DK Travel : St Petersburg : Peter and Paul Fortress

Peter and Paul Fortress

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First built in wood, and later reconstructed block by block in stone, the Peter and Paul Fortress dates from the founding of St Petersburg in 1703. During its construction, hundreds of serfs and Swedish prisoners of war perished in the murderous swamps that surrounded it. Containing a magnificent cathedral, dark, damp cells, a popular beach and fine examples of Baroque architecture, the fortress, like the city itself, is a contradictory wonder that at times exhilarates and, at times, chills the bones.
It is worth setting aside an entire morning or afternoon for a visit to the fortress, and longer if you want to sunbathe on the riverside beach. There are many cafés on the territory of the fortress. However, during summer, it is ideal to take a picnic and relax on the beach. High-profile prisoners who served time in the fortress include Dostoevsky, Peter the Great’s son Aleksey and Lenin’s brother.

Top 10 Features

1. St Peter’s Gate

The gate (1718) depicts St Peter’s banishment of the winged mystic, Simon Magus. This Baroque construction with scrolled wings allegorizes Peter the Great’s victory at the Battle of Poltava in 1709.
2. Cathedral of SS Peter and Paul

2. Cathedral of SS Peter and Paul

The stylish Baroque cathedral was a deliberate attempt by Peter the Great to commission buildings based on designs that rejected traditional Russian church architecture.
3. Neva Gate

3. Neva Gate

Built in 1784–7, the Neva Gate was referred to as “Death Gate” during the years it was used to transport prisoners to execution in the neighbouring Schlusselburg Fortress. The archway contains plaques that commemorate record flood levels.
4. Trubetskoy Bastion

4. Trubetskoy Bastion

The bastion’s dark cells served as a prison. The first prisoner here was Aleksey, who was accused of treason by his father, Peter the Great, and executed in 1718.
5. Statue of Peter the Great

Mikhail Chemiakin’s statue caused great controversy upon its unveiling in 1991. Intended to depict Peter the Great’s “alter-ego”, the statue portrays the founder of St Petersburg with a very tiny head and spindly fingers.
6. Commandant’s House

6. Commandant’s House

A reminder of some of unpleasant aspects of the fortress’s history, this early 18th-century structure is where political prisoners were brought for interrogation during the years of tsarist rule.
7. The Mint

7. The Mint

Established in the early 18th century by Peter the Great, the mint is still in use today. It is one of only two places in Russia, the other being Moscow, where coins, along with medals and badges, are minted.
8. The Grand Ducal Burial Vault

The vault (1908) was constructed to replace the already overflowing cathedral as the final resting place of the tsars.
9. Engineer’s House

9. Engineer’s House

This building (1749), used as living quarters for engineers of the city’s garrison, now houses exhibitions dedicated to St Petersburg’s pre-revolutionary days.
10. The Beach

10. The Beach

During summer, the beach is full of sunbathers. In winter, it becomes the exclusive haunt of “The Walruses”, a group of St Petersburg citizens who break through the thick ice to dip into the freezing waters beneath.

Practical Information

It is worth setting aside an entire morning or afternoon for a visit to the fortress, and longer if you want to sunbathe on the riverside beach. There are many cafés on the territory of the fortress. However, during summer, it is ideal to take a picnic and relax on the beach. Petropavlovskaya krepost 232 9454 Open summer: 10am–6pm Thu–Mon, 10am–5pm Tue; winter: 11am–6pm Thu–Mon, 11am–5pm Tue Adm: adults 170 roubles; children 80 roubles www.spbmuseum.ru