembrists, Petrashevists, and Narodniks took place in the commandant's apartment. On October 25-26, 1917, the field headquarters of the Petrograd Military Revolutionary Committee operated in the building. Currently, the Commandant's House houses a permanent exhibition of the State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg on the history of the city.

Kronverk

Plan of the crown work and the Peter and Paul Fortress. Peter and Paul Fortress.

The construction of the crownwork began in 1705. Kronverk was a fortified polygon with earthen ramparts in front of it, separated from the Peter and Paul Fortress by a moat with water, now called the Kronver Canal. Kronverk was used to protect the fortress from land, trees were cut down to organize open space to monitor the approaches to the fortress. Kronverk of the Peter and Paul Fortress

Entrance to the kronverk. Peter and Paul Fortress.

In the middle of the 18th century, the kronverk was rebuilt on a stone foundation. The remaining wooden fortifications were converted into semi-bastions and bastions, in addition, work was carried out to expand and strengthen the canal. In the 60s of the 19th century, a stone building of the Arsenal was built on the envelope according to the project of Tomansky P.I., on the territory of the Alexander Park that had been laid out shortly before. The building was made in the forms of medieval architecture, with brick-lined walls and Gothic motifs of interior decoration. Banners, medals, orders, standards and weapons were stored in the building.

Kronverk courtyard. Peter and Paul Fortress.

Since 1872, the Arsenal was redesigned into the Artillery Museum, which included in its expositions everything that was in the warehouses of the Arsenal. Halls and galleries are used to showcase exhibits. During the Great Patriotic War, the museum building was used to repair tank equipment. After the end of the war, the building was reconstructed and the number of exhibits increased. The reconstruction work was led by architects Khalturina K.D., Benois I.N., Smetannikova D.I. Since the 60s, the Artillery Museum has been merged with the Central Historical Military Engineering Museum, and a new department on the history of the signal troops was opened.

Currently, the museum is called the Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineer and Signal Corps, it manages more than 200 thousand exhibits from different military eras in Russia. Expositions and exhibits are located both inside the building and in the courtyard: self-propelled guns, tanks, armored vehicles.

Trubetskoy Bastion Prison

Yard of the Trubetskoy Bastion Prison. Peter and Paul Fortress.

Plan of the Trubetskoy Bastion Prison. Peter and Paul Fortress. 1-27, 29-35 - cells, 28 - punishment cell, I - guard room, II - reception room, III - prison kitchen, IV - security service room, V, VI - storage rooms, VII - prison bath, VIII - courtyard, a place for prisoners to walk.

The prison of the Trubetskoy Bastion was built in 1870-1872 according to the project of Andreev K.P. and Pasypkina M.A. The building is a two-story pentagonal building erected on the site of the demolished inner walls of the Trubetskoy bastion. The prison was intended for political prisoners. Initially, the building housed 73 solitary cells, but in 1878 their number was reduced to 69. Political prisoners held in this prison were completely isolated from both the outside world and other prisoners, a ban was imposed on books, dates, smoking, correspondence. Such difficult conditions for prisoners sometimes led to mental illness. The prison was guarded with the help of the only Observation Team in the country, later to which a team of gendarmes was added.

In 1872-1917, more than one and a half thousand people were prisoners of the prison. In the 1870-1880s, the populist revolutionaries P. A. Kropotkin, G. A. Lopatin, V. N. Figner, A. I. Zhelyabov, N. A. Morozov, A. I. Ulyanov, M .F.Vetrova and many others, in the 1890s - 1900s - Social Revolutionaries B.V. Savinkov, E.K. Breshko-Breshkovskaya, S.V. Balmashev, V.M. Chernov, members of the Union of Struggle for Liberation of the working class and the RSDLP (N. E. Bauman, A. S. Shapovalov, P. N. Lepeshinsky, M. A. Olminsky), Konoplyannikova, Zinaida Vasilievna; during the revolution of 1905-1907 - the writer M. Gorky and other members of the deputation, who protested against the execution of the demonstration on January 9, 1905; members of the St. Petersburg Soviet of Workers' Deputies L. D. Trotsky, A. L. Parvus.

In 1879, there was a riot on the territory of the prison due to the denial of tobacco to one of the prisoners. Demands were made to the prisoners to improve their lives, the demands were not met by the prison administration, and the prisoners were beaten by soldiers. After that, the prisoners went on a hunger strike that lasted several days, as a result of which their demands were partially satisfied.

During the February Revolution of 1917, former ministers, heads of the political police and other persons were imprisoned in the Trubetskoy Bastion, whose cases were investigated by the Extraordinary Investigation Commission of the Provisional Government. During the October Revolution of 1917, members of the Provisional Government were imprisoned, then participants in the junkers' speech on October 29. In November 1917, the leaders of the banned party of cadets P. D. Dolgorukov, A. I. Shingarev and F. F. Kokoshkin became prisoners of the prison. The cells of the prison were turned into general ones, the solitary regime was applied only to individual detainees.

The prison was officially closed in March 1918. But, the prison functioned until 1921. In 1919, four Grand Dukes were in custody: Nikolai Mikhailovich, Georgy Mikhailovich, Dmitry Konstantinovich and Pavel Alexandrovich, who were subsequently shot.

The prison became a museum in 1924.

Gates

Vasilevsky gate

Vasilyevsky Gates. Peter and Paul Fortress.

The Vasilyevsky Gates were first mentioned in 1729; the gate got its name due to the fact that it is located on the Vasilyevsky Curtain, directed towards Vasilyevsky Island. In 1792-1794, according to the project of De Rancourt, F.O. the western façade of the gate was supplemented with a classicistic portico with two pairs of pilasters of the Tuscan order and a triangular front with the monogram of Catherine II; Archivolt was decorated with a keystone. As a result of the work, the width of the gate arch remained the same, but its height increased. The portico was dismantled in 1872-1874 as a result of work on the expansion of the gate and was restored only in 1952-1953 according to the project of A. A. Kedrinsky. In the middle of the 19th century, the “monetary treasury of the monetary office” was kept above the Vasilyevsky Gates.

John's Gate

Ioannovsky Gate. Peter and Paul Fortress.

Ioannovsky gates were built in 1739-1740. designed by Minich B.Kh. De Marin H. supervised the work. The inscription “1740” is placed on the gate, indicating the date of completion of the construction of the stone fortress - this gate was the last object of the reconstruction of the Peter and Paul Fortress in stone. In the tympanum of the gate there is a cartouche, which is crowned with the Russian imperial crown and surrounded by military attributes - banners, halberds, drums. When designing the eastern facade of the Ioannovsky Gates, the experience of decorative processing of the lower tier of the Petrovsky Gates was used. Somewhat later, a similar composition was used in the construction of the Nevsky Gates. The restoration of the gate was carried out in the 1960s under the leadership of Benois I.N. and Rotach A.L.

Kronverk gates

Kronverk gates. Peter and Paul fortress.

Until the 1730s, the Kronverk Gate was called the First Kronerk Gate. The gates were erected during the construction of the Kronverk curtain wall of the fortress. In 1791-1792, the gates were redone and increased in width and height by the farm of the peasant Stepanov Ya. In 1826, a major overhaul was carried out above the gate. In 1829, the northern arch of the gate was framed in the form of an archivolt. In 1836, a wooden bridge was erected next to the gate, connecting the Peter and Paul Fortress with the glacis of the kronverk.

Nevsky Gate

Nevsky Gate. Peter and Paul Fortress.

The Neva Gates were built in wood in 1714-1716, along with the gates, a wooden pier was also built. In the early 1720s, the gates were rebuilt in stone under the direction of Trezzini D. In 1731-1732 another rebuilding was carried out. This project has been preserved in the modern appearance of the gate from the side facing the Peter and Paul Cathedral: a four-meter arch with a keystone is flanked by pilasters and crowned with a triangular pediment. The pediment is decorated with a relief composition depicting a shield, banner and military armor. In 1746, another reconstruction of the gates was carried out and they were faced with pudost stone. In 1762-1767, a project was developed for a new granite pier to replace the wooden one by N. Muravyov and D. Smolyaninov. This project was implemented in 1777, under the leadership of R.T. Tomilov. a front three-arched granite pier with parapets, ice cutters and a platform with three stairways to the water was built. In 1780, the architect N. Lvov completed a new gate project, which was built in 1784-1787 and has survived to this day. The new gate is 12 m high and 12.2 m wide. They are placed on a meter-high plinth. To the right and left of the arch are twin Tuscan columns with diamond rustication, supporting a triangular pediment. The plinth, columns and pediment are made of polished silver-white Serdobol granite. The pediment is decorated with a relief image of an anchor with crossed palm branches and a fluttering ribbon (an unknown sculptor after Lvov's drawing, alabaster). On the edges of the pediment are two bombs with flames. The gates are located in the southern part of the wall and create a unique panorama of the Neva and the Peter and Paul Fortress. Through the Nevsky Gates, prisoners were taken to Shlisselburg for execution or life imprisonment.

The Neva Gates were silent witnesses of the terrible pages of Russian history. Through them, prisoners were taken out of the fortress to be sent to execution or life imprisonment in Shlisselburg.

Nikolsky Gate

Nikolsky Gate. Peter and Paul Fortress.

The Nikolsky gates were built in 1729 according to the project of the architects Minich B.Kh and Trezzini D. The gate served as the main entrance to the fortress from the north-west. Initially, the gates had the name of the Second Kronverksky. In 1792-1793, according to the design of the architect De Rancroix F.O. four-column porticos were installed on both sides of the gate: the southern portico at the end had a stepped attic with decorative bombs along its edges, the northern portico was crowned with a triangular pediment. After all the work, the height of the gate became 5.25 m, the width was 6.3 m. In 1966, the gate was overhauled according to the project of Benois I.N.

Petrovsky Gates

Peter's Gate. Peter and Paul Fortress.

Petrovsky gates made of wood were built in 1708 and were rebuilt in stone according to the project of Trezzini D. in 1716-1717. The arch of the gate is crowned with an attic with a semicircular arched pediment, decorated with a wooden carved panel "The overthrow of Simon the Magus by the Apostle Peter" by sculptor Kondrat Osner. Regarding the panel, there are two versions: according to one of them, the panel was transferred from a wooden gate, according to the second version, the panel was made specifically for stone gates. The panel symbolizes Russia's victory in the Northern War. On the pediment of the attic there is a high relief depicting the God of Sabaoth blessing. The niches contain statues created by the French sculptor N. Pino: in the left niche of the gate there is a statue of Athena in the form of Polias, the patroness of the city. She is wearing long clothes - peplos. In her hand is a snake - a symbol of wisdom. In the right niche there is a statue of Athena in the form of Pallas, a victorious warrior. In 1720, a Russian coat of arms was installed above the arch in the form of a double-headed eagle, cast from lead by master F. Vassu. are gilded. The sculptural group of the gate included seven more statues, but these statues have not survived to this day. During the Great Patriotic War, the gates were damaged and their reconstruction took place only in 1951 under the guidance of architects A. A. Kedrinsky and A. L. Rotach

Bastions

The bastions are arranged clockwise according to the time of their laying.

Sovereign's bastion

Sovereign's Bastion. Peter and Paul Fortress.

The sovereign's bastion from the inside. Peter and Paul Fortress.

The sovereign's bastion was founded on May 16, 1703 on Hare Island. Peter I personally controlled the construction process, thanks to which the bastion got its name. V.A. Kirshtenstein supervised the work. according to the project of Lambert J.G. (presumably) with the personal participation of Peter I. The Sovereign Bastion is one of two bastions located on the eastern side of the Peter and Paul Fortress, facing the Neva. The Sovereign Bastion is connected by the Nevsky Curtain to the Naryshkin Bastion and the Petrovsky Curtain to Menshikov. On the east side, the bastion is covered by the Ioannovsky ravelin. In October 1703, after the completion of the construction of earthen ramparts, the fortress keyser flag was raised on the bastion. In 1704, the first lighthouse in the city was lit. In 1717-1732, according to the project of D. Trezzini and Burchard Christoph von Minich, the bastion was rebuilt in stone. Inside the bastion there were two-tier combat casemates, which were converted into single-tier ones in the middle of the 19th century. There was a postern under the bastions. In 1752 a ramp was brought up to the bastion. In 1782-1784, the Nevsky facade of the Sovereign Bastion was faced with granite blocks. From 1726 to 1766, the boat of Peter I was kept on the territory of the Sovereign Bastion. In the 1920s, these premises were occupied by the services of the Leningrad Military District. During the Great Patriotic War, direction finders were installed on the bastion to detect enemy aircraft on the way to the city. In 1954, the Sovereign Bastion became part of the Museum of the History of St. Petersburg. In 1999-2003, the postern and bridges "for the passage of sentries" from the Sovereign's spitz to the Naryshkin bastion were recreated. On May 27, 2003, a memorial sign "To the Tercentenary of St. Petersburg" was unveiled at the Sovereign's Bastion.

Naryshkin bastion

View of the Naryshkin Bastion and the Nevsky Gates. Peter and Paul Fortress.

Naryshkin Bastion. Peter and Paul Fortress.

The Naryshkin bastion was built in 1725-1728 under the leadership of D. Trezzini and B. Minich. K.A. Naryshkin controlled the construction process, thanks to which the bastion got its name (as in the case of the Sovereign's bastion). In the side (for frontal fire) and front walls there were two-tier casemates, which in the middle of the 19th century were rebuilt into single-tier ones. From that moment they were adapted for production, and used as warehouses of the Mint. In 1780, the Nevsky facade was lined with granite blocks. In 1731, the Flag Tower was installed on the Naryshkin Bastion, on which the flag was raised at sunrise and lowered at sunset. This tradition was interrupted during the USSR, but in the 1990s it was resumed, however, now the flag is on the mast all the time. Every day at noon, a cannon shot is fired from the Naryshkin bastion. Currently, the Naryshkin Bastion is part of the St. Petersburg State Museum of History.

Trubetskoy bastion

Trubetskoy bastion. Peter and Paul fortress.

The Trubetskoy bastion in a tree was erected in 1703 under the guidance of the engineer Kirstenstein V. A. according to the project of Lambert de Guerin (presumably) with the personal participation of Peter I. Prince Trubetskoy Yu. Yu. supervised the construction, thanks to which the bastion got its name (as and in the case of the Sovereign and Naryshkin bastions). On May 13, 1708, Peter I himself was present at the laying of the stone Trubetskoy bastion. The construction of the stone bastion was carried out according to the project of D. Trezzini and was completed in 1709. The Trubetskoy bastion became the first bastion of the Peter and Paul Fortress. In the left front and flanks, two-tiered casemates and a postern were built - a tunnel for safe communication between the casemates. The right front of the bastion was continued by an orillon - a ledge protecting its right flank, and under the cover of the orillon a sortia was arranged - a secret exit for landing attacks. In 1711, the Keyser flag was transferred from the Sovereign's Bastion to the Trubetskoy Bastion and holidays standard (they rose above the bastion until 1732). On the territory of the Trubetskoy bastion, the first detention facilities of the Peter and Paul Fortress were organized. Since 1724, the Mint has been located in the bastion. A signal gun for a midday shot was originally installed on it. In 1779-1785, according to the project of Tomilov R.R. and under the direction of F. W. Bauer, the outer walls were faced with granite slabs. In 1869-1870, the valgang wall was dismantled in the Trubetskoy bastion, and a two-story pentagonal prison building was erected on the vacant site.

zotov bastion

Zotov bastion. Peter and Paul Fortress.

Zotov Bastion on Google Maps. Peter and Paul Fortress.

Zot's bastion in wood was built in 1703. And in 1707-1709, the right part of the Zot Bastion was rebuilt in stone. The rest of the bastion was rebuilt in stone in 1727 - 1729, supervised by Trezzini D. and Minich B.Kh. In 1752, a ramp was attached to the Zotovy bastion to raise guns and ammunition, the ramp was designed by V. Sipyatin. were converted into single storeys. In the 18th century, the casemates of the Zotov Bastion were used as detention facilities. In addition, it housed the services of the Garrison and Privy Chancellery, workshops and a forge of the serf Engineering team, the archive of the Main Treasury, the archive of the Provisional Expedition, and then the warehouse of artillery weapons.

golovkin bastion

Golovkin Bastion on Google Maps. Peter and Paul Fortress.

The Golovkin bastion was built in wood in 1703, the bastion was rebuilt in stone in two stages, 1707-1709 (the right side of the bastion) and 1730-1731 (the left side of the bastion). Like the other bastions of the fortress, it is, in terms of , a pentagonal structure with two front walls - faces and two side - flanks, designed for frontal and flanking fire. The bastion received its name, like the rest of the listed bastions, after the associate of Peter I, who controls the construction of the bastion - Golovkin G.I. After the final restructuring under the leadership of Minikh B.Kh, during the time of Anna Ioannovna, the bastion was renamed the bastion of Anna Ioannovna (the original name was returned to it by the Bolsheviks). Three powder magazines were located in the faces of the Golovkin bastion. In the flanks there were two-tier defensive casemates, which in the 19th century were rebuilt into single-tier ones (as in other bastions), at the same time the walls were faced with new brick. In 1752, according to the project of Sipyatin, a ramp was attached to the bastion. In the left orleon there was a sortia - an exit to the Kronver Strait. As in many bastions, there were chambers for keeping prisoners of Kamora (chambers) in the front and under the ramp at the end of the 18th century - the first half of the 19th century, they served as single cells for keeping prisoners. In the gorge of the bastion in 1731-1733 a cavalier was built. Since 1920, the Golovkin Bastion, like the rest of the bastions, was under the jurisdiction of the NKVD. Currently, the services of the Mint are located in the bastion.

Menshikov bastion

Menshikov Bastion. Peter and Paul Fortress. Photo from the 1970s

The Menshikov bastion was founded on May 16, 1703 and became the second bastion built in the Peter and Paul Fortress and is one of the two bastions on the eastern side. The name of the bastion, like other bastions of the Peter and Paul Fortress, is named after the associate of Peter I, who controls the construction process. The first St. Petersburg pharmacy was located on the territory of the Menshikov bastion. On May 30, 1706, the entire fortress was rebuilt in stone, and already in 1706-1708 the left side of the Menshikov bastion was rebuilt. The final reconstruction of the bastion in stone ended in 1729, when the bastion already bore the name of Peter II (the bastion was renamed back by the Bolsheviks after 1917 (the exact date is not known, but in 1920 all the bastions already had their initial names)). In 1828, the walls of the bastions were faced with new brick, in 1837-1860 the two-tiered casemates were rebuilt into single-tiered ones (which was done with all the bastions of the Peter and Paul Fortress), at the same time, iron roofs were made. At various times, the services of the Secret Chancellery, the Mint (left flank) and the workshops and forge of the fortress engineering team were located in the bastion; Petersburg artillery garrison. At the beginning of the 20th century, the bastion also housed the kitchen and dining room of the commandant's clerks.

Ravelins

Alekseevsky ravelin

Botardo Alekseevsky ravelin. Peter and Paul Fortress.

Alekseevsky ravelin. Peter and Paul fortress.

Alekseevsky ravelin was considered the most important prison of the Russian Empire, the heart of the Peter and Paul Fortress - the "Russian Bastille". Alekseevsky ravelin was built in 1733-1740 according to the project of Minich B.X. Alekseevsky ravelin got its name in honor of the father of Peter the Great Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. The Alekseevsky ravelin was separated from the main part of the fortress by a moat filled with water at the end of the 19th century. Window and door openings were only in the valgang walls of the ravelin. In 1787, the rear guard of the Alekseevsky ravelin, facing the Neva, was lined with granite slabs. Almost from the very beginning, the ravelin was used to house political prisoners. For the first time, a wooden prison building was built in a ravelin in 1769. In 1797, the wooden prison was destroyed and instead of it, according to the project of Paton P.Yu., the "Secret House of Alekseevsky Ravelin" was erected - the secret prison of the Russian emperors. The prisoners who got there were considered primarily as personal enemies of the Russian Tsar. For imprisonment in Alekseevsky ravelin, a court verdict was not required. To be placed in a fortress or to be released from it, just one royal word was enough. Prisoners were always taken to the ravelin at night. Once in a secret house, the prisoner lost his name and surname. All his communications with the outside world were cut off. Meetings and correspondence with prisoners were allowed only with special royal permission. Alekseevsky ravelin performed prison functions until 1893, at the same time, the fortifications of the ravelin were dismantled to accommodate the buildings of the archives of the Military Ministry. In the 1730s, along the coastline, the main rampart designed by Minich B.Kh. It was connected to the ravelins by the botardo system, which served as dams to maintain the necessary water level in the ditches and canal of the fortress and prevent enemy ships from penetrating from outside. The walls of the botardo (the above-water part of the cofferdam) were originally made of hewn slabs; the underwater part of each dam consisted of two semicircular water gates. In 1787, round turrets were faced with granite on two southern botards, and the wooden palisades of the botards were replaced with cast iron ones. The botardo turrets on the north side were covered with a flaky slab in 1794. In 1862-1865, the wooden palisades of the botards were replaced with cast iron ones.

Ioannovsky ravelin

Botardo of the Ioannovsky Ravelin. Peter and Paul Fortress.

Ioannovsky Gate and Ioannovsky Ravelin (from the outside). Peter and Paul Fortress.

Ioannovsky ravelin was built in 1704 in wood, but initially the ravelin did not have its own name and was nameless, it received its name in 1740, when it was rebuilt in stone (rebuilding began in 1731). Ravelin is named in honor of the brother of Peter I - John Alekseevich. Ravelin was separated from the fortress by a moat with water, which was filled up at the end of the 19th century (like the moat of Alekseevsky ravelin). There were window and door openings only in the valgang walls of the ravelin. In 1787, the rear guard of the ravelin, facing the Neva, was faced with granite. In 1829 the walls of the rest of the ravelin were faced with new brick. In 1894, on the left side of the ravelin, a one-story building was built for the emergency reserve of the Izhora reserve battalion, this building was rebuilt for the Gas Dynamics Laboratory in 1932-1933. In 1908-1909, a detached house was erected on the right side for the apartments of the commander and senior officers of the machine-gun company of the Life Guards of the Semenovsky Regiment; this house was converted into the Austeria restaurant in the 1960s. Currently, the ticket office of the Museum is located in Ioannovsky Ravelin, as well as the Museum of Cosmonautics and Rocketry.

Curtains

Vasilievskaya curtain

Vasilevsky curtain. Peter and Paul fortress.

Vasilyevsky Curtain got its name due to the fact that it faces towards Vasilyevsky Island. The Vasilyevsky Curtain was built in wood in 1703 and already in 1709-1710 was rebuilt in stone under the direction of Trezzini D. In 1834, the walls of the curtain were re-tiled with new brick. In the second half of the 19th century, the curtain was rebuilt and became one-story. In the years 1870-1872, several extreme casemates of the curtain wall were dismantled, this is due to the fact that the Trubetskoy Bastion Prison was being built and free space was needed. On the left side of the curtain there were premises given to the Mint, in the 18th century on the right side of the premises were given to the services of the commandant's office, in the 19th century on the right side were the archives of the State Treasury, the Commandant's Office and the Audit Department of the Military Ministry, together with the archives of the artillery department. At present, the premises of the curtain wall have been given to the Mint and the workshops of the Museum of the History of St. Petersburg are also located there.

Catherine curtain

The Peter and Paul Fortress is the first building in St. Petersburg. This is how the city was founded in 1703 by Peter I. Since the territory was transferred to the Russian Empire during the war with Sweden, the fortress was built to protect against the Swedes. The fortress was founded on Hare Island, so the cannons of the fortress were supposed to defend the city from invasion along two large branches of the river. The maritime borders of St. Petersburg were supposed to be protected by the Kronstadt fortress, founded in 1704.

Well, already in 1705, the first industrial building was opened, the Admiralty Shipyard on the Admiralty Island, which in 1706 represented a fortress, to protect the territory as part of the Northern War with the Swedes. Now the Peter and Paul Fortress is an object cultural heritage St. Petersburg. And although now it is a museum, do not forget that this is a real fort that was ready to repel any attack.

How to get to the Peter and Paul Fortress

The Peter and Paul Fortress is located on Hare Island, which is open to the public daily from 6.00 to 21.00. The fortress itself is open to the public from 9.00 to 20.00. Two bridges lead to Zayachy Island: Ioannovsky Bridge and Kronverksky Bridge.

You can enter the territory of the island, as well as the fortress itself, on any of the bridges. Not far from the Peter and Paul Fortress is Gorkovskaya metro station, from it to the Peter and Paul Fortress no more than 5-10 minutes on foot.

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You can also get here on foot: from the Admiralteisky Island through Trinity bridge. Or by Palace Bridge first to the spit of Vasilyevsky Island, and from there across the Birzhevoy Bridge along the Mytninskaya Embankment to the Kronverksky Bridge, but this route is the longest. The route map and opening hours of ticket offices and expositions can be found on the website of the Peter and Paul Fortress.

Ioannovsky bridge and Ioannovsky ravelin

We got to the Peter and Paul Fortress in the easiest way - by metro. The ground lobby of the Gorkovskaya station is located in Aleksandrovsky Park, and when you go out into the street it is easy to lose your bearings and understand where to go. In this case, if your natural sense of direction is silent, then it is better to ask someone for directions or try to follow the main stream of people.

So after 5 minutes we find ourselves at the Ioannovsky bridge, the road to historical heart Petersburg, Peter and Paul Fortress. The bridge is the oldest bridge in St. Petersburg, although there is nothing left of that very bridge. Ioannovsky Bridge, originally called Krasny, as the main and only bridge to the fortress, had a lifting central section.

The Ioannovsky Bridge ends with the Ioannovsky Gates, on which the year 1740 is indicated. This is the year when construction work was completed, during which the Peter and Paul Fortress became completely stone, before that it was wooden. The fortress is additionally fortified from the east and west with protective structures called ravelins. In the eastern ravelin or Ioannovsky, those same Ioannovsky gates are built in. Therefore, having passed through them, thus bypassing the ravelin, we find ourselves in an open space directly in front of the main walls of the fortress.

Gate of the Peter and Paul Fortress

Four gates lead to the Peter and Paul Fortress, according to the number of cardinal points and their location.

• Neva Gate. This is the southern, river entrance to the fortress. It was possible to get into the fortress through the Nevsky Gate only by mooring at the pier. Hence the name of the gate.
• Vasilyevsky gate from the west, these gates serve as an entrance to the fortress through the Vasilyevsky curtain, which faces Vasilyevsky Island, hence the name.
• The Nikolsky Gates serve as the entrance to the Peter and Paul Fortress from the north. They were not in the original plan of 1703 and they appeared in the Nikolskaya Curtain only during the reconstruction of the wooden fortress into a stone one a quarter of a century after its foundation.
• Petrovsky gates, the eastern entrance to the fortress, the most beautiful gates of the fortress

It is through the Petrovsky Gates that we enter the fortress. The wooden gate was built in 1708 and rebuilt 10 years later in stone. Petrovsky gates are a monument of Petrovsky Borocco, designed by the architect Domenico Trezzini. In the niches on either side of the gate are placed statues representing "Prudence" and "Courage".

Above the arch is a lead double-headed eagle. And above it is a wooden bas-relief "The overthrow of Simon the Magus by the Apostle Peter", in which Simon is identified with the Swedish King Charles XII, and the Apostle Peter with Peter I, respectively. Thus, the whole picture is a symbol of Russia's victory in the Northern War with Sweden.

Grand Duke's burial vault and monument to Peter I

Behind the Petrovsky Gates begins, paved with paving stones, the central alley to Cathedral Square fortresses.

The central alley will lead us straight to Cathedral Square and its main Peter and Paul Cathedral. But first, there are a few sights waiting for us.

To the right of the alley, in the territory of its own garden, there is the Grand Duke's tomb. The role of the tomb in the Peter and Paul Fortress went to the Peter and Paul Cathedral, the tomb itself appeared here much later in 1908. The tomb was intended for the grand dukes and princesses, as well as for princes of imperial blood. Part of the burials in the tomb were transferred from the Peter and Paul Cathedral.

The entrance to the Grand Duke's burial vault is accessible from the Cathedral Square.

Opposite the tomb, on the other side of the alley, the founder of the fortress, Peter I, sits on a forged throne, behind him is the building of the chief officer's guardhouse. Sculpture of Peter I, the work of Mikhail Mikhailovich Shemyakin, Russian and American artist. When creating the sculpture, the artist drew inspiration from the famous "Wax persona", the emperor's wax counterpart, exhibited in the State Hermitage.

The "wax person" is entirely the work of Carlo Rastrelli, who, during the life of Peter I, took a wax cast from the face of the emperor and made with it a bust and an exact copy of Peter. But “Shemyakinsky Peter” owes only his face to Rastrelli's mask, let's leave the body devoid of proportions on the conscience of the artist.

Cathedral Square and Peter and Paul Cathedral

The alley leads us to the Cathedral Square, which also served as a parade ground for the garrison of the fortress.

Several main buildings of the fortress are located on the Cathedral Square. First of all, these are the Peter and Paul Cathedral, the Mint and the Boat House. The current Mint of the State Sign and the largest Mint in the World.

The botny house was built specifically to store the boat of Peter I, where it was kept until 1931, now a copy is on display here.

From this cathedral, the construction of the Peter and Paul Fortress began. The building was founded in 1703 on the day of the holy apostles Peter and Paul. The height of the Peter and Paul Cathedral with a spire was 122.5 meters. Until 2013, it was the tallest building in St. Petersburg. According to the plan of Peter I, the Peter and Paul Cathedral was to become the first building new Russia, which is why it does not look like traditional Orthodox churches, but with its height, the spire almost pierces the sky.

Trubetskoy Bastion Prison

Although you can walk around the territory of the Peter and Paul Fortress absolutely free of charge, exhibitions and museums in the fortress still cost money. Therefore, you will have to pay to visit the next attraction, but it's worth it.

What is a fortress without "dungeons"? No, of course, it did not exist in the original plans; guardhouses usually served for punishment. The prison in the Trubetskoy bastion appeared in 1872, for the sake of its construction, the inner walls of the bastion were dismantled. Thus, a pentagonal two-story prison building with a courtyard, in the center of which there were baths, appeared on the site of the tower.

The prison was planned for 73 solitary cells, where the main goal was the complete isolation of the prisoner from both the outside world and other prisoners. Over the years, populist revolutionaries were imprisoned here, including Lenin's older brother Alexander Ilyich Ulyanov, Socialist-Revolutionaries, members of the deputation who opposed the executions of 1905, including Maxim Gorky, as well as members of the St. Petersburg Council of Workers' Deputies, including Leon Trotsky .

Later, the situation radically changed twice, first during the February Revolution, and later as a result of the October Revolution of 1917. Thus, the contingent of the prison cells changed first to ministers and police leaders, and later to the provisional government, junkers and members of the Kadet Party. The fundamental difference between the Bolshevik prison and the “tsarist” prison was the abolition of the solitary confinement regime.

A particularly sad page in the history of the Trubetskoy Bastion prison was the years of the Red Terror, when prisoners were massively shot on the territory of the fortress, including 4 Grand Dukes. On the territory of the Fortress in 2010, mass graves of victims of the Red Terror were discovered.

Naryshkin Bastion and Neva Curtain

A separate pleasure in visiting the Peter and Paul Fortress is the opportunity to look at the city from the walls of the fortress. There is such an opportunity, for this you just need to climb the Naryshkin Bastion, having previously bought a ticket at the box office located here. Since the fortress was built in the shape of a six-pointed star, there are exactly six bastions in the fortress. In one of them we have just visited the prison, it was the Trubetskoy bastion, the rest are Menishikov, Golovkin and Zotov bastions. Two more Naryshkin and Sovereign, between which lies the camp called the Neva Curtain, and we have to inspect. From here, from the Naryshkin bastion, a cannon fires its salvo every day at noon, announcing the middle of the day.

From the Naryshkin bastion, beautiful views of not only the Neva, but also the fortress itself open up. The route from the Naryshkin Bastion along the Neva Curtain to the Sovereign's Bastion is called the Neva Panorama, which is how it is positioned at the box office and on advertising posters in the fortress.

The Neva Curtain is a shaft connecting the Naryshkin and Sovereign bastions. The shaft faces the Neva, hence its name. It is in the Neva Curtain that the Neva Gates, also called the Gates of Death, are installed.

On a wooden floor, we, accompanied by an audio guide broadcasting from the horns installed on the curtain, are moving towards the Sovereign's Bastion.

The sovereign's bastion was the first to be laid, now a monument has been erected on the bastion in honor of the "300th anniversary of the founding of St. Petersburg."

And from the very bastion opens beautiful view to the Neva and the Trinity Bridge. By the way, you can go into the bastion and walk along its edge, feeling like in a real dungeon.

Poster of the Sovereign Bastion of the Peter and Paul Fortress

Poterna is an underground corridor that communicates between the internal structures of the fort and its external fortifications. Thus, through the curtain of the Sovereign's bastion, one could get into the courtyard of the fortress, bypassing the Petrovsky Gates.

The entrance to the terrace is carried out from the outside of the Sovereign's bastion, from the side of the Ioannovsky ravelin. The entrance is paid, and the gallery itself is not very large, it ends with a small art exhibition.

That was the end of our sightseeing tour. Of course, we have not examined all the objects of the fortress and visited not all exhibitions and museum expositions, but what we have covered is quite enough for a 4-5 hour acquaintance with the Peter and Paul Fortress. And it's definitely worth going here. After all, the Peter and Paul Fortress is the first building of the Northern capital, and even a military one. It turns out that in the Peter and Paul Fortress there is the charm of Kronstadt and the proximity of St. Petersburg attractions.