by Beth Szczepanski

Created on: August 24, 2008   Last Updated: September 07, 2008

St. Petersburg boasts awe-inspiring historical sites, jaw-dropping architecture and wonderful museums. The city's roles as Russia's longtime capital and one of the nation's few seaports make it a fascinatingly diverse destination. It would take years to fully explore the wonders of St. Petersburg, but a visit a few short days can also be quite rewarding. A little familiarity with the history and culture behind the city's most famous sites will help you come up with an itinerary that suits your tastes.

History

St. Petersburg was founded in 1703 by Peter the Great. The tsar originally intended the city to act as a barrier to Swedish incursions into newly-regained Russian territory. To that end, the tsar ordered the construction of the Peter and Paul Fortress on Zayachy (Hare) Island. This fortress and the neighboring Peter and Paul Cathedral mark the beginnings of St. Petersburg's importance as a military and cultural site.

The tsar moved the capital of his empire from Moscow to St. Petersburg in 1712, naming his capital after his patron saint in the Dutch style, demonstrating his preoccupation with all things Netherlandish.

Peter the Great died in 1725, and three years later his son Peter II briefly moved the capital back to Moscow. The Empress Anna reestablished St. Petersburg as the capital in 1732, and it remained the seat of the Russian Empire for one hundred and eighty six years. During that time and in the years following, St. Petersburg has witnessed various architectural periods, a number of political uprisings and wars, and the development of some of Russia's greatest artists, all of which have left their marks on the city's current landscape.

Influences of the Romanov Tsars on St. Petersburg

Peter the Great embraced a philosophy of enlightened absolutism; he wielded absolute power, but spearheaded modernization and reform of what he saw as the backward elements of Russian society. In early 18th century Russia, modernization meant emulation of Western European models. The tsar hired Italian architects such as Domenico Trezzini to design buildings in the elaborate, West European-influenced Petrine Baroque style. He also tapped the Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Alexandre Le Blond as chief architect of St. Petersburg. Le Blond envisioned a city connected by a rectangular grid of canals, and while his vision was never completed, a number of scenic manmade waterways remain as evidence of his original plan.

Peter the Great and Catherine the Great (reigned 1762-1796)

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