Peter and Paul Fortress

Interesting facts

1. 1

   The cathedral spire's golden angel is a weather vane that rotates with the wind.

2. 2

   The fortress was originally built to defend the Neva River delta during the Great Northern War.

3. 3

   During the Soviet era, the Trubetskoy Bastion prison was turned into a museum documenting its own political repression.

4. 4

   The fortress grounds contain a sandy beach along the Neva River that becomes a popular sunbathing spot for locals in summer.

5. 5

   Tsar Peter I is buried in the cathedral, though the city he founded was built away from the fortress site.

6. 6

   The fortress contains a mint that has been in operation since 1724.

7. 7

   A daily cannon fire occurs from the Naryshkin Bastion to mark noon.

8. 8

   The cathedral's interior is decorated with over 30 trophies, including captured Swedish banners.

Overview

Founded in 1703 by Peter the Great, the Peter and Paul Fortress marks the birthplace of St. Petersburg and occupies Zayachy Island. The site features the Peter and Paul Cathedral, which serves as the burial ground for nearly all Russian monarchs from Peter I to Nicholas II. The fortress walls enclose a former state prison, known as the Trubetskoy Bastion, which held political figures including Dostoevsky and Trotsky. The cathedral spire, topped by a golden angel, reaches 122.5 meters, making it one of the tallest structures in the city. The fortress never engaged in actual military combat, serving primarily as a defensive garrison and a high-security prison. Its design was initially wooden but reconstructed in stone during the 18th century. Today, the complex functions as a branch of the State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg. The fortress is surrounded by a canal and the Neva River.

Insider tips

• Walk the full length of the outer defensive walls for unobstructed views of the city skyline.

• Visit the beach on the fortress island for a unique vantage point of the Winter Palace across the river.

• Wear comfortable footwear as the terrain consists of uneven historic cobblestones.