[RUSSIA] St Petersburg - Peter & Paul Fortress

14:34 Travel Bunny 0 Comments

Founded by Peter the Great in 1703, Peter and Paul Fortress was the first structure built in St Petersburg. It has a rich and somewhat sinister history as a military base, a home of government departments, burial ground of the Russian imperial family, the site of ground breaking scientific experiments and one of the most feared prisons in the Russian Empire.

Peter and Paul Fortress on Zayachy (Hare) Island by Neva River.

The two Rostral Columns were built on the Spit of Vasilyevsky island in 1805-1810. They were installed as two beacons indicating two channels. The large bowls at the top of the columns were originally designed to hold hemp oil for burning. Later electric lamps were installed as beacons but this soon became too expensive. In 1957, the columns are connected to gas supply and only lit up on holidays.

The weather was good that day. Many people were relaxing on the grassy area and beach around Peter and Paul Fortress.

The territory of the fortress and the beach are open for public. However, visitors need to buy tickets to visit Peter and Paul Cathedral and Grand Ducal Burial Vault, and other exhibitions. All exhibitions are open daily, except Wednesdays, from 10am to 6.30pm.

Single entrance ticket to Peter and Paul Cathedral and Grand Ducal Burial Vault is RUB 450 per adult, the prison and the commandant’s house – RUB 200 per adult, History of Peter and Paul Fortress – RUB 100 per adult and Museum of Space Exploration and Rocket Technology – RUB 150 per adult. Combined ticket to the five mentioned expositions (except Belfry of Peter and Paul Cathedral) costs RUB 600 per adult.

Peter and Paul Cathedral is the oldest church in St Petersburg. It was first erected as a wooden church and it was consecrated on 1 April 1704. The current stone cathedral started to be built in 1712.

The height of the bell tower is 400 feet. As the tallest structure for many miles, the bell tower was often the victim of lightning and it was burned down in 1756. Catherine the Great ordered the bell tower to be rebuilt exactly as it has been in 1766. An angel holding a cross on top of the gold painted sphere of the bell tower is one of the most important symbol of St Petersburg.

Ceiling of Peter and Paul Cathedral.

Central altar gate of the Peter and Paul Cathedral.

The unique carved, gilded iconostasis in the Peter and Paul Cathedral was made in Moscow in 1722-1726 by a group of carvers headed by Ivan Zarudny.

Tomb of Peter the Great was buried next to icononstasis on 29 May 1731 (1st tomb on the right in photo above).

The cathedral houses the remains of almost all the Russian emperors and empresses including Catherine the Great. The graves of former rulers and imperial families are very extravagant and well worth to see.

At present the remains of 50 people are buried at the Peter and Paul Cathedral, including 46 members of the Romanov dynasty.

Souvenirs sold in the cathedral.

At the end of 19th century, the Peter and Paul Cathedral could not accommodate more burials. The Emperor Alexander III ordered a Great Ducal Burial Chapel to be built for uncrowned members of the royal family.

Cute rabbit statues in front of the Commandant’s House which exhibits the history of St Petersburg.

Models of fortresses of north-west Russia at the time of the founding of St Petersburg.

A hand painted basin.

Late 19th century car in the collection of Peter and Paul Fortress.

Nikolskiy Curtain Wall were completed in 1729. The interior of the wall were used as barracks, warehouse space, and prison cells.

Nevsky Curtain Wall and Gate overlooking the Neva River were built in 1727 – 1731. The structure was clad in granite in 1779-1781.

Taking photo in front of Nevsky Gate.

The view of Winter Palace across the Neva River.

The Flagstaff Tower was added to the Naryshkin Bastion in the 1730s. It has a tradition to hang the fortress’ own flag, or the imperial standards on holidays and during imperial visits. This tradition was revived in 2000. Another tradition – daily firing of a canon from the bastion at noon was revived in 1957.

The Trubetskoy Bastion Prison.

Going in to visit the prison.

Uniforms for convicts in the 1880s.

Sound insulated cell’s structure (1872-1879). It is designed to prevent inmate's communication by way of knocking.

Corridor of the prison in the Trubetskoy Bastion. Completed in 1872, this prison became the main destination for political prisoners in the final decades of Tsarist rule.

An interrogation room.

A typical prison cell.

No prison cells overlook the yard. Only the windows of the prison corridors and those of the superintendent's apartment on the first floor above the gates overlook the yard.

Prisoners were taken out for exercise one at a time, being supervised by two guards at the prison exercise yard. They were restricted to following the stone path running along the prison walls.