Coastal Settlements in Russia - Saint Petersburg (Paperback)

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 168. Not illustrated. Chapters: Saint Petersburg. Excerpt: Saint Petersburg - On 1 May 1703 (Julian calendar), during the Great Northern War, Peter the Great captured the Swedish fortress of Nyenskans on the Neva river in Ingria. A few weeks later, on 27 May 1703 (May 16, Old Style), lower on the river, on Zayachy (Hare) Island, three miles (5 km) inland from the gulf, he laid down the Peter and Paul Fortress, which became the first brick and stone building of the new city. He named the city after his patron saint, Saint Peter, the apostle. The original name was meant to sound Dutch as a result of Peter's appreciation of Dutch culture. The city was built by conscripted serfs from all over Russia and also by Swedish prisoners of war under the supervision of Alexander Menshikov and later became the centre of Saint Petersburg Governorate. Peter moved the capital from Moscow to Saint Petersburg in 1712, before the Treaty of Nystad of 1721 ended the war. The Bronze Horseman, monument to Peter the Great. Palace Square, as the main square of the Russian Empire it was the setting of many events of great historical significance Lenin statue outside the Finland station. Between 1924 and 1991 the city was known as Leningrad. Map of Saint Petersburg, 1903. Church of the Savior on Blood. Hero-City ObeliskDuring the first few years of its existence the city grew spontaneously around Trinity Square on the right bank of the Neva, near the Peter and Paul Fortress. However, Saint Petersburg soon started to develop according to a plan. By 1716 Domenico Trezzini had elaborated a project whereby the city centre would be located on Vasilievsky Island and shaped by a rectangular grid of canals. The project was not completed, but is still evident in the layout of the streets. In 1716 Jean-Baptiste Alexandre Le Blond was appointed chief architect of Sai...